AUGUST 28, 1931

Full News Archive

• Headline: Ridder Brothers Secure Libel Verdict. Impact: The Ridder Brothers' libel victory led to a surge in brotherly lawsuits across America, resulting in the now infamous 'Sibling Litigation League' where families sue each other over board games and holiday dinners.. Fact: Did you know that the Ridders probably just wanted to win the family argument over who gets the last piece of pizza?.
• Headline: Deadly Prison Riot in Michigan, 1931. Impact: This tragic prison riot inadvertently inspired the creation of reality TV shows, as producers thought, 'What if we just put cameras in prisons?'. Now we have 'Orange is the New Black' instead of addressing the actual issues.. Fact: Prison riots have been around as long as, well, prisons. They’re basically the original protest—before social media made it cool..
• Headline: Cotton Industry Resilience in 1931. Impact: This optimistic headline led to a surge in cotton prices, which in turn caused a fashion revolution, and suddenly everyone was wearing cotton socks to feel 'connected' to their roots. Hipster movement? You can thank the South.. Fact: The South is not downhearted; they just have a unique way of expressing it—usually through BBQ and sweet tea..
• Headline: SCHOMERUS VICTOR IN VANDALIA SHOOT; Breaks 99 Out of 100 to Win Preliminary to the Grand American Handicap. Misses 25th Target. King, Champion, Shoots 89.. Impact: Schomerus' shooting victory inspired a wave of competitive shooting sports, leading to the Olympic event 'Extreme Target Shooting', where competitors aim at increasingly bizarre targets like watermelons and inflatable dinosaurs.. Fact: Breaking 99 out of 100 targets is impressive until you realize the guy who shot 89 probably just needed glasses..
• Headline: Woman Run Down by Street Car.. Impact: This unfortunate incident led to stricter safety regulations for streetcars, which in turn inspired a whole new genre of urban legends about ghostly streetcars haunting the streets.. Fact: Streetcars were once the height of modern transportation—until they started turning into lethal weapons. Who knew they could be so 'driven'?.
• Headline: Judge Sustains Objections To Queries He Puts to Witness. Impact: The judge's sustained objections set a precedent for courtroom drama, inspiring future lawyers to craft their careers around making courtroom exchanges more dramatic than soap operas.. Fact: Judges sustaining objections is basically legalese for 'Can we just skip to the part where someone throws a chair?'.