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TIL about the "Curse of the 9th." Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner, & Dvorak died after writing their 9th symphony, so Mahler believed the 9th symphony was destined to be a his last. Although afraid to write his 9th, he eventually did & died before being able to complete his 10th fulfilling the curse.

r6dW TIL during the Soviet occupation of Estonia in the 1940s, around 17.5% of the population was deported to Siberia. June 14 1941 was one of the deportations, and is seen by many as a day of mourning.
KA79 TIL that ‘the present’ is defined in archaeology as any time after January 1st, 1950, because nuclear testing has altered isotopes in the atmosphere to the point that it isn’t possible to carbon date anything more recent.
Xwbj TIL Teddy Roosevelt was an avid boxer and became the first American ever to receive a brown belt in Judo. He lined the White House basement with training mats and sparred with anyone that was willing including boxing champion John Sullivan, his wife, and a Swiss minister.
vJE4 TIL Jesse Pinkman was originally meant to die during season 1 of Breaking Bad, but after seeing the chemistry between Paul and lead actor Bryan Cranston, series creator Vince Gilligan changed his mind and made him a main character in the series.
WkVNA TIL For the opening song to "Blazing Saddles," Mel Brookes advertised for a "Frankie Laine-type" singer. Frankie Laine himself offered his services and passionately sang the western tune without the knowledge that it was for a western spoof.