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TIL In 1883, a writer attempted to make a Portuguese-to-English phrasebook - despite not knowing English himself. Popularized in America by Mark Twain, “English As She Is Spoke” is filled with such nonsensical English idioms as “to craunch the marmoset” and “to buy cat in pocket.”

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4X0dN TIL that, for centuries, proponents of English language spelling reform have pushed for changes to make learning English easier, with some changes successful (error, member, music, fantasy), and some unsuccessful (hav, giv, hed, frend).
ne9jY TIL Homing pigeons are often mistakenly called carrier pigeons. In fact, they are two different breeds of pigeons. The carrier pigeon was bred for its beauty and the homing pigeon, for its speed and ability to always return home
bebN TIL that MDMA, better known as Ecstasy, was named and popularized by Father Michael Clegg, a Catholic Priest
9oaB TIL that in January 1992, the banking system of Rhode Island suddenly collapsed, and hundreds of thousands of people lost access to their bank account for months, even years. Protesters were reported to smear excrement on the walls of the Rhode Island legislature in anger.
9YdZB TIL There are no pain receptors in the brain itself. Surgery can be done on the brain and technically the brain does not feel that pain. But the meninges (coverings around the brain), periosteum (coverings on the bones), and the scalp all have pain receptors and this is why you have migraines.