› added 12 years ago

359

TIL that the first person to row solo across an ocean also once tried to commit suicide-by-jaguar.

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wLLKJ TIL the term 'soap operas' originated from daily 15 minute programs on the radio and were so-called because they were sponsored by soap companies, such as Colgate-Palmolive and Procter & Gamble. Soap operas were specifically engineered to appeal to women with the intention of increasing sale of soap
nG4r TIL during prohibition, grape farmers sold grape concentrates with a warning label that read: “After dissolving the brick in a gallon of water, do not place the liquid in a jug away in the cupboard for twenty days, because then it would turn into wine”
eplKb TIL “Stone Cold” Steve Austin decided on his frosty prefix because his then English wife once told him to drink his tea before it got “stone cold”
v1rJR TIL in the early 90s John Travolta's career was over until director Quentin Tarantino asked to meet. Quentin made John play board games from his past movies and had him recite famous lines to his past films. At the end of the evening Quentin offered the part of Vincent in Pulp Fiction.
ANXgg TIL about tintinnabulum - phallic wind chimes intended to ward off evil in Ancient Rome