› added 4 years ago

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TIL that “Idaho” was not a Native American word as originally thought but rather a made-up word. “To his horror, he found that he had been the victim of a practical joke. [He]learned, to his surprise, that the name did not mean, "gem of the mountains"...In fact, it did not mean anything at all.”

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PYxdJ TIL Ocho de Plata, the Spanish Dollar, was the first legal tender in the United States until the Coinage Act of 1857. In fact, equity shares were still quoted in eighths of a dollar until 2001; this was a legacy from the coin’s divisibility by 8, since each Spanish Dollar was worth 8 reales.
YAeZ TIL the original US Constitution set no term limits on the President. George Washington voluntarily retired from office after two terms, establishing an informal two-term limit. This custom lasted for nearly 150 years until FDR broke the tradition.
V9BZ TIL that Jehovah’s Witnesses have falsely predicted the end of the world 20 times.
8vr4 TIL ~80% of shrimp consumed in the US is imported from Asia are raised in raw sewage water. The shrimp are pumped full of anti-fungal and anti-biotics to “keep them healthy.” These toxins can cause long term health problems over time.
kJaPW TIL that, contrary to the belief in “German efficiency”, the construction of a much-needed new airport in the country’s capital took 15 years to plan and 14 years to build due to poor planning, massive corruption, and egregious corporate and civil mismanagement