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TIL Science Fiction author and editor Harlen Ellison on occasion used the pseudonym Cordwainer Bird to alert members of the public to situations in which he felt his creative contribution to a project had been mangled by others

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jNDMv TIL The girl from “The Ring” was inspired by a true story/legend. A young girl, Okiku, was a Samurai’s servant who refused his advances. After being thrown down a well by the spurned Samurai, she reportedly haunted him by crawling out of the well to visit him every night.
9YGwD TIL about Operation Kitona, when in 1998 Rwandan/Ugandan forces highjacked 4 civilian airliners, flew them to an airbase in western DRC where they amassed 3000 troops, then took over the Inga Dams and cut off power to Kinshasa. Thus began the Second Congo War, second deadliest conflict since WWII.
dDXwj TIL that the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the NASA affiliated research center is located in the same building as Tom's Diner, the diner in the show "Seinfeld" as well as the inspiration of the famous song of the same name by Suzanne Vega
GApe1 TIL That First Lady Abigail Powers Filmore was the Teacher to 13th US President Millard Filmore Prior to marrying him
7rvNZ TIL Elvis Costello is banned from appearing on SNL after refusing to play “Less Than Zero” at Lorne Michaels’ request. He saw it pointless to play a song about UK politics over here. He played a few bars, then kicked into “Radio, Radio,” which was a criticism of corporate-controlled broadcasting.