› added 1 month ago

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TIL that Antoine-Augustin Parmentier popularised potatoes in France by hosting dinners for influencers, getting royal endorsements, and planting guarded fields near Paris. At night, guards left so people would steal them, making potatoes seem valuable. This led to their widespread acceptance.

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J1JQB TIL Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, ran the 2003 New York City marathon. He finished the 26.2 mile footrace in 4 hours, 14 minutes, and 52 seconds, and raised $2 million for charity.
yb9l TIL An old woman came up to Stephen King in a supermarket and said “You are the horror writer. I don’t read anything that you do. I just like things more genuine, like that Shawshank Redemption.”
lo1GG TIL: During the filming of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Kate Capshaw's custom-made beaded dress was hanging on a tree for a background shot. An elephant ate most of the back of it. Because of the dress' value, the production submitted an insurance claim, noting "dress eaten by elephant."
WkWpN TIL that in January 2000, British boxer Julius Francis faced Mike Tyson. British newspaper The Mirror was so certain of Francis' defeat that they paid £20,000 for an advert on the soles of his shoes. Francis lost in two rounds, but he enjoyed the biggest payday of his career, at around £350,000
4m66 TIL: The pencil has been around since the 1500’s, and have always been made with graphite. Pencils have never contained lead.