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TIL Khushwant Singh's experience in the 1947 Partition of India inspired him to write his novel "Train to Pakistan" in 1956. His comparisons of social and behaviour characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit

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xXY7 TIL that during the Dust Bowl, one Texas town paid a man to fire off rockets carrying an explosive mixture of dynamite and nitroglycerin to induce rain.
5YLoR TIL In the '80s, the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21 nationally because Reagan passed a bill in 1984 that required states to raise their drinking age to 21. They don't have to make it 21 per se, but if they chose to opt-out, they would simply be ineligible for federal highway funding.
G4JG TIL that in 1873 a war broke out between Republicans and Democrats after both sides claimed they won the state election for Governor. Louisiana Democrats formed a “shadow” government, their own paramilitary force called the White League, and massacred more than 150 African Americans.
5o8B TIL that after needing 13 liters of blood for a surgery at the age of 13, a man named James Harrison pledged to donate blood once he turned 18. It was discovered that his blood contained a rare antigen which cured Rhesus disease. He has donated blood a record 1,000 times and saved 2,000,000 lives.
nWRG TIL The office of President of the US can be transferred to the Vice President if a majority of the cabinet votes that the sitting President is incapable of his duties. In theory, the cabinet could peacefully stage a coup and overthrow the president.