AUGUST 3, 1940

Full News Archive

• Headline: Safe Driving Tests Initiated at NYU. Impact: This initiative led to the creation of a secret society of road safety enthusiasts who now meet in basements to analyze the finer points of parallel parking. Their influence eventually resulted in the invention of the bumper sticker.. Fact: Did you know that the first driver’s test in the U.S. involved answering questions like, 'What does a stop sign mean?' Spoiler: It wasn’t ‘keep going’..
• Headline: Red Wings Triumph in Extra Innings. Impact: This nail-biting game sparked a centuries-long feud between Jersey City and Detroit, leading to the construction of a giant statue of a baseball in the middle of the Hudson River. It's still being debated if it should be a Red Wing or a Jersey Devil.. Fact: Fun fact: The only thing more confusing than baseball statistics is trying to explain them to someone who doesn't care..
• Headline: Selective Service Law Debates Ignite. Impact: This headline led to a national outcry that somehow resulted in every American man suddenly becoming an expert in draft dodging, and a thriving black market for fake age documents flourished.. Fact: The Selective Service System has been around since World War I, proving that the government really knows how to hold onto a bad idea..
• Headline: Gross Leads in Skeet Shoot. Impact: Gross's victory inspired a generation of backyard marksmen, inadvertently leading to a spike in neighborhood disputes over who had the best aim. It also resulted in the invention of the 'skeet' emoji, which remains largely unused.. Fact: Skeet shooting was originally developed as a way for hunters to practice, but now it’s mostly about showing off at barbecues..
• Headline: AUSTRALIAN WOOL MAY BE SENT HERE; Reports in Boston Are That Staple Will Be Held in Storage. Impact: This wool storage situation led to a bizarre fashion trend where everyone started wearing fur coats made entirely out of wool, causing a temporary surge in sheep popularity as pets.. Fact: Australia produces more wool than any other country, which is surprising considering how few sheep seem to show up at fashion shows..
• Headline: AUTO UNION VOTES TO OPPOSE DRAFT; The 550 Delegates at St. Louis Promptly Wire to Congress Against Pending Bill BIG ARMY IS CALLED PERIL 'Imperialist Adventure' Is Held Possibility--Move for Electing by Referendum Is Beaten. Impact: The Auto Union's opposition to the draft inadvertently led to the creation of a new reality TV show called 'Survivor: Union Edition,' where delegates had to outwit each other to avoid military service.. Fact: Auto unions have been fighting for workers' rights since the dawn of the automobile, proving that even cars need lobbyists..
• Headline: H.B. FISHER JR. DIVORCED; Former Gwendolyn W. Talbot Gets a Decree in Reno. Impact: This divorce case triggered a nationwide trend of couples opting for 'quickie divorces' in Reno, leading to the creation of a new tourism slogan: 'What happens in Reno, happens fast.'. Fact: Reno is often called 'The Biggest Little City in the World'—probably because it’s full of people trying to escape their exes..
• Headline: Article 2 -- No Title; Two Dissolved Units Dropped From Integration Action. Impact: The decision to drop these units from integration proceedings led to a series of heated debates about corporate mergers, which eventually inspired a reality TV show called 'Corporate Survivor: Integration Edition.'. Fact: Corporate integration is about as exciting as watching paint dry, yet somehow, it keeps the legal profession thriving..