🗿From Boom to Bust

Welcome History Nerds,

You ever get tired of reading the same old boring shit about history? You’ve stumbled upon the right newsletter. Traditional media is dead, and we are here to replace it.

So, rip out a page from your history books and roll up a fat one because it’s time for a history lesson.

During Your History Lesson You’ll Learn About:

• From Boom To Bust. Generational Wealth Wiped Out In A Day

• Emu-gate: The Battle That Left Australia Feathered

• The Birth of the Web: A Story You’ve Never Heard Before

• All Hail The Pumpkin King: A Cinematic Icon

Black Tuesday: The Original Market Meltdown

On October 29, 1929, Wall Street experienced what could be described as the financial equivalent of a toddler throwing a tantrum over not getting the last piece of candy on Halloween. This wasn't just any market dip; this was Black Tuesday, the day stocks decided to play an extreme game of hide-and-seek with investors' money.

Imagine waking up, ready to check your investments, and instead of growth, you find your portfolio has taken a nosedive into a black hole. Investors were literally throwing stocks at each other, trying to sell anything, anywhere, at any price. It was like the world's most depressing garage sale where everything must go, and nobody wanted to buy.

The aftermath? A global economic hangover that lasted for years, which we now call the Great Depression. But hey, in a strange way, Black Tuesday might have been the original lesson in financial humility. Suddenly, everyone learned that maybe, just maybe, putting all your eggs in one Wall Street basket wasn't the best idea.

So next time you hear the market's going through a rough patch, remember Black Tuesday. It's like the stock market's version of that one family member who gets too drunk at a reunion and ends up promising never to drink again... until the next reunion.

The Great Emu War: Australia's Feathery Fiasco

Imagine it’s 1932 and a bunch of ugly looking flightless birds have ruined your entire year of farming because they couldn’t keep their stupid beaks out of your crops. Well that is exactly what was happening in Australia, this week in 1932 was the breaking point. They sent the military to engage in a battle that would define the term "overkill" in the most humorous way possible. This wasn't against an enemy army or a foreign threat; no, this was against... emus. Yes, you read that right—those large, dumb looking birds became the unexpected adversaries in what has since been dubbed the "Great Emu War."

Picture this: A seasoned military, armed to the teeth, facing off against birds that look like they've escaped from a cartoon. The emus, led by their innate survival instinct, had been wreaking havoc on farms, nibbling on crops like they were at an all-you-can-eat buffet. So, the government legitimately decided to deploy soldiers to show these emus who's boss.

But here's where it gets funny: The emus, in a display of what can only be described as bird-brain brilliance, outmaneuvered the troops. They'd scatter in all directions up to 50 km/h (31 mph), dodging bullets like they were playing a high-stakes game of tag. When the soldiers finally got a machine gun in place, the emus would split up or simply run away, leaving the military to look like they were trying to shoot at shadows burning excessive rounds of ammunition they weren’t properly supplied with.

After several days of this comedic warfare, the army called a ceasefire, admitting defeat to the feathered foes because of the battle’s terrible cost effectiveness. The emus had a field day (quite literally), and the whole operation was mocked in the press, with headlines that probably read something like "Emu-nity Prevails" or "Feathered Fiasco Down Under."

So what did we learn from the Emu War? Perhaps it's that if you’re going to try to start a war on a bunch of birds, maybe you should bring enough ammo to the fight. Oh yeah, and never underestimate the wits of a wild animal, especially an Emu.

The Great ARPANET Crash of '69: When 'LO' Meant 'Oops'

Imagine it's October 29, 1969, and the digital world is about to get its first taste of human interaction over a network that would eventually evolve into the internet. ARPANET was the first packet-switching network, created by the U.S. Department of Defense in the late 1960s. The stage is set at UCLA, where the tech wizards of the time are gearing up to send the very first message through a computer network via ARPANET. The message? "LOGIN." Simple, right?

Wrong.

The system, in a dramatic twist of fate, decided to play the role of an overly dramatic actor, crashing right after sending the first two letters: "LO."

Here we have the pioneers of the internet sending what was supposed to be a triumphant "LOGIN," only for the network to completely shit the bed. This moment is the epitome of tech irony. Nonetheless, this was the beginning of an era that would change how we communicate, learn, shop, and even argue with total strangers about movie plots.

So, the next time your internet connection decides to take a coffee break right when you're about to hit 'send' on an important email, remember: even the internet had a rough start.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Day Halloween Met Christmas in a Cinematic Mishmash

On October 29, 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas arrived, bringing with it a wave of gothic charm that turned Halloween lovers into year-round enthusiasts. Jack Skellington, who knew a skeletal guy in a pinstripe suit would charm people all around the globe? If you haven’t seen the movie, the easiest way to describe it is Halloween having an identity crisis and trying to take over Christmas by putting on a Santa hat.

Tim Burton initially wrote The Nightmare Before Christmas as a poem while working at Disney. They ended up loving this concept and greenlit the production of the movie. With a modest budget of $18 million, this cult classic ended up raking in $107.1 million; but more importantly created an entire generation of kinky goth girls.

The Nightmare Before Christmas was the perfect storm of holiday fusion, proving that sometimes, when you mix up your holidays, you end up with a cult classic that people still can't decide if it's a Halloween or Christmas movie. No matter your stance on what type of movie this is, let's not forget this film's classic soundtrack. A ghoulishly catchy mix of Tim Burton's quirky gothic aesthetic and Danny Elfman's haunting melodies. Every song was like a haunted house tour set to music, where instead of jump scares, you got catchy tunes about kidnapping Sandy Claws.

Three decades later, The Nightmare Before Christmas is still a cult classic, defining a lifestyle more than just a seasonal flick. From Halloween-themed weddings to Christmas trees adorned with skulls, its influence is everywhere. So, grab your pumpkin spice latte, put on your favorite black attire, and settle in for a re-watch.

Meet The Writers!

Howdy! I’m Derek Cook and I am co-founder of the LOL History newsletter. My fascination with history began in grade school when I stumbled upon the chilling tale of the early American settlers who vanished, leaving only the word 'CROATOAN' carved into a tree at Roanoke. That mystery captivated me and ignited a lifelong passion for exploring the wonders of our world.

Hi all! I’m Evan Him, the original creator of @historyinmemes on Instagram and X. Growing up, I always hated traditional schooling so I don’t have any early fond memories of fun history facts that I latched onto. I do have a passion for memes though, and bridging the gap between a true history buff like Derek and myself has always been the goal.