JANUARY 17, 1972

Full News Archive

• Headline: State Legislatures Regain Their Influence. Impact: The resurgence of state legislatures sparked a nationwide trend of local governments getting overly ambitious. Before long, every small-town mayor was convinced they could solve climate change with a bake sale.. Fact: Did you know that the last time state legislatures were this empowered, they thought it was a great idea to outlaw the use of the word 'moist'?.
• Headline: Governor Fights for Budget Preservation. Impact: Rockefeller's budget battles set a precedent for future governors to wield budgets like swords in political duels. Meanwhile, taxpayers just wanted the budget to stop being a game of Monopoly.. Fact: Fun fact: Austerity budgets are like diets—they're always proposed, but nobody really wants to stick to them!.
• Headline: Consumerism's Other Half. Impact: Miller's article ignited a consumer revolution that convinced people that if they bought enough stuff, they could fill the void of existential dread—spoiler alert: it didn't work.. Fact: Did you know that the original consumerism was just a group of people trying to buy happiness, only to realize it came with a hefty credit card bill?.
• Headline: The Clouded Crystal Ball. Impact: C.R. Baedecker Jr.'s economic predictions became the basis for future economists blaming every recession on everything from the weather to your neighbor's dog barking too loudly.. Fact: Did you know that predicting the economy is like fortune telling but with more spreadsheets and fewer crystal balls?.
• Headline: Associate Proud of His Role. Impact: Russo's pride in his actions turned into a soap opera for the ages, leading to generations of conspiracy theorists who still think the Pentagon papers were just a really bad episode of 'The Office.'. Fact: Did you know that 'Pentagon Papers' sounds like a top-secret document but really just means someone got tired of using regular paper?.
• Headline: West's Thirst for Water Is Questioned. Impact: The water project criticisms opened the floodgates for future environmentalists to argue about water waste, while farmers continued to insist their lawns are totally worth it.. Fact: Did you know that in some places, water is more valuable than gold? Just ask any farmer with a broken irrigation system!.
• Headline: Lindsay Effort in Arizona. Impact: Lindsay's campaign efforts were so impressive that they inspired future candidates to visit communities just for photo ops, resulting in an entire industry of selfie sticks and staged handshakes.. Fact: Did you know that if you visit every community during a campaign, you can technically claim to have 'traveled the world' without ever leaving your state?.