JANUARY 12, 1934

Full News Archive

• Headline: Argentina's Peace Initiative in Chaco. Impact: This peace initiative inadvertently led to a century-long rivalry over who could propose the most complicated diplomatic solutions, resulting in a global competition for the best acronyms for peace treaties.. Fact: If diplomacy had a trophy case, this would be the participation ribbon section..
• Headline: L.I.U. Streaks to 13 Straight Wins. Impact: The L.I.U. team's winning streak inspired a generation of sports enthusiasts to believe that they, too, could achieve greatness—until they realized they couldn’t even run a mile without wheezing.. Fact: George Washington never actually played basketball, but I bet he could have used some of those 'crossing the Delaware' moves on the court..
• Headline: Pu Yi Title in Dispute.. Impact: The dispute over this title inadvertently led to a series of historical misunderstandings, with future scholars mistakenly interpreting 'Pu Yi' as a catchy new brand of ramen noodles.. Fact: Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, probably never imagined he'd become a trivia question on the history of noodle brands..
• Headline: Convicts Put on NRA Hours.. Impact: This shocking arrangement led to a huge increase in interest for prison reform, making the NRA the go-to organization for those wanting to encourage responsible shooting habits among the incarcerated.. Fact: Turns out, 'NRA' stands for 'No Real Alternatives' when it comes to criminal reform..
• Headline: AUSTRIAN HANGING SETS A PRECEDENT; Execution of Man for Arson First Capital Punishment Under the Republic. TRIED BY COURT-MARTIAL Beggar Convicted of Burning Peasant's House Fails to Win Presidential Mercy.. Impact: This execution established a new standard for capital punishment in Austria, leading to a series of debates that would eventually result in more people discussing the ethics of fire safety than the actual crime.. Fact: Who knew that being a beggar and lighting things on fire could lead to such heated discussions about justice?.
• Headline: HUGE GAIN IN GOLD SHOWN BY BRITAIN; Bullion and Specie Imports in 1933 Were 262,039,000, a Rise of 102,036,000. FOREIGN TRADE DECLINED Drop Was Some 25,000,000, but Exports Increased by 2,400,000 for Year. Impact: Britain's gold bonanza led to an unexpected gold rush in Monopoly games, with players desperately trying to recreate that success on their kitchen tables.. Fact: Gold: the shiny metal that makes both nations and board game enthusiasts giddy with delight..
• Headline: $330,000,000 Freight In Year Laid to Autos. Impact: This surge in freight costs led to the invention of the phrase 'auto-pilot'—not because cars could drive themselves, but because they were so heavy no one wanted to deal with them.. Fact: $330 million in freight? I guess someone really likes their cars, or they just haven’t discovered public transportation yet..