MAY 18, 1941

Full News Archive

• Headline: Building the Garden Pool. Impact: If only the builders had known the fate of this pool would lead to a thriving community of ducks, which would eventually become the world's leading experts on pool safety. Now, every swimming pool is a potential duck sanctuary.. Fact: Did you know that in ancient Rome, pools were more about showing off wealth than actually swimming? Because nothing says 'I’m rich' like a glorified bathtub..
• Headline: Netherlands War Fund Stamp Issued. Impact: This war fund stamp inadvertently led to an obsession with collecting stamps, which created a generation of very serious people who would rather discuss ink than global politics. What a twist!. Fact: Did you know that stamp collecting is considered a hobby for introverts? So if you’re looking to avoid human interaction, just start collecting—it's a great way to make friends with your own couch!.
• Headline: A Tree Fantasy; THE TREE THAT RAN AWAY. By Henry Beston. Illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg. 69 pp. The Macmillan Company. $1.. Impact: This whimsical tale inspired an entire genre of runaway inanimate objects. Fast forward to today, and we have a thriving industry of movies about talking furniture. Thanks, Henry!. Fact: Did you know that trees can actually communicate? They send distress signals through their roots. So if you think your houseplants are just sitting there, they might be plotting a rebellion!.
• Headline: Spanish Ship Seized by British. Impact: The seizure of this ship set off a chain reaction of naval disputes, leading to the invention of the world's first pirate-themed board game. Thanks to this, family game nights became a battleground of betrayal.. Fact: Did you know that piracy was once a legitimate profession? Now, it’s just a Halloween costume gone horribly wrong..
• Headline: NEW ZEALAND DENIES CONFLICT IN POLICY; Minister Links Consumer Goods Need With Taxation Aims. Impact: This minister's denial of conflict in policy led to an epidemic of indecisiveness in government, inspiring a new breed of politicians who specialize in saying absolutely nothing.. Fact: Did you know that politicians have a secret handbook on how to avoid answering questions? It's called 'The Art of the Non-Answer.'.
• Headline: Rangers Down Hearts In Scottish Final, 4-2. Impact: This match inspired a wave of soccer fandom that would ultimately lead to the creation of jerseys, face paint, and a national pastime of arguing over which team is better. Spoiler: it’s never settled.. Fact: Did you know that soccer fans have been known to invent their own languages? They just might be the most creative people you’ll never understand..
• Headline: COFFEE, COTTON WORRYING BRAZIL; Exports of Both Staples Cut by the War, With Crop of Latter Above Last Year's COFFEE, COTTON WORRYING BRAZIL. Impact: The worries over coffee and cotton led to an underground market for both commodities, where bartering coffee beans became the new currency of choice. The hipsters of the future would be so proud.. Fact: Did you know that coffee was once banned in Mecca? Apparently, they were worried about its stimulating effects on the mind. Imagine banning your morning cup—what a world that would be!.