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TIL: On July 28th, 1932, the US government deployed tanks onto the streets of Washington DC to clear the streets of veterans who were protesting to redeem their certificates early.

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via reddit.com

W84X TIL that the phrase “close, but no cigar” originated from carnivals/fairs using cigars as prizes in the early 20th century. After playing a game but not winning they would say close, but no cigar. Sense these carnivals traveled all over the place, it became a well known saying.
oR4jW TIL the most widely read Nigerian novelists writing in English, including Helon Habila, Teju Cole, Adichie, reside outside of Nigeria. Starting from Chinua Achebe, novels written by African authors were almost always published in the West first
ADWeo TIL contact lenses were first proposed by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1508. He described a method of directly altering corneal power by either submerging the head in a bowl of water or wearing a water-filled glass hemisphere over the eye.
JYVJj TIL that founder of the gangster rap group NWA, Kim Nazel (aka Arabian Prince / Professor X), is now investing, educating, mentoring young technology entrepreneurs to help revitalize the inner cities
jNQJE TIL: The word "Dominican" translates to "God's Dogs" because the word was created as a pun by Catholic monks that started the Dominican Order in 1216.