JANUARY 14, 1937

Full News Archive

• Headline: Governors Extend Fines and Supervision Powers. Impact: The amendments extended the powers of the NY Stock Exchange governors, which eventually led to a more regulated market. Fast forward a few decades, and you get the 2008 financial crisis. Coincidence? I think not. If only they had added a clause that said, 'Don't be greedy.'. Fact: The NY Stock Exchange's amendments might have been the first instance of 'rules for thee, but not for me' in modern finance. Spoiler alert: it didn't end well..
• Headline: Proposed Excise Tax on Sugar Industry. Impact: The proposed excise tax on sugar processing not only aimed to protect American growers but also led to a surge in secret sugar smuggling operations. Thanks, Wallace! You turned sugar into the new gold rush.. Fact: This tax was so unpopular that if it were a person, it would have been the one standing alone at the school dance. Sugar may be sweet, but taxes are bitter..
• Headline: Belgian's Body Taken to, France. Impact: The transportation of a Belgian's body to France might seem grim, but it eventually led to the establishment of strict international protocols for remains. Because, you know, nothing says 'rest in peace' like red tape.. Fact: This was a time when bodies were moved around like they were part of a traveling circus. Today, at least we have dignity... and fancy coffins..
• Headline: City Long Free From Diphtheria. Impact: The five-year diphtheria-free record in Manchester, NH, led to a false sense of security that birthed the anti-vaccine movement decades later. Thanks for the overconfidence, Manchester!. Fact: Diphtheria was once the boogeyman of childhood illnesses. Now the real boogeyman is misinformation about vaccines. How times change!.
• Headline: PREDICTS SINGLE UNIT OF CHASSIS AND BODY; E. G. Budd at Automotive Session in Detroit Says the Change Is Due Soon.. Impact: E. G. Budd's predictions about a single unit of chassis and body foreshadowed the future of the automotive industry where modular design became the norm. Just think, if they had gone with a two-part chassis, we might still be driving clunky cars.. Fact: Budd's idea was like the original 'Lego' for cars. If only he had known about those tiny plastic bricks, he might have saved us from assembly line nightmares..
• Headline: DR. CHARLES B. BASTIAN; Williamsport, Pa., Specialist Dies of Pneumonia at 75.. Impact: Dr. Charles B. Bastian's death at 75 marked the end of an era in medical expertise. His absence left a void that future doctors would try to fill, and we all know how well that goes when you mix egos and ambitions.. Fact: Pneumonia took many lives back then, but it’s still the top contender for 'Most Unwanted Disease.' Little did he know, he was up against a tough opponent..
• Headline: BILL RATES RISE; STEADY SINCE JULY; Advance of 1/16 to 1/8 % Laid to Reserve Board's Delay on Higher Requirements. DEMAND AT STANDSTILL Stalemate in Money Market Un-broken by Change-Activity in Commercial Paper.. Impact: The rise in bill rates due to the Reserve Board's delay was a classic case of 'the market is always right'—until it wasn't. This event catalyzed a series of economic theories that are still debated today, proving that when in doubt, just raise the rates.. Fact: The money market is like your friend who always says they're 'just busy' when you really know they're just avoiding responsibility. Classic..
• Headline: MRS. ROBERT E. PORTER. Impact: Mrs. Robert E. Porter's story is one of countless women whose contributions were overshadowed by their husbands. Little did they know, the women's movement was just around the corner, ready to flip the script.. Fact: If you think 'Mrs.' was just a title, think again! It was an entire identity, often overshadowed by the mysterious 'Mr.'—the original ghostwriter of history..