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TIL the Statue of Liberty was originally designed in the 1860s for Egypt. Named 'Progress Carrying the Light to Asia', French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi modelled the statue after an Egyptian woman dressed in a veil. Due to costs, the idea was rejected, and a lighthouse was erected instead.

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VMydQ TIL Michael Jones, one of the all-time greatest rugby players, was a devout Christian, and didn't play on Sundays (which made him miss many World Cup matches). When asked how a religious person can be such a fierce tackler, he replied with a quote from the Bible: "It's better to give than receive"
5Yx6D Today I learned about the Carolina Dog, America's dingo. Also known as the Dixie dingo, or "old yellar" the Carolina Dog may have been the inspiration for the book. They were notated in 1920 to be a native american companion and are one of the few breeds left that haven't been influenced by humans.
YeJA TIL nearly 70% of the 99,000 weapons seized in Mexico in connection with criminal activity from 2007 to 2011 came from the United States.
vPpyj TIL Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, disappeared under mysterious circumstances while at sea in 1913. Ten days after his disappearance a body was found floating with some of his belongings, but was so decomposed it was unrecognizable and was not kept. The case has remained unsolved.
66LJ TIL the Japanese have a word Tsujigiri (辻斬) which means to test out a new sword on a random passerby.