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TIL that a practical joker once set 70 old tires on fire inside Mount Edgecumbe, a dormant volcano in Alaska. Local residents thought the volcano was erupting until they saw "APRIL FOOL" spray-painted in 50-foot letters around the rim of the crater. He had been planning the prank for four years.

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oR7bA TIL that Charles Joughin, Chief Baker on the Titanic, helped passengers board lifeboats and was “boozed up”, which allowed him to withstand the frigid temperatures. He threw chairs overboard to use as flotation devices, and some say he was the last to enter the water, where he survived for 2 hours.
l0KN TIL Simpsons producer Al Jean has stated his plan for the show’s final episode would involve the arrival of the Christmas pageant in the first episode, making the entire series a continuous loop
4LN5 TIL the State Hermitage Museum in Russia has a team of cats that prowl the museum to protect the artwork against rodents. The cats even carry a passport with a photo.
KOjlJ TIL Richard Allen was a minister, educator, writer, and one of America's most active and influential black leaders. In 1794, he founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first independent black denomination in the United States. He opened his first AME church in 1794 in Philadelphia,PA.
ADZvd TIL Peter Benchley, author of the classic novel Jaws, has come to regret writing his shark thriller. He feels responsible for the mistaken view of sharks as evil creatures. He is now one of the world's most dedicated shark conservation activists.