Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON July 15, 1972
Full News Archive
- Headline: Westinghouse Electric Sees Earnings Recovery. Impact: The profit at Westinghouse Electric sparked a financial renaissance, leading to a mysterious surge of electric appliances that somehow made everyone more dependent on power. Coincidentally, this paved the way for the invention of the electric toaster, which would later become a symbol of breakfast in bed and marital discord.. Fact: Despite this profit, Westinghouse would eventually be overshadowed by a rival company—who would have thought that a company making light bulbs and toasters could mess with the future of energy?.
- Headline: Levitt's Yacht: A Floating Masterpiece. Impact: The lavish yacht owned by W.J. Levitt inspired an entire generation of aspiring boat builders, leading to the creation of floating houses that would eventually be deemed the 'ultimate solution' to housing crises—right before they sank.. Fact: The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum, but the floating yacht? It just floats! So, that makes it more of a 'party boat', right?.
- Headline: Central Banks Move to Bolster Dollar. Impact: The central banks' support of the dollar triggered a global currency war, where nations began hoarding dollars like they were the last slice of pizza at a party, eventually resulting in a black market for currency exchange that still haunts economists today.. Fact: If only the central banks had known that their moves would lead to a global obsession with currency exchange rates, they might have invested in a good board game instead..
- Headline: Miss Todd Flies to London After Rhodesia Frees Her. Impact: Miss Todd's escape from Rhodesia turned into a dramatic saga that inspired countless movies, with Hollywood capitalizing on her story, leading to a bizarre trend of films where the protagonists always seemed to be escaping from an oppressive regime—something that never gets old, apparently.. Fact: Fun fact: If Hollywood had a dollar for every escape story, they could probably fund a sequel to every action movie ever made..
- Headline: THE 1972 CAMPAIGN. Impact: The 1972 Democratic National Convention became a historical turning point for political gatherings, leading to the rise of more elaborate security measures, which eventually turned political conventions into events resembling high-security concerts—because who doesn’t love a good mosh pit during a speech?. Fact: If you thought the political debates were intense, just wait until you hear about the backstage food fights that happened after the cameras stopped rolling!.
- Headline: Wallace 3d‐Party Draft Due. Impact: The attempt to draft Wallace for a third-party run ignited a series of political misadventures that resulted in more third-party candidates than anyone could keep track of—leading to the modern political landscape resembling a chaotic family reunion where no one knows who brought the potato salad.. Fact: Fun fact: Wallace's campaign strategy was so confusing that even Google Maps struggled to find a route to victory!.
- Headline: THE 1972 CAMPAIGN. Impact: The speeches at the Democratic National Convention became the blueprint for future political rhetoric, leading to a world where candidates could turn any topic into a 30-minute monologue, thus ensuring that no one would ever leave a campaign event without a headache.. Fact: Kennedy and Eagleton's speeches were so captivating that even the audience was taking notes—on how to avoid ever attending another political event!.
Wall Street Time Machine
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1972, it would be worth $343,942 today (343.9x return)
PG
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1972, it would be worth $269,286 today (269.3x return)
CVX
Chevron
Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1972, it would be worth $292,010 today (292.0x return)