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TIL 1948 winter Olympic Game’s athletes lacked the resources to compete post WWII, to the point where the Norwegian team had to borrow skis from the American team

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DQdlj TIL about the Battle of Christiana, in which a group of armed freedmen fought a party of federal marshals to defend escaped slaves, killing the slaves former owner who had shouted; "I will have my property, or go to hell!". Everyone involved was later acquitted and the slaves escaped to Canada.
4X7l5 TIL that the sirens from Greek mythology were never said to be beautiful, or even mermaids. Instead, they were strange human-faced bird creatures who lured men to their deaths by promising them wisdom and knowledge of the future.
nej9P TIL that in 1865 the dictator of Paraguay plunged his country into an ill-advised war with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. In just five years, Paraguay lost over half its population, including up to 90% of its men. It was arguably the worst military defeat ever suffered by a modern nation state.
16oVO TIL a young Thomas Edison helped another inventor, Samuel Laws, design telegraph machines. He expected to be paid a few hundred dollars but Laws instead gave $40,000, which allowed Edison to afford a new research laboratory and factory. There, he amassed 300 employees and developed 50 inventions.
DBMj TIL that before he rapped, Ice Cube studied Architecture and Drafting, and he maintains a love for it to this day.