SUNDAYS WITH SHARON: Living The Dream
Sometimes we aren’t thankful enough for our successes. The world has gotten to be a strange and dangerous place. In my talk yesterday, I discussed how now is the perfect time to be a writer. And who can forget the 2008-2009 time when we were worried the stock market would crash and there’d be war right around the corner? Some writers wrote their best works, and great movies were produced during another dangerous time.
Here’s what was happening some 70+ years ago:
Major Political/World Events:
General
Franco and his Nationalists won the Spanish Civil War
Franco and his Nationalists won the Spanish Civil War
Germany and
Italy sign the “Pact of Steel”
Italy sign the “Pact of Steel”
Germany
annexes remaining Czech territories, Czech Republic is dissolved
annexes remaining Czech territories, Czech Republic is dissolved
Italy
occupies Albania
occupies Albania
Soviet-Japanese
border war erupts
border war erupts
Nazi-Soviet
pact formed
pact formed
Germany
invades Poland (beginning WWII)
invades Poland (beginning WWII)
Britain,
France, India, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany
France, India, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany
US decides
to remain neutral, but begins to arm for war to help ease
to remain neutral, but begins to arm for war to help ease
effects
of the depression
of the depression
USSR
attacks Finland
attacks Finland
USSR is
expelled from the League of Nations (precursor to UN)
expelled from the League of Nations (precursor to UN)
Albert Einstein writes letter to
FDR about the possibility of an atomic bomb
FDR about the possibility of an atomic bomb
and the Manhattan
Project is launched
Project is launched
Other background for those times:
World Leaders are:
USSR: Joseph Stalin
UK Neville Chamberlain
USA: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Japan: goes through 4 in less than 8
months
months
Australia: goes through 4 in less than 5 months
Germany: Adolf Hitler
Italy: Benito Mussolini
And then some major accomplishments:
Gone With
The Wind is made from Margaret Mitchell’s book in 1936
The Wind is made from Margaret Mitchell’s book in 1936
Heinkel He
178 is the first jet aircraft to fly
178 is the first jet aircraft to fly
John
Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath
Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath
Of Mice and
Men was made
Men was made
The
Jefferson Memorial is started in Washington, DC
Jefferson Memorial is started in Washington, DC
Hewlett
Packard is formed
Packard is formed
The first
air conditioner is offered in a car: Packard
air conditioner is offered in a car: Packard
New York
World’s Fair is hosted by US
World’s Fair is hosted by US
Here’s what things cost:
Average new
home price: $3,800.
home price: $3,800.
Average
wages per year: $1,730.
wages per year: $1,730.
Cost of a
gallon of Gas: 10 cents
gallon of Gas: 10 cents
Average
cost to rent a house: $28. Per month
cost to rent a house: $28. Per month
Loaf of
bread: 8 cents
bread: 8 cents
1#
Hamburger: 14 cents
Hamburger: 14 cents
Average new
car: $700.
car: $700.
Toaster: $16.
Due to
increased usage, cost of electricity is cut ½ in 10 years
increased usage, cost of electricity is cut ½ in 10 years
Do you know that people thought publishing houses and the movie studios were done? That no new books would be printed, movies made?
They were wrong then. They are wrong now. Keep Writing!!
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I love that shirt. And another great blog. People don't look back at history as much as they should. You have to remember the past while you look ahead to the future.
I agree, Karen. Says a lot when we look at where we've come.
Another thoughtful posts Sharon.Nice shirt
Thanks, Julie!