› added 4 months ago

23

TIL that the first Winter Olympics took place in Chamonix, France in 1924, only four nations participated in the inaugural event.

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via reddit.com

KDWG TIL: Before he dropped it, Prince Phillip’s surname was Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
9YGpD TIL Play-Doh started out as a wallpaper cleaner before the head of the struggling company realized the non-toxic material made a good modelling clay for children and rebranded it.
6QNw TIL a German startup build the world’s largest aircraft hanger and then went bust. The hangar is now one of the world’s largest water parks containing the world’s largest indoor rainforest.
pOXp TIL: There was an anti-car jacking device called the “Blaster” in South Africa, the occupant could flip a switch and direct 5 metre plumes of flame upward into the facial area of anyone trying to enter the vehicle through the doors or windows.
JYwX8 TIL “money laundering" originated with the Italian mafia and criminals such as Al Capone, who purchased 'Laundromats' to mix their illegal profits from prostitution and bootlegged liquor sales with legitimate business sales from the 'Laundromats' to conceal their illegal profit.