FEBRUARY 6, 1946

Full News Archive

• Headline: Conservation Urged for Essential Supplies. Impact: If only we had conserved batteries and tires back then, we might have avoided the Great Tire Shortage of 2055, which led to the Great Roller Skate Revolution.. Fact: Batteries were once considered luxury items. Now we can't live without them—thank you, smartphone addiction!.
• Headline: Loose-Wiles Seeks Name Change Vote. Impact: The name change led to a mysterious curse that resulted in all subsequent stockholders becoming terrible at naming things. Just ask the 'Great Fork Company'.. Fact: Loose-Wiles? Sounds more like a bad Tinder date than a brand name..
• Headline: PAULEY OIL OFFER 'RAWEST" EVER PUT TO HIM, ICKES SAYS; MR. PAULEY REPLIES TO MR. ICKES. Impact: This public spat over oil offers inadvertently contributed to the rise of conspiracy theories around secret oil cabals controlling the Navy. Spoiler: it's all about the money.. Fact: Mr. Ickes and Mr. Pauley could have easily been a sitcom duo—'Two Oil Men and a Navy'..
• Headline: Urges That Notes Be Sent With Gifts to Europeans. Impact: This push for gift notes led to the creation of the awkward family holiday tradition of sending passive-aggressive notes with presents.. Fact: The only thing worse than sending gifts is sending gifts with notes suggesting you should have sent more..
• Headline: British Surplus Continues. Impact: The British surplus was so impressive it inspired a never-ending series of 'Surplus Shows' that eventually led to a global obsession with thrift shopping.. Fact: Turns out, collecting surplus is a lot less fun when you actually have to sort through it yourself..
• Headline: SHARP GAIN SHOWN BY WESTERN AUTO; Missouri Company's Net Was $3.62 a Share Last Year, Against $1.73 in '44. Impact: Western Auto's gains led to a nationwide obsession with auto parts, sparking a weird subculture of car enthusiasts who have way too much time on their hands.. Fact: A net profit of $3.62 a share sounds impressive until you remember that 'shares' don't actually help you change your tire..
• Headline: CHARLOTTE L. BECKER; Poet, Amateur Playwright and Book Reviewer Dies at 73. Impact: Charlotte L. Becker's passing inspired a new wave of amateur playwrights who incorrectly believed they could achieve fame posthumously. Spoiler alert: they didn't.. Fact: Becker may have been a poet, but she couldn't rhyme 'death' with 'success' if she tried..
• Headline: GERMAN CAPTIVES PROFIT; Le Havre Links Them to Black Market in U.S. Supplies. Impact: The link between German captives and the black market started the 'POW Market' trend, inspiring future generations to think that even prisoners can get ahead by bending the rules.. Fact: Who knew that black market dealings could be so profitable? Maybe I should start a side hustle in time travel!.
• Headline: Yellow Cab Asks to Run Suburban Helicopters. Impact: The suburban helicopter concept led to a revolution in transportation—people stopped using cars altogether, which hilariously contributed to a world where traffic jams became a thing of the past.. Fact: Imagine calling for a cab and getting a helicopter instead. Your commute just went from boring to sky-high!.