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TIL of Andrew Mellon's "scientific taxation" policy: during the 1920s, the U.S. government paradoxically increased its tax receipts by $300 million after cutting taxes to zero for all but the wealthiest 2% — and then reducing their taxes, too.

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e0KP6 TIL an article in 1968 revealed widespread marijuana use among US soldiers in Vietnam. As a result of the media uproar stateside and subsequent crackdown by the army, soldiers shifted to heroin, which was odorless and harder to detect. By 1973, up to 20% of the soldiers were habitual heroin users.
XZwR TIL In 2005, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the application of Eminent Domain to kick homeowners off of their property so private developers could build hotels, health clubs, and condos in New London, Connecticut. 8 years later, the abandoned property remains an overgrown, barren field.
9Vlm TIL: Dinosaurs as we see them in museums, movies and everywhere are “plausible guesses” as to what they looked like. Scientists joke we might be as far off as making elephants look like a giant hamsters.
GAexg TIL on average, women who are raised without a father experience puberty 3 months earlier.
0dR1L TIL during Nicolae Ceaușescu’s capture, he secretly wore a clip that was meant to transmit his position to his security force; unbeknownst to him, the signals were blocked by the armored vehicle he and his wife were in. Help never came, and they were soon executed.