› added 4 years ago

149

TIL about the Aroostook War, a diplomatic spat between British Canada and the US over the official border between New Brunswick and Maine in 1838-39. While no shots were fired, police, militia and lumberjacks were mobilized. The only reported casualties were two Canadians mauled by a bear.

69BnJ TIL That Fred Rodgers named his royal puppet King Friday XIII because so many people are superstitious about that day and he wanted to make it a fun day instead, so every Friday 13th was also King Friday's Birthday. Happy Birthday King Friday!!!
xymB TIL That at a 1996 KKK rally in Ann Arbor Michigan an 18-year-old black woman named Keshia Thomas protected a Klan supporter from being beaten by an anti-KKK mob
5VDOD TIL about IIMSAM. A geopolitical entity recognized by the UN, but who's treaties all seem to be fraudulent, as well as their status in international law being practically nonexistent. One of their only confirmed treaties being with a micronation, and it seems as if this entity barely exist at all.
wLA7E TIL on Halloween 1992, a BBC mock documentary "Ghostwatch" was mistaken for a real one amongst most of its 11 million UK viewers (receiving 20,000 complaints about its scary content), and was never broadcast again after that experience
Lk6r0 TIL that the United States Airforce maintains a fleet of Boeing E4-B “Doomsday” planes. They are capable of being airborne for a week, costs nearly $160,000 per hour for the Air Force to operate, and have a 5 mile long trailing wire antenna to communicate with nuclear subs.