AUGUST 16, 1936

Full News Archive

• Headline: Bloomingdale Will Controversy Resolved. Impact: The court's ruling set off a chain reaction of matrimonial financial disputes that would eventually lead to reality TV show spinoffs. Who knew divorce court could be so entertaining?. Fact: In the grand scheme of things, this ruling was just a footnote in the epic saga of people fighting over money and love, both of which turn out to be fleeting..
• Headline: Dock War Threats Easing in 1936. Impact: As shipowners and unions tussled over agreements, they unknowingly set the stage for the rise of 'Ship Wars: The Reality Show'. Expect dramatic confrontations and surprise alliances.. Fact: In the end, the only real winner was the popcorn industry, which thrived off the endless debates and negotiations..
• Headline: LISTENER IRKED BY APPLAUSE. Impact: Listeners irked by applause led to the development of the 'silent applause' movement, which is now a popular form of expressing approval without making a sound. Revolutionary, right?. Fact: Applause was once a sign of appreciation, but now it's just another reminder that people can be annoyed by anything..
• Headline: U.S. Trade Pact With Russia Is Protested; Manganese Mines Here Seen Threatened. Impact: Protests against the trade pact with Russia led to a period of extreme paranoia about manganese, causing a spike in DIY mining kits. Who knew minerals could be so divisive?. Fact: Manganese is essential for steel production, but apparently, it's also the cause of political uproar. Who knew politics could be so... metallic?.
• Headline: Article 5 -- No Title. Impact: The tragic deaths of F. Hamlin and F. McQueen raised awareness about safety regulations, making 'Birmingham' synonymous with both tragedy and the push for better workplace safety standards.. Fact: Sometimes, it takes a tragedy to wake people up to what should have been obvious. Safety first, right?.
• Headline: PACKAGED BEER SALES UP; Held to Be Due to Rivalry Between Producers of Cans and Bottles.. Impact: The rise in packaged beer sales led to a fierce rivalry that eventually resulted in the Beer Wars—an epic battle of cans versus bottles that left fans divided and the beer industry thriving.. Fact: In the grand scheme of life, the only thing more contentious than beer packaging is how to properly enjoy it—hence the endless debates over 'beer pong' vs. 'beer tasting'..
• Headline: A HISTORY OF FOREIGN WORDS IN ENGLISH. By Mary S. Serjeantson, Reader in English Language in the University of London, 354 pp. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. $6.. Impact: The publication of a history of foreign words in English sparked a renaissance of linguistic snobbery, leading to a surge in pretentious book clubs. Cheers to literary elitism!. Fact: English is already a hodgepodge of languages, so adding more is like throwing a party and inviting all the guests you never wanted to see again..
• Headline: $100,000 TO BE PAID TO MRS. VANDERBILT; Court Orders Bequest of Her Mother-in-Law Settled -- Half Owed on Loans. EXECUTORS ASKED DELAY Payment Held Up Since 1934 in Litigation Over Fortune of $4,000,000 or More.. Impact: The court's order for Mrs. Vanderbilt's bequest to be settled sparked a series of 'Vanderbilt Fortune' documentaries, proving once again that rich people's drama is the only reality we care about.. Fact: When it comes to inheritance disputes, the Vanderbilts make the Kardashians look like amateurs. Welcome to the high-stakes world of old money drama..