› added 11 years ago

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TIL that one of Switzerland’s main defense strategies is to demolish every main access into the country via roads, bridges, and railways. There is at least 3,000 locations currently prepared to blow at a moment’s notice in case of attack.

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awd9b TIL about the Chicken Gun, a compressed-air cannon used to fire dead chickens at aircraft components in order to simulate high-speed bird strikes during the aircraft's flight.
b9lRj TIL of Hart Island, AKA “Island of the Dead”, off the coast of New York City. It’s the largest tax-funded cemetery in the world with over 1 million unclaimed bodies. The bodies are buried by prisoners from Rikers Island. All graves are unmarked. Nobody is allowed on.
oBQ58 TIL Peter Ivers, the artist that wrote and recorded the song "In Heaven" for David Lynch's film "Eraserhead," was bludgeoned to death with a hammer at his home in LA. He was 36 years old. His murder remains unsolved.
16ZEd TIL from 1965 to 2021, average home values in the US have risen 118% ($171,942 to $374,900) while median household income has risen 15% ($59,920 to $69,178) over the same period.
D1n8P TIL Andre the Giant loved his role and the movie "The Princess Bride" as Fezzik so much that he invited his wrestling co-stars, including Lanny "Leaping" Poffo to his hotel SIX TIMES to watch the movie and would enthusiastically ask them how he did.