JULY 16, 1942

Full News Archive

• Headline: Massive Growth in Aircraft Employment. Impact: The massive increase in plane output led to an unforeseen boom in pilot schools, resulting in an overwhelming number of wannabe aviators, many of whom still think they can fly a plane just because they played a flight simulator once.. Fact: By 1941, aircraft production was so high that the term 'sky's the limit' was officially recognized as a legitimate excuse for not showing up to work..
• Headline: Mass Fingerprinting Drive in 1942. Impact: The fingerprinting craze kicked off a chain reaction of people feeling more comfortable sharing their personal data, which ultimately paved the way for social media influencers to take selfies in front of police stations.. Fact: This fingerprinting drive was so popular that it briefly made 'fingerprint collector' a trendy new career path. Who knew criminals could inspire such innovation?.
• Headline: Vote to Drop Tax on Post Shows. Impact: Dropping the tax on post shows opened the floodgates for a new wave of terrible local productions, leading to the rise of amateur theater and the phrase 'if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a tax'.. Fact: The decision to drop the tax was so popular that it inspired a short-lived reality show called 'Tax-Free Talent', which featured post-show performances that were hilariously awful..
• Headline: WAR WORKER DIES STRANGELY IN HOME; Police Sift 'Ingenious Suicide' or Murder of Sperry Man. Impact: The strange death of a war worker prompted a series of conspiracy theories about corporate espionage, leading to the creation of the 'Sperry Conspiracy Club', where members gathered to discuss who really killed the vibe.. Fact: This incident was so bizarre that it inspired a hit crime podcast decades later, proving that some mysteries never truly die—they just get a trendy new host..
• Headline: SLAIN IN BARBER CHAIR AS HE GETS A SHAVE; Unemployed Truck Driver Shot in West Side Shop. Impact: The tragic death of an unemployed truck driver in a barber shop highlighted the dangers of everyday life, unwittingly leading to the creation of safety guidelines that are still posted in barbershops today, including 'Do Not Distract the Barber'.. Fact: The barber shop where this incident happened became a local legend and was later featured in a poorly made horror film titled 'The Barber's Curse'..
• Headline: PRICE ADJUSTMENT ON MILK GRANTED; Temporary Upward Revision Made for Stores Here That Sold Too Cheap in March. Impact: The price adjustment on milk triggered a nationwide debate on dairy economics, leading to the rise of milk-themed reality shows that somehow made the stock market exciting for the first time.. Fact: In the aftermath of this price adjustment, a bizarre fad emerged where people began hoarding milk, thinking it would become the new currency. Spoiler: it didn’t..
• Headline: DR. $AME$ J. HOGAN, A VACCINE EXPERT; Nationally Known Specialist in Field of Blood Plasma. Impact: Dr. James J. Hogan’s work in blood plasma led to a revolution in medical science, inspiring a generation of mad scientists to take up blood-related hobbies—like plasma painting and the not-so-popular blood pudding cooking class.. Fact: Dr. Hogan’s expertise became so renowned that he was once invited to a dinner party, where guests awkwardly asked him for free medical advice between courses..
• Headline: MISS JANE C. PURDY; Co-Founder of the Purdy School for Children, White Plains. Impact: The founding of the Purdy School for Children sparked a movement for alternative education that eventually inspired the infamous 'unschooling' trend, where kids learned more about video games than math.. Fact: Jane C. Purdy once attempted to teach a class on 'The Art of Napping', which surprisingly became the most popular course in the school's history..