› added 4 months ago

51

TIL in 2012 a Democrat lawmaker proposed a satirical bill saying, "Call it Gulf of America, not Gulf of Mexico"

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X0ElQ TIL: The first stewardess (flight attendant) was a registered nurse. In fact, so sold United Airlines on the value of having nursing as a flight attendant skill. She later was a WW2 flight nurse.
Gd8g TIL Researchers ran the entirely paper and pencil design of the SR-71 through computers only to conclude the design was perfect
8epnb TIL Murder, Inc. was a 1930s-1940s organized crime group responsible for an estimated 400-1,000 contract killings, serving as the enforcement arm for the National Crime Syndicate, until key members turned informants, leading to its eventual dismantling.
5Y1wR TIL of German academic fencing duels fought with sharp swords standing against each other at arm's length, with evading a hit against the rules, duels paused only for stitching together the participants faces when hit.
E1mxV TIL, The SS Great Eastern, a ship designed in 1854 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel once struck a rock, causing a 83ft long hole. The passengers never noticed. 58 years later a hole just half the size sunk the Titanic.