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TIL that in the 1950’s the CIA began Operation Mockingbird. The operation was to influence and manipulate the media towards their political and social views. They recruited thousands of American journalists and funded student organizations and magazine fronts to channel their views through.

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pY7Vp TIL: A pill form crystal meth, known as Pervitin, was distributed by the millions to Wehrmacht troops before the successful invasion of France as part of the "stimulant decree" in 1940.
78W57 TIL Australia has slightly more land mass than the contiguous United States. Five of the six mainland states are each bigger than Texas. Just Victoria, containing the 2nd largest city Melbourne, is smaller.
5xER TIL when Nathan Lane told his mother he was gay, she replied “I would rather you were dead”. To which Nathan said, “I knew you’d understand.”
WnOY TIL 11 African countries are building a Great Green Wall of trees across the Sahara.
4XjG6 TIL Charles Dickens' father was imprisoned when he was boy for unpaid debts. At the age of 12, Dickens' was forced to leave school and work 10-hour long days at a warehouse for 6 shillings per day.