› added 5 months ago

20

TIL soviet aircraft aren't actually named things like "Fishbed" or "flanker" by the soviets, just translated. Instead, these are designations invented by NATO for easier communication between troops. First letter refers to class of aircraft, syllable count indicates jet versus propeller driven.

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KYQK6 TIL that on April 5, 1933, Roosevelt ordered all gold coins and gold certificates in denominations of more than $100 turned in for other money. It required all persons to deliver all gold coin, gold bullion and gold certificates owned by them to the Federal Reserve by May 1 for the set price of $20.
7rdKM TIL "Mad" Mike Hughes died after crashing in his homemade steam powered rocket. He launched from the California desert and hoped to reach the Kármán Line, where Earth's atmosphere meets outer space 62 miles above the ground to prove that the Earth is a flat disk and not a sphere.
XEbVj TIL in 1970, dynamite was used in a failed attempt to disintegrate a whale carcass on the Oregon coast. After detonation, most of the carcass remained on the beach, and the remainder flew into cars and people near the beach.
jNXyX TIL The only NHL season to be cancelled outside of a lockout was in 1919. The Spanish Flu hit the players during the playoff finals and the series was cancelled. Both teams had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.
69All TIL, Aleksandr Komin kept 6 people as prisoners in a 30-feet deep bunker under his garage forcing them to work 16 hours a day. When two women tried to escape, they were caught and Aleksandr tattooed "РАБ"(Russian for "slave") on their faces.