MARCH 31, 1977

Full News Archive

• Headline: KLM Message Adds to Crash Mystery. Impact: If only KLM had sent clearer messages, perhaps the invention of a new type of aviation communication device would have been delayed by decades. Instead, they just gave birth to a whole new generation of conspiracy theorists obsessed with the idea that planes can talk.. Fact: Air traffic control has been a thing since the 1920s, but apparently, clarity wasn't a priority back then. Who knew?.
• Headline: RCA and Matsushita Video Accord Signed. Impact: This contract between RCA and Matsushita was the beginning of the end for VHS vs. Betamax debates. Little did they know, the real winner would be Netflix—coming soon to your living room with zero tapes involved.. Fact: In a bizarre twist of fate, the Betamax format is now only used for hipster nostalgia and ironic parties..
• Headline: Books of The Times. Impact: David Spanier's book on poker may have indirectly led to the explosion of reality TV poker shows, where the only thing more predictable than the outcomes are the contestants' sob stories.. Fact: Poker was once illegal in many states, which makes you wonder if all those poker faces were actually just criminals trying to keep a low profile..
• Headline: Carter Warns He May Add Arms If Moscow Balks in Further Talks. Impact: Carter's warning about arms could have set off a chain reaction leading to a Cold War sequel that nobody asked for. Spoiler alert: it ends poorly.. Fact: Carter was quite the optimist; he believed in diplomacy while the rest of the world was busy stockpiling weapons like kids hoarding candy..
• Headline: Home Beat. Impact: The article on home stage sets may have inspired countless home renovation disasters where people tried to recreate Broadway magic in their living rooms—complete with questionable lighting.. Fact: Home staging has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry, proving that humans will do anything to make their messy lives look more appealing..
• Headline: F.B.I.Says Killings Dropped Last Year While Thefts Rose. Impact: If the FBI's report on declining murders had been widely publicized, perhaps it would have sparked a movement where everyone would feel safer and start leaving their doors unlocked—right before everything went terribly wrong.. Fact: The statistics here might have made happy hour at the bar a lot less morbid, as people celebrated the drop in murders like it was a national holiday..
• Headline: I.R.S. Investigating Two Banks On Cash Transaction Reports. Impact: The IRS investigating banks for cash transaction failures could have led to an alternate world where everyone starts hiding cash under their mattresses again. Welcome back to the 1950s!. Fact: The Bank Secrecy Act was supposed to help prevent money laundering, but really, it just made everyone feel like they were in a spy movie—minus the cool gadgets..