› added 5 years ago

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TIL that a former mathematician and mayor of Bogotá, Columbia, known for his eccentric legislation, hired exactly 420 mimes to mimic jay walkers in efforts to prevent traffic rule-breakers. Traffic fatalities dropped by over 50% as Mayor Mockus proved people would rather be fined than mocked.

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D1Z9V TIL that gymnastics comes from ancient greek and means to practice while nude.
EQk7 TIL that Lawrence Summers used to be the President of Harvard, but was forced to resign following comments he made suggesting that discrimination might not be the main reason men outnumber women in tenured STEM positions at top universities.
aog0 TIL in 2005 Starbucks spent more on health insurance for its employees than on raw materials needed to brew its coffee.
OmVg TIL Pat Riley, former NBA player and now NBA executive with the Miami Heat, trademarked the word “Three-Peat” in 1988. When the Chicago Bulls won three straight championships in the 1990s, he was paid $300,000 dollars in royalties.
69Y5m TIL Arrichion, a pankratiast in the ancient Olympics won a match by using a maneuver which caused his neck to break, killing him instantly. His opponent suffered from a dislocated foot, and submitted. Arrichion was named the winner.