› added 12 years ago

103

TIL that one reason Portugal remained neutral in WWII was to honor a treaty it made with England in 1386

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vAWr TIL The maternity ward of Dutch princess Juliana (sheltered in Canada during WW2) was declared international territory so that the child would be born in no country and inherit Dutch citizenship. In gratitude, she sent 100,000 tulips paving the way for the Canadian Tulip Festival.
Lr49 TIL that tires in Australia will soon have barcodes that would help the government track if they are disposed of properly. If a tyre doesn’t reach the proper waste facility, they can find it and penalize whoever is keeping it.
log91 TIL - Gov. Rafael Lacava, leads Venezuela’s Carabobo state, goes by the nickname “Dracula” and conducts late-night patrols in his homemade Batmobile to discourage black market activity.
j6nJX TIL that the 1830s London Bridge (whose replacement was in construction) was sold to a US entrepreneur who moved its outer stones to Arizona, and rebuilt it with a modernized foundation as a tourist attraction.
Pmye TIL Liberty, President Gerald Ford’s dog, was trained to create diversions in meetings. If Ford wanted to end a conversation in the Oval Office, he would signal Liberty and she would go to the guest wagging her tail, creating a natural break.