› added 11 months ago

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TIL of the Crank Machine, a 19th Century device used in British prisons to keep prisoners occupied by turning sand within a sealed box. See also: the Penal Treadmill

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WkBLA TIL Regina King voiced both Riley and Huey in the animated series "The Boondocks"
W77ko TIL The beer riots in Bavaria happened in 1844 after King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Germany decreed a tax on beer. Crowds of urban workers beat up police while the Bavarian army showed reluctance to get involved
epyxL TIL Great Britain accidentally adopted a de facto gold standard in 1717 when Sir Isaac Newton, then-master of the Royal Mint, set the exchange rate of silver to gold too low, thus causing silver coins to go out of circulation.
eQpb TIL of the Baining people of Papua New Guinea, who are known as the dullest culture on Earth. They abhor the concept of play, have no stories or myths and almost no art. Their lives are exceedingly dull and mundane and centered around work.
epRwb TIL: Momofuku Ando, the inventor of insta ramen believed his noodles could cure world hunger. Over the decades he would shout quotes to his employees which includes, "Mankind is noodlekind", "What are you doing now?", and "Peace will come when people have food" which are in the employee handbook.