› added 3 months ago

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TIL Nicaragua was a popular choice for a US canal at the start of the 20th century, but narrowly lost out to Panama due to, among other reasons, a stamp showing a violently exploding Nicaraguan volcano being used as propaganda.

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0YgR TIL The British slang for sausages is “Banger” because of WWI food shortages. Meat shortages forced sausages to be made with high water content, causing them to burst when being cooked, hence the name.
roXW TIL in 1930 two brothers created the first car radio which was called a “motorized victrola” which they shortened to Motorola.
QlnL TIL that Kansas is literally flatter than a pancake.
OGnoY TIL of the "world's rudest waiter," Edsel Ford Fong, who greeted visitors with an admonition to "Sit down and shut up!" He was known for calling patrons "retarded" and "fat", criticizing people's menu choices and then telling them what they should order, amongst others.
e0PWJ TIL that Saudi Arabia accidentally printed textbooks showing Yoda sitting next to the king.