SEPTEMBER 13, 1977

Full News Archive

• Headline: Southwestern Bell's $3 Million Legal Defeat. Impact: The lawsuit inspired a wave of corporate whistleblowers, leading to a future where it's more common to leak secrets than to actually keep them. Thanks, Southwestern Bell!. Fact: Fun fact: $3 million in 1980s dollars is basically the same as $300 million now, so those ex-officials got quite the payout. Too bad they couldn't buy their dignity back.
• Headline: Soviet Lets Turchin, A Dissident, Accept Position at Columbia. Impact: This seemingly small event helped fuel the brain drain from the Soviet Union, ultimately leading to the creation of a 'Dissidents Club' at Columbia, which was just a group of people complaining over coffee. Fact: Fun fact: Columbia University has more former dissidents than actual students sometimes. It's like a real-life episode of 'Survivor'.
• Headline: CHOLERA SPREADING IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Impact: The cholera outbreak prompted international public health initiatives, leading to a future where global organizations could rally together at the mere mention of 'cholera'—because who wouldn’t want to prevent that?. Fact: Cholera outbreaks tend to be historical party crashers—just when you think the region is getting back on track, it shows up uninvited with a side of misery.
• Headline: Powell Says 3 Aides Knew of Lance Criticism but Did Not Tell Carter. Impact: This little nugget of gossip led to a future where silence in politics became the norm, spawning the infamous phrase, 'What you don’t know can’t hurt you... unless it’s an election.'. Fact: Did you know that in politics, ignorance is often considered a superpower? Just ask anyone who’s ever run for office without reading the fine print.
• Headline: Humphrey Leads Labor Group. Impact: Humphrey's leadership reinvigorated labor movements, eventually leading to the creation of 'Labor Day', a holiday better known for barbecues and day-drinking than for any actual labor rights. Fact: Fun fact: Labor Day was originally intended to honor workers, but it quickly devolved into a holiday for people to 'honor' their couch and the TV remote.
• Headline: CARTER CALLED FIRM AGAINST RACE QUOTAS. Impact: Carter's stance on race quotas created a contentious political climate that led to debates still happening today. It’s like a never-ending argument at the Thanksgiving table that no one knows how to resolve. Fact: Did you know that political debates can last longer than some reality TV shows? It's all drama, no resolution, and everyone just wants to go home.
• Headline: Sold the Russians Secrets on U.S. Satellites That MonitOred the Soviet Union and China. Impact: The conviction of Boyce led to a paranoid atmosphere in the intelligence community, catalyzing the phrase 'Trust no one'—which eventually became the motto of every spy movie ever made. Fact: Did you know that selling secrets is one of the most lucrative side hustles? Just ask anyone who's ever tried to start a podcast.