› added 2 weeks ago

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TIL American spies had to be taught not to slouch and lean on things to blend in with Europeans

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G8Ej TIL Horatio G. Spafford wrote the famous hymn “It is Well With My Soul” after hearing that his four daughters had died on a ship collision. This was two years after his only son died to pneumonia and his entire business was destroyed by the Chicago fire.
e0WvD TIL Chinese Pidgin English. Used for 200 years in Chinese ports, the language mix Chinese syntax and English words creating a grammar like: "Chinese man very great rogue truly, but have fashion, no can help". Some expressions were introduced back into English: "Long time no see"; "No money no talk".
l7jB TIL that in Louisiana, it is custom that the warden joins the condemned prisoner for the last meal
wQJY TIL that all “Granny Smith” Apple trees are clones (grafted not grown) of a single tree in Australia.
95Z6 TILL there once a breed of dog called turnspit dogs, who’s sole purpose was to run on a wheel that turned meat to cook it evenly. The wheel was put high on the wall, to keep the dogs from overheating due to the nearby fire.