FEBRUARY 16, 1966

Full News Archive

• Headline: The Dark Preview Controversy. Impact: This cancellation inspired a new genre of theater: the 'Preview Show' where nothing happens, and audiences are left wondering if they actually paid for a ticket or just participated in a performance art piece about disappointment.. Fact: The phrase 'At your peril' became the unofficial motto for all theater critics after this incident, leading to a sharp rise in dramatic rejections from playwrights..
• Headline: Pentagon Predicts Prolonged Victory in Vietnam. Impact: The prediction of a long war inadvertently led to the rise of the 'Never-ending War' merchandise industry, which continues to thrive today with t-shirts and coffee mugs celebrating prolonged conflicts.. Fact: The phrase 'long war' was later adopted by coffee aficionados to refer to their struggles with caffeine addiction..
• Headline: $5 City Realty Tax, An Increase of 44c, Expected on July 1; $5 City Realty Tax Is Expected To Become Effective on July 1. Impact: The increase of 44 cents led to a massive underground economy where citizens started trading coupons and old pizza boxes as currency, proving that humans will barter for anything.. Fact: That extra 44 cents was all that was needed to fund the city’s new 'Finders Keepers' program, which hilariously never actually got off the ground..
• Headline: New Opposition Party in Seoul. Impact: The emergence of the New Korea party caused a butterfly effect that eventually led to a reality TV show featuring ex-presidents trying to outsmart each other in political trivia—because who doesn’t love political commentary with a side of drama?. Fact: The founding members of the New Korea party initially considered naming it 'The Unbearable Lightness of Politics' but decided it was too long for a banner..
• Headline: HEALTH AID SPEED URGED BY GARDNER; He Asks Congress to Move on Help to Needy Nations. Impact: Gardner’s plea for health aid sparked a trend for politicians to suddenly develop a conscience whenever a camera was nearby, leading to many 'political selfies' with impoverished nations.. Fact: Gardner's efforts led to the establishment of the now-defunct 'Pledge for Aid' app, which was designed to remind politicians to help others, but they mostly just used it for taking selfies..
• Headline: Jersey and Connecticut Reject A 3-State Drinking Age of 19 ; Jersey and Connecticut Reject A 3-State Drinking Age of 19. Impact: The rejection led to a rise in youthful shenanigans along state borders, where teenagers became experts in the art of sneaking across lines, subsequently inspiring a popular teen drama series, 'Borderline.'. Fact: Jersey's motto, 'Only the Strong Survive,' was originally about the drinking age, but it eventually became a metaphor for surviving family dinners..
• Headline: Music: Marlboro Evening; Young Artists Present Chamber Works. Impact: The Marlboro Evening concert inadvertently launched a wave of hipster musicians who believed that playing in a small, cramped space made them more authentic, leading to the great 'Chamber Music Renaissance of the 21st Century.'. Fact: Chamber music was originally called 'Living Room Music,' but it was rebranded for a more sophisticated audience—because who wouldn't want to sip organic tea while listening to string quartets?.
• Headline: Lord & Taylor Chief Heads 5th Ave. Group. Impact: The appointment of M.E. Dawley led to a new fashion trend where everyone felt the need to wear something from Lord & Taylor to feel included in the very exclusive '5th Avenue Society,' resulting in a lot of overpriced scarves.. Fact: Dawley’s first act as president was to declare that all meetings must include a mandatory shopping break—because what’s better than discussing business while browsing the clearance rack?.