DECEMBER 24, 1978

Full News Archive

• Headline: The Dictionary of Biographical Quotations. Impact: The publication of this dictionary ignited a fierce competition among biographers, leading to a secret society of writers who now meet in basements to discuss who gets to quote whom.. Fact: Fun fact: The longest biography in the world is actually about a guy who was so boring, they had to pad it with random quotes from other people..
• Headline: East Market Street Bridge Collapse in Scranton. Impact: The bridge collapse triggered a nationwide reevaluation of bridge safety, leading to an entirely new career path for structural engineers who now discreetly check their blueprints for 'Oops' moments.. Fact: Bridges are often called 'the bones of the city.' So, in this case, Scranton just had a major chiropractic issue..
• Headline: Neediest Cases Stir Ex‐Resident. Impact: The staggering amount raised for needy cases sparked a series of fundraising events that eventually led to the creation of a reality TV show: 'Extreme Charity Makeover: Wallet Edition.'. Fact: Did you know that the term 'needy' originally referred to people who needed more cake? Let’s bring that back!.
• Headline: Tire Company Says It Plans to Stay in Akron if Union Takes Pay Cut. Impact: The tire company's ultimatum led to a labor movement so intense that it inspired a hit musical called 'Tires & Tribulations,' blending labor struggles with catchy songs about rubber.. Fact: Fun fact: The first tire was made of solid rubber. That’s right, no air! Just like your uncle’s opinions at Thanksgiving dinner..
• Headline: Unspent Arts Funds Stir Suffolk Controversy. Impact: Suffolk County's unspent arts funds sparked a trend where other counties began hoarding arts money, leading to a nationwide shortage of public sculptures made out of recycled materials.. Fact: Did you know that if you stack all the unspent arts funds end to end, they could reach the moon? Just kidding, but it would be a pretty tall stack!.
• Headline: CONSUMERS UPHELD ON ACCESS TO DATA. Impact: This ruling gave consumers a newfound power, leading to a nationwide obsession with digging through government archives, eventually resulting in the popular podcast 'Secrets of the Bureaucracy.'. Fact: Fun fact: The Freedom of Information Act was inspired by a man who really wanted to know what was in his neighbor's garage..