› added 4 years ago

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TIL that the term "OK" achieved national prominence in 1840, when Democrats claimed during the election that it stood for "Old Kinderhook," a nickname for incumbent President Van Buren. In response, Whig opponents attributed OK ("Oll Korrect," or all correct) to the bad spelling of Andrew Jackson.

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KO9OG TIL that in 2001 a Hooter's restaurant held a sales contest offering the prize of a new Toyota (which was actually April Fools’ joke). When a waitress won, she was given a new toy “Yoda". She sued the restaurant alleging fraudulent misrepresentation and won enough money to buy a new car.
JY4jk TIL of a shipwreck in the River Thames of London that is full of explosives that if detonated could cause a tsunami
NXVpb TIL that Perdiccas, the man who was supposed to rule Alexander the Great empire after he died, refused the job the first time so that the others would beg him to take it, but instead they just accepted his refusal and divided it among themselves
nWVN7 TIL of Toni Gardiner from Suffolk in England who worked as a secretarial assistant on the set of Lawrence of Arabia, during which time she met the King of Jordan. They married and had four children, the first of which is now King Abdullah II of Jordan.
69oGm TIL that James Cameron offered Matt Damon 10% of "Avatar," which would've earned the actor over $250 million.