JANUARY 28, 1939

Full News Archive

• Headline: Washington Officials First on Television. Impact: The first televised government event set off a chain reaction leading to today's endless reality TV shows, which we now blame for the decline of critical thinking. Thanks, House of Representatives!. Fact: Did you know that the first televised political event was basically the precursor to watching paint dry, but with more suits and less paint?.
• Headline: Rehousing Slum Families Through Reconditioning. Impact: By urging the reconditioning of older buildings, cities inadvertently paved the way for hipster coffee shops to pop up in every corner of America. Thanks, slum families!. Fact: Fun fact: The term 'slum' is often used interchangeably with 'cool neighborhood' in gentrified areas..
• Headline: Crown for Hitler Proposal Emerges. Impact: The push for a crown for Hitler marked a significant moment in history, which ultimately led to some truly questionable fashion choices in the world of dictators. Who knew crowns could be so divisive?. Fact: Interestingly, Hitler's crown would have looked fabulous next to a set of matching accessories from the 'Evil Dictator' collection..
• Headline: 3 HELD IN ARNO EXTORTION; Bail Fixed at $10,000 Apiece-- Hearing to Be on Feb. 2. Impact: The Arno extortion case is a reminder that crime does pay—at least until you get caught and have to post bail, which is just another way to say 'please take my money.'. Fact: Bail amounts are like the price tags on bad decisions; they can really add up!.
• Headline: VICTIM SAVES ROBBER HE THREW INTO CANAL; Coal-Barge Skipper Thwarts a Hold-Up in Brooklyn. Impact: By saving the robber he threw into the canal, the coal-barge skipper accidentally became the first known 'Good Samaritan' with a flair for dramatic rescues, setting the bar for future action heroes.. Fact: Did you know that throwing someone into a canal is not an official self-defense tactic? Yet here we are!.
• Headline: Press Club Honors Masaryk. Impact: Masaryk's honor at the Press Club was a small step for him but a giant leap for journalists everywhere—setting a precedent for dinner parties that still go on today, filled with awkward conversations and cold hors d'oeuvres.. Fact: Did you know that press dinners are basically just a fancy way for journalists to eat free food while pretending to network?.
• Headline: MARY S. FAIRCHILD ENGAGED TO MARRY; New Rochelle Girl Is Fiancee of Elmon L. Vernier. Impact: Mary S. Fairchild's engagement may seem quaint, but it kickstarted a thousand rom-coms, leading us all to believe that love is just a series of meet-cutes and misunderstandings.. Fact: Engagements in the past often included more drama than a season finale of a soap opera. Who needs reality shows when you have real life?.
• Headline: WELLES DEFENDS RAPS AT DICTATORS; Tells State Bar Aim Is Peace but We Reserve Our Right to Condemn "Inhumanity'. Impact: Welles' defense of raps at dictators solidified the U.S. as a land of free speech, paving the way for social media rants that are just as effective as actual diplomatic discussions.. Fact: Did you know that condemning inhumanity can also be done via tweet? Because nothing says 'I'm against dictators' like 280 characters of outrage..
• Headline: ARCHBISHOP BACKS FLEISHER OUSTING; Upholds Dismissal of St. Louis Professor Over Talk on Spain by 'Unfrocked' Priest CHURCH ATTACK ALLEGED University Could Not Allow One of Faculty to Sponsor Such Criticism, Says Crimmins. Impact: The Archbishop's backing of the ousting of Fleisher shows how church politics can sometimes overshadow actual educational discourse, a trend that continues to this day with more drama than your average reality show.. Fact: Fun fact: Universities often operate like high schools, where the drama is just as intense but with more degrees involved!.