› added 3 weeks ago

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TIL that flying the Union Flag upside down can be taken as a distress signal or even an insult. It has a correct way up (St Andrew’s white above St Patrick’s red), should never be flown dirty or torn, needs no permission in the UK, and can be flown at night if lit.

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8aKO4 TIL of The Essex, an American ship which was attacked by a sperm whale in 1820. The 20-man crew set out in the surviving life boats for several months, resorting to drawing lots to decide who would be sacrificed and consumed. 8 men survived. The story was the inspiration for the novel 'Moby Dick'.
WVkd TIL: In the USA, there are SWAT & Narcotics teams who receive no federal, state or city funding. They are expected to self fund by seizing and selling criminal assets.
KO1ww TIL a painting worth over a $100 million, and one of the most iconic paintings of mankind's history was painted by Vincent Van Gogh while he was admitted and kept in a mental asylum. The painting depicts the view he saw from the Iron barred window in his bedroom.
E1rAW TIL Titanic actually had more lifeboats than was required of her. Its 20 lifeboats could only carry 38% of its passengers at full capacity, but safety regulations were so outdated at the time that it legally required only 16 lifeboats.
a8AgZ TIL on 10 May 1977, Donald J. Smith and his father, Frank J. Smith, of Orlando, Florida, were awarded a patent for their variation of the comb over that conceals baldness by combing long hair in three separate directions.