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TIL New York has an official militia called the New York Guard. Anyone 18-62 can join and basic training lasts 1 week. If you’re in it, you don’t have to pay tolls in New York.

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6E8jY TIL The Spanish flu was called the Spanish flu primarily due to the fact that Spain was one of the only European countries with free press at the time the epidemic began. The flu itself likely originated in china and was brought to Europe from Chinese labourers sent to help the allies during the war
kO46g TIL Rolls-Royce only uses leather from bulls living in a climate too cold for mosquitos, because they want to avoid the upholstery having blemishes caused by pregnancies and mosquito bites.
8a7ya TIL Mohammad Ali successfully talked a suicidal person threatening to jump off a ledge out of going through with it by saying, “you’re my brother! I love you and I wouldn't lie to you ... I want to help you” to this complete stranger in 1981.
9Y7LX TIL of two neighbor galaxies nicknamed "Akira" and "Tetsuo". Akira is a 'red geyser': a galaxy that has stopped making stars because its massive black hole is stealing gas from a nearby galaxy, Tetsuo, leading to friction and temperatures that prevent gas from clumping together (1million+ degrees)
Brkpk TIL Betty White was good friends with famed author John Steinbeck. White's husband Allen Ludden attended the same school as Steinbeck's wife Elaine. The couples became close friends and Steinbeck gave an early draft of his Nobel Prize acceptance speech to Ludden for his birthday.