› added 2 years ago

77

TIL The guy who produced Billy Idol's records also wrote "Don't You Forget About Me" (Breakfast Club) and offered it to Simple Minds. They initially declined. Billy Idol, Bryan Ferry, and several others also passed. So Simple Minds reconsidered, and it went on to top the charts in several countries.

4XQJ5 TIL that the Samurai fled to California and founded a colony in 1869. The Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony is believed to be the first permanent settlement and the only settlement by samurai outside of Japan. It was founded by Japanese (mainly Samurai) immigrants fleeing the Samurai's disbanding.
jNw0p TIL that in the 50's and 60's, a single Florida town known as "nub city" was responsible for 2/3rds of America's dismemberment insurance claims. No one was ever convicted of insurance fraud, because juries had a hard time believing even Floridians would be insane enough to cut off their own hands.
oRwOW TIL about the Sankebetsu brown bear incident a series of bear attacks which took place 9-15 December 1915, at the beginning of the Taishō era, in a remote area of Hokkaido, Japan. The attacks ended when the hungry bear, so smart that it started to trick people, was shot dead.
69d78 TIL: The US Army looked into using biodegradable ammunition which planted a seed after being fired to grow food for animals
7akp TIL (from the former Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation) that if you work for an airline and you blow the whistle on them for safety violations, you will NEVER be able to work in the aviation industry OR in any related government agencies ever again