For example, there are probably a dozen similarities between the Roman Empire and the Union Pacific Railroad. By this stupid professor's logic, the Union Pacific Railroad is therefore the successor to the Roman Empire.
Off topic, but I got an email once talking about how once a bureaucratic rule is put in, it is VERY hard to get rid of (reference to obabamacare). The long example followed the course of history from Roman Chariot wheel base to modern-day train track width!