› added 10 years ago

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TIL Catch-18, Catch-17, Catch-11 were earlier titles for Catch-22. Catch-14 was rejected because it was “not a funny number.”

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b90V9 TIL that the Spanish word 'Ole!' comes from the word 'Allah!'. The Muslims in southern Spain in medieval times believed genius came from God. They would shout 'Allah!' when they saw a dancer who seemed intensely gifted on stage. Nowadays 'Ole!' is a Spanish accolade of praise for any performance.
6x8X TIL the design of the Space Shuttle was influenced by the United States Air Force, which wanted the ability to snatch Soviet spy satellites out of orbit.
6Em17 TIL that Wendy Carlos is not only the pioneer of EM (soundtracks composed include Clockwork Orange and The Shining) but also an inspiration for the LGTBQ community as the first trans woman to come out publically.
0wxAA TIL Hitler only ate "chocolate bars and biscuits" during the gala dinner he had May 4th, 1938 in Rome, when he was guest of the King of Italy.
WkvXA TIL a Christian saint offered himself as a human sacrifice and was buried alive. He was later dug up and found to be still alive, but he uttered such words describing what of the afterlife he had seen and how it involved no heaven or hell, that he was ordered to be covered up again.