› added 5 months ago

15

TIL the Dewey Decimal system reserves 999 for history of "extraterrestrial worlds"

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7raRP TIL that the 'Frisbee' was named so after a local pie company 'Frisbie Pies' sold many to students at the local college who used to finish the pie and throw the empty tray around for fun yelling 'Frisbee' in case anyone nearby was in danger of being hit.
VM9dD TIL George A. Romero, legendary horror director of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, got his start directing short films for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
5YmGQ TIL that "Letterlocking" was a technique used widely from the 13-18th centuries to fold and secure correspondence in such a way to prevent tampering during transit. A letterlocked paper, sealed with wax, becomes its own envelope. Video link is an example by MIT prof who has researched the practice.
kJnl1 TIL Tim Horton's employee were arrested for selling drugs in 2000 after a store manager noticed some drive-thru customers were ordering 15-packs of doughnuts. It was a code since Tim Horton's doesn't sell 15 packs
YpLAP TIL the term "silhouette" has a political backstory. King Louis XV's General of Finances, Étienne de Silhouette, had a reputation for being cheap. Shadow portraits became popular during his tenure and got named after him due to being very cheap to make compared to commissioning a painting of oneself