JULY 22, 1931

Full News Archive

• Headline: Woolen Strike Ends in Olneyville. Impact: The woolen strike ended, leading workers to accept lower wages, which somehow triggered a nationwide trend of workers thinking they were 'lucky' to have jobs. This eventually spiraled into the concept of 'The Great Resignation' where people left jobs they hated for more fulfilling careers—totally ironic, right?. Fact: If only those workers had known that their sacrifice would lead to an eventual global debate over remote work and four-day work weeks. They could have just taken a long coffee break instead!.
• Headline: Liveright to Stage English Play this Fall. Impact: By producing this play, Liveright unknowingly set the stage for a thousand bad dinner parties where someone inevitably tries to impress guests with their knowledge of obscure plays and fails miserably.. Fact: Did you know that this play's title is often misquoted as 'The Man Who Pays for Dinner'? Kind of sums up the struggle of many relationships, doesn’t it?.
• Headline: TELLER SENT TO SING SING.; Admits Losing $13,500 of Bank's Money Betting on Ball Games.. Impact: Hankinson's admission to theft from bank betting on games led to stricter regulations in banking—but let’s be honest, it also inspired countless movies where the protagonist thinks they can get away with it. Spoiler alert: they never do.. Fact: Apparently, betting on ball games was the original 'get rich quick' scheme! Who knew that was the start of a slippery slope to Vegas?.
• Headline: Ban Free Beach at Long Branch.. Impact: The decision to ban free beach access instigated a long line of debates about public space rights and ‘who gets to enjoy the beach’—which eventually led to beach umbrellas becoming a trendy fashion accessory.. Fact: Ironically, this ban on the free beach might have just increased the number of people who started their own private beach parties. Talk about not getting the memo!.
• Headline: MR. MELLON NOT BATHLESS.; He Had Choice of Several in a Famous Cambridge Hotel.. Impact: Mr. Mellon's scandalous hotel stay revealed the absurdity of luxury accommodations, leading to the modern concept of 'Instagrammable' hotels where guests are more concerned about the aesthetic than the amenities.. Fact: Who knew the real scandal wasn't the absence of baths, but that everyone at that hotel was probably waiting for their turn to post about it on social media?.
• Headline: QUEBEC VILLAGE FLOODED.; St. Raymond de Portneuf Residents Flee as 20 Homes Are Wrecked.. Impact: The flooding of St. Raymond de Portneuf became a cautionary tale for municipalities everywhere, eventually leading to the invention of the phrase 'the great flood' used by every overdramatic homeowner ever since.. Fact: Tragically, this flood was just a precursor to every homeowner's worst nightmare—those incessant late-night infomercials about flood insurance!.
• Headline: CAPONE "ACE" SENTENCED.; "Machine Gun Jack" McGurn Gets Two Years Under Mann Act.. Impact: Capone's associate getting sentenced under the Mann Act turned him into a cautionary tale for future mobsters. This event led to mobsters everywhere realizing they should avoid the law like it was an ex they just couldn't shake off.. Fact: Ironically, 'Machine Gun Jack' McGurn's life story would eventually inspire the 'criminal mastermind' trope in countless films, despite his unremarkable track record of poor decision-making..
• Headline: BOY DIES IN OPERATION.; Surgeons of London (Ont.) Hospital Work for Hours to Revive Him.. Impact: The tragic death during surgery highlighted the risks of medical procedures, which eventually led society to become overly reliant on online health quizzes and dubious WebMD diagnoses.. Fact: Surprisingly, this incident led to the creation of the phrase 'trust your doctor,' which we all know some still ignore when they consult their friends on social media instead!.