Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON May 12, 1969
Full News Archive
- Headline: Communist Fundraising Initiative in Italy. Impact: The $4.8 million fund drive inadvertently led to an explosion of hipster coffee shops in Italy, as the funds were secretly funneled into espressos instead of communism. Who knew revolution could be so caffeinated?. Fact: Did you know that Italians drink more coffee than anyone else? Sure, they might be plotting revolution, but theyβre also plotting their next espresso break..
- Headline: Pedestrian Mall Experiment in Manhattan. Impact: The vehicle ban turned into a pedestrian utopia, where people forgot how to drive and instead started riding unicycles, sparking a global unicycle craze that lasts for decades. Thanks, Mayor Lindsay!. Fact: Did you know that 'pedestrian mall' is just a fancy way of saying, 'Letβs make traffic jams a little bit quieter?'.
- Headline: Harbor Recreation Area Initiative Discussed. Impact: The push for a harbor recreation area led to the world's first underwater karaoke bar, where mermaids and sailors alike crooned their way to fameβthough the acoustics were terrible.. Fact: Did you know that Congress has a reputation for inaction? Itβs like a soap opera that never gets canceledβjust the same drama every season!.
- Headline: TIMES CRITICIZED BY 50 AT HARVARD; Professors Attack Articles on Unrest as Inaccurate. Impact: Harvard professors attacking the New York Times caused a ripple effect of academic snobbery, leading to the formation of an elite society that only read obscure foreign journals no one else could understand.. Fact: Did you know that the New York Times was once the most respected paper in America? Now itβs just one of the many 'news' outlets fighting over who can be the most sensational..
- Headline: NASA SHIFTS PLAN ON ALIEN BACTERIA; Won't Seal Moon Craft Off From Earth Environment. Impact: NASA's relaxed precautions led to the accidental discovery of moon-based disco fever, as astronauts returned with a taste for the funky, forever altering Earthβs music scene.. Fact: Did you know that the moon is often mistaken for a giant disco ball? Itβs just waiting for the right DJ to spin some cosmic tunes..
- Headline: 2 Jersey Men Found Slain In a Room at Cunard Pier. Impact: The tragic death of the two men at Cunard Pier led to a surge in crime novels centered around maritime mysteries, creating a generation of wannabe detectives who couldn't solve their own laundry problems.. Fact: Did you know that crime scenes often inspire more fiction than real-life resolutions? Just another reason why authors prefer to write about the dead instead of the living..
- Headline: Rockefeller Visits Nixon And Starts Latin Mission; Rockefeller Visits Nixon and Starts Latin Mission. Impact: Rockefeller's Latin mission inadvertently triggered a global salsa dance craze, with politicians everywhere trying to win votes through impromptu dance-offs instead of policies.. Fact: Did you know that when politicians say they want to 'listen,' they often mean they want to hear their own voices echo back? Itβs a very one-sided conversation..
- Headline: CENTRAL BANKERS MOVE TO CONTAIN CURRENCY CRISIS; Announce Immediate Action for Recycling Speculative Money Flow in Europe Central Bankers Move to Contain Currency Crisis. Impact: The central bankers' actions not only contained the currency crisis but also led to the world's first international money recycling programβturns out, 'hot money' can be cooled down with enough corporate red tape.. Fact: Did you know that currency crises are like bad hair days? Everyone pretends itβs not happening while trying to cover it up with a hat..
- Headline: Mitchell Said to Confer With Warren on Fortas; Mitchell Is Said to Meet With Warren on Fortas Controversy. Impact: The secret meetings among government branches led to an unintentional friendship between Nixon and Warren, creating a political buddy cop duo that shocked the nationβwho knew theyβd be sharing popcorn during hearings?. Fact: Did you know that behind-the-scenes government meetings are often less secretive than your neighbor's gossip? But hey, at least this one had better snacks!.
- Headline: Raoul H. Fleischmann, Publisher Of The New Yorker, Dies at 83; Raoul Fleischmann of The New Yorker Dies at 83. Impact: Raoul H. Fleischmann's passing brought about a sudden surge in literary magazine subscriptions, as people rushed to impress their friends with obscure references to The New Yorkerβbecause nothing says 'Iβm cultured' like a magazine nobody actually reads.. Fact: Did you know that The New Yorker was once considered the pinnacle of literary journalism? Now itβs just a fancy way to distract from the fact that nobody knows how to write a proper email anymore..
Wall Street Time Machine
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1969, it would be worth $972,040 today (972.0x return)
PG
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1969, it would be worth $527,083 today (527.1x return)
MCD
McDonald's
McDonald's - If you invested $1,000 in 1969, it would be worth $1,470,783 today (1470.8x return)