› added 10 years ago

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TIL that the Mars candybar is sold worldwide except in the USA.

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E1XEx TIL the candle wick curling sideways is a feature, not a bug. The end of such braided wicks (introduced in mid-19th century) will self-trim by gradually burning off in the hottest outer region of the flame. Previously, special scissors needed to be used often lest the flame get too high and smoky.
e0AP5 TIL of the usage "Bob's your uncle" meaning "and there you have it". In 1887, the UK Prime Minister Robert "Bob" Cecil appointed his nephew, Arthur Balfour as Chief Secretary for Ireland. Whatever other qualifications Balfour might have had, "Bob's your uncle" was seen as the conclusive one.
kYGm TIL that Ernest Hemingway used to hunt U-Boats in his fishing boat with direction-finding equipment, a machine gun and hand grenades.
KYrJ9 TIL in 1906 con man Wilhelm Voigt posed as a Prussian military officer and took a group of troops by train to the town of Köpenick, arresting the mayor and stealing 4000 German marks. He was viewed as a folk hero and the Kaiser later pardoned him. A statue of him stands outside the city hall.
VlK8 TIL TurboTax maker Intuit funnels millions to lobby AGAINST easier tax returns