jamescookenotthatone

jamescookenotthatone OP t1_iwg67jy wrote on November 15, 2022 at 11:58 AM

Reply to 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. by jamescookenotthatone

In case you are wondering, noone went to jail over billions in fraud.

Some things of note,

>The lab's tests showed that gold in one hole had been shaved off gold jewelry

and for something weird,

>Walsh moved to the Bahamas in 1998, still professing his innocence. Two masked gunmen broke into his home in Nassau, tying him up, and threatened to shoot him unless he turned over all his money. The incident ended peacefully but three weeks later, on June 4, 1998, Walsh died of a brain aneurysm.[19][20]

jamescookenotthatone t1_itchw5c wrote on October 22, 2022 at 4:20 PM

Reply to TIL about the famous American novelist Winston Churchill who was the reason why the British prime minister referred to himself as Winston Spencer Churchill. They met on occasion, but gradually Spencer Churchill’s rise to power steamrolled the American into obscurity. by OneLastConquest

It says the last time one of his works was adapted was in 1921. Just looking at the summaries' of his novels and they seem to focus primarily on American coming of age stories and political machinations. I wonder how well they'd translate to modern films.

jamescookenotthatone

TIL The first house in Cleveland to have electricity got its power from the first automatic electric turbine. The turbine was built in 1888 for the home of Charles F. Brush and provide continuous power for 20 years.

jamescookenotthatone OP t1_iwg67jy wrote on November 15, 2022 at 11:58 AM

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.

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.

jamescookenotthatone t1_itchw5c wrote on October 22, 2022 at 4:20 PM

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.