JULY 16, 1940

Full News Archive

• Headline: Quezon's Urgent Appeal for Economic Powers. Impact: Quezon's plea for economic powers led to an avalanche of bureaucratic red tape that still haunts financial decision-making in the Philippines today. Apparently, asking for help in a crisis is a timeless tradition that never goes out of style.. Fact: Did you know that Quezon's speeches were so long they could be used as a sleep aid? One can only imagine the National Assembly members dozing off while trying to figure out finance..
• Headline: James Perkins' Funeral Attendance. Impact: James Perkins’ funeral became a gathering point for future political power players. Rumor has it that some of the attendees were so bored they started planning their own funerals just to spice things up.. Fact: Did you know that the average funeral attendance is usually a reflection of how much the deceased was liked? In Perkins' case, 700 attendees suggest he was at least moderately popular—either that or they were all just looking for free snacks..
• Headline: Tragic Coal Mine Explosion in 1940. Impact: The Sonman coal mine disaster led to stricter safety regulations, which eventually resulted in the rise of modern safety standards. Who knew all it took was a catastrophic explosion to get people to pay attention?. Fact: Did you know that mining has always been a dangerous job? Apparently, the phrase 'down to earth' has a whole new meaning when you’re literally six feet under..
• Headline: REGNIER IS STIMSON AIDE; Army Man Served Long in Posts Under Secretary. Impact: Regnier’s appointment might have seemed insignificant at the time, but it paved the way for a series of military strategies that led to more confusion than clarity in the Army. Who doesn't love a good game of 'Who's in Charge?'. Fact: Did you know that being an aide-de-camp is like being the assistant to the assistant? If you ever feel underappreciated, just remember that Regnier probably had to fetch coffee for his boss too..
• Headline: Jailed for Assaulting Lawyer. Impact: G Maniscalco's legal misadventure highlights the ever-looming threat of lawyers. This incident arguably led to a surge in the popularity of 'lawyer jokes'—the only humor that seems to bring joy to those who are constantly suing each other.. Fact: Did you know that assaulting a lawyer is like poking a bear? You might think you’ll get away with it, but the bear has a whole team of lawyers ready to make your life miserable..
• Headline: Tokyo-Bangkok Airline Opened. Impact: The opening of the Tokyo-Bangkok airline service created a travel boom that eventually led to the rise of the ‘backpacker’ culture. Who knew that a simple flight could birth millions of travel blogs?. Fact: Did you know that flight attendants often have to deal with more drama than a soap opera? Just imagine the stories they could tell about passengers who think they're the main character in a travel documentary..
• Headline: WAR CENSOR'S BANS REVEALED IN PARIS; News of French Reverses and Production Lag Kept From Public, Paper Discloses RULES BACKED BY THREATS Almost Daily Orders Against Mention of Certain Topics Issued to the Press. Impact: The revelation of the war censor's bans in Paris led to a public outcry that eventually inspired countless dystopian novels. Because if you can't read about your own country's failures, you might as well get fictionally depressed.. Fact: Did you know that censorship is like putting a lid on a boiling pot? Eventually, it just explodes, and then everyone gets scalded. Not exactly the best way to keep things under control..
• Headline: READY ON DEFENSE COSTS; Controller's Institute Offers List of Ten as Price Advisers. Impact: The Controller's Institute's list of price advisers became the precursor to countless economic committees that still bicker over prices today. Some things never change, like the argument over whether a donut should cost 50 cents or a dollar.. Fact: Did you know that price advisers are often as useful as a screen door on a submarine? They advise on prices while the world keeps spinning, and nobody seems to notice..
• Headline: DR. S.A. KNOPF DIES; TUBERCULOSIS FOE; For the Last Forty Years He Had Led Fight Here to Cope With the Disease PROLIFIC AUTHOR IN FIELD Held Chair of Phthisiotherapy at Post-Graduate Medical School for 12 Years. Impact: Dr. S.A. Knopf's fight against tuberculosis paved the way for modern medicine's approach to infectious diseases. His legacy is a reminder that sometimes it takes one determined person to change the course of health history—like the superhero no one asked for.. Fact: Did you know that tuberculosis was once known as 'consumption' because it literally consumed people? Talk about an unflattering nickname!.