› added 9 years ago

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TIL Seth MacFarlane was originally a writer and animator for classic shows like Johhny Bravo and Dexter’s Lab

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6EAZZ TIL that the term "Third World" does not refer to poor countries, but rather countries that did not align with either the West (the "First World") or the Soviet Union (the "Second World") during the Cold War. This includes wealthy nations like Switzerland.
wLAmY TIL there are several philosophical razors--not just Occam's Razor (simpler explanations are likely correct). One is called Newton's Flaming Laser Sword because it is, "Much sharper and more dangerous than Occam's Razor." It states that what cannot be settled by experiment ought not be debated.
R5da6 TIL The earliest reference to opium growth and use is in 3,400 B.C. when the opium poppy was cultivated in lower Mesopotamia (Southwest Asia). The Sumerians referred to it as Hul Gil, the "joy plant."
Rwmj TIL that a Portuguese Man of War is not actually a jellyfish, but rather a colony of specialized minute individuals called “zooids” that are dependent on one another for survival
JYwX8 TIL “money laundering" originated with the Italian mafia and criminals such as Al Capone, who purchased 'Laundromats' to mix their illegal profits from prostitution and bootlegged liquor sales with legitimate business sales from the 'Laundromats' to conceal their illegal profit.