› added 9 years ago

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TIL that Elon Musk believes that the United States is “[inarguably] the greatest country that has ever existed on Earth”, describing it as “the greatest force for good of any country that’s ever been” and believes outright that there “would not be democracy in the world if not for the United States”

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via reddit.com

a8wZL TIL that the Turia river in Valencia was permanently diverted after constant flooding causing damage to surrounding areas, the old riverbed is now a verdant sunken park.
16M8D TIL: Fiddlesticks are traditional instruments used to add percussion to old-time/Cajun fiddle music, allowing two people to play the fiddle at the same time. While the fiddler plays in normal fashion, a second person uses a pair of sticks, or knitting needles etc. to tap out a rhythm on the strings.
gMM9W TiL about General Walton Walker who commanded in WW1-2 and Korea. He served directly under General George Patton who died from an accident involving his staff car. Walker later commanded an Army of his own in Korea but later also died from an accident involving his staff car.
7r1BP TIL how 1968’s deadly Hong Kong flu left more than one million dead worldwide, and how doctors recommended those ill to stay at home and take aspirin, tea, lemon drinks, whisky or brandy according to taste.
d876E TIL about the 'Watras incident' where a worker at a nuclear powerplant triggered contamination alert after returning from the weekend. They found the source of this being his home, flooded with radon gas. He was told that each day of living there was the equivalent of smoking 135 packs of cigarettes