› added 12 years ago

189

TIL that Dole used threats of lawsuits to suppress a documentary about its workers; the director made a movie about that experience. How large companies can inhibit your freedom of speech and the manipulation of journalists.

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via reddit.com

pYY9Q TIL that in 1930 there were 32,000 speakeasies operating in New York City due to Prohibition
npW TIL that AT&T has a database known as “Hawkeye” that contains 312 terabytes of data detailing nearly every telephone communication on AT&T’s domestic network since 2001
rN76W TIL Michael Douglas at first refused to screen test with Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell in the film Basic Instinct (1992), but agreed to do so after 12 other actresses turned down the part. He was initially upset the relatively unknown Stone was cast, yet later said "She was perfect for the role"
kJ1LB TIL that the "all persons are fictitious" disclaimer on most Hollywood movies is a response to a 1933 lawsuit over a film about the 1916 assassination of Rasputin. The wife of one of the people involved with the plot successfully sued MGM for invasion of privacy and libel.
16kYV TIL that "The Long and Winding Road", which was written by Paul McCartney, was offered to Tom Jones on the condition that he release it as his next single. In Jones' recollection, he was forced to turn it down since his record company were about to issue "Without Love" as a single.