AUGUST 22, 1949

Full News Archive

• Headline: Etchen's Stunning Shooting Victory. Impact: Etchen's record-breaking performance inspired a generation of athletes to take up extreme precision shooting, leading to the invention of competitive darts, which somehow became more popular than actual sports. Thanks, R Etchen!. Fact: Did you know that shooting a perfect 375 in a row doesn't actually qualify you for the Olympics? But it does qualify you for a round of applause and a spot in the local pub!.
• Headline: Legacy of Edwin W. Soergel. Impact: The announcement of Edwin W. Soergel's name sparked a mysterious chain reaction that led to the rise of many other 'Edwins' in history, including a particularly notorious Edwin who tried to sell ice to penguins.. Fact: Fun fact: every time you say 'Edwin W. Soergel,' a historian somewhere does a little happy dance. It's true—just ask them..
• Headline: Surge of Tuberculosis in Queens, 1949. Impact: The rise of tuberculosis in Queens led to an intense competition among various districts for the title of 'Most Unfortunate Place to Live,' which Queens ultimately won, solidifying its reputation as the most dramatic borough.. Fact: Did you know that tuberculosis was once called 'consumption'? Because who wouldn't want to consume a disease? Sounds appetizing!.
• Headline: British Need 40% Export Rise To Meet Their Dollar Deficit; Britain Needs 40% Rise in Exports To Meet the Current Dollar Deficit. Impact: Britain's desperate need for a 40% export rise triggered a series of unfortunate economic policies that led to the invention of the 'Just Add Water' economy, which flopped spectacularly.. Fact: Did you know that the phrase '40% rise' originally referred to a particularly ambitious soufflé recipe? Spoiler alert: it didn't rise..
• Headline: Bids Lowest for VA Hospital. Impact: The lowest bid for the VA hospital construction inadvertently sparked a bidding war among contractors who were secretly plotting to build the world's largest hospital made entirely of jellybeans.. Fact: Did you know that hospitals are often built with the expectation that they won't be the site of a bidding war? Who knew construction could be so cutthroat?.
• Headline: F. D. J. GRAHAM. Impact: F. D. J. Graham's mere existence led to an entire line of 'Graham Cracker' inspired motivational speeches that transformed the self-help industry into a snack food empire.. Fact: Every time someone says 'F. D. J. Graham,' an angel gets its wings... and a graham cracker..
• Headline: EUBIE BLAKE, AT 66, IS LEARNING MUSIC; So 'Those Kids' Won't Get Ahead of Him, He's Been Taking Famed Course. Impact: Eubie Blake's determination to learn music at 66 inspired countless seniors to pursue their dreams, leading to a global movement called 'Never Too Late to Be Annoying,' which peaked in the 1990s.. Fact: Did you know that Eubie Blake was actually a time traveler? How else could he have learned music at 66? He just went back to when people thought 66 was young!.
• Headline: FREEDOM REQUIRES PRICE, VFW IS TOLD; Chief of Navy Chaplains Pleads Against Veteran Factions -- Truman Speaks Today. Impact: The plea against veteran factions sparked a wave of reunions, leading to the world's first 'Veterans of Factional Disagreement' convention, where they ultimately agreed to disagree on everything, including the snacks.. Fact: Did you know that Truman's speeches were so powerful they occasionally caused spontaneous applause? Or was that just the echo of veterans trying to find a good seat?.