AUGUST 12, 1937

Full News Archive

• Headline: Insights into 1937 Financial Landscape. Impact: The financial notes from Feb-July led to the invention of the spreadsheet, which caused accountants worldwide to develop an unhealthy obsession with Excel. You're welcome, world.. Fact: Did you know that financial notes have been around since the dawn of commerce? They were basically the 'tweets' of the 1900s..
• Headline: Cotton Loan Bloc's Bold Challenge. Impact: The cotton loan bloc's revolt forced the government to rethink agriculture policies, which later inspired a new strain of cotton—one that apparently doesn't need loans but instead prefers to be pampered.. Fact: Fun fact: Cotton is often referred to as 'white gold,' probably because it costs more than actual gold in some markets..
• Headline: Frank Ladd and the Old Griswold House. Impact: Frank Ladd's ownership of the Old Griswold House led to a historical preservation movement, which inspired people to save every dilapidated building they could find, including that one house with the crooked fence on your street.. Fact: The Old Griswold House is so old that it has probably seen more drama than your average reality TV show..
• Headline: HARRY J. BECKWITT. Impact: Harry J. Beckwitt's mention in the headlines inspired a series of forgettable biographies about people no one remembers, leading to an entire genre of 'Who Even Was This Guy?' novels.. Fact: Harry J. Beckwitt was a master at being just interesting enough to get a headline but not interesting enough to get a Wikipedia page..
• Headline: STUART ABEL. Impact: Stuart Abel's brief headline led to an unending search for the most mundane names in history, eventually resulting in the creation of a new social media challenge: #WhoIsThatGuy?. Fact: Stuart Abel is likely the person who would stand in the corner at a party and still manage to be forgotten within minutes..
• Headline: 'FIGARO' IN ITALIAN GIVEN AT SALZBURG; Mozart Work in Its Original Tongue Heard for the First Time at Festival. Impact: 'Figaro' being performed in its original Italian contributed to a worldwide opera renaissance, leading to an influx of people trying to impress their friends by singing arias at karaoke bars (much to the dismay of everyone else).. Fact: Mozart probably rolled over in his grave at the thought of modern opera fans thinking they could sing as well as he could..
• Headline: PEIPING OPPOSITION CRUSHED BY JAPAN; Only Pro-Japanese Press Tientsin Cable Still Cut Critical Books Are Seized in Raids at Stores--Educators and Writers Arrested NEWSPAPERS SUPPRESSED Cable Office in Tientsin That Barred Censor Is Unable to Repair Cut Wires. Impact: Japan's suppression of opposition in Peiping set a precedent for censorship that would inspire future regimes to think, 'Hey, that's a great idea!'—you know, for the sake of democracy.. Fact: Censorship is like putting a sock in the mouth of free speech. It doesn't work, and it just makes things uncomfortable for everyone involved..
• Headline: MARGERY A. BAVIER BECOMES ENGAGED; New Rochelle Girl, a Graduate of Bennett Junior College, to Be Bride of J. H. Donald WELL KNOWN IN YACHTING She Won Women's Championship of Long Island Sound in 1936--Fiance Engineer in Scotland. Impact: Margery A. Bavier's engagement sparked a trend of yacht-themed weddings, where couples felt the need to say 'I do' on a boat that probably cost more than their first house.. Fact: Engagements are just fancy contracts that say, 'You can put a ring on it and we can still argue about whose turn it is to do the dishes.'.
• Headline: CANADA CONTINUES PACE; Heavy Industries Steady or Even Buster, Bank of Commerce Says. Impact: Canada's steady industrial pace led to an influx of maple syrup production, resulting in an international crisis when the world realized they had no idea how to live without it.. Fact: Canada is the only country that can make pancakes sound like a national treasure—because, let's be real, they basically are..