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TIL Cary Elwes, of Cary Elwes-fame, is the descendent of John Elwes, an eccentric miser and inspiration for Ebenezer Scrooge.

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WkED8 TIL about WWII American Lieutenant John R. Fox. He volunteered to stay behind in a town overrun by enemy troops as US troops retreated. As the enemy advanced he called in an artillery barrage on himself. When US troops later counterattacked they found his body alongside about 100 German soldiers.
mxW6Y TIL that by law (in the UK), if you're an employer then you must ensure that anyone you employ who is likely to disturb asbestos as part of their job receives the correct information and training. Employers and workers need to know and learn about the dangers of asbestos and may need training.
Br4ex TIL: Whisky was originally a medical drink distilled by monks. When King Henry VIII started closing monasteries in 1536, those monks began distilling and selling to anyone, starting the consumption of spirits as a pastime
OGDkX TIL about Mark Zborowski, an NKVD agent who infiltrated Trotsky's organization in Paris, murdered Trotsky's son, moved to the US where he continued to infiltrate Trotsky's organization. He joined Harvard as a researcher, was later tried and convicted as a spy, and then resumed his academic career.
GY6LG TIL that on August 16, 1858, Queen Victoria sent a message of approximately 100 words to U.S. President James Buchanan. It took nearly seventeen hours to transmit by Morse code through about 2,500 miles of cable at a depth of often more than two miles.