Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 31, 1940
Full News Archive
- Headline: PONZI BEATS CARAS TWICE; Has a High Run of 99 in Title Pocket Billiard Tourney. Impact: Ponzi's billiards victories sparked a trend where financial schemes were rebranded as 'competitive gaming'. Today, we call those the stock market and reality TV.. Fact: Remember, 'Ponzi' isnβt just a financial term; itβs also a great way to describe how you feel after losing at pool to someone named 'Champ'..
- Headline: FRENCH MODERNS AMONG ART SHOWS; 'Landmarks' Are Put on Display in an Exhibition Given at the Pierre Matisse Gallery PARIS WATER-COLORS SEEN Genin Works at Peter Carson's --American Sculpture Shown at Buchholz's. Impact: The French modern art show ignited debates that led to the infamous 'Art vs. What Even Is That' movement, resulting in numerous art students questioning their life choices.. Fact: Art shows: where you can stare at a blank canvas and leave feeling more cultured than you did after reading War and Peace..
- Headline: HUNGARY CALLS UP MEN TO HELP NAZIS; General Mobilization Expected --Fear of Russia Hinted --Oil Fields Guarded. Impact: Hungary's mobilization impacted global politics by sending shockwaves through the coffee shops of Paris, where baristas began serving 'protest lattes', igniting a caffeine-fueled revolution.. Fact: Turns out, calling up men for war is a surefire way to disrupt everyone's weekend plans. Who needs brunch when you could be dodging bullets?.
- Headline: C. HAROLD WILLS, MODEL T DESIGNER; The Former Chief Engineer and Plant superintendent for Henry Ford Dies at 62 BEGAN CAREER WHEN 17 After Acquiring Fortune Made Cars in His Own Factory-- Noted as Metallurgist. Impact: C. Harold Wills' death marked the end of an era, but it also led to the infamous 'Ford vs. Wills' debates in trivia nights, where car enthusiasts still argue over who built the better vehicle.. Fact: The Model T revolutionized transportation, but little did they know it would also revolutionize how many times you can hear your dad say, 'They don't make 'em like they used to.'.
- Headline: POLICEMAN CAUGHT IN TRAP FOR THIEF; His Arrest Is Said to Solve Long Series of Burglaries in Pleasantville. Impact: The arrest of a policeman for catching a thief created a nationwide trend in policing, where officers began to consider their day jobs as actual detective work. Crime rates skyrocketed in comedy clubs afterward.. Fact: A policeman solving a long series of burglaries is just another way of saying, 'I finally got a promotion after years of watching people steal my lunch.'.
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)