JANUARY 5, 1936

Full News Archive

• Headline: 1936 Radio Industry Symposium Highlights. Impact: The radio industry soared to new heights, leading to the invention of the podcast, which in turn spawned an entire generation of people talking into microphones in their basements, leading to the rise of influencers. All thanks to a political campaign nobody remembers. Fact: Did you know that radios were once sold with the tagline 'Listen to your neighbor's arguments without leaving your home'? Ah, the good old days.
• Headline: Firth Carpet Company's Spring Preview Event. Impact: The unchanged rug prices led to a global movement of people deciding that if rugs won't change, neither will their lives. This sparked the great 'Rug Revolution' of 1937, where people just decided to sit on bare floors instead. Fact: Fun fact: The Firth Carpet Company is also credited with the invention of the phrase 'Just because it's not changing doesn't mean it's not stylish!'.
• Headline: Town Girl by Elizabeth Carfrae Overview. Impact: The publication of 'Town Girl' ignited a literary firestorm that eventually led to every small-town girl writing a memoir about her journey to find herself. Spoiler alert: they all end up in the city drinking overpriced lattes. Fact: Did you know that the book was originally called 'The Town Girl Who Could Have Been a Contender' but they decided to settle for less drama?.
• Headline: WINANT OUTLINES THE TASK OF SECURITY; The Chairman of the SSB Believes That the Meeting of Old Age and Unemployment Needs Will Have a Stabilizing Effect Upon the Economy of the Nation and Will Bolster Its Morale. Impact: Winant's task of security led to a nationwide obsession with job titles, ultimately resulting in the creation of the 'Chief Happiness Officer' position. Now, companies pretend to care about your morale while you sit in a cubicle. Fact: Ironically, the 'morale' boost from this plan was so effective that it was later used as a marketing strategy for coffee brands.
• Headline: BACKSTAGE WITH THE FISH; The Aquarium Is Always a Popular Show, but Few of Those Who Gaze Into the Tanks Are Aware of What Goes On Behind the Scenes BACKSTAGE WITH THE FISH AT THE AQUARIUM Few Visitors Know What Goes On Behind Scenes. Impact: The aquarium's backstage secrets led to a series of reality shows that capitalized on the drama of fish life. Fish became celebrities, and many now flaunt their own Instagram accounts. Fact: Behind the scenes, the fish are actually plotting their escape to start a band called 'The Gills.'.
• Headline: SPEEDS ASBURY PARK PLAN; Court Signs Order Against City's Creditors and Officials.. Impact: Asbury Park's financial reorganization plan laid the groundwork for decades of financial mismanagement, leading to the invention of the phrase 'Too big to fail' and a future where nobody really understands how money works. Fact: The court's order was so complex that even the lawyers involved needed a flowchart to figure it out. Legalese at its finest!.
• Headline: Credit Sales Gains Run Sharply Over Cash Rise. Impact: The shift from cash to credit sales sparked a nationwide debate that led to the eventual rise of credit card debt as a national pastime. Now, people compete to see who can max out their cards first!. Fact: Merchants feared cash was dying, but little did they know that future generations would find ways to turn even their debts into Instagram content.
• Headline: Fears That Do More Harm Than Good; DON'T BE AFRAID. B C.ce Adorns. 188 t. Ne York: I C'o-ici-Fr'de. $3.50. I. Impact: Grace Adams' book on fear led to an entire self-help industry that thrived on scaring people into buying solutions for problems they didn't even know they had. Fears evolved into money-making schemes. Fact: Ironically, the book itself became the subject of fear for anyone who tried to read it. It’s like a horror story disguised as self-help!.
• Headline: TWINE CONTRACTS LET.; Army Makes Awards to Regan Co. and J.S. Johnston Co.. Impact: The twine contracts led to a nationwide increase in DIY projects, resulting in every person suddenly believing they were an expert in macramé, thus making the world a much more knotty place. Fact: Twine, in case you didn’t know, is the reason half of your friends now have 'handmade' decor that looks suspiciously like it was bought at a dollar store.