› added 5 months ago

24

TIL about seasteading, the creation of permanent dwellings in international waters (seasteads) that are independent of governments. No one has yet created a structure recognized as a state. Proposed structures have included modified cruise ships, refitted oil platforms, and custom floating islands.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

78YbM TIL Frequent use of painkillers for a headache causes more headaches. It's called medication overuse headaches.
4WNJ TIL Australia has a tradition called “democracy sausage” where poll workers have a sausage sizzle outside the polling place
E1GJx TIL that the US federal government in general does not permit children under age 14 to work, but it outlines a handful of exceptions -- and one of the jobs that is expressly permitted is the oddly specific "gathering evergreens and making evergreen wreaths."
5V16D TIL that United Fruit Company, now Chiquita, played a major role in the 1954 Guatemalan coup d’tat after the country redistributed 400,000 acres of uncultivated company land.
gMW5X TIL of the "World's Littlest Skyscraper" scam committed on Wichita Falls, Texas. The designer said the building would be 480 in height. Investors assumed it was 480 feet not 480 inches and soon realized they invested $200,000 in a 4 storey building. They lost in court and the builder kept the money.