› added 12 years ago

115

TIL most popular novels are written at the 7th-grade level

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v1On7 TIL that after the U.S. Civil War, the U.S. filed financial claims against Great Britain, claiming that their support for the Confederacy prolonged the war. One Senator demanded a payment of $2 billion, but offered that the U.K. could just turn over Canada as payment instead.
NXMPP TIL Stephen Colbert's father and brothers were killed in a plane crash because the flight crew were discussing politics among other subjects
dDNoE TIL Hurricane Helene is the 5th costliest hurricane to hit the US, even more expensive than Superstorm Sandy
OG8We TIL about Senate Bean Soup which has been on the menu continuously at U.S. Senate restaurants for over 100 years (except for one day during WWII due to rationing)
Z8QKo TIL Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" was sung by his background singer Mickey Thomas. Bishop felt his gravelly voice didn't suit the song and asked Thomas to take lead. It was Bishop's biggest hit, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1976.