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TIL During the Beijing Olympics, a 9-year-old girl who sang a patriotic song at the opening ceremony, was revealed to be a fake lip-syncing. The real singer was a 7-year-old girl who was kept backstage, because she was considered not good looking enough and that might’ve damaged China’s image.

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XEOg8 TIL Washington Redskins' owner Dan Snyder once cut down trees along the Potomac River so that he could see it from his house. The trees were located in a national park, and a ranger who raised concern about the issue was raided by US Marshals
ANQAn TIL Due to the occupation of Portugal by Napoleonic forces, the Portuguese ruling class fled to Brazil with Rio de Janeiro functioning as the capital of the Portuguese Empire. The move allowed unprecedented growth and development to the city, and helped lay the foundation of Brazilian independence.
4X67J TIL that domesticated and wild dogs scavenge human remains in different ways: pet dogs tend to eat their owners' faces, while wild dogs prefer to eat the nutrient rich organs located in the abdomen.
yv5M TIL Los Angeles once had the largest electric rail system in the world, until automobile, tire, and oil companies bought and dismantled it, along with mass transit systems in 44 other US cities. The mass transit systems were replaced with freeways and buses, increasing sales of cars, tires, and oil.
1a5V4 TIL of a Russian game show where the contestant was given a car that was reported stolen to the police and if the contestant evaded the police for 35 minutes, the contestant won the car.