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TIL there is a special seat in the US Senate known as the Candy Desk because it has a drawer full of sweets. The senator who sits there must stock it full of candy from their home state. It has been a tradition since the 1960s.

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vPklK TIL the 1914 Christmas Day Truce, when WWI soldiers paused for one day and shook hands on No Man’s Land, was not supported by everyone. Most notably, a young Adolf Hitler scolded fellow soldiers for doing it.
7RgM TIL that Lady Diana Spencer was a direct descendant of Charles II (1630 – 1685), through two of his illegitimate sons. If everything goes as planed, William will be the first descendant of Charles II of England to accede to the throne.
neZMG TIL that it's been illegal to import haggis to the US since 1971 because it contains lung, which is banned due to the risk of contamination by stomach acid or phlegm during slaughter. All US haggis is produced in the country, minus the lung (and traditional stomach bag).
aw8bL TIL Hunter S. Thompson once ran for Sheriff of Aspen. He wanted to rename it to "Fat City", dig up all the roads with sledgehammers and implement a philosophy that "no drug worth taking should be sold for money." He also shaved his head to insult his opponents crew cut.
v1WlD TIL that Memorial Day in the U.S. was started to honor Civil War dead, that it was originally called Decoration day, and that it's purpose was to set aside a day to put decorations on the graves of fallen soldiers. The date was chosen because it was not the date of any particular battle.