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TIL that, in 1943, L. Ron Hubbard wrote a series of private letters about losing his command and various military blunders, and general good health. Later, he founded scientology and claimed heroics and injuries in the war.

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DQ9P TIL the income gap between the US and Mexico is the largest of any two adjacent countries in the world
wL7D7 TIL about the book 'Comfort women of the Empire', by a korean historian who was the first to interview the Korean comfort women for the japanese army.
gMoYA TIL that French grammarian Dominique Bouhours's last words were "I am about to -- or I am going to -- die: either expression is correct."
GYo9j TIL that Jedediah Smith, an explorer of the American West, survived a bear attack. The animal had smashed his ribs, torn off his scalp, and chewed one of his ears off. He calmly told a friend to sew his scalp and severed ear back on. After 10 days, he was again leading his expedition.
BQMW TIL that the Canadian military tortured a young man to death in Somalia in 1993. In response to this incident the Canadian government and military disbanded the entire branch of their military (Airborne command) that had committed the act.