› added 12 years ago

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TIL that Alexander Graham Bell invented the metal detector in order to find an assassin’s bullet in President James Garfield’s body, but was unsuccessful because the president was lying on a steel spring bed.

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e0wgL TIL Steven Spielberg is responsible for the PG-13 rating. He suggested it after parents complained about the PG rating given to 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'. Three months later, 'Red Dawn' became the first release rated PG-13
7rrlP TIL that the Marquis de Sade, from which we derive the term "sadism," actually played a part in inciting the French revolution: While a prisoner in the Bastille, he screamed from the window of his cell that prisoners were being murdered there. Ten days later, the Bastille was stormed.
GYDR7 TIL Bunker fuel is the generic term given to any fuel poured into a ship’s bunkers to power its engines. Deep sea cargo ships typically burn the heavy, residual oil left over after gasoline, diesel and other light hydrocarbons are extracted from crude oil during the refining process. It's very toxic
mrGy TIL Danger Mouse and Banksy replaced 500 copies of Paris Hilton’s album with alternate versions that contained a whole number of mockery about her, including fake song names such as, “Why Am I Famous” and “What Have I Done”
QNkD9 TIL the word "Buckaroo" comes from the Spanish word that "cowboy" comes from: vaquero.