jamescookenotthatone
TIL Very little of Franz Kafka's works were published during his lifetime and he burned 90% of his work. Works like The Trial and The Castle were saved when the executioner of Kafka's will ignored Kafka's request to have his remaining works destroyed.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_yzai7l in todayilearned
TIL The Halifax Resolves was the first official action by the American Colonies calling for independence. On April 12, 1776, North Carolina allowed their delegates to vote for independence, however action only came when Virginia adopted the Lee Resolution calling for independence.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_z0y0gm in todayilearned
TIL Following World War One Canada sent 799 body parts extracted from soldiers back to Canada to be part of a museum. The museum was never built, instead the organs became teaching aids at McGill University before being destroyed around 1960.
cbc.caSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_z4bqsc in todayilearned
TIL Of the Bre-X fraud. The Canadian mining company was a penny stock that reportedly found billions of dollars of gold in Indonesia. The stock skyrocketed but collapsed following the suicide of one of the geologists and discovery that the core samples were salted.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_yvuzym in todayilearned
TIL Robert W. Service sent his poems to his father to be printed and given as gifts to friends. Service received back an offer of royalties for publication, the printers had loved the poems, The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses was an immediate success and Service quit his bank job the next year.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_z7rs6k in todayilearned
TIL In the 18-1900s dueling scars were a prominent feature of German officers and academics. The scars were symbols of courage and also showed one was "good husband material". Some would even make their own scars by cutting themselves.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_ydwih9 in todayilearned
TIL The night before Emperor Hirohito's surrender broadcast army officers launched a coup. The officers occupied the Imperial Palace trying to destroy the Emporer's surrender record and assassinate officials. The plan failed when the record was smuggled out and the military didn't support the coup.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_yajcho in todayilearned
TIL The Fairey Swordfish biplane was considered out of date by 1939 but was effective throughout WW2. Swordfish sunk more enemy tonnage than any other plane, sunk numerous U-boats, disabled the Bismarck, and remained in use into 1945.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_y8t84d in todayilearned
TIL Some flying insects have biologic versions of gyroscopes. The haltere is a small bell like structure that vibrates and can account for changes in rotation using the Coriolis effect, so the insect knows its position and can make corrections.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_xtqkb9 in todayilearned
TIL Vichy Pastilles were a digestive aid turned confectionery invented in 1825. The Vichy Regime of WW2 used the sweets as propaganda and did not ration them, unlike other foodstuffs. The name of the sweets is known to make some French citizens uneasy.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_y9pgii in todayilearned
TIL Giovanni da Pian del Carpine was the first European to enter the court of the Great Khan. At 63 years old Carpine road 3000 miles in 106 days (including lent when he ate only salt, millet, and water) to appear before Khan Güyük. When Carpine returned he was made the Primate of Serbia.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_xvbt4d in todayilearned