/f/todayilearned
TIL that Barq's Root Beer was first created by Edward Barq in Biloxi, Miss, in 1897. In 1934, Barq and a former employee, who moved to New Orleans, agreed to each distribute their own version of the root beer, with the New Orleans version having a red label and the Biloxi version having a blue one.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jdward01 t3_120jyfr
Submitted by 500owls t3_1255b5s
Submitted by real_aurora_cole t3_1249tqr
TIL Benzodiazepines were originally marketed in the 1960s for the relief of anxiety, stress and insomnia and became very popular with women of the time. The gendered cultural meanings of Valium, a well-known benzodiazepine, was cemented in the 1966 Rolling Stones’ song “Mother’s Little Helper”.
ncbi.nlm.nih.govSubmitted by foodude84 t3_1251i4w
Submitted by akunis t3_120iqzc
TIL that of the two 1988 films starring Tom Cruise, one of them (Rain Man) won the Oscar for Best Picture, while the other (Cocktail) won the Razzie for Worst Picture. Cruise remains the only actor to achieve both distinctions in the same year.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by HeyThereCharlie t3_124zgm5
TIL Simeon Stylites lived on top of columns for 37 years. Simeon did this as a form of asceticism because when he lived in a cave people kept making pilgrimages to him and asking him religious questions. Ultimately his column life drew in even bigger crowds who would climb ladders to talk to him.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_124kuqk
TIL of Columbia, the personification of the United States for over 200 years, and was even the alternate name for the United States. She is the reason for the District of Columbia, British Columbia, etc. She was replaced by Lady Liberty, and was gradually forgotten after WWI.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by SamtheCossack t3_1242le0