› added 6 years ago

131

TIL of Jim Swearingen, the man who convinced his employer at a small toy factory to take the Star Wars toy project, even after it was rejected by bigger toy companies. It turned out to be one of the most successful line of toys ever.

Read more cincinnati.com

via reddit.com

5YPEr TIL 18 Roman emperors were born in area of present day Republic of Serbia, Balkans - including Constantine I the Great - first Christian emperor of Rome and founder of Constantinople, a present day city of Istanbul, Turkey.
KOJnB TIL Abba's 1981 album The Visitors was one of the first records ever to be recorded and mixed digitally, and was the first in history to be pressed on the new CD format in 1982
Y5dd TIL when a cell phone rang in a NY courtroom, the judge said that unless it was turned over to him he would arrest everyone in the court. When it wasn’t, he jailed all 70 who were present. He later lost his job.
awM9J TIL Chevy had an option on almost all of its cars in the 60s called "Liquid Chain". It would spray a traction enhancing substance on the tires to aid traction in snow.
P1E6w TIL that the Eurasian magpie is one of the most intelligent birds, and one of the most intelligent of all non-human animals. The expansion of its nidopallium is approx. the same in its relative size as the brain of humans. It is the only bird known to pass the mirror test.