JULY 20, 2009

Full News Archive

• Headline: Overhauling Afghanistan's U.S.-Run Prisons. Impact: The Pentagon's overhaul sparked a chain reaction of reforms in military prisons worldwide, leading to a sudden increase in prison-themed reality TV shows. Who knew that Bagram would be the birthplace of 'Prison Break: The Reality Edition'?. Fact: Did you know that after this overhaul, some prisoners claimed they had better Wi-Fi than many U.S. citizens? Talk about a mixed message!.
• Headline: Japan's Cellphone Innovation Dilemma. Impact: Japan's niche cellphones led to a global shortage of emoji design talent, as the rest of the world scrambled to catch up. This caused a worldwide emoji crisis, which ultimately resulted in a new language: Emojinese.. Fact: Did you know that Japan's cellphones had features that could predict the weather and your mood? Too bad they couldn't predict their own global failure!.
• Headline: Reviving Indian Stories Through Animation. Impact: Reviving comic books as cartoons sparked a massive resurgence in 2D animation, leading to a new generation of animators who now believe they can create an entire universe with just a sketchbook and some caffeine.. Fact: Did you know that the first comic book superhero in India was called 'The Great Indian Man'? He fought crime by telling bad puns until his adversaries surrendered out of sheer embarrassment!.
• Headline: Across U.S., ESPN Aims to Be the Home Team. Impact: ESPN's local sports websites led to a phenomenon where every small town now has its own sports team with a ludicrously overblown fan base, resulting in the creation of the 'World Cup of Backyard Sports'.. Fact: Did you know that ESPN once considered covering competitive eating as a legitimate sport? Guess they were just ahead of their time or really hungry!.
• Headline: A Deflating Finale, but a Hard-Earned British Open Title. Impact: Cink's unexpected win at the British Open inspired countless underdogs to believe they could achieve greatness, leading to a bizarre increase in spontaneous golf tournaments in backyards across America. Who knew backyard golf could be so competitive?. Fact: Did you know that Stewart Cink's win was so unexpected that even his golf ball was shocked? It rolled into a hole faster than his fans could believe!.