› added 11 years ago

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TIL the founder of “Pretty Good Privacy” encryption got around USA’s munition export laws by printing the entire code as a book and claiming 1st amendment rights

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VbWD TIL when negotiating with Americans in the 1850’s, the Japanese leader inflated his title from Shogun (meaning “general of the army”) to Taikun (meaning “great prince/lord”). The title then entered the English language as “Tycoon,” and was adopted as a nickname for Abraham Lincoln by his staff
0aA5 TIL the first known Easter egg in a video game was a secret room in Atari Adventure (1979) that credited the game’s developer, Warren Robinett. Atari did not allow their developers to be credited at the time so Robinett added the feature, told no one, and quit before anything could be done about it.
VMvXk TIL in Canada, it's legal to sell sex work but illegal to buy, advertise, or pimp.
Wkngd TIL that only two foreign flags were flown over the White House. Flag of Serbia was the first one to be raised in 1918 for their WW1 achievments and war solidarity, with latter being French flag in 1920 to commemorate the French Bastille Day
nvMG TIL that bread gets stale faster in the refrigerator.