› added 1 month ago

5

TIL that in 1689 a German-born militia captain named Jacob Leisler seized control of New York during the Glorious Revolution, ruled it for nearly two years without royal approval, and was eventually hanged for treason when the new governor arrived.

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LdJV TIL that in Singapore, caning is a commonly used form of punishment for male criminals under the age of 50
dBO9 TIL about precordial catch syndrome, which is when you get an intense sharp pain in your chest, worse when breathing in. It’s not a heart attack.
evEb TIL in 1986, at the height of apartheid, Glasgow, Scotland changed the name of the square where the South African consulate-general was based to Nelson Mandela Place, forcing the South African attaché to have to write this address if they wanted to receive mail.
rN7Q1 TIL in 1989 Teng Xingshan was convicted and executed for the murder of waitress Shi Xiaorong who had disappeared. In 1993 Shi reappeared said she had never met Teng.
e0Zyb TIL Ernest Hemingway mocked the interpretation of Chekhov's gun in his short story "Fifty Grand" with an example of two characters that are introduced and then never again mentioned.