› added 11 years ago

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TIL that Jazz legend Charles Mingus not only trained his cat to use the toilet, but also published a guide on the topic

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vPMoj TIL that at Jim Henson’s memorial service on July 2 1990, Big Bird, puppeteer Carroll Spinney and Jim Henson‘s friend of 30 years, sang ‘it’s not easy being green’ (Kermit’s song) as a tribute to the late creator of the Muppets.
Y7y47 TIL In 1980, Cleveland Cavs owner sponsored a softball drop from the top of a skyscraper which resulted in a ball breaking a spectator’s wrist!
Z8dB4 TIL The best-selling English translations of Rumi, the famous 13th Century Persian poet, were done by a woefully underqualified man who doesn't know Persian; never studied Islam or Sufism; took extreme liberties with the original texts; and omitted much of the Islamic references and context
gBry TIL in the 1500s, British sailors would receive rations of rum as partial payment. To ensure the rum wasn’t watered down, they would measure the proof by dousing gunpowder with it, & then test to see if the gunpowder would ignite. The gunpowder would only ignite if the rum was >57% alcohol by volume
XnvP TIL: Albert Einstein wrote an article explaining why socialism is better than “evil” capitalism.