› added 9 years ago

162

TIL that before the Statue of Liberty, the US was personified as Columbia, which is where the name District of Columbia comes from.

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KYZ5a TIL A study of more than 500 patients has shown that too many cough drops – especially those containing menthol – can actually make coughs more severe. Reported duration of cough at time of clinic visit was greater in cough-drop users (12.5 days) compared with non-users
DQgYp TIL the BBC once forbade employees from illuminating any workspace solely with an Anglepoise (the spring-tensioned balance-arm lamp) because Variety Dept. head Michael Standing feared low-wattage lights led creators to furtive ideas, smut innuendo, and degenerate programme material.
Z8AGB TIL that 80% of all avocados sold worldwide are derived from one single tree that was grown from a seed of unknown origin back in 1926.
M7reW TIL Danielle Steel has sold 800 million copies of her novels.
WkPvX TIL that Apple actually license the 'iOS' trademark from Cisco. Cisco had used it for at least 10 years prior to Apple for their operating system.