› added 12 years ago

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TIL that a school in Pennsylvania got students to donate money to Katrina victims by playing “MMMBop” in the halls, the only way to make it stop being to donate. In response, Hanson matched the school’s donation and sent every student a copy of their latest album.

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9Pem TIL the UK has 1% of the world’s population but 20% of its CCTV cameras - one for every 14 people
5Y1Xk TIL that before Miguel de Cervantes wrote part one of Don Quixote at the age of 58, he lived in exile in Italy, fought in the battle of Lepanto where he lost the use of his left hand, was captured and ransomed by pirates, excommunicated by the church and was imprisoned for accounting irregularities.
5YjJn TIL: In an Irish WWII POW camps. Prisoners were allowed leave the camp for Pub visits, dances with the locals, fishing, golfing trips and fox hunts. On the condition that they promised not to escape.
V77D TIL that all US astronauts are required to learn Russian as part of their extensive training, and have to be able to run the ISS using Russian-language training manuals if necessary.
WGO9 TIL that in 1923, a jockey suffered a fatal heart attack but his horse finished and won the race, making him the first and only jockey to win a race after death.