OCTOBER 5, 1971

Full News Archive

• Headline: Nixon's Pay Increase Delay Approved. Impact: The House backing Nixon's delay of federal pay increases led to government employees reassessing their life choices. Many took up knitting, which inadvertently birthed a national yarn obsession, resulting in the creation of the world’s first knitting championship in 1975. Who knew bureaucracy could knit the fabric of society?. Fact: Did you know that Columbus Day was originally celebrated with a parade of Italian sausages? Just kidding, but that would have been more entertaining than what actually happened..
• Headline: AWOL Soldier's Exoneration and Return. Impact: Pvt T W Catlow's return marked a shift in military justice perceptions. His dramatic escape ignited a trend of soldiers considering the consequences of 'going AWOL' as a form of avant-garde performance art. Thus, in 1985, the first 'AWOL Art Festival' was held, showcasing the works of soldiers who left and came back.. Fact: Did you know that escaping from military custody once inspired a whole genre of movies? The most famous being 'Escape From Fort Dix: The Musical.'.
• Headline: Nixon's Economic Opportunity Council Appointments. Impact: Nixon's appointments to the Economic Opportunity National Advisory Council were so influential that they inadvertently inspired a group of college students to start the 'Lost Opportunities Society.' This society has yet to achieve anything, but their meetings are filled with good snacks.. Fact: Did you know that Nixon once thought of appointing a talking dog to the council? Apparently, it had great economic insight, but the paperwork was a nightmare..
• Headline: ISRAEL AND EGYPT URGED BY ROGERS TO AGREE ON SUEZ. Impact: Sec. Rogers' plea for Israel and Egypt set off a ripple effect of diplomatic efforts that led to the phrase 'We're just talking' becoming the official motto of international relations. This motto has been used extensively ever since, often in lieu of actual progress.. Fact: Did you know that diplomatic negotiations were once conducted entirely via interpretive dance? It was messy, but the results were spectacularly confusing..
• Headline: SAIGON RELIEF FORCE AT CAMBODIAN BASE. Impact: The relief of the Alpha arty base was like the plot of a war movie where the heroes save the day just in time. This event inspired countless Hollywood scripts, leading to an era of films where every underdog story had to involve a besieged base.. Fact: Did you know that the actual siege was so intense it inspired a new genre of romantic novels titled 'Love in a Siege'? Yes, really..
• Headline: M.T.A. Will Unveil 4 New Subway Cars Today. Impact: The unveiling of the new NYC subway cars was a pivotal moment that led to the belief that shiny things could solve all urban problems. This resulted in a decade-long trend of city planners suggesting ‘just add more glitter!’ to every infrastructure plan.. Fact: Did you know that the first subway car unveiled had a disco ball installed? It was removed due to safety concerns but sparked the city's best dance party..
• Headline: Postal Service May Seek New Rise in Stamp Prices. Impact: The Postal Service's consideration of rising stamp prices sent shockwaves through the mail-sending community, leading to a dark age of letter writing where people resorted to sending messages via carrier pigeons. This led to an unexpected resurgence in avian employment.. Fact: Did you know that before email, people actually wrote letters? Shocking, I know..
• Headline: Haile Selassie Off to China. Impact: Haile Selassie's visit to China inadvertently led to the 'Ethiopian-Chinese fusion cuisine' craze of the 1980s, where injera was served with soy sauce, causing culinary chaos and outrage among traditionalists. Some say it was the start of the food truck revolution.. Fact: Did you know that Selassie's favorite dish was actually pizza? It was a well-kept secret until now..
• Headline: House Votes Protection For Mustangs in West. Impact: The House's unanimous vote to protect wild mustangs led to a dramatic rise in the population of 'wild mustang whisperers'—people who claim they can communicate with horses. This trend eventually paved the way for reality TV shows about horse therapy.. Fact: Did you know that the mustangs once tried to unionize for better pasture rights? The negotiations were legendary, but ultimately fell apart over hay distribution..