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TIL that in February 18, 1952 a huge storm hit New England, generating huge waves and two 500-foot tankers were broken in half by the heavy seas, against all odds a small Coast Guard lifeboat piloted by a man named Bernie Webber single handedly rescued 32 of the 33 men stranded in one of the tankers

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via reddit.com

MLVb TIL The Cherokee believed that plants, in response to witnessing suffering in the world, created a medicinal plant to cure each disease. When a Medicine Man did not know which plant to use the spirits of the plants told him.
kJPb4 TIL that the first touch screen in a car was in a 1986 Buick Riviera. The display offered automatic climate control, AM/FM radio with optional graphic equalizer, trip calculations, gauges and even the vehicles diagnostic info. This included status on the powertrain, brake wear and electrical system.
NolE TIL That when Crystal Pepsi was released, Coca-Cola released a competitor called Tab Clear… the only caviat being that Tab Clear was designed from the start to be poorly marketed and hurt Crystal Pepsi’s image, thereby killing off both products. Both campaigns died 6 months later.
v5kB TIL that in 1834 Mormon leader Joseph Smith desecrated an Indian grave mound and declared the bones were from Zelph a White Indian who worked for the great Prophet Onandagus. Smith and his buddies divided up the bones and they are now lost.
kmbm TIL employees of Disney World and Disneyland were prohibited from having mustaches, beards and goatees for nearly 50 years until the ban was lifted in 2012. Soul patches are still banned.