SEPTEMBER 11, 1940

Full News Archive

• Headline: Buyers Arrive in Detroit. Impact: The influx of buyers into Detroit led to a chain reaction that eventually resulted in the rise of overpriced avocado toast in hipster cafes across the country. Who knew a few buyers could ruin brunch?. Fact: Did you know Detroit was once the epicenter of the automotive industry? Now it’s the epicenter of... well, let’s just say it’s complicated..
• Headline: New York Telephone Co: 1940 Removals Insight. Impact: The phone company’s stability in 1939 set a precedent that, if followed, could have avoided the entire 21st-century obsession with texting. But alas, here we are, thumbs at the ready.. Fact: Did you know that in 1939, people were still using rotary phones? Talk about a slow connection!.
• Headline: PATROLMAN CATCHES FLEEING JEWEL THIEF; Recovers Seven Diamond Rings --Second Bandit Escapes. Impact: The failed capture of a bandit led to the invention of more stringent security measures in jewelry stores. This eventually resulted in the rise of those overly dramatic heist movies. Thanks, thieves!. Fact: Did you know that diamond rings have been a symbol of love for centuries? And yet, here we are, also using them as bait for criminals..
• Headline: THIRD-TERM ISSUE DIVIDES BAR GROUP; Committee Rejects Resolution Condemning President, but It May Go Before Association DESTROYER DEAL BACKED Method Is Attacked at Round Table and Neutrality Law Hit as 'Legislative Failure'. Impact: The division over the third-term issue sparked heated debates that would eventually lead to term limits for U.S. Presidents. So, thanks to some bar group squabbling, we now have less chance for a repeat performance of 'The Most Boring Presidential Reality Show.'. Fact: Did you know that FDR was the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms? He really took 'one last ride' to a whole new level..
• Headline: 1,000,000 ALREADY FILED AS ALIENS; Only 2,500,000 Left to Register After Speedy Two Weeks of Gathering Material HELPFUL SPIRIT IS SHOWN Jackson Warns Some Employers Against Discharging NonCitizens for No Other Cause. Impact: The rush to register aliens ironically led to the creation of stricter immigration policies decades later, which meant that now, even a paperclip might need a visa.. Fact: Did you know the U.S. has had an ongoing love-hate relationship with immigration? It's like that ex you can't quite get over..
• Headline: GIVES WILLKIE CLUBS' AIM; Leader Says they Ask No Voice in Party--To Disband on Nov. 5. Impact: The Willkie Clubs’ decision to disband foreshadowed the great American pastime of splitting into factions over any trivial matter – a practice that continues to this day on social media.. Fact: Did you know that the Willkie Clubs were a response to FDR’s New Deal? Because who wouldn’t want to create a club just to oppose a popular policy?.
• Headline: Estates Appraised. Impact: The appraisal of estates may have led to a collective increase in family squabbles over inheritance, resulting in more episodes of 'Family Feud.' Thanks, Isaac S. Harris!. Fact: Did you know that estate appraisals are basically the adult version of a kid fighting over toys? Adulting can be rough..
• Headline: O'Dwyer Aids Army Relief. Impact: O'Dwyer’s aid on Army Relief might have been a small gesture, but it contributed to the rise of military fundraising galas, which are basically the Oscars for charity.. Fact: Did you know that ‘Army Relief Day’ sounds like a holiday where you celebrate your favorite military snacks? Just imagine a parade of MREs!.
• Headline: LACK OF GOAL IN U.S. IN CRISIS CHARGED; MacLeish Accuses Leaders of Failing to Define Purpose. Impact: MacLeish's call for leaders to define a purpose might have planted the seeds for motivational speakers everywhere. Thanks to him, now we can't escape inspirational quotes on social media.. Fact: Did you know that the U.S. goal has often been as clear as mud? It's like trying to find a single sock in a laundry basket!.