MAY 1, 1968

Full News Archive

• Headline: Ceausescu's Purge of Political Rivals. Impact: Ceausescu's political maneuvering created a domino effect, leading to a series of increasingly bizarre leadership struggles in Eastern Europe. By the time the dust settled, the old guard was replaced with a new generation of leaders who were equally confused about how to run a country, only with worse hairstyles.. Fact: The only thing more stable than Ceausescu's regime was the number of conspiracy theories about him. Rumor has it he was secretly planning to become a pop star on the side..
• Headline: Clean Air Act Restores Rare Birds in London. Impact: The Clean Air Act not only revived rare birds, but it also sparked an underground birdwatching movement that eventually led to the creation of a reality TV show called 'Birds Gone Wild,' where people compete to spot elusive species.. Fact: In London, they say the air is cleaner now, but I bet the birds are just too busy enjoying their newfound freedom to tell us how much they missed it..
• Headline: Columbia University Student Protests. Impact: The Columbia strike not only delayed classes but also inspired future generations of students to believe that protesting is a valid substitute for doing their homework. Who knew that circling a campus could lead to a career in activism?. Fact: 720 protesters were arraigned, which is just a fancy way of saying the school was too busy trying to figure out how to deal with students who weren't interested in studying..
• Headline: Goldwater Asks Views. Impact: The decline in checking accounts signaled the rise of credit cards, kickstarting a financial revolution that would eventually lead to a world where people could buy avocado toast on credit and still complain about student debt.. Fact: It turns out checks were just too 'old school' for the youth. They prefer their money to be as digital as their social lives..
• Headline: Use of Checking Accounts Declines. Impact: The FDA's move to revise pill labeling set off a chain reaction of consumer awareness, leading to an era where everyone suddenly became an expert in pharmaceutical side effects—thanks, internet!. Fact: Birth control pills have always had a complicated relationship with labels; it's like they were trying to be mysterious but accidentally made it way too complicated..
• Headline: Humphrey Is Given $750,000 at a Luncheon Here. Impact: Israel's Independence Day parade through Arab Jerusalem ignited debates and tensions that would echo through the decades, proving once again that parades can sometimes lead to more confusion than celebration.. Fact: You know it's serious when a parade is considered a diplomatic statement. Next time, maybe they should just send a cake..
• Headline: PARADE TO GO ON, ISRAEL TELLS U.N.; Eban Rejects Complaints of a Threat to Efforts for Peace in the Mideast PARADE TO GO ON, ISRAEL TELLS U.N.. Impact: The grand jury's decision not to indict became a flashpoint in the civil rights movement, leading to discussions about justice that continue to this day, reminding us that some things never truly change.. Fact: This case is a prime example of how justice can sometimes feel more like a game of dodgeball, where everyone just hopes they don't get hit..
• Headline: Jersey Jury Bars Action In Shooting of Youth. Impact: Abernathy's call for job creation became the catalyst for an ongoing struggle for workers' rights, eventually inspiring a whole generation to realize that 'just getting by' is not an acceptable career goal.. Fact: Two million jobs? Sounds ambitious! But hey, at least he didn't promise a unicorn for every family..
• Headline: Leaders of Poor Call on Senate To Help Create 2 Million Jobs; 2 MILLION JOBS FOR POOR URGED.