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TIL NBA superstar Hakeem Olajuwon released a $35 shoe instead of endorsing shoes from a major brand because he didn’t like seeing what kids do for $100+ shoes.

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vPgxB TIL that Pheasant Island is a condominium, a political territory in which multiple sovereign powers formally agree to share administrative responsibilities. From 1 February until 31 July, Spain holds stewardship, the other six months onward, the small island becomes an official part of France.
RA5l TIL when Disneyland first opened, so many weeds sprouted along the banks of the Canal Boats of the World ride that Disney ordered workers to place signs with exotic species names in Latin next to them to resemble an arboretum.
neX8o TIL that Dr. Carlo Urbani recognized the emergence of a outbreak of pneumonia as a new epidemic and immediately notified the WHO, personally flying to Hanoi to investigate. He would die this day in 2003 of SARS, having triggered the most effective response to an epidemic in history.
8aERZ TIL the Soviet Union held elections seeking the appearance of democracy, but only one candidate appeared on the ballot. In 1949, Ivan Burylov, protested this absurd ritual by writing the word ‘Comedy’ on his secret ballot. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison camps for his 'crime’.
NX0b8 TIL Chinese Tencent QQ holds the Guinness World Record for the highest number of simultaneous online users on an instant messaging program with 210,212,085 users online on July 3, 2014.