› added 8 years ago

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TIL the city of Whynot, North Carolina has it’s name because as residents were arguing over a name for the city, some bloke stood up and said “Why not name the town Why Not and let’s go home?” And so they did.

joM TIL that President Nixon gave the President of Ireland a flag that traveled to the moon and a piece of moon rock. The moon rock was accidentally dumped and is worth $5 million dollars.
5YoQp TIL that 2014, a famously terrible year for video games, was the first year since 1983 where not a single video game was considered one of the all time greats. The requirement for this certification was appearing on at least six "best of all time" lists by different publications and journalists.
woDx7 TIL that in 1990 a French nuclear physicist tried a solo invasion of the island of Sark. He announced his plan in advance on posters. During the invasion a local cop complimented his gun. When he changed the magazine to show it off, the cop tackled and arrested him. He tried another invasion in 1991
xQKw TIL That the “Help me Tom Cruise, I’m on fire!” scene from Talladega Nights is based on an actual past NASCAR event when alcohol fuels were in use. These fuels burn clear, making fires on the track invisible to observers.
M7YyW TIL that although equiped with parachutes while on air ambulance missions during WWII, the Flying Nightingales of the WAAF were instructed not to bail out and stay with the patients if their plane was shot down so that they would be on hand to provide medical support should anyone survive the crash