DECEMBER 19, 2005

Full News Archive

• Headline: AOL Chooses Google Over Microsoft. Impact: This partnership between AOL and Google is what indirectly led to Microsoft creating their own search engine, which eventually birthed the infamous Bing. So yes, thank you, AOL, for contributing to the endless struggle of finding answers on the internet.. Fact: Did you know that Bing was originally named 'Project Bacon'? I guess they thought nobody would find it appealing enough without a catchy name..
• Headline: Challenges of Faith for North Korean Defectors. Impact: The defection of North Koreans and the mission work of South Korean churches continues to create a cultural rift that fuels North Korea's isolationist policies. Who knew that trying to save a soul could have geopolitical repercussions?. Fact: North Korea has a 100% literacy rate... as long as you count understanding propaganda as reading..
• Headline: Ben Franklin's Controversial Reputation Revealed. Impact: Franklin's insufferability may have prevented him from becoming president, but it also paved the way for the founding fathers to embrace a little more humility in leadership. Imagine if we had a president who invented electricity and was also a total jerk.. Fact: Fun fact: Benjamin Franklin once proposed a plan to create a new alphabet that included 36 letters. Spoiler alert: it didn't catch on..
• Headline: A Good but Not Great Start for 'King Kong'. Impact: The lukewarm reception of 'King Kong' showed Hollywood that not every monster movie needs to be a blockbuster. This paved the way for countless indie horror films that would later scare us for much less money.. Fact: 'King Kong' has been remade and reimagined so many times that it's practically a rite of passage for filmmakers. Maybe one day they'll make a version where Kong has a successful career in tech..