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TIL: Ronald Reagan believed that if the US had to have border walls, the walls would have doors, and the doors would be open to anyone with the will and the heart to get to the United States.

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Me5LV TIL the Chinese city of Fancheng held out for nearly 6 years against the Mongols - until Kublai Khan's nephew sent him Muslim engineers from Iran that built counterweight trebuchets, with a range of 1,600 ft. and launching projectiles weighing 660 lbs. The city fell within a few days.
8erab TIL that the first public flushing toilets were introduced at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Over 827,000 visitors paid a penny to use them, which led to the phrase 'to spend a penny.' The following year, public lavatories, referred to as 'Waiting Rooms,' were officially opened.
pYvMp TIL that Michael Jackson collapsed during rehearsals back in 1995. He hid the fact that he was suffering from abdominal pain, migraines and dizziness for an entire week. Doctors diagnosed gastroenteritis, liver & kidney problems, dehydration and low blood pressure. He was admitted to intensive care
5D8Q TIL that Stevie Wonder is blind because he was born six weeks premature, which, along with the oxygen-rich atmosphere in the hospital incubator, resulted in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a condition in which the growth of the eyes is aborted and causes the retinas to detach
6EAvl TIL that the country of Paraguay runs on 100% hydroelectric power and only consumes 10% of the electricity it generates, exporting the rest. Almost all of this power comes from the Itaípu dam, which also provides over 25% of Brazil's electricity.