› added 4 years ago

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TIL That the CIA not only tried to assassinate Fidel Castro literally but also tried their hand in character assassination including using thallium salts to attempt to destroy his famous beard

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OGgoa TIL Clowns have a special way of "copyrighting" their particular facepaint by painting their likeness on eggshells.
brm7 TIL After murdering a man in a nightclub, Ricky Ray Rector agreed to turn himself in. Instead, he shot the negotiating officer in the back, killing him. He then attempted suicide but failed, effectively lobotomizing himself. He saved part of his last meal for “after the execution”.
KO9xw TIL that the Japanese word "kamikaze," meaning "divine winds," was originally used to refer to the typhoon that all but completely destroyed the Mongol fleet (hastily built by their Chinese and Korean vassals), effectively preventing the second and last Mongol invasion of Japan, in 1281.
xGM5 TIL that in 2002, a bunch of kids made a shot-by-shot remake of Jurassic Park
Me1jm TIL The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was written by Victor Hugo as part of a campaign to preserve Gothic Architecture around Paris. Prior to the novel, the cathedral was in bad shape and at risk of eventual demolition. As a result of tourism from the book, Paris started restoration work instead.