› added 9 years ago

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TIL of the term champagne socialist, which is a term used to describe self-described socialists who lead upper middle class lifestyles incompatible with their political convictions

xV9y0 TIL about "The Thomas Edison of Finland", Eric Tigerstedt, who was awarded 71 patents between 1912 and 1924, including one in 1917 for a "pocket-size folding telephone". He was tragically killed in a car accident on April 20, 1924, rumoured to have been caused by a competitor.
OGbm4 TIL that on 27 April 1865 the steamboat Sultana exploded on the Mississippi, killing about 1,700 mostly Union POWs—the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history
5VMar TIL that the most recent of Wayne Gretzky's 60 NHL records was set some time after his 1999 retirement. He averaged 1.921 points per game, which was second only to Mario Lemieux (2.005). Lemieux later came out of retirement and lowered his own average, moving Gretzky to the number one spot.
LQRYv TIL that Fantasia was originally just the Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey Mouse short designed as a "comeback" for the character, as his popularity was in decline. When the budget grew too big, they opted to just do a whole movie. Fantasia is now considered among the greatest animated films of all time
Envp TIL that in 1899 a bolt of lightning killed a man as he stood in his backyard in taranto, italy thirty years later his son was killed in the same way and in the place. On October 8, 1949 Rolla primarda, the grandson of the first victim and the son of the second, became the third