› added 11 years ago

155

TIL that in 1932, a small Austrian town greatly reduced unemployment by issuing a new currency that would automatically lose 1 percent of its value for each month that it went unspent. Hundreds of towns in the U.S. set up similar systems, but in 1933 President Roosevelt outlawed them.

Read more books.google.ca

via reddit.com

1d08 TIL “God helps those who helps themselves” is commonly quoted from the Bible, but isn’t actually a Bible quote. The idea behind it goes back to Aesop’s time, but the English wording was first used by Algernon Sidney. The phrase’s rise to popularity is thanks to it’s use by Benjamin Franklin.
XEj6Q TIL Dr. Alan Hirsch, author of "What Flavor Is Your Personality?: Discover Who You Are by Looking at What You Eat," discovered that certain food scents trigger sexual arousal in both sexes. The baked scent of cinnamon buns & vanilla aroused men, while Good & Plenty candy-cucumber odor aroused women.
BgQxr TIL that although it was once a common practice, among Europe's current kings, queens and heirs apparent, only Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein married a member of a foreign dynasty, as did the abdicated Juan Carlos I of Spain.
x6aoo TIL Despite their status as one of the world's largest oil producers, Saudi Arabia is estimated to have less than 100 active oil rigs
BggVy TIL though often attributed to the Bible, the phrase “God helps those who help themselves” is not actually from any biblical scripture and is even often seen as contrary to the Bible’s message of god’s grace and help for the helpless.