OCTOBER 9, 2003

Full News Archive

• Headline: Limit Set on Iraq Aid Fund Usage. Impact: This limit on aid funds led to a series of bureaucratic nightmares and budget cuts that made the streets of Baghdad more pothole-ridden than a teenager's face during puberty. If only they had just invested in a good asphalt company instead of bureaucratic red tape.. Fact: Did you know that in 2004, $6 billion was about the cost of a few overpriced military contracts? Who knew infrastructure could be so negotiable?.
• Headline: Louis Armstrong's Legacy in Queens. Impact: The transformation of Louis Armstrong's house into a museum inspired musicians everywhere to start charging admission for their living rooms. 'Pay to see my fridge!' they cried. The music industry never saw it coming.. Fact: Did you know that Louis Armstrong was so beloved that even his house was considered a national treasure? Meanwhile, my childhood bedroom still just has a poster of a cat playing a piano..
• Headline: World Business Briefing | Europe: Britain: A Murdoch Seeks TV Job. Impact: Rupert Murdoch's quest for a TV job in Britain sparked a media revolution that would lead to countless reality shows and the birth of 'infotainment'—the art of making news as riveting as watching paint dry.. Fact: Did you know that Murdoch's influence was so vast that he could probably convince pigeons to start a news channel? 'Breaking News: Pigeons Are Pooping on Statues!'.
• Headline: Selective Intelligence On Road to Baghdad. Impact: The selective intelligence highlighted in this documentary had a ripple effect that made everyone question the reliability of their morning coffee brews. Was the barista secretly feeding us propaganda? Who knew lattes could be so treacherous?. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more selective than the intelligence on the road to Baghdad was the choice of toppings at a trendy café? 'Cinnamon or truth? You decide!'.