OCTOBER 9, 1936

Full News Archive

• Headline: Corn Belt Bosses Support Roosevelt. Impact: As the Corn Belt 'bosses' rallied behind Roosevelt, the ensuing political camaraderie led to an annual corn festival where politicians would compete in corn-eating contests, ultimately resulting in a new political party: the Corn Party. Their platform? More corn, less politics.. Fact: Did you know that corn was once considered a luxury item? Now it’s just the base of every processed food you can think of. Progress?.
• Headline: Corlears Hook Housing Study Initiated. Impact: The organized housing study sparked an underground movement where people began forming 'homes' made entirely of repurposed cardboard boxes. This would eventually lead to a worldwide trend in 'minimalist living' decades later, where everyone pretended tiny homes were the new luxury.. Fact: Fun fact: Housing studies always find that people need more housing. Shocking revelation, right?.
• Headline: Hope for Potomac Dam Construction. Impact: Roosevelt's hopes for the Potomac Dam led to a series of unexpected dam-related puns that became wildly popular in the 1940s, culminating in a Broadway musical titled 'Damn That Dam!' which ironically did not feature any dams.. Fact: Did you know that dams can also be used to create electricity? But let’s not get too ambitious with those hopes!.
• Headline: COUGHLIN SAYS WORD WAS 'COMMUNISTIC'; Denies in a Reply to Mgr. Ryan That He Declared Roosevelt Was a Communist.. Impact: Coughlin's denial ignited a national debate that caused conspiracy theorists to proliferate like rabbits, eventually giving rise to the 'Red Scare' and late-night talk shows that still thrive today on the concept of wild accusations.. Fact: In case you were wondering, calling someone a communist in 1930s America was basically the same as accusing them of stealing your last slice of pizza..
• Headline: Bee Wrecks Girl and Auto. Impact: This unfortunate incident resulted in a worldwide bee awareness campaign that led to the establishment of 'Bee Safety Days,' where children are taught to respect bees, thus saving countless lives and a few car windshields.. Fact: Bees are responsible for pollinating about one-third of the food we eat. So every time you see one, remember: it might just be a tiny eco-warrior..
• Headline: BUTLER HOME PICKETED; Followers of Ousted Student Begin All-Night Demonstration.. Impact: This all-night demonstration inspired a generation of students to adopt picketing as a new form of social engagement, leading to the invention of sleep-deprivation as a valid protest technique.. Fact: Picketing: the original form of social media, but with less tweeting and more shouting..
• Headline: REPORTS COSMIC RAYS ORIGINATE FAR AWAY; Dr. Arthur H. Compton Says Tests Indicate They Bombard Northern Hemisphere.. Impact: This revelation about cosmic rays fueled a new age of space exploration and conspiracy theories about aliens sending messages, eventually leading to the popular 1960s slogan: 'The Cosmos is Listening!'. Fact: Cosmic rays are basically just high-energy particles from outer space. So, yes, that noise you keep hearing might just be the universe trying to talk to you… or just your neighbor's questionable taste in music..
• Headline: COOPERATIVES HAIL SPREAD OF SYSTEM; Leaders, at Congress in Ohio, Say 'Profit Business' Can Be Displaced 'Without Shock.'. Impact: The cooperative movement's rise led to a wave of communal living experiments that resulted in more potlucks than anyone could handle, ultimately establishing 'bring a dish' as a national pastime.. Fact: Cooperatives are like the original social networks, but instead of liking posts, you just bring snacks and wave at your neighbors..
• Headline: MEXICAN WORKERS TO GET COTTON LANDS; Holdings in Rich Producing Center to Be Broken Up Under a Decree by Cardenas.. Impact: This decree triggered a revolution in agricultural practices, reshaping the global cotton market and inspiring a new generation of farmers who believed they could grow cotton in their backyards, leading to an unintentional rise in DIY fashion disasters.. Fact: Cotton is so versatile it can be turned into clothes, paper, and even fuel. So, really, why don’t we just make everything out of cotton at this point?.