› added 11 years ago

207

TIL Dr.Seuss wrote an adult book, but due to his inability to draw a sexy female it was a flop

Read more brainpickings.org

via reddit.com

ZpxMv TIL that Victor Hugo requested a very simple funeral with a pauper's casket. The government and Parisians made it a massive event. ~2 million people attended, brothels shut down, and a feminist journal complained that gymnasts and the department stores preceded the suffragists in the procession.
x6On1 TIL that in 2002, Australia won its first-ever winter Olympic gold medal. It happened during the 1000m short track speed skating event, when over the course of the race all the competitors crashed, except for Australian Steven Bradbury.
grxgy TIL I learned that there was a suspected fifth flight on 9/11 that was thwarted by the nationwide ground stop. When the captain said the flight was returning to the gate, several first class passengers got very upset and demanded to speak to the captain. Back at the gate, they ran off the plane.
By1d TIL the Royal Navy executed an admiral for not trying hard enough, despite being brave and loyal. This inspired Voltaire’s quip “it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, in order to encourage the others”.
J50k TIL LA was the first major city to sync all it’s traffic lights, doing so in 2015 after initially promising to do so in 1984. The completed synchronization supposedly increased travel speed by 16 percent and reduced travel times by 12 percent.