JANUARY 11, 1937

Full News Archive

• Headline: GM's Watchful Waiting Strategy in 1937. Impact: This moment of corporate indecision led to a butterfly effect where 'watchful waiting' became a popular strategy in corporate boardrooms, ultimately inspiring the creation of the phrase 'let's just see what happens'—which, ironically, is how most of history seems to proceed. Fact: Did you know that 'standing pat' is basically corporate speak for 'let's hope our employees don't unionize while we sip coffee'?.
• Headline: Opening of the National Police Academy. Impact: The establishment of a national police academy led to a series of escalating training programs that somehow ended up with police officers learning how to do TikTok dances instead of de-escalation tactics. Thanks, Hoover!. Fact: Fun fact: J. Edgar Hoover once tried to start a dance academy, but he couldn't find a partner!.
• Headline: ' LET'S GET MARRIED' IS AT PUBLIC THEATRE; New Operetta by William Siegel and Sholom Secunda Opens on Second Avenue.. Impact: The operetta 'Let's Get Married' inadvertently inspired thousands of people to throw extravagant weddings, leading to the rise of Pinterest and the phrase 'I do' becoming synonymous with debt. Fact: Did you know that the original title was 'Let’s Get Married (And Regret It Later)' but the marketing team thought it was a bit too on the nose?.
• Headline: BOOKS OF THE TIMES; Growth of an Office. Impact: Cummings' growth of an office was the catalyst for the modern office space, leading to the invention of the cubicle—a place where creativity goes to die and coffee breaks become sacred rituals. Fact: Fun fact: The first office plant was actually a cactus, which is ironic considering how prickly office politics can be.
• Headline: FILM SALARIES CUT TO THIRD BY TAXES; Mae West's $480,833 Shrinks to $155,050 Under Federal and State Levies.. Impact: The drastic cut in film salaries due to taxes led to Hollywood's obsession with superhero films, as actors figured that if they were going to be taxed heavily, they might as well don spandex and save the world. Fact: Did you know that Mae West once said, 'I never met a tax I couldn't dodge'? Well, she clearly met her match!.
• Headline: LA FOLLETTE AT CAPITAL; Governor Sees the President, Possibly Discussing Frank Ouster.. Impact: La Follette's visit to the President created a ripple effect that would lead to endless political maneuvering, ultimately inspiring every 'I need to talk to my manager' moment in modern workplaces. Fact: Did you know that discussing 'ousters' is how casual Friday was invented? It’s true—no one wants to wear a suit while planning a coup!.
• Headline: SAYS THE UNIVERSE IS NOT EXPANDING; Haas, at Nieuwland Memorial, Disputes, Theory Based on Nebular 'Red Shift.'. Impact: Haas' denial of the universe's expansion sparked debates that led to the modern conspiracy theory community, where every celestial body is now scrutinized by armchair astronomers with too much time on their hands. Fact: Did you know that some people still believe the universe is flat? Turns out, they just can't handle the vastness of reality, or math.
• Headline: WANT JEWISH CLUBS 'CLOSER' TO TEMPLES; Y. M. H. A. and Y. W. H. A, Leaders Believe Centers Must Reflect Religious Aspirations.. Impact: The push for Jewish clubs to align with temples paved the way for community centers that now double as hipster coffee shops and venues for yoga classes, proving that religious aspirations can be very trendy. Fact: Did you know that the first hipster was actually a rabbi who wore glasses and knitted his own tallit? True story—or at least a good narrative!.