› added 6 years ago

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TIL it used to be improper for women to smoke, but a single PR stunt changed all that. In 1929, women were hired to light up while marching in a parade, calling the cigarettes "Torches of Freedom." So smoking became a symbol of equal rights, and sales skyrocketed.

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j6j9a TIL that Capetown, South Africa has a large gang called The Ugly Americans.
gNMy TIL Coca-Cola released a drink, Tab Clear, with the sole intention to be marketed so bad, that people wouldn’t want to drink it, in an attempt to ruin sales of Pepsico’s equivalent, Crystal Pepsi, by comparison. It worked.
e0pPD TIL that the state of Louisiana caps compensation for people wrongfully convicted of crimes at $25,000/year with a maximum payout of $250,000.
VBVM4 TIL that BBC Breakfast's resident doctor Nighat Arif has advocated for more women to be given vibrators for medical reasons, on the grounds that orgasms help pelvic floor muscles, lower blood pressure, and release endorphins which help relieve pain.
MeyXA TIL women and non-whites had the right to vote in New Jersey between 1776 and 1807 as the state constitution made no specifications of race or gender requirements, simply stating that "all inhabitants" with at least £50 could vote.