MARCH 12, 1933

Full News Archive

• Headline: Insurance Rate Increase Rejected in 1933. Impact: When the state denied higher insurance rates for bank robbery policies, it inadvertently inspired a new trend in heist movies where criminals meticulously plan their escapades based on insurance loopholes. Thanks, New York State, for making bank robbers the new anti-heroes!. Fact: Insurance companies have been in the business of denying claims longer than your grandparents have been telling you to save for a rainy day..
• Headline: Banks Reopen Amid Economic Recovery. Impact: Roosevelt's plan to open banks led to a surge in people hoarding cash, which in turn inspired a generation of paranoid conspiracy theorists convinced that money was going to vanish overnight—like our faith in politicians.. Fact: In the great bank opening saga, 'sound' was the magic word that determined if your local bank would open its doors—because nothing says 'safe' like a good old-fashioned phonograph..
• Headline: Bronx Tenement Fire: Rescue Efforts Unfold. Impact: The Bronx fire incident made firefighters local legends, and the next generation took up the mantle of heroism, ultimately leading to the creation of the 'Fireman Calendar'—because who doesn't want to see a hunky firefighter saving lives?. Fact: In the battle against fire, firefighters have always been the unsung heroes, but they could really use a calendar to remind us just how hot they are while saving lives..
• Headline: PREDICTS MARKED CHANGE IN STORES; E.A. Filene Says Chain Influence Will Extend to Departments in Retail Units. NOW IN 'TRANSITION PERIOD' Solution of Distribution Problem In Consumers' Interest Is Held Essential for Future Trade.. Impact: Filene's prediction about chain stores paved the way for an era where shopping became a corporate jungle, breeding a new sport: 'Retail Survivor', where consumers must navigate aisles filled with overpriced gadgets and questionable markdowns.. Fact: E.A. Filene probably didn't foresee that 'chain influence' would lead to a world where 'big box' stores are the new cathedrals of consumerism..
• Headline: ALL BANKS HERE SET TO OPEN TOMORROW; Word That Reserve Members Can Resume Is Expected From Treasury Today. BRODERICK ALSO IS READY He Will Act Quickly for State Institutions -- Gold Returned Totals $108,000,000. BANKS HERE SET FOR REOPENING. Impact: The rush to the Federal Reserve was the genesis of panic buying, leading to the iconic phrase 'money can't buy happiness'—unless you hoard it like the world is ending.. Fact: The Federal Reserve: where people have rushed in like it's a Black Friday sale, completely ignoring that the 'gold standard' isn't a new fitness trend..
• Headline: BANKS, MONEY, GOLD: THE TRIANGLE CHARTED; The Fundamentals and the Background of the Present Situation Set Out; How, Despite a Vast Supply of Gold and of Currency, the Emergency Developed and How It Is Proposed to Deal With It. Impact: The banking crisis charted revealed the unyielding push-pull between gold and currency, ultimately inspiring future economists to write 'How to Fail at Banking while Keeping Your Job'—a bestseller in many financial circles.. Fact: Banking crises are like bad relationships—nobody knows how they happened, but everyone is left to pick up the pieces and wonder where the money went..
• Headline: Japan to Requisition Autos.. Impact: Japan's requisition of autos during a time of tension led to the phenomenon of military-themed car shows, where vehicles adorned with camouflage became the hottest ticket in town—who knew war could be so fashionable?. Fact: Requisitioning cars is just the military's way of saying, 'We really need these for a top-secret mission'—or maybe just to get to the drive-in faster..
• Headline: Prose Pastoral; STRAWBERRY ROAN. By A.G. Street. 32O pp. New York Harcourt, Brace & Co. $2. Latest Works of Fiction. Impact: A.G. Street's latest work, 'Strawberry Roan', inspired a generation of readers to become horse enthusiasts, inadvertently leading to the creation of a bizarre subculture that believes every horse should have its own Instagram account.. Fact: Fiction can take you to unimaginable places, like a world where horses are the celebrities and humans are just their loyal grooms..
• Headline: Camera-Timer in I.C.A.A.A.A. Race Shows Only One of Six Places Decided Correctly. Impact: The notorious camera-timer mishap at the race became a cautionary tale in sports history, leading to the modern-day phrase: 'If it wasn't on camera, did it even happen?'. Fact: When technology fails, humans never fail to blame it—good luck explaining that to the folks who were convinced they won the race..