It took Quebec until 2006 to pay off its debt from hosting the 1976 Summer Olympics.
The first Olympic disqualification for drug use was against…
The first Olympic disqualification for drug use was against a Swedish pentathlete who drank two beers before his shooting event to calm his nerves.
The homeless of Tokyo, Japan, sleep in 24-hour Internet…
The homeless of Tokyo, Japan, sleep in 24-hour Internet cafes, since it’s cheaper than paying rent.
Every Christmas since 1952 the US Air Force has airdropped…
Every Christmas since 1952 the US Air Force has airdropped gifts over the islands of Micronesia, making it the oldest ongoing Department of Defense mission and the longest running humanitarian airlift in the world.
Salty and Roselle, two separate guide dogs were in the World Trade…
Salty and Roselle, two separate guide dogs, were in the World Trade Centre during 9/11. They were on the 71st and 78th floor of Tower 1 respectively. They each led their owners safely out of the burning tower amidst the chaos, and both owners and dogs survived.
In the Second World War, the UK’s home guard ran….
In the Second World War, the UK’s home guard ran out of rifles to issue to it’s soldiers, and ordered a quarter of a million medieval-era Pikes to be made to fight off the Nazis.
The American gangster John Dillinger escaped from jail…
The American gangster John Dillinger escaped from jail with a wooden pistol. After whittling it in his cell, in March 1934 he used the fake weapon to intimidate 33 people before getting a real machine gun. “Ha, ha, ha! And I did all this with a wooden gun!” he bragged while leaving.
In the US, if you receive merchandise (for example: from an online….
In the US, if you receive merchandise (for example: from an online vender) that you didn’t order, you have a legal right to keep it as a “free gift”, and you aren’t even legally obliged to notify the seller you’re going to keep it.
“Hit Me Baby (One More Time)” is mistranslated….
“Hit Me Baby (One More Time)” is mistranslated. The Swedish writer for the Britney Spears song thought that “hit me” was American slang for “call me”.
The USA and Russia have islands that are just 2.5 miles…
The USA and Russia have islands that are just 2.5 miles apart, and the water between them freezes over in the winter. So technically you can walk from the USA to Russia.