JULY 17, 1949

Full News Archive

• Headline: Campaign for Unclaimed Bank Deposits Begins. Impact: The banks' quest to find owners of unclaimed deposits set off a nationwide scavenger hunt that somehow led to the Great Treasure Map Craze of the 1960s. Thanks, banks, for igniting dreams of buried gold.. Fact: Did you know that unclaimed deposits are just banks' way of saying, 'We promise we’re not hoarding your money'?.
• Headline: INDUSTRIAL BUYING SETS NEW RECORDS; Automotive Supply Purchases at Peacetime Peak in Survey for First 6 Months of 1949 GENERAL MOTORS IN LEAD Chain Outlets' Durable Goods and Farm Equipment Among Other Most Active Lines. Impact: This industrial buying spree was the catalyst for the Great American Garage Sale, where people suddenly realized they could sell their old lawnmowers and make a fortune. GM's success led to a nation of DIY enthusiasts.. Fact: Did you know that the 'peacetime peak' just means everyone was too busy buying things to remember they were supposed to be peaceful?.
• Headline: TOWARD A PACIFIC PACT. Impact: Toward a Pacific Pact? This was the first step in a long journey toward global cooperation, which eventually led to the invention of the 'group project' — a struggle for dominance in every classroom since.. Fact: Fun fact: Group projects are basically adulting practice, and nobody ever gets an A..
• Headline: BRAZIL CONFIDENT OF LOAN FROM U. S.; Dollar Problem Solution Also Seen in Washington Talks -New Oil Refineries Planned. Impact: Brazil's confidence in securing loans from the U.S. led to a financial friendship that would later inspire countless buddy-cop movies. Who knew loans could lead to action-packed adventures?. Fact: Did you know that oil refineries are just the adult version of piggy banks, and everyone wants to crack them open?.
• Headline: EDUCATION NOTES; Varied Activities on the Campus And in the Classroom. Impact: The varied campus activities led to the invention of 'syllabus week,' where students learned how to effectively do nothing before the actual chaos of exams began. College life: an art form.. Fact: Fun fact: Students have spent more time planning their study breaks than actually studying. Priorities!.
• Headline: Modern Materialism; PHILOSOPHY FOR THE FUTURE: The Quest of Modern Materialism. Edited by Roy Wood Sellars, V. J. McGill and Marvin Farber. xii+652 pp. New York: The Macmillan Company. $7.50.. Impact: This philosophical endeavor resulted in a generation of college students who would spend hours arguing about the meaning of life, while simultaneously failing to find their socks. Thanks, modern materialism.. Fact: Did you know that philosophy books are great for holding up wobbly tables? Multi-purpose!.
• Headline: WEST UNION UNIFIES ARMS PRODUCTION; 5 European Powers Agree on Plan for Interchangeable Weapons and Supply. Impact: The unification of arms production among European powers set the stage for the most awkward game of 'hot potato' in history, where no one wanted to be stuck with the last weapon. Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well.. Fact: Fun fact: Arms production unification — the only time 'sharing' didn’t go well in history..
• Headline: SCIENCE IN REVIEW; The Russians Formulate a Communistic Theory Of the Universe to Confound Bourgeoisie. Impact: The USSR's rejection of Western theories caused a cosmic rift that led to the rise of conspiracy theories about alien life and the origin of the universe, proving once again that humans will believe anything but facts.. Fact: Did you know that astronomers just want to figure out where all the socks disappear to in the universe? It’s the real mystery..