› added 8 years ago

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TIL Hegesias, an Ancient Greek philosopher, was banned from teaching in Alexandria after writing a book called Death By Starvation, which argued that death is superior to living. It inspired many suicides, leading to his nickname: “The Death-Persuader”

l1bK TIL that there is a word in Italian “Giacca civetta” meaning “Owl Jacket” which is a term for the second jacket bought with a suit, which is left draped over the back of your chair at work (giving the impression of being there) while you wear the other on the town boozing and wooing women.
94Qr TIL NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory used to run a female beauty pageant, the winner of which was crowned ‘Miss Guided Missile’
GY66J TIL: Am-Phu cave in Vietnam is decorated with "hell" themes: sculpted demons "and fanged devils bathed in sinister red light, where hands reach up from the waters below and river monsters threaten to gnash (visitors') souls to bits." It's located under the mountain associated with heaven.
gM1K4 TIL that the last American WWI veteran lied about his age to serve in the military at 16. He told one recruiter he was 18 but was told to go home "before my mother noticed I was gone." Instead of being discouraged, he doubled down and told the next recruiter he was 21 and was signed up on the spot.
epelg TIL An Icelandic man named Felix Gretarsson, lost both his arms in a work accident. He received a double arms and shoulders transplant, which was the first of it's kind in the world.