› added 6 years ago

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TIL on 18 april 1930, the only thing that was announced on BBC was "There is no news" followed by a piano playing

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J16x1 TIL that (former) Dutch footballer Dennis Bergkamp is afraid of flying to the point that he would take car/ferry/train to away games, or not travel at all. His Aviophobia gave him the nickname of the "Non-Flying Dutchman".
9w6pQ TIL that Albert I, King of the Belgians (b. 1875, r. 1909-1934) commanded the Belgian Army from the front during WWI, while his wife Elisabeth worked as a frontline nurse and their 12 year old son Leopold enlisted as a private and fought in the ranks
OoZL4 TIL that in 2007, the hijacking of a Mauritanian flight was thwarted. Over the PA, the pilot instructed the passengers that he was about to make a bumpy landing, and they should attack the hijacker while he was off balance. He said this in French, which the gunman did not speak. The ploy succeeded.
yVBNv TIL that 50% of Subway, the sandwich company, is owned by a charity. Cofounder Peter Buck donated his $5 billion share of the company before he died. The Buck Foundation contributes to many causes, including the Internet Archive and land conservation.
OoepX TIL of Laynes Law in which every debate is over the definition of a word.