› added 11 years ago

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TIL Intel employs a “futurist” whose job is to determine what it would be like to live 10 or 15 years into the future

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L88d TIL Billiards is called “Pool” because of horse race poolrooms. In the 1800s betting parlors were called poolrooms, “pool” referring to a collective bet. Billiard tables were installed in poolrooms for people to pass time between races. Eventually the phrase “shooting pool” meant playing billiards.
16rGP TIL that the Guinness World Records no longer recognize the fattest animal as a record in order to prevent compulsive overeating.
jPLa TIL that if caught having sex on an airplane in the 60’s and 70’s crew members occasionally greeted couples returning from the bathroom with a glass of champagne and a cigarette and officially welcomed them to the mile-high club
rNLp4 TIL most Samsung Galaxy phones lets users make an emergency 911 call by quickly pressing the side button 5 times then swiping up. It's safe to test as long as you don't swipe up afterwards.
D5WJ TIL that a McDonald’s in Mount Annan, Sydney Austrailia has been playing classical music on purpose to force teenagers off of its premises at late night