› added 6 years ago

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TIL former Chinese leader Wen Jiabao died a billionaire, but is portrayed by Chinese media as a frugal man of relative means, revering him to the commoners. Any information about his wealth is strictly censored on the Chinese internet.

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6E7xW TIL of Wally Funk, who became an aviator at 20, and in 1961 volunteered to be part of the Women in Space program. She scored higher on tests than future astronaut John Glenn. The program was cancelled. Today, at 86, she continues to fly, and has a ticket to fly into space with Virgin Galactic.
4pvN TIL an electronics store chain that advertised stereos for “299 bananas” honored the television offer and lost over $10,000 when customers started showing up with loads of the fruit.
XE6jX TIL that Inventor Lewis Latimer, not only made Thomas Edison's Light Bulb more efficient & practical, he invented an Apparatus for Cooling & Disinfecting, making rooms more sanitary & climate-controlled. He also improved the design of elevators & co-invented (1874) a toilet for train cars.
D1NWe TIL That the coldest temperature recorded was -144°F in Vostok Antartica. Humans can’t inhale air that cold for more than a few breaths—it would cause your lungs to hemorrhage. Russian scientists ducking out to check on the weather station would wear masks that warmed the air before they breath in.
DrwY TIL: 70% of Americans polled either hate their job or are “disengaged” from their work, and even perks don’t work if they’re unhappy with management.