AUGUST 20, 1942

Full News Archive

• Headline: Eric C. Moore: Hospital Board Member's Passing. Impact: The death of Eric C. Moore set off a series of events that ultimately led to the invention of the 'Eternal Hospital Board Meeting'—a mythical gathering that never ends and has been blamed for a lack of progress in the healthcare system ever since.. Fact: Did you know that hospital board meetings can last longer than a marathon? At least in spirit, if not in actual running..
• Headline: Canada's Manpower Control in WWII. Impact: Canada's plan to control manpower use inadvertently sparked the Great Job Permit Black Market of 1942, where people were trading job permits like rare Pokémon cards. Who knew bureaucracy could be so lucrative?. Fact: Fun fact: Job permits became so popular that they were once traded on the black market alongside rare stamps and vintage comic books!.
• Headline: Scrap Auto Quota Established in WWII. Impact: The requisitioning of junk autos led to a secret underground movement where people started hoarding broken-down cars to create a future art installation titled 'The Wasteland of Consumerism.' It became a hit in the 1980s.. Fact: Did you know that the most desirable junk cars were once considered 'vintage'? Apparently, rust is the new chic..
• Headline: I MIS. J. BARNEY ROOT I i. Impact: The mysterious death of Ella G. Root sparked a conspiracy theory that she had discovered the secret to eternal life and was silenced before she could share it. Spoiler: It was just a really good skincare routine.. Fact: Did you know that the best-kept beauty secrets often come with a side of intrigue? Just ask your local skincare guru!.
• Headline: THE VANGUARD AT DIEPPE. Impact: The Vanguard at Dieppe inadvertently inspired a series of overly dramatic war movies that took 'true stories' to ridiculous levels, ultimately giving birth to the 'action hero' genre.. Fact: Did you know that the most unrealistic action heroes are often based on real people? Guess reality just wasn't exciting enough..
• Headline: Heads the Legion of Valor. Impact: The election of the new commander of the Legion of Valor led to a chain reaction of increasingly absurd military awards, including the 'Most Creative Use of a Canteen' award.. Fact: Did you know that military honors can sometimes be awarded for things that are, shall we say, not particularly heroic? 'Best Nap-Taker' is still up for grabs!.
• Headline: Stirrup-Pump Supply Is Ample. Impact: The ample supply of stirrup pumps meant that, unbeknownst to everyone, a secret society of stirrup pump enthusiasts began meeting in basements, plotting to take over the world—one garden at a time.. Fact: Did you know that stirrup pumps were once seen as the ultimate weapon in the gardening world? They’re like the Swiss Army knife of horticulture..
• Headline: $75,000 FRAUD LAID TO AN EX-BANKER; Indictment Says H.E. Hevenor Used an Unperfected War Weapon to Sell Stock. Impact: The fraud case against H.E. Hevenor sparked a wave of 'get-rich-quick' schemes that would embarrass even the shadiest of carnival barkers. The term 'flawed war weapon' entered the marketing lexicon.. Fact: Did you know that people still fall for get-rich-quick schemes? Some things never change, much like the definition of 'flawed.'.
• Headline: FLOOR FIGHT TODAY TO DECIDE NOMINEE IN STATE CONTEST; KELLY STANDS PAT He Resists Pressure to Swing Brooklyn Vote to the Mead Side COMPROMISE TALK HEARD Farley Says Convention Choice of Chairman Is Proof of Bennett's Strength SCENES AT OPENING OF STATE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION IN BROOKLYN FLOOR FIGHT TODAY TO DECIDE NOMINEE. Impact: The floor fight at the state Democratic convention resulted in a deadly serious debate over the meaning of the word 'compromise,' leading to a new trend of political yoga classes focused on flexibility.. Fact: Did you know that political conventions are like family reunions? Lots of shouting, awkward silences, and at least one person trying to settle a score from the last event..
• Headline: REYNOLDS STRIKERS GET OUSTER THREAT; Company Tells Louisville Men to Return or Be Displaced. Impact: The strike at Reynolds led to a new wave of labor movements, leading to the creation of the 'Strikers’ Club'—a secret society dedicated to coffee breaks and planning the next big walkout.. Fact: Did you know that strikers are the original influencers? They could turn a coffee break into a trending topic before it was even a thing!.