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TIL in 1854 Commodore Perry gifted 110 gallons of American Whiskey to the Japanese emperor. That gift has since evolved into a $6 billion industry, with Japan's Suntory distillery winning 2015's World Whisky of the Year. Today, Suntory owns Jim Beam.

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Z8XdQ TIL that Chick-fil-A once broke their tradition and opened on a Sunday when an Atlanta mayor called the company and asked that an airport location remain open after thousands of passengers were left stranded due to a power outage.
awPXM TIL that the Alfred, formally known as the Black Prince, became the first vessel to fly the Grand Union Flag; the precursor to the Stars and Stripes that we know today. The flag was hoisted on the Delaware River by John Paul Jones and this event was documented in letters to Congress
loew7 TIL At the end of WW1 in 1918, when revolutionaries toppled the monarchy all across Germany, King Friedrich August III of Saxony was asked by phone if he would like to abdicate willingly. He just replied "Oh, well, I suppose I'd better" and thus Saxony became a republic.
EgEXW TIL that California is named after a fictitious island described in a series of 16th century Spanish romance novels. The island was described as being inhabited by beautiful black women who wore gold armor.
LkVWP TIL Rep. Ed Orcutt suggested a CO₂ tax for cyclists/bikers because "they exercise and breathe hard and therefore exhale more CO₂", claiming biking is bad for the environment.