› added 1 year ago

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TIL the 1902 Rickshaw Controversy. After colonizing the Philippines, Americans tried to "improve" urban public transportation by replacing privately operated horse-cabs with publicly-funded Rickshaws. It failed as Filipinos thought it turned them into beasts of burden, and revolted against the idea.

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5VOQ8 TIL Japan slaughtered all the animals in Tokyo zoo during WW2 worried that they’ll escape in case of US/UK air attacks
wkg8 TIL “Reading Rainbow’ was cancelled because of President Bush’s "No Child Left Behind”
NQ1N TIL lighters were invented before matches
8B84 TIL Canada’s first deaths in Afghanistan were the result of friendly fire after U.S. Maj. Harry Schmidt ignored direct orders to hold fire and dropped a 500lb missile on a Canadian battalion during training exercises. Schmidt has refused to apologize for his role in the incident.
YpovB TIL when stuck for a name, producers of the TV series chose the name "the Addams Family" after creator Charles 'chas' Addams. Up till this point, they were simply 'a family' of Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Fester in his books and syndicated cartoons.