› added 11 years ago

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TIL that Taco Bell once tried to expand into Mexico by portraying their menu as American food. They even included french fries on the menu. It didn’t work, and they closed down in less than three years.

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AN1pd TIL about Reuben Berman, who in 1921 was ejected from a Giants game after refusing to return a foul ball. He successfully sued the team for causing him mental and physical distress, in turn setting the precedent for future fans to keep any foul balls.
BrRPr TIL AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson went to record a a jingle for the Hoover Vaccum Company. Having completed the greatest vaccum jingle of all time, he then walked across the street to Vanilla records and auditioned for AC/DC.
BrX4k TIL in 1975 Ingo Bethke escaped from East Germany by floating on an air mattress across the Elbe. 8 years later his brother Holger fled East Berlin by firing an arrow with a rope tied to it and zip lining accross. The two then flew their brother Egbert over the wall on a homemade ultralight in 1989.
vPNAB TIL that Pinky Promise started in early modern Japan (1600-), presumably from the older punishment of cutting fingers for friendly fire, and by the late 1800s it was common among children across different parts of the world
E1mlx TIL Researchers have discovered that a cicada fungus called contains chemicals similar to those in hallucinogenic mushrooms. It causes cicadas to lose their limbs & eccentric behavior sets in: Males try to mate with everything they encounter, although the fungus has consumed their genitals & butts.