JULY 23, 1949

Full News Archive

• Headline: Milk Truckers Oppose Rail Rate Cuts. Impact: If trucks hadn’t protested against rate cuts, we might have ended up with a society where dairy is delivered by flying pigs instead of trucks. Imagine the traffic jams in the sky!. Fact: In 1948, the average American consumed about 25 gallons of milk per year. That's a lot of cereal and questionable decisions!.
• Headline: Life and Legacy of Anthony Mirabella. Impact: Anthony Mirabella’s name being there could have been the catalyst for a secret underground movement of people named Anthony who would later overthrow a small island nation. Or not. Who knows?. Fact: Anthony is derived from the Latin name 'Antonius,' which means 'priceless.' So, basically, he was a big deal..
• Headline: Niagara Falls Express No Honeymoon to Line. Impact: If the Honeymoon Express had thrived, perhaps train travel would have become the go-to for romance, and we’d have a lot more train-themed love songs. Thanks, operating losses!. Fact: The Honeymoon Express was likely not the most romantic train ride, considering it was named after a city council meeting..
• Headline: CUTBACK DOUBTED IN '49 STOCKPILING; Industrial Spokesmen Hold Any Curtailment Will Not Go Into Effect Until 1950 TO AVOID 'BOOM AND BUST' Manufacturers to Adopt Buying Quotas So as Not to Compete With U. S. for Materials. Impact: If the stockpiling cutbacks had been implemented sooner, we could have avoided the infamous 'Boom and Bust' cycle, leading to a world where everyone is perpetually satisfied. Just kidding!. Fact: The phrase 'Boom and Bust' perfectly describes most people's New Year’s resolutions..
• Headline: CONGRESS BILL ASKS BANK HOLDING LIMIT. Impact: If this bill had passed, perhaps we would have seen a world where banks were limited in their holdings, leading to fewer financial crises. Or, they would have just found more creative loopholes!. Fact: The opposition from the Bank of America and Treas Dept shows that even back then, the rich were really good at throwing tantrums..
• Headline: Second Dead in 'Big Inch' Blast. Impact: The Big Inch blast might have led to the invention of more secure pipeline designs. Or maybe it just scared everyone into using more environmentally friendly methods—because nothing says 'green energy' like a giant explosion.. Fact: The Big Inch was a crucial supply line during WWII, so this explosion was like a really bad sequel no one asked for..
• Headline: RICARDO FONSECA. Impact: Ricardo Fonseca’s mention could have been the spark for a future generation of Foncescas leading a culinary revolution. Or not. Just more culinary blogs.. Fact: Fonseca can mean 'a little fountain' in Portuguese. Imagine a restaurant called 'Fountain of Flavor.'.
• Headline: TURKEY SUPPORT SET; Government to Keep Prices of Birds From Going Below 31c. Impact: If the government hadn’t supported turkey prices, we might have seen a mass uprising of turkeys demanding better wages, leading to a Thanksgiving revolution. Picture that chaos!. Fact: Turkey prices fluctuating is the reason we have such a national obsession with 'Turkey Day.' The turkeys are probably in on it!.
• Headline: DILAPIDATED CARS FLAGGED BY POLICE; Safety Teams Spot 'Jalopies' Unfit for Streets, Send Them Away for Repairs OLD EXCUSES ARE HEARD Just on the Way to a Garage, Drivers Say, but Squads Turn a Deaf Ear. Impact: If police hadn’t flagged dilapidated cars, we might have seen an increase in jalopy-based street racing, leading to a whole new genre of movies starring elderly stunt drivers.. Fact: In the 1940s, 'jalopy' was a common term for a beat-up car. Today, it’s what we call our hopes and dreams..