JANUARY 13, 1939

Full News Archive

• Headline: Australians Seek Refuge in Dugouts. Impact: The terrifying experiences shared by Australians during the fires inspired a whole genre of disaster movies, ensuring that future generations would grow up thinking that natural disasters are just another excuse for a family outing.. Fact: Fun fact: 'dugouts' were not a trendy new restaurant concept at the time; they were actually life-saving shelters. Who knew that safety could be so unappetizing?.
• Headline: Hunter Concert Benefits German Refugees. Impact: The concert for refugees became a cultural touchstone, ultimately leading to the creation of 'musical charity' as a genre, where every pop star feels the need to rescue the world one single at a time, often while riding in a private jet.. Fact: Did you know that concerts for refugees have been happening for decades, and yet we’re still waiting for the 'refugee rock star' to emerge?.
• Headline: EVENTS TODAY. Impact: The mundane events of the day, recorded in history, remind us that while nothing may seem significant at the moment, the collective ennui led to the eventual rise of social media, where people share every boring detail of their lives.. Fact: Did you know that 'Events Today' was basically the ancient equivalent of a Facebook status update? Very riveting, I’m sure..
• Headline: REVISED TENETS SOUGHT; Theologian Sees New Phrasing as Bar to Totalitarianism. Impact: Dr. Brunner's concerns about totalitarianism paved the way for a series of philosophical debates that would eventually lead to the invention of the internet troll, who now debates everything, including the meaning of life, from the safety of their mother's basement.. Fact: Did you know that avoiding totalitarianism is still a hot topic? And yet here we are, watching reality TV and arguing online. Progress!.
• Headline: Chinese Cut the Peiping-Tientsin Railway; All Traffic Is Halted by Guerrilla Attack. Impact: The guerrilla attack that halted railway traffic inspired future generations to be more creative in their forms of protest, leading to everything from sit-ins to TikTok challenges aimed at social change—and you thought traffic jams were annoying.. Fact: Fun fact: Cutting off railway access was a classic move long before it became a trendy way to gain attention in today's social justice movements..
• Headline: ADULT EDUCATION IS CALLED 'CHAOTIC'; Purdue President Says Waste and Inefficiency Mark the System in This State. Impact: The criticism of adult education set off a chain reaction that led to the creation of online courses, where the chaos was only amplified by people learning in pajamas and pretending they were taking it seriously.. Fact: Did you know that calling adult education 'chaotic' was basically a polite way of saying, 'Please, don't sign up for this unless you want to feel confused and unaccomplished'?.
• Headline: Gives $100,000 for Dormitory. Impact: Mrs. Merner-Pfeiffer's generous donation for a dormitory set off a chain of philanthropy that eventually led to the rise of 'dorm life' reality shows, forever altering the landscape of higher education into a never-ending cycle of drama.. Fact: Did you know that giving $100,000 for a dormitory was considered generous? Nowadays, that barely covers a semester’s worth of textbooks. Times have changed!.