MAY 21, 1946

Full News Archive

• Headline: Lauritz Melchior at Robin Hood Dell. Impact: Melchior's performance sparked a global renaissance in opera, leading to the creation of underground 'Opera Raves' where people wear tuxedos and dance like no one is watching—except they are.. Fact: Lauritz Melchior was so legendary that his voice could probably charm the birds out of the trees. Or at least convince them to join the symphony..
• Headline: U-Boat Pens Endure Heavy Bombing Tests. Impact: The failure to penetrate U-boat pens led to a heightened obsession with concrete fortifications, sparking an architectural trend that would eventually inspire every 1980s mall.. Fact: 22,000-pound missiles are great for testing defenses, but not so great for your average home renovation project..
• Headline: G.M. HEAD STRESSES PRODUCTION NEED; Calls on 300,000 Employes to Shatter Theory Incentive Is Lacking in Peacetime. Impact: This call to arms for production resulted in a series of motivational posters featuring kittens and phrases like 'You can do it!'—because nothing says 'work hard' like a fuzzy cat.. Fact: If only the workers had known that 'shattering theory' would lead to decades of corporate jargon and buzzwords that make meetings last longer..
• Headline: War Memorials Head Named. Impact: J.J. Cunningham's appointment to lead war memorials influenced future generations to build monuments that would inspire countless selfies and social media posts.. Fact: Memorials are a great way to remember the past—unless you’re trying to find a parking spot nearby..
• Headline: EDISON'S REVENUES FOR YEAR SET MARK; Income Passed $300,000,000 for First Time, Utility's Stockholders Are Told HUDSON MOTOR CAR CO. Three New Directors Named-- Dutch Interests Get Place EDISON'S REVENUES FOR YEAR SET MARK International Minerals & Chemical Price Brothers Technicolor. Impact: Edison's financial success led to a surge of inventors trying to replicate his brilliance, resulting in many questionable inventions, including the first electric toaster that also played the piano.. Fact: Edison’s revenues were so high that they could have funded a small country—or at least a very lavish birthday party for a cat..
• Headline: OPA Says It Will Let Auto Prices Rise 5 Per Cent on the Average in a Few Days. Impact: This increase led to a collective groan from car buyers, inadvertently starting a trend of haggling that would evolve into reality television shows about negotiating car prices.. Fact: The OPA's decision was like telling people that gas prices would go up—everyone knew it would happen, but they still acted shocked..
• Headline: AIR PAY HEARING DELAYED; Truman Panel Adjourns When Pilot Association Head Is Ill. Impact: The postponement led to a series of delays in air pay reforms, which eventually caused pilots to develop a fondness for coffee and long layovers—thus creating the world's first 'Pilot's Lounge.'. Fact: Only in politics can a simple illness lead to an industry-wide delay that’s more complicated than assembling IKEA furniture..
• Headline: TELLER GETS 3 YEARS; Jersey City Man Sentenced for $27,791 Bank Theft. Impact: This heist and subsequent sentencing inspired countless Hollywood movies about bank robbers, always forgetting to mention that stealing is, you know, illegal.. Fact: The irony of the teller's three-year sentence is that it’s probably less time than it takes to pay off student loans for a degree in criminal justice..