JANUARY 1, 1954

Full News Archive

• Headline: Extended Freight Rate Cuts for Drought Relief. Impact: These freight rate cuts could have led to the Great Hay Crisis of the 1960s, where farmers went rogue trying to barter hay for basic necessities, like bread and milk. Imagine a post-apocalyptic landscape ruled by hay barons.. Fact: Hay is just grass that really wanted to be a celebrity but ended up in a truck instead..
• Headline: Small Taxicabs Approved for New York City. Impact: The introduction of small taxicabs may have sparked a revolution in urban transport, leading to an underground movement of tiny vehicle enthusiasts who eventually take over the city. Picture tiny taxis, tiny drivers, and tiny fare meters.. Fact: Ever wonder why we call them 'cabs'? It's short for 'cabaret on wheels'—at least in my imagination..
• Headline: LUTHERANS PROTEST 'MARTIN LUTHER' BAN. Impact: The Lutherans protesting the film ban may have inadvertently created a cultural shift that led to a resurgence of interest in Martin Luther, resulting in the world's first 'Lutheran Film Festival' in 1965. Spoiler: it was all documentaries.. Fact: Apparently, the only thing scarier than a protest is a Lutheran protest. They come armed with pamphlets and a serious debate about indulgences..
• Headline: T. V. A. MEASURES 20-YEAR BENEFITS; Annual Report Cites Values to Region and to Nation -- It Eschews Politics. Impact: If TVA measures had been misunderstood, we might have ended up with a TVA-inspired reality series where contestants try to outdo each other's 'non-political' achievements. Spoiler alert: they all fail miserably.. Fact: The TVA was like a giant science fair project that everyone forgot to judge—except they actually got funding..
• Headline: Bishop Calls 'French Line' Mortal Sin to Catholics. Impact: The Archbishop's call to boycott could have started a chain reaction of religious boycotts that eventually morphed into a full-blown Renaissance of bad Catholic movies, making 'The Da Vinci Code' feel like a documentary.. Fact: You know it’s serious when the Archbishop gets involved; he’s basically the king of 'Nope!' in the Catholic world..