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TIL about “dissimilation.” A linguistic phenomenon where people tend to drop an R if it is in the middle of a word and comes before another syllable that has an R. Ex.“suprise”/“surprise,”/“forward”“forward,” /“catepillar”/“caterpillar,” and “paticular”/“particular.”

grODL TIL that many Union veterans of the US Civil War worked in the marketing campaign for the memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, canvassing to sell subscriptions to the book that the dying and destitute general wrote to provide an income to his family. Grant's memoirs became a bestseller of the 19th Century.
oR9k8 TIL: The etiquette of dueling in America has 25 rules for both guns and sword duels. An insult to one's lady is considered a great offense and the first 10~ rules involve the pre duel banter and gives several chances for apologies or to insult the other party more.
D1BZe TIL that André the Giant grew so fast that his own parents didn't recognize him. He left home at 14 and returned at 19, having already become a professional wrestler. As he explained his career choice, they realized they had seen him wrestle on TV under his alias, without knowing it was their son.
Y7yL7 TIL about Ryan White, a 13-year-old boy, got AIDS from a blood donor in 1984, 117 parents signed a petition to ban him from returning to school. An auction was held to keep him out, a newspaper supporting him got death threats, and his family left town when a gun was fired through their window.
16DaP TIL American spies had to be taught not to slouch and lean on things to blend in with Europeans