Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 2, 1944
Full News Archive
- Headline: Herbert Upward's Legacy in Journalism. Impact: His long tenure created a ripple effect where the newspaper became the go-to source for all church-related gossip, leading to a thousand awkward coffee break discussions about the latest clergy scandal.. Fact: Despite his serious job, Upward probably had to deal with more church-related puns than actual news..
- Headline: OPA Cracks Down on Price Gouging. Impact: This created a toy market black market, where children started trading their lunch money for illicit action figuresβleading to the creation of the first underground 'Toy Trade' clubs.. Fact: Because nothing says 'childhood joy' like a legal battle over a plastic dinosaur..
- Headline: Nazi Threat to Warfare Laws in 1944. Impact: This threat escalated tensions that ultimately contributed to the establishment of war crimes tribunals, which would later make 'Nuremberg' synonymous with accountabilityβyet somehow still resulted in a whole lot of war crimes.. Fact: The irony of threatening to abandon humane laws during wartime isn't lost on history, but it sure makes for a riveting plot twist..
- Headline: TEACHER VOLUNTEERS. Impact: This noble act sparked a nationwide movement for volunteer teachers, resulting in a generation of overqualified tutors who could teach calculus but still couldn't figure out how to change a tire.. Fact: When it comes to volunteering, teachers are the true MVPsβMost Valuable Procrastinators..
- Headline: Rector for Ten Years Honored at Reception. Impact: This event led to an annual reception tradition, where every rector now expects to be celebrated for simply not getting fired for a decadeβtalk about low standards.. Fact: In church terms, ten years is like a lifetimeβunless you're a cat, in which case it's just a warm-up..
- Headline: Busch Players in Concert. Impact: This concert inadvertently popularized beer-themed music festivals, leading to the rise of 'Brewgrass' and 'Hops & Harmony' events where drinking was the main act.. Fact: When the band says 'let's raise our glasses,' they don't just mean for a toastβthey mean it literally..
- Headline: News of Food; Consumption of Fluid Milk Up Sharply; Butter, Cheese Makers Fear Loss of Trade. Impact: The surge in milk consumption led to a dairy industry panic, resulting in the creation of 'Milk Wars' where farmers fought for the best udderβno, seriously.. Fact: In the dairy world, being 'up sharply' has a whole different meaningβit's all about how high you can get that milk froth..
- Headline: N'EIL ,L MeMANUS. Impact: The name confusion caused a brief but intense existential crisis in the naming department of New Jersey, leading to a wave of bizarre name changes across the state.. Fact: Some people change their names for fame; others just want to avoid awkward introductions..
- Headline: His Name Too Much Like Hitler. Impact: This name change request sparked a wave of identity crises, leading many to reconsider their own names and the potential awkwardness of introducing themselves at parties.. Fact: Ironically, Heitler's name change could be seen as a 'Hitler' of a different natureβjust trying to escape the past in style..
Wall Street Time Machine
CVX
Chevron
Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1944, it would be worth $474,914 today (474.9x return)
GE
General Electric
General Electric - If you invested $1,000 in 1944, it would be worth $487,500 today (487.5x return)
PFE
Pfizer
Pfizer - If you invested $1,000 in 1944, it would be worth $168,691 today (168.7x return)