MARCH 21, 1944

Full News Archive

• Headline: Tragic Plane Crash Near Alexandria. Impact: The untimely demise of a Brooklyn flier led to a surge in safety regulations for air travel. Decades later, this event sparked the creation of a new reality show: 'Airborne Adventures: Don't Try This at Home.'. Fact: Flying was once considered a risky hobby, much like unicycling on a tightrope over a pit of alligators..
• Headline: Brooklyn Tutor Under Investigation in 1944. Impact: This hearing somehow spiraled into an academic battle that influenced a generation of students to become 'professional complainants' about their grades, ultimately leading to the invention of grade inflation.. Fact: Higher education has been around for centuries, yet complaints have only recently become an Olympic sport..
• Headline: Andrews Leaves Navy for Congressional Role. Impact: Andrews' decision to swap the sea for the Senate sparked a nationwide trend of politicians claiming they could 'navigate' through tough issues, leading to the eventual rise of metaphors involving boats and storms.. Fact: Politicians have been known to jump ship for a variety of reasons, usually when the waters get a bit too choppy!.
• Headline: RUDOLPH S CHITAIAC/,R. Impact: Schumacher's long life led to a series of unlikely endorsements for anti-aging products, resulting in a multi-million dollar industry that still can't figure out how to reverse baldness.. Fact: Living to 92 used to be a rarity; now it's just a matter of having really good genes or a great skincare routine..
• Headline: GEORGE KANN. Impact: George Kann's presence in the headlines inspired several authors to create fictional characters who are just as forgettable, leading to an entire genre of 'who cares' literature.. Fact: Sometimes, people are famous for simply being, well, people. Talk about setting the bar low!.
• Headline: SEEKS CUBAN PRESIDENCY; Grau San Martin Heads Ticket of Opposition Parties. Impact: Grau San Martin's political aspirations in Cuba ended up inspiring a series of dramatic soap operas, where every episode featured a new twist on the phrase 'politics makes strange bedfellows.'. Fact: Cuba has had more political parties than I have pairs of socks, and trust me, that’s saying something!.
• Headline: Books -- Authors. Impact: The success of 'The Apostle' as a Book-of-the-Month Club selection triggered a literary phenomenon that continues to confuse readers—where religious texts and self-help books often share space on the shelf.. Fact: Nothing says 'spiritual enlightenment' quite like a monthly subscription service dragging you through the literary mud..
• Headline: FRANK A. NEARN. Impact: Frank A. Neary's name may have fallen through the cracks of history, but his existence inadvertently inspired countless people to create more interesting names for their fictional characters.. Fact: Sometimes, the most memorable names are the ones that no one can remember. It's a talent!.
• Headline: WLB STILL AT ODDS ON STEEL PAY ISSUE; Again Meets and Fails to Say If Its Panel Can Weigh 17-Cent Rise Demand. Impact: The ongoing dispute over steel pay turned into a marathon of negotiations that would eventually lead to the birth of the phrase 'let's table it,' which is now used in every meeting ever.. Fact: Labor disputes have been known to cause more headaches than a three-day-old hangover without the benefit of aspirin..
• Headline: STORM WON'T HALT CITY SALVAGE TASK; Carey's Men to Pick Up Paper and Cans as Usual Tomorrow. Impact: The city's determination to salvage paper and cans sparked a nationwide obsession with recycling campaigns, leading to the popular myth that you can finally make a fortune from trash.. Fact: Saving the planet one can at a time is great, but don't expect to retire early on your aluminum stash!.