› added 11 years ago

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TIL that Teddy Roosevelt would regularly go skinny dipping in the Potomac. Once while out on a walk with Gifford Pinchot and the French Ambassador, the three proceeded to jump in, however the French Ambassador kept on his gloves. When asked why, he responded, “We might meet ladies.“

awKKN TIL: The Great Appalachian Storm of 1950, A massive snowstorm that hit the East Coast. Wind gusts clocked in at 160 mph, and the snow got as deep as 14". 160 lives were lost.
Qpda TIL “Gringo” did not originate in Mexico to describe Americans, but in Spain in the 1700’s to describe foreigners whose speech was incomprehensible. Gringo likely came from the word “griego” meaning Greek, which in Spanish was used in the same way as English, “it’s Greek to me” (hablar in griego).
rRynw TIL that in medievel England, eels were used and accepted , to an extent, as currency, mostly in rental agreements. Many rental agreements, where the landlord would stipulate the rent due in "eel currency" were found. 25 eels would be a "stick". 10 sticks a bind.
LkeyP TIL about triplets who were separated at birth, then randomly find eachother age 20. They discover it happened because of a sick study to know if mental health is grown into or born into. It happened to 6 other twins, and some still don't know their other half
69Vkw TIL Bald Eagles, The USA's National Icon, are a menace to landfill employees because they, among other things, fly in and pick up entire trash bags, bring them back to their nests to pick out items they want, and leave the garbage bags in the trees or drop them in people's yards