Man Buys 1950s Camera at Estate Sale, Can't Believe What Else Is in the Box
An avid collector found a small piece of history in the mint-condition 1950s box he purchased from a local estate sale.
Noah Simmons, from Virginia, has always had an eye for an eye-catching bargain, especially when it comes to sifting through items at yard sales and the many thrift stores scattered across the U.S.
"My mom and grandfather instilled a love for thrifting in me," Simmons told Newsweek. "They hunted for good deals at Goodwill and yard sales all through my childhood. The cheaper they could get their hands on something, the more meaning it had to them."
While consumers continue to feel the pinch, the market for cheaper, secondhand goods has never been better.
Statistics compiled by Capital One Shopping, found that the market for secondhand goods in the U.S. generated $53 billion in revenue over the course of 2023 alone. There are now over 25,000 resale, consignment, and not-for-profit resale shops in the U.S.
Simmons has already shared his family's passion for unearthing these kinds of gems, but it is only recently after quitting a job at Verizon after 5 years that he has had a chance truly to delve into what is out there. "It's given me time to explore my many hobbies and interests, one of which is thrifting," Simmons said. "I love a good treasure hunt, and there is treasure to be found everywhere you look; you just have to be tuned in."
Simmons was certainly "tuned in" during a recent trip to an estate sale located in a suburb not far from where he lives. "A woman's parents had passed away, and she and her husband were hosting the sale to clear everything out before they sold the house," he said.
That was where Simmons came across a table full of five different cameras. One, in particular, caught his eye. "It was leatherbound, without a scratch on it. All of the original paperwork was with it, down to the handwritten receipt from 1956," he said. "It didn't have a price tag on it, but I scooped it up along with the other cameras. They sold it to me for a measly $15.
"There were fully intact manuals, exposure guides, and other papers," Simmons added. "At the bottom of the stack was the most curious little pamphlet titled, 'THINGS TO DO IN A CBR ATTACK' issued by the U.S. Army in 1954 to active duty soldiers."
A quick Google of the word "CBR" revealed to Simmons that it was an abbreviation of "chemical, biological or radiological." Concluding that the document was likely produced at the height of the Cold War, when an attack of this kind represented a realistic threat, Simmons read on, eager to learn how people in the 1950s were supposed to react.
"Inside the pamphlet was a guide on what to do in case of each attack," Simmons said. "Sprayed with blood gas? Crush amyl nitrate in a mask, keep warm and quiet. Vomiting gas? Pull mask clear from chin to vomit, replace and clear mask."
Noah Simmons, left, discovers something unexpected inside the box, right, to the 1950s camera.
Noah Simmons, left, discovers something unexpected inside the box, right, to the 1950s camera.
TikTok/noahbsimmons.
Simmons said the most interesting information concerned what to do in the event of an atomic explosion. The card states: "IF you see BRILLIANT LIGHT, brighter than sunlight—Fall flat on ground, into a hole if possible. After 1 minute CONTINUE MISSION. LATER IF sickness occurs—seek medical aid."
Though the pamphlet's discovery was a huge surprise, Simmons has his own ideas as to how it ended up there. "My theory is that the camera was taken abroad with the owner while he was on active duty," Simmons said. "He must have tucked the pamphlet into the camera box for safe keeping."
Simmons shared the discovery to TikTok under the handle @noahbsimmons.
There could be one further twist in the tale of this estate-sale discovery. "A few weeks later, I got curious if it still had film in it," Simmons said. "After taking it into a dark room and opening it up, I felt a used film still in it!"
The film is Kodak Kodachrome, a type now defunct and difficult to get developed. However, Simmons has learned about a man in the U.S. who still develops this type of film.
"We are hoping to get in touch with him and get this film developed," he said. "The dream is to get this film developed and bring the photos to the family members."
In the meantime, Simmons hopes this story and his other experiences unearthing forgotten items from yesteryear, inspires others to "keep their eyes open" for similar finds.
"If you do find something special like this, I think it is your personal duty to try and get the contents back to the family," Simmons said. "I'm sure they will appreciate it infinitely more than you ever could."
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Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Newsweek
Half of Students Say AI Is Most Important Skill They'll Learn in College
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The survey, which was conducted by Grammarly and Talker Research based on responses from 2,000 college students from July 1-9, showed that the vast majority of college students are already using AI in their academic lives. While 87 percent of participants said they already use AI for academic purposes, averaging five hours per week, 90 percent use AI tools for non-academic life activities. "Most products like ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini have a free offering and low barriers to use, encouraging exploration," Darren Kimura, CEO of AI Squared, told Newsweek. "Additionally, the capability that AI can produce today like coding tasks, writing or collaboration, align closely with the work of mid‑wage technical and creative professionals, increasing its use in the workplace." Despite widespread AI usage, 55 percent of students reported feeling they navigate AI without sufficient guidance. 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Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Exclusive: EU Ambassador Reveals Next Challenges After Trump Trade Deal
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And while Neliupšienė argues that the EU is currently looking to shore up independent security capabilities across Europe, she also said that it was simultaneously seeking to bolster its defense partnership with the U.S., including through the provision of arms, which Trump said amounted to the EU "purchasing hundreds of billions of dollars-worth of military equipment," as part of the recent deal. "Because of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, and because for European countries, security is really an existential topic right now," Neliupšienė told Newsweek, "I think cooperation on the strategic level, but as well on defense procurement with the U.S., is extremely important." The EU has emerged as a key player in supporting Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 invasion, sparking Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. As of this month, the EU and its 27 member states have pledged $180 billion in assistance to Kyiv as it attempts to fend off its great-power neighbor. The number surpasses the estimated $175 billion allocated on Ukraine-related aid by the U.S., which, under Trump, has repeatedly expressed skepticism about long-term commitments to the war. The White House is currently pushing both sides to sign a peace deal, breaking with the previous administration by pursuing direct talks with the Kremlin. While Trump has more recently expressed more pointed criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and shortened his deadline for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Neliupšienė argued that the EU committed indefinitely to ensuring Ukraine's victory in the conflict. "I think that we have no choice of helping Ukraine and stepping up our support, making sure that they can defend themselves, that they can defend the principles they are fighting for," Neliupšienė said. "I think that sometimes we forget the principle where we started," she added. "We will support it as long as it takes and as much as it takes for making sure that Ukraine actually can win." Beyond military assistance, she explained that this endeavor would take further economic action, including additional sanctions and waning the continent off of Russian oil and gas, a measure supported by the recent trade deal through which the EU pledged to purchase some $750 billion dollars' worth of U.S. energy over the next three years. "I really believe that there is really understanding at the moment among all 27 member states that this is the right thing to do and we will do it because there's no alternative," Neliupšienė said. "I don't see any alternative at the moment." The only "alternative" she did identify was that "Russia can stop fighting that war, and then that will be probably the first step towards inspiring peace." As for what an eventual settlement could look like, she emphasized that such a framework should be "really in the hands of Ukraine," while noting that the EU would continue to play a role in promoting a resolution. "Russia's war in Ukraine is actually at our borders, at the European borders, and Europeans would probably full-heartedly support the peace settlement," Neliupšienė said. "And I think that, in this way, President Trump's effort is very much welcome." "Yes, we have conversations of how we see that and what that could be, that could be on the European level, but it's definitely happening on the member state level as well," she added. "I don't see it as in a competition. I see that as everyone who can contribute to that should have a say." Three days before the EU-U.S. trade deal was announced, EU leadership held a summit in the capital of Washington's leading global competitor, Beijing. Among other things, the high-profile meeting produced an "upgraded export supply mechanism," through which the EU seeks to ease access to China's rare-earth elements. China dominates the supply chain of these critical metals, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the world's supply and 90 percent of processing, and instituted new export restrictions in April as trade tensions with the U.S. mounted. But even with this breakthrough, serious issues remain in the relationship. One concern repeatedly brought up by the European side was China's reported export of dual-use technologies to Russia amid the war in Ukraine. Dual-use technologies — which can encompass everything from satellites to semiconductors — are developed for civilian use but have potential military uses as well. "We have the situation that China is continuing to provide and to sell some of the of the dual-use [technology] and their components, which would then end up in the in the battlefield in Ukraine, which is not acceptable," Neliupšienė said, "because it prolongs the war." "And I think that is a responsible responsibility of major actor in the region, to make sure it's not happening," she added. Beijing has denied providing any "lethal equipment" to either side of the conflict, while also fostering efforts to develop its strategic partnership with Moscow. Neliupšienė said the EU would also continue work to address other obstacles in the bloc's relationship with China, including a need for "rebalancing" trade relations. She said that the EU currently accounts for roughly 15 percent of China's exports, while EU exports to China were only around 8 percent. 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"You still have an element where we are glad to work with China," Neliupšienė said, "for example, on climate change, and how we move forward on green technologies, which I think that everyone who sees the situation in the world right now understands that there are certain things which we have to do as all major economic actors in here." "So, it's like multiple relations," she added, "and I think that it will continue to be, as in our strategic documents, we are trading partners, we are competitors, and we are systemic rivals." As the EU tackles challenges mounted by both Russia and China, Neliupšienė asserted that the first order remains on the home front. "First of all, we have to concentrate on the on the challenges at home, and this Commission, in this cycle, what is needed for the European Union is actually to make sure that we increase our competitiveness," Neliupšienė said. "And we can really concentrate on innovation, on research, on the things which make sure that our economy is growing, and we can contribute not only economic growth, but the jobs and prosperity for our people," she added. These efforts also include ramping up defense spending at a time when the European Commission has already announced earlier this year that member states would spend some $685 billion — on top of more than $170 billion in EU loans — to mount a massive rearmament plan. The push comes amid growing calls from EU leaders to curb reliance on the U.S. for security assurances, appeals that have been amplified by frictions that have emerged between the Trump administration and European allies. As Neliupšienė notes, the process will likely take some time. "The idea of this money actually is to make sure we are boosting our defense capabilities and defense production and defense industry," she said, "because, well, it's pretty clear that it was the request of the United States, and especially the current leadership, that the EU has to step up." "Of course, it will never happen overnight," she added. "We are speaking about really high tech [platforms]. We are speaking about certain platforms of defense technologies which we have to keep up and to develop if we want to be more independent." Ultimately, she said, "what for us is extremely important in this situation is to make sure we have more strategic independence, we have diversification, and we are really increasing the production and real defense industry on the ground, to have a possibility to not only to defend ourselves, but to deter." Thus far, the recent trade deal paves the way for an improvement in EU-U.S. ties that trended toward uncertainty with Trump's election, his administration's courting of right-wing nationalist populist parties in Europe that have questioned the EU project and questions of the U.S. commitment to European security. Neliupšienė remained confident that the EU and the U.S. would continue to find ways to cooperate on common challenges. "Russia's war in Ukraine, this is one challenge. We have another geopolitical challenge, if you look at the map, the Middle East is not really somewhere else, it's at our borders," she said. "There are a lot of things to do, as we talked about China and overcapacity, economic security, this is where actually the EU and U.S., working together, can make a change and move this needle, which is actually needed globally." "I don't think the United States can find a partner who would be closer, who would be more willing to cooperate than the European Union. And I do believe that, and I'm sure we will stand to our values," she added. "We are really a freedom- loving country, we are a democracy, we are a rule of law-based entity, and we will stand with those values. And I think that this is what makes this transatlantic relationship work." Related Articles Peter Navarro Says Trump Might Get Nobel Economics PrizeTrump's EU Deal May Not Hurt PutinDonald Trump's Trade Deal Splits EuropeRussia Says Nazism Making Comeback in West 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Newsweek
Rand Paul Sparks Fury for Floating Potential Third Trump Term: 'Chilling'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky brought up the potential for a third Trump term while speaking about the stock trading ban on Thursday. The comments sparked backlash on social media. Newsweek reached out to Paul's office via email for comment. Why It Matters The 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution limits presidents to two terms in the White House. Despite this, the notion of President Donald Trump running for a third term has periodically surfaced among Trump allies and the president himself. Trump fueled speculation in a March interview with NBC News, saying there were "methods [by] which you could do it" and adding that he was "not joking" about the prospect. However, he also said it was too early to seriously consider the idea, stating, "I'm focused on the current" presidential term. President Donald Trump speaks to the press at Glasgow Prestwick Airport on July 25, 2025, in Prestwick, Scotland. President Donald Trump speaks to the press at Glasgow Prestwick Airport on July 25, 2025, in Prestwick, To Know While speaking on Fox Business about the stock trading ban, Paul told host Stuart Varney, "I think we're going to discourage good people, successful people, from holding office. Part of the bill, I do believe, would forbid the president immediately from buying and selling stocks, and it would exempt him from the divestiture part." "Future presidents wouldn't be allowed to own things, so Donald Trump or the next president, which, you know, or some say he might run for a third term," Paul added. "But he would be forced to divest everything. He would have to sell all of his possessions." Paul continued: "I think Donald Trump's got a complicated, probably, financial empire, and a lot of people just wouldn't want to sell or get involved with all of that. You also don't want to sell it during a downturn. There's a lot of reasons, what would discourage successful people, and I frankly think that some of the success of Donald Trump being president is that he was used to the world of high finance, used to making deals with large amounts of money, and I don't think we want to discourage people like that from holding office." Dartmouth political scientist Brendan Nyhan reacted to Paul's comments on Bluesky, saying, "Chilling to see a senator floating the third term idea." Mark Copelovitch, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote on Bluesky: "Signs you might be a far right authoritarian party (#3191): Casual normalization by a sitting Senator of a 'third term'" Former Republican Representative Joe Walsh posted on X, "The only reason Trump has succeeded is because he's gotten way too many Americans to normalize his corrupt, lawless, dishonest, and unconstitutional behavior.👇" What People Are Saying Robert Y. Shapiro, a professor of political science at Columbia University, told Newsweek: "I think Trump and his MAGA stalwart supporters like to have fun and to soak up media attention by talking about Trump serving a third term as president. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution and the 12th Amendment make it sufficiently legally clear that he can serve no more than two terms. The harm here is any attempt to assert further authoritarian power of the sort we see in Russia, China, and Turkey and elsewhere, and to thereby undermine American constitutional democracy." Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek: "Paul's casual mention of a possible third term for Donald Trump, framed hypothetically in a discussion on stock trading bans, is noteworthy because it subtly tests the boundaries of the 22nd Amendment's two-term limit while portraying Trump as an indispensable figure deterred by divestment rules. This kind of offhand remark contributes to a pattern in Republican circles where constitutional constraints are treated as flexible, potentially to gauge public reaction." Agranoff added: "Among MAGA supporters, I believe most take this seriously rather than as humor; many see it as a legitimate aspiration, driven by frustration with perceived betrayals from establishment Republicans and a desire to extend Trump's influence indefinitely, viewing term limits as an obstacle to their agenda. "Yes, this rhetoric is dangerous, it normalizes authoritarian tendencies by eroding respect for democratic institutions, emboldening extremists and risking broader instability if such ideas gain traction without pushback." Republicans Against Trump, on X: "Rand Paul on voting against the stock trading ban: We discourage successful people from holding Trump were the next president, and some say he might run for a 3rd term, he would be forced to divest everything HE CAN'T RUN FOR A THIRD TERM." What Happens Next As debate over the legality and feasibility of a third Trump term floats around on social media and political circles, legislative efforts such as the proposed stock trading ban for public officials are expected to remain contentious.
