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TIL the first firecrackers originated when Chinese villagers burned green bamboo, which grows so fast that air pockets get trapped inside of it and explode with a loud bang when heated.

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GY6bN TIL: The inventor of the Lava Light, an accountant, originally didn't envision his product associating with groovy psychedelic hippie culture. An ad for them in the straight-laced American Bar Association Journal pitched an "executive" desk version mounted on a walnut base beside a ballpoint pen.
DBej TIL that the Woody dolls are not voiced by Tom Hanks, but rather by his lesser known brother, Jim Hanks.
NNkE TIL that Jon Huntsman Jr., our new Russian Ambassador, has extensive business ties to Russia through his father (John Huntsman Sr., Founder & Chairman of Huntsman Corp)
754X TIL a “blue discharge” was a form of administrative military discharge issued by the U.S. from 1916-1947. Neither honorable nor dishonorable, the blue discharge became the discharge of choice for commanders seeking to remove homosexual service members from the ranks.
9wZOG TIL that only 6 U.S presidents had made a conscientious decision to not run for a second term.