› added 11 years ago

136

TIL that during the Cold War, hundreds of American agents were caught because staples in USSR passports corroded, while the U.S. used stainless steel thus giving away their origin.

Read more articles.chicagotribune.com

via reddit.com

a8BDN TIL Lāhainā, a city on the island of Maui, is translated by some to mean "day (of) sacrifice" or "day (of) explanation". Inez MacPhee Ashdown (1899–1992), historian, believed the name was Lahaʻaina, meaning "land (of) prophesy", due to the number of kahuna nui (high priest) prophecies made there.
Gab7 TIL only the very lowest ranked ninjas actually did fieldwork and went on missions. Higher ranked ninjas, generally recruited from the upper classes, tended to keep their hands clean and acted as administrators taking contracts and meeting with clients.
bQP0 TIL Hugo Boss founded his company in 1924, ten years later advertising that he had been a “supplier for National Socialist uniforms since 1924”, eventually used POW’s and forced laborers for mass production.
AxpB TIL Disney hired a convicted child molester to direct their 1995 movie “Powder”. Victor Salva pleaded guilty to oral sex with a 14 year old actor on set of a previous movie.
grDVD TIL Cobbled courtyards were covered with straw after Queen Charlotte passed away so that King George III, who was gravely ill, could not hear the funeral procession of his beloved wife. He was likely unaware of his wife's passing.