› added 1 year ago

43

TIL much like fair trade exists, in Italy a grassroots movement markets products as anti-mafia protection money in the areas worst effected by it

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

LXWr TIL Silent reading is a recent phenomenon. Only the most skilled readers of the middle ages could read silently.
aEpA TIL that Tom Cruise vandalized the world’s tallest building in 2010. During the filming of Mission: Impossible 4, he climbed to the top of the Burj Khalifa (without safety equipment) and etched Katie Holmes’ name into the spire.
Z1yD TIL It took Burger King seven years to realize people found its creepy, plastic-faced King mascot unappetizing. The royal representative has starred in the fast-food company’s commercials since 2004, doing things like stalking people outside their homes and scaring young women.
xV551 TIL Jazzman Pat Metheny hated Kenny G playing over Louis Armstrong's Wonderful World, calling it a low point in modern culture and saying his "lame-ass, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune, noodling, wimped out, fucked up" playing shat upon all musicians living or dead who were inspired by Armstrong.
1eaX TIL Spielberg mentioned in Tom Cruise’s presence the name of a doctor friend who prescribed psychiatric medication. Shortly thereafter, the doctor’s office was picketed by Scientologists, causing friendship between Spielberg and Cruise to end.