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TIL the actor that played Gimli in LOTR was a “radical leftist” until he went to heckle a young Margaret Thatcher. After witnessing her shoot down two other hecklers, he decided to “shut up and listen.” Now, he’s quite conservative.

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9YMBp TIL about the term 'Paracosm' which means a detailed imaginary world, thought generally to originate in childhood and could last well into adulthood. It could have its own history, geography, and language and continues over a long period of time.
781Xp TIL that recruitment to the British Army's Gurkha unit is extremely competitive, accepting only 230 recruits out of 28,000 applicants. All recruitment happens in Nepalese villages, and candidates must participate in a two-mile race up a steep hill, carrying 35kg of rocks in a basket.
aO0Z TIL that, in New York, personal possession of nunchaku and of shuriken is illegal
Y7Z6d TIL about Charlesfort, a 1562 French settlement built on modern Parris Island, South Carolina. Facing starvation, the settlers built their own boat and crossed the Atlantic. Miraculously, some made it to France. The one settler who chose to stay was later captured by the Spanish.
8ebYV TIL Mary Ann Hall’s House on Penn. Ave. in Washington, D.C., was the premier brothel during the Civil War. Known for its cleanliness, fine dining, elegant furnishings, and discretion, it offered patrons a place to drink wine, socialize, and enjoy the company of well-dressed—and undressed—women.