› added 13 years ago

190

TIL that Herbert Hoover (as well as JFK) gave his presidential salary to charity.

Read more hoover.archives.gov

via reddit.com

wLO4o TIL that a "paracosm" is a detailed imaginary world that many people have, often developed during childhood and can continue for a long period of time, e.g. into adulthood. The paracosm may incorporate real-world or imaginary characters and conventions.
baV4 TIL that before he joined Queen, John Deacon (the bassist) was a trained electronics engineer. He used these skills to build an amplifier from electronic equipment he found in a dumpster. It became known as the “Deacy Amp” and, along with Brian May’s guitar, was a key component of Queen’s sound.
rQWy TIL handshakes were originally meant to make sure the person you were meeting wasn’t carrying a concealed weapon. Clasping hands proved it was empty, and shaking was meant to dislodge anything that was being hidden inside the sleeve.
od5L TIL if we lose 10kg (22lbs) of fat, 8.4kg (18.5lbs) turns into carbon dioxide which is exhaled when we breathe, while 1.6kg (3.5lbs) turns to water that is excreted through urine, tears, sweat
6wA8 TIL of the Mallows Bay ghost fleet, a massive group of US WWI ships intentionally sunk in the Potomac River, about an hour’s drive from Washington, DC. Along with other wrecks in the immediate area, some 200 ships dating back to the Revolutionary War can be found there, many visible from the shore.