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Master Chief from the Halo video game franchise is voiced by Steve Downes, a guy who spent the majority of his career working as an adult contemporary radio disc jockey in Chicago.
Master Chief from the Halo video game franchise is voiced by Steve Downes, a guy who spent the majority of his career working as an adult contemporary radio…
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Con artist Victor Lustig successfully sold the Eiffel Tower to scrap metal dealers in 1925 by convincing them that the city of Paris could no longer afford the monument's upkeep and needed to tear it down.
Con artist Victor Lustig successfully sold the Eiffel Tower to scrap metal dealers in 1925 by convincing them that the city of Paris could no longer afford…
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Automobile industry lobbying groups literally invented the crime of jaywalking in the 1920s to shift the legal blame for deadly street collisions away from drivers and onto pedestrians.
Automobile industry lobbying groups literally invented the crime of jaywalking in the 1920s to shift the legal blame for deadly street collisions away from…
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Construction of the world's tallest buildings typically coincides with the absolute peak of an economic boom and directly precedes a massive financial crash.
Construction of the world's tallest buildings typically coincides with the absolute peak of an economic boom and directly precedes a massive financial crash.…
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Set decorators for the sitcom Friends found the iconic orange velvet couch abandoned deep inside the basement of a Warner Brothers prop storage facility before deciding to make…
Set decorators for the sitcom Friends found the iconic orange velvet couch abandoned deep inside the basement of a Warner Brothers prop storage facility…
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London's Times newspaper predicted in 1894 that every street in the city would be buried under nine feet of horse manure within fifty years.
London's Times newspaper predicted in 1894 that every street in the city would be buried under nine feet of horse manure within fifty years. Over fifty…
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Men's underwear sales are a genuinely recognized economic indicator used by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to detect approaching recessions.
Men's underwear sales are a genuinely recognized economic indicator used by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to detect approaching recessions.…
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Peruvian authorities employ a resident herd of llamas to act as natural lawnmowers for the historic ruins of Machu Picchu.
Peruvian authorities employ a resident herd of llamas to act as natural lawnmowers for the historic ruins of Machu Picchu. Rather than hauling heavy…
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Cosmetics company executives have long observed a bizarre economic phenomenon where the sales of premium lipsticks actually increase during times of severe financial recession.
Cosmetics company executives have long observed a bizarre economic phenomenon where the sales of premium lipsticks actually increase during times of severe…
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New York City maintains a bizarre and incredibly accurate economic correlation where the cost of a single slice of plain cheese pizza almost perfectly matches the base fare of a subway ride.
New York City maintains a bizarre and incredibly accurate economic correlation where the cost of a single slice of plain cheese pizza almost perfectly matches…
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Vatican City technically boasts the highest crime rate per capita in the entire world, despite being the global headquarters of the Catholic Church and having a population of only about eight hundred people.
Vatican City technically boasts the highest crime rate per capita in the entire world, despite being the global headquarters of the Catholic Church and having…
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Commercial airlines intentionally sell more tickets than there are actual physical seats on the airplane, relying on advanced statistical models to predict exactly how many…
Commercial airlines intentionally sell more tickets than there are actual physical seats on the airplane, relying on advanced statistical models to predict…
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Shannon Airport in Ireland invented the modern concept of duty-free shopping in 1947 to exploit the captive audience of transatlantic passengers whose planes had to land there just to refuel.
Shannon Airport in Ireland invented the modern concept of duty-free shopping in 1947 to exploit the captive audience of transatlantic passengers whose planes…
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Korobeiniki is a nineteenth-century Russian folk song about a peddler trying to sell goods to a girl, but you almost certainly know it as the inescapable Type-A background music from the Game Boy version of Tetris.
Korobeiniki is a nineteenth-century Russian folk song about a peddler trying to sell goods to a girl, but you almost certainly know it as the inescapable…
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Global passports generally only come in four primary colors—red, blue, green, and black—because they must meet strict international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Global passports generally only come in four primary colors—red, blue, green, and black—because they must meet strict international standards set by the…
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Douglas Engelbart invented the very first computer mouse in 1964, and it was essentially just a clunky hollow wooden block with two metal wheels strapped to the bottom.
Douglas Engelbart invented the very first computer mouse in 1964, and it was essentially just a clunky hollow wooden block with two metal wheels strapped to…
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Hedonic treadmill is the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes.
Hedonic treadmill is the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or…
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Global Positioning System satellites orbiting the Earth have to continuously adjust their internal clocks to account for Albert Einstein's theory of relativity.
Global Positioning System satellites orbiting the Earth have to continuously adjust their internal clocks to account for Albert Einstein's theory of…
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Steven Spielberg single-handedly caused the creation of the PG-13 movie rating after traumatizing an entire generation of children with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Steven Spielberg single-handedly caused the creation of the PG-13 movie rating after traumatizing an entire generation of children with Indiana Jones and the…
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Phantom traffic jams are a documented phenomenon where gridlock appears on a highway for absolutely no discernible physical reason, entirely caused by one driver hitting their brakes just a little too hard.
Phantom traffic jams are a documented phenomenon where gridlock appears on a highway for absolutely no discernible physical reason, entirely caused by one…
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Nylon brushes lining the sides of modern escalators are specifically installed as safety devices to keep passengers' loose clothing, shoelaces, and bags from getting sucked into the machinery.
Nylon brushes lining the sides of modern escalators are specifically installed as safety devices to keep passengers' loose clothing, shoelaces, and bags from…
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Stendhal syndrome is a documented psychosomatic condition where tourists experience rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, and even hallucinations when exposed to objects of great…
Stendhal syndrome is a documented psychosomatic condition where tourists experience rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, and even hallucinations when exposed…
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Producers of the first MTV Video Music Awards desperately needed a memorable trophy design but had zero budget to commission a legitimate piece of art.
Producers of the first MTV Video Music Awards desperately needed a memorable trophy design but had zero budget to commission a legitimate piece of art. They…
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Gross domestic product completely ignores the massive economic value of unpaid household and caregiving labor, meaning a country's official financial health is essentially built on a massive statistical blind spot.
Gross domestic product completely ignores the massive economic value of unpaid household and caregiving labor, meaning a country's official financial health…
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