› added 3 years ago

101

TIL that Benedict Cumberbatch, was kidnapped together with Denise Black and a mutual friend near Lake St. Lucia in South Africa by a gang of six men. By nightfall, he managed to persuade his abductors that they could get in trouble if they harmed him or his friends. The trio was then let go.

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KO9OG TIL that in 2001 a Hooter's restaurant held a sales contest offering the prize of a new Toyota (which was actually April Fools’ joke). When a waitress won, she was given a new toy “Yoda". She sued the restaurant alleging fraudulent misrepresentation and won enough money to buy a new car.
WkjE9 TIL Cats are sometimes intentionally released into urban environments on the popular assumption that they will control the rat population; but there is little scientific basis for this. In fact, they end up harming the beneficial native wildlife.
P1kQO TIL Microsoft released the AI chatbot Tay (short for "Thinking About You"), designed to mimic a 19-year-old American, on March 23, 2016. It became a PR disaster when it learned offensive language from trolls, causing Microsoft to shut it down after just 16 hours and sparking debates on AI ethics.
P1A4e TIL Many Vikings were fearsome warriors, but most were farmers, fishermen, craftsmen and traders. Viking trading centers and trade routes would bring tremendous wealth. The Viking economy and trade network also effectively helped rebuild the European economy after the fall of the Roman Empire.
REDj TIL that in 2005, an Ethiopian girl was kidnapped and beaten by 7 men until a pride of lions chased her attackers off. The lions then stayed and defended her until help arrived.