› added 5 years ago

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TIL from 986 CE, Muslim Turks started raiding northwest India from Afghanistan, plundering western India. Forced conversions to Islam were made, and Buddhist images were smashed due to the Islamic dislike of idolatry. Hence, the Islamic term for an 'idol' became 'budd'.

4kOew TIL it was an Ottoman merchant named Pasqua Rosee [Paşa Rıza] who first brought coffee (kahve) to England in 1650, selling it in a coffeehouse in George-yard, Lombard Street, London.
M7EGm TIL that one man, Thomas Nast, created the modern illustration of Uncle Sam, the symbol for both major political parties, and the modern image of Santa Claus. He also helped popularize the dollar sign as a symbol of greed and corruption in his political cartoons.
d84X8 TIL in 1987, in Brazil, a ship carrying 22tons of weed in 3lb cans dumped all of it in the sea after being chased by Brazilian authorities. The cans were carried to the coastline by the tides, and most ended up being found (and used) by locals. This event came to be known as "The Summer of the Cans"
LkaJv TIL Butte, Montana is home to the longest-running brothel in the United States. The Dumas Brothel opened in 1890 and closed in 1982. It remains intact and the basement, where the least expensive exchanges took place, contains multiple rooms ("cribs") virtually unchanged from the early 20th century.
8a5KL TIL Stalin was one asked by his mother what he did and he said he was "Something like the Tsar." His mom responded that he should have been a priest