› added 8 years ago

97

TIL that during WWI, King Albert I of Belgium personally lead the desperate defense against the Germans, while the Queen served as a nurse, and their son, the 14 year-old Crown Prince enlisted in the infantry as a private.

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1gp7 TIL that the band Muse won a 500,000 Euro lawsuit against Nestle, then donated 100% of the proceeds to charity.
P1P9Z TIL: For decades the US Government experimented with radiation on unknowing citizens including disabled children.
5npP TIL prior to the 1970’s, South Africa sold a ‘jawbreaker’ like candy called “Niggerballs”.
697Jm TIL Boer Commandos / Kommandos of what is now South Africa were civilian units of guerilla militia that ran parallel to British troops & were re-formed, conscripted to, & disbanded several times (last was 2005). Entire families in district command, control of taxes & fighting in rough terrain.
OG8xY TIL Ekiben are bento (Japanese box meals) made specifically for train travel. The meals vary by train station and are typically a local speciality. At their peak in the 1980s an estimated 12 million ekiben were consumed daily in Japan.