Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON August 14, 1938
Full News Archive
- Headline: Physician Purchases Church Parsonage. Impact: Dr. Dwinelle's decision to move into a parsonage led to a sudden increase in local paranormal activity. Ghosts of past ministers began leaving their ethereal messages on Yelp, causing a spike in church attendance just to hear their ghostly reviews.. Fact: Dr. Dwinelle was known for his 'healing' hands, but little did he know theyβd also be the hands that stirred up a spectral Yelp review revolution..
- Headline: Commemoration of BogotΓ‘'s Founding. Impact: The launch of submarine mail stamps inadvertently sparked a global obsession with aquatic-themed postal services. By the 1960s, underwater post offices had become a tourist attraction but were ultimately shut down after a tragic incident involving a confused dolphin.. Fact: Submarine mail stamps were actually a ploy to distract the public from the fact that regular mail was slower than a snail on vacation..
- Headline: Boosting Stamp Sales Worldwide. Impact: The push for stamp sales in Czechoslovakia led to a bizarre butterfly effect where stamp collecting became the hottest trend among hipsters, causing a renaissance of interest in letter writing and eventually leading to the downfall of social media.. Fact: It turns out that stamp collecting was once considered a sign of a boring personality, which is ironic since we now know that hipsters are just glorified stamp collectors with beards..
- Headline: PROTECTING HOMES FROM FIRE DAMAGE; Many Materials Available for Residential Safety. Impact: As fire safety materials were introduced, a hidden society of fire-themed superheroes emerged, leading to a decade-long conflict with the 'Firestarter' villains. This ultimately resulted in the creation of the Fire Safety Awareness Month.. Fact: Most fire safety materials were developed during a time when common sense was still considered a valid strategy..
- Headline: PREDICTS CHANGES IN BUILDING DESIGN; A. W. Canney Says Influence of Air Conditioning Will Affect Future Types. Impact: A. W. Canney's prediction about air conditioning influencing building design led to the rise of ice cube-shaped buildings, which later became known as the 'Chill Towers.' These structures inadvertently caused a mini ice age in urban areas.. Fact: Before air conditioning, people had to rely on good old-fashioned sweating and the occasional fan, which is now considered a 'retro' form of climate control..
- Headline: CONCERT AND OPERA; Effort Made to Place Refugee Conductors--Development of Local Orchestras. Impact: The push to include refugee conductors in orchestras led to an unexpected surge in symphonic compositions that included the sounds of crying babies, which later became a fad in the avant-garde music scene.. Fact: Itβs said that Bartokβs new concerto was actually inspired by a particularly loud toddler at a symphony concertβproof that sometimes, chaos creates beauty..
- Headline: Duffield Named Health Delegate. Impact: Duffieldβs appointment as a health delegate triggered a series of international health conferences, which inadvertently led to the invention of kale chips, a snack that would both unite and divide the masses for decades.. Fact: The committee had originally planned to discuss serious diseases but ended up debating the merits of various superfoods insteadβah, priorities!.
- Headline: HAS 50TH ANNIVERSARY; West Side Federal Association Issues Historical Booklet. Impact: The issuance of the 50th-anniversary booklet by the West Side Federal Association led to an unexpected boom in nostalgia, causing people to yearn for simpler times, resulting in a resurgence of 70s fashion and disco nights.. Fact: The historical booklet was so boring that it was used as a sleep aid; people fell asleep faster than they could finish the first chapter..
- Headline: MORE HOME LOANING; Financing by New York Federal Bodies Is Increasing. Impact: As more home loans were issued, the concept of the 'American Dream' became increasingly tied to debt, leading to a nationwide trend of homeowners proudly displaying their loan papers as a sign of status.. Fact: The phrase 'home sweet home' was nearly changed to 'home sweet loan' in a push for transparencyβthankfully, someone thought better of it..
- Headline: SWITZERLAND RALLIES AGAIN FOR FREEDOM; An Old Struggle, in Modern Form, Is Fought By a People to Whom Democracy Means Much SWITZERLAND RALLIES ONCE MORE FOR FREEDOM. Impact: Switzerland's rally for freedom inspired a series of freedom movements worldwide, leading to an explosion of chocolate demand as a symbol of peace. This ultimately resulted in the first Chocolate Day celebrated in over 50 countries.. Fact: Switzerland might be neutral, but they take their chocolate very seriously. Thereβs nothing like a good bar to fuel a revolution!.
Wall Street Time Machine
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1938, it would be worth $3,433,940 today (3433.9x return)
PG
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1938, it would be worth $586,656 today (586.7x return)
CVX
Chevron
Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1938, it would be worth $474,914 today (474.9x return)