› added 5 years ago

57

TIL that Woody Guthrie wrote “This Land is Your Land” sarcastically after he got tired of hearing Kate Smith’s “God Bless America” over and over again.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

N7JB1 TIL: The first-ever solar-powered satellite, Vanguard 1, is "the oldest human-made object still in orbit" (plus some of its launch rocket). Launched in 1958, it stopped talking in 1964 but continues orbiting. The three sats older than it (Sputniks 1 & 2, Explorer 1) are no longer in orbit.
6E0Ml TIL of the Petticoat Affair, where the wives of every member of Andrew Jacksons Cabinet ostracized John Eaton and his wife Peggy from social events. Martin Van Buren had to resign as Secretary of State in order to resolve the issue.
Bg1eD TIL The Philippine Eagle is reportedly very loyal. Once paired to a partner, they choose to remain as a couple for the rest of their lives. As for their offsprings, a Philippine eagle only lays a single egg every two years. (More context in the comments.)
DelP TIL that at the North Pole it is whatever time you say it is.
xNY1 TIL the term ‘riding shotgun’ comes from the Old West. Shotgun messengers were hired to protect valuables and trains and stagecoaches and would sit next to the driver on trips