› added 4 months ago

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TIL: Sōhei warrior monks were influential for centuries in Japan with warring clans often enlisting these monks for warfare due to their fighting ability due to their isolation and fanaticism. However, disputes between monk temples were common which led to numerous fatal inter temple battles.

VMOb0 TIL A Navy study showed that washing hands 5 times daily reduced incidence of respiratory infections by 45% over a two year period.
d8QoB TIL Forty stones outline the original boundary of Washington DC, many of which are forgotten and neglected. This 10-sq mile area was to be the new capital of the United States, proposed by George Washington and assisted in its layout by a free-African American astronomer, Benjamin Banneker, in 1789
XEkm8 TIL Thomas Grasso's last meal before his execution was 24 mussels, 24 clams, a double cheeseburger, 6 ribs, 2 strawberry milkshakes, half a pumpkin pie, strawberries, and a can of SpaghettiOs. His final statement was, "I did not get my SpaghettiOs. I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this."
woVwP TIL the U.S. military played Metallica records to weaken prisoners it planned to interrogate but stopped after the band objected stating it didn't want to encourage violence, according to the Navy Seal who killed Osama Bin Laden. They substituted it with Christian metal band Demon Hunter.
oRvLR TIL that the Allstate "Mayhem" actor Dean Winters, died for about 3 minutes, and was then revived. The infection that caused this also led to two toes and a thumb needing to be amputated.