› added 10 months ago

39

TIL of the artwork Tilted Arc, a 120 foot long and 12 foot high piece of metal, which caused a public debate in Manhattan as many people thought it was ugly. It was removed in 1989 and has not been displayed in public since in accordance with the artist's wishes since the piece is site-specific.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

BrQjK TIL: in 1952 President Truman attempted to nationalize the Steel Industry during a worker’s strike. Using an executive order to try and seize steel mills and force workers back to the job to support the Korean War, it was overturned by the Supreme Court for exceeding presidential authority
R7LZQ TIL that despite the Seven Years' War between Britain and France, France instructed its ships not to interfere with the Endeavour's expedition to Tahiti to observe the 1769 Transit of Venus as, it was ‘out on enterprises of service to all mankind'.
GY9JN TIL Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth's younger sister, almost married future Canadian prime minister John Turner. "It was “instant attraction … fairy tale stuff” with the young bachelor-lawyer and there were rumours about a “secret visit” to London and an order from the Queen to stop seeing him
QNbkp TIL of Harpalus, Alexander the Great's childhood friend and accountant. Expecting Alexander to die in India, he began embezzling huge sums to support his kingly lifestyle only to flee when he heard Alexander was returning. He arrived in Athens with 6k mercenaries, 30 ships and 5k talents in cash
vPx4 TIL carrier pigeons can fly up to 110 mph for nearly 100 miles.