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TIL The UB40 song Rat in Mi Kitchen was written when Astro asked lead singer Ali Campbell if he had any new ideas for songs and Campbell, who had a rodent problem in his new house, responded, "Oh God, I don't care about the album for a minute, I've got a rat in the kitchen!"

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78xZX TIL that the term "Middle East" was invented by the British in the 1850s then popularized by the US naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan in 1902. The term was used to describe the region between Egypt and India, two areas Britain colonized. Before then, the term "Near East" was used.
BrGbd TIL The US had secretly buried nuclear waste in Greenland during the Cold War that neither the US nor Denmark wants to clean up now.
y1Ae TIL that instead of going to court over a copyright infringement dispute, the CEOs of Southwest Airlines and Stevens Aviation challenged each other to an arm wrestling duel via humorous letters. No lawyers were ever involved, and the men honored the outcome of the match.
R5N6Q TIL that the sawfish, usually seen in cartoons, really do have a sharp cutting snout. While myths about cutting ship hulls are untrue, injuries from the "saw" are a real threat to fishing boat crews. When the animal is caught it intentionally tries to cut humans by using its snout like a sword.
epOgD TIL French ambulances always stabilize patients at the scene rather than rushing to a hospital. Many injuries in the US result from penetrating trauma & require fast "scoop-and-run" management by surgical teams. In France, most injuries are due to blunt trauma so a "stay-and-play" strategy is used.