Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON January 7, 1934
Full News Archive
- Headline: Chevrolet's Winning Streak Continues. Impact: Chevrolet's seventh consecutive win at the show solidified their dominance in the automotive world, setting off a chain reaction where rival car manufacturers resorted to increasingly absurd gimmicks, including a car that could transform into a boatβbecause why not?. Fact: Winning so often at the show led Chevrolet to consider renaming their trophy shelf to 'The Emotional Support Shelf for Other Car Brands'..
- Headline: DEMAND HAMMOND OUSTER.; Westchester Group Calls on Assemblymen to Act.. Impact: The demand for Hammond's ouster led to an unforeseen wave of grassroots activism that inspired a generation of citizens to start their own 'Ouster Movement'βwhich mostly just involved them complaining on social media.. Fact: The Westchester Group had a secret motto: 'If at first you don't succeed, blame it on the assemblymen.'.
- Headline: A NEW ITALIAN FRACAS. Impact: The Italian fracas sparked a cultural renaissance that led to the creation of an underground art movement known as 'Post-Fracasism', where artists expressed their angst through avant-garde interpretations of spaghetti.. Fact: The revolt against the Novecentists was so intense that even pasta started coming with a side of existential dread..
- Headline: NOTABLE CHANGES IN AUTOMOBILES OFFERED FOR 1934; Independent Front Wheel Suspension and Definite Streamlining Among Outstanding Features of New Cars -- Many Other Mechanical and Body Improvements Evident in Advanced Models. Impact: The notable changes in automobiles for 1934 led to an unexpected obsession with streamlined design, resulting in a brief period where people attempted to streamline their homes, leading to the infamous 'Flat House Movement'βwhere every house looked like a pancake.. Fact: The term 'streamlined' was often confused with 'streamlined coffee', which was just a fancy way of saying 'instant'..
- Headline: FEDERAL SALES PUZZLE IN COTTON; 50,000 to 60,000 Bales Let Go Here and in New Orleans in Last Three Sessions. TWO GUESSES ON SOURCE Operations Said to Unsettle the Market -- Shifting of Positions a Possibility.. Impact: The federal sales of cotton led to wild speculation in the market that resulted in a cotton-based cryptocurrency craze, where traders could exchange 'CottonCoins' for actual fabricβuntil everyone realized they just wanted to buy t-shirts.. Fact: The phrase 'Cotton is King' suddenly felt less regal when people started using it as a hashtag..
- Headline: TO SET HOSE STANDARDS.; New Bureau Will Grant Insignia to Approved Manufacturers. Impact: Setting hose standards inadvertently led to a global debate about hosiery rights, resulting in a strange world where hosiery became a political issue, sparking protests and knitting circles everywhere.. Fact: The most heated debate was whether knee-highs should be considered pants or just really optimistic socks..
- Headline: 8.5% GAIN IN 1933 BY CANADIAN MINES; Value of Output $198,253,000, Against $182,681,915 in 1932 -- Metals Up 20%. GOLD PRODUCTION DROPS Off to 2,945,070 Ounces From 3,044,387 -- Decrease in Silver, Increase in Nickel.. Impact: British fliers hunting riches in the Antarctic accidentally discovered a new species of penguins that turned out to be elite business consultants. This led to an economic boom in consulting services, but only for those who could speak fluent penguin.. Fact: The expedition promised riches but ended up with the fliers just trying to find a wifi signal to post their pictures with the penguins on Instagram..
- Headline: British Fliers Will Hunt Riches in the Antarctic.
Wall Street Time Machine
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1934, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)
IBM
IBM
IBM - If you invested $1,000 in 1934, it would be worth $205,272 today (205.3x return)