Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.
HEADLINES ON January 15, 1940
Full News Archive
- Headline: Fordham University Pharmacy College Accredited. Impact: This accreditation set off a chain reaction where pharmacy students worldwide started wearing lab coats as a fashion statement, leading to an unexpected spike in pharmacy-themed Halloween costumes in the years to come.. Fact: Did you know that lab coats were originally designed for scientists, not fashionistas? Yet here we are, living in a world where pharmacy chic is a thing..
- Headline: Baseball's $500,000 Talent Loss Ruling. Impact: This ruling not only cost teams a valuable player but also inspired a generation of players to start using more unusual names, leading to the rise of baseball legends like 'Babe Ruthless' and 'Johnny Baseballbat'.. Fact: Fun fact: $500,000 back then could buy you a small fleet of cars or a decent house. Today, it might get you a pair of shoes and a coffee..
- Headline: Discovering New York in 1940. Impact: This vague headline led to a decades-long debate about what constitutes 'New York-ness', which ultimately resulted in the creation of the 'New York State of Mind' playlist, now a cultural staple.. Fact: Because nothing says 'About New York' like a brash headline and a vague illustration that could mean anything from bagels to Broadway..
- Headline: Buenos Aires Heat Kills 3 More. Impact: The heatwave not only claimed lives but also prompted a surge in air conditioning sales, which eventually made Buenos Aires one of the hottest places to liveβjust not in the way youβd hope.. Fact: Heatwaves can be deadly, but they also lead to the brilliant idea of inventing iced coffee, which is undoubtedly the silver lining in a tragic situation..
- Headline: C.I.O. Group Asks Third Term. Impact: This request for a third term set off a political domino effect that made 'term limits' a buzzword, leading to an entire generation of politicians promising change while doing absolutely nothing.. Fact: Political terms are like bad relationships: they should have a limit, but somehow, they just keep dragging on!.
- Headline: Again Heads Fordham Alumni. Impact: This annual meeting led to the invention of the term 'Alumni Networking', which has since turned into an awkward series of events where former classmates pretend to remember each other's names.. Fact: Alumni meetings: where people who barely knew each other in college suddenly act like they've been best friends for life..
- Headline: Zina Ouzarova in Dance Debut. Impact: Zina's debut not only launched her career but also unwittingly inspired future generations to pursue dance, leading to an explosion of dance classes and an overabundance of TikTok choreography.. Fact: Dance debuts are like first dates: full of excitement, a bit awkward, and usually leave everyone wondering if they'll ever see each other again..
- Headline: ECONOMY OUTLOOK IN CONGRESS HELD BRIGHTEST IN YEARS; Advocates Prepare for First Test of Session on Supply Bill in House Tomorrow 30 MILLION CUT INVOLVED Large Sums Reported Lopped Off NLRB, SEC Budgets-- Leaders Wary on Finn Aid. Impact: This optimistic outlook led to a series of questionable economic policies that have continued to perplex citizens for decades, resulting in a collective eye-roll every time the word 'reform' is mentioned.. Fact: Congress and optimism: two words that usually don't belong in the same sentence without a heavy dose of sarcasm..
- Headline: RENT CONTROL URGED; Tenants' Council Suggests Law to Prevent Increases. Impact: This push for rent control sparked a nationwide obsession with landlord-tenant relationships that has led to more memes than actual solutions, leaving future generations debating the merits of living in a cardboard box.. Fact: Rent control is like trying to hold onto a slippery bar of soapβgood luck making it work without getting frustrated!.
Wall Street Time Machine
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $3,433,941 today (3433.9x return)
PG
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)