DECEMBER 5, 1935

Full News Archive

• Headline: Exploring D G Mason's Music. Impact: D.G. Mason's compositions inspired a future generation of musicians to create works so avant-garde that they were often mistaken for the sounds of household appliances. This led to the eventual rise of electronic music, which could be heard in every dentist's office in the 21st century.. Fact: D.G. Mason once composed a piece inspired by a cat's meow—it's considered a classic in the feline music genre..
• Headline: Puerto Rico's Sugar Mill Control Controversy. Impact: The Reconstruction Agency's sugar mill takeover led to a sugar shortage that caused a national panic. This panic eventually resulted in the invention of the first artificial sweetener, which tastes about as good as cardboard.. Fact: The first artificial sweetener was created in a lab accident where a scientist mistook a sugar substitute for his morning coffee. He never drank coffee again..
• Headline: Ruth Nichols' Dramatic Testimony After Crash. Impact: Ruth Nichols' testimony contributed to the development of aviation safety regulations that are now so complex they require a PhD to interpret. As a result, countless people have since avoided flying entirely, opting instead for the more reliable 'road trip' experience of being stuck in traffic.. Fact: Ruth once attempted to land a plane while simultaneously knitting a sweater—talk about multitasking!.
• Headline: ICKES SAYS NATION IS AT CROSSROADS; Must Adopt Fascism or the Government Intended by the Founding Fathers.. Impact: Ickes' crossroads speech sparked a heated debate that ultimately led to the invention of the 'Political Dichotomy Bingo' game, which is still played in Congress to this day. Spoiler: Everyone loses.. Fact: The term 'Fascism' was almost replaced with 'Funky Government' but was deemed too catchy..
• Headline: Byrd Says Communication Is Aim.. Impact: Byrd's focus on communication led to the creation of countless communication technologies, setting the stage for social media, where people now communicate exclusively through cat memes and hashtags.. Fact: Byrd’s original plan for communication involved smoke signals, but he realized that was a bit outdated when he got a text from a friend..
• Headline: WITNESS SAYS ABBOTT ESCAPED IN LIFEBOAT; Steward Swears Chief Engineer of Morro Castle Fled From Burning Liner.. Impact: The Morro Castle trial led to stricter safety protocols in maritime law, which ironically resulted in more people trying to escape on life rafts, leading to a booming business in inflatable kayak rentals.. Fact: The chief engineer's escape plan involved a dramatic leap into a nearby lifeboat, which he later described as 'the worst decision of his life' when he couldn't find the oars..
• Headline: CLIPPER AT HAWAII AFTER MIDWAY HOP; Airliner Makes the Flight to Honolulu in Less Than Ten Hours With 18 Passengers.. Impact: The rise of war toys led to a never-ending cycle of toy wars, where children would stage epic battles in their living rooms, leading to the invention of the phrase 'playtime is serious business'.. Fact: The most popular war toy of the time was a plastic tank that actually ran on 'imagination fuel'—which is a lot cheaper than gas..
• Headline: War Toys Are Leading In the American Market.