OCTOBER 11, 1942

Full News Archive

• Headline: Exploring 500 Years of Art. Impact: This book inspired a generation of art students who believed they could actually make a living from their doodles. Spoiler alert: most didn’t.. Fact: Did you know that for just $2.98, you could buy a book that would not only teach you about art but also potentially ruin your perception of what constitutes 'good' art?.
• Headline: Commemorating the Eucharistic Congress in 1942. Impact: This stamp release led to a global obsession with collecting stamps for 'artistic' purposes, ultimately resulting in a black market for commemorative stamps featuring cats.. Fact: Fun fact: Stamp collecting is the only hobby where you can feel superior to others while sitting on your couch in your pajamas..
• Headline: American Ballerinas Break Russian Traditions. Impact: 'Miss Jones' paved the way for countless American artists to abandon their cultural heritage in favor of catchy two-syllable names. Next up: 'Ms. Smith, the Jazz Dancer.'. Fact: Isn't it fascinating that all it took for a ballerina to succeed was to drop the Russian name? Imagine if that worked for other professions—'Mr. Doctorov' really doesn't have the same ring to it..
• Headline: 'Maps Are Liars'; The only truthful representation of the world is a globe. There are no really honest flat maps; the point is important for the study of war maps. 'Maps Are Liars'. Impact: This revelation led to a resurgence in globe sales, causing a shortage of classroom globes and a generation of lost children who couldn't find their way home.. Fact: Ever tried folding a globe? Yeah, good luck with that. Flat maps may be liars, but at least they fit in a backpack..
• Headline: PORK CEILING DROPS ON DINNER TABLE; OPA Drafts Order Cutting Top Price $1 to $2 Per Hundred Pounds WOULD LET HOGS LOOSE Board Counts on Release for Market of Stock Held Back for Rise. Impact: This price drop led to a boom in bacon consumption, ultimately resulting in an era where people believed bacon was a food group. Spoiler: it is not.. Fact: At this point, if bacon were a currency, we might have solved the economic crisis. 'Bacon-backed bonds,' anyone?.
• Headline: A Garden of Insects. Impact: Teale's fascination with insects sparked a wave of bug enthusiasts, leading to the creation of insect-themed reality shows and an increase in people naming their pets after beetles.. Fact: If you think your garden is bad, just remember: it could be worse. You could be living in a garden of insects—oh wait, you are!.
• Headline: BANKS ADD BILLION TO TREASURY LOANS; Fifteen Institutions Here Held $9,255,392,000 on Sept. 30, 14.2% Rise in Quarter SATURATION POINT AHEAD Drop of 14.5% in Cash Items to 24.5% of All Assets Shown -- Other Changes BANKS ADD BILLION TO TREASURY LOANS. Impact: This financial maneuver led to an age of 'creative accounting,' where banks became the modern-day magicians, making money disappear and reappear at will.. Fact: I always wondered how many zeroes you can fit in a billion. Turns out, it’s just enough to make your eyes glaze over during a financial report..
• Headline: FOOD PRICE TALLY URGED ON WOMEN; Henderson Asks Housewives to Keep Tabs on New Items Within Sept. 28-Oct. 2 Base TO LOWER SOME CEILINGS OPA, Not Satisfied With Levels, Chief Says, Will Make Changes to Benefit Consumers. Impact: This request for housewives to monitor prices led to the rise of the ultimate suburban spy network, where every neighborhood became a hotbed of price-watching gossip.. Fact: Isn't it charming that housewives were asked to track prices like they were secret agents? Next mission: Operation 'Find the Cheapest Cereal.'.
• Headline: Sales of Robert Reis & Co.. Impact: These sales figures were so mind-numbing that they inadvertently inspired a new genre of sleep aids: 'Boring Financial Reports.'. Fact: Sales reports are like watching paint dry, except the paint is more entertaining and probably smells better..
• Headline: Fascisti Oust Trade Chief. Impact: This political upheaval set the stage for a new level of corporate espionage, where trade chiefs were suddenly more expendable than last season's fashion trends.. Fact: When trade chiefs start getting ousted like that, you know it’s time to invest in a good helmet—and maybe some popcorn for the drama..