› added 11 years ago

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TIL: Mattel made an Earring Magic Ken doll in 1993, complete with frosted hair, a purple mesh shirt, lavender vest and an earring in his left ear. Dubbed the “Alternative Lifestyle” Ken, the doll was almost completely sold out of stores by Christmas, due to the gay community’s interest.

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via reddit.com

WkOlN TIL During the American Revolutionary War, both the British and Americans allowed slaves to enlist, promising freedom once the war was over. After the war, most American troops were forced back into slavery, but the British kept their word and freed most of their troops.
9Y9EG TIL: Employees are more likely to steal from their workplace than the customers who shop there are.
9A1r TIL that in 2007 Joshua Bell pretend to be a street violinist and everyone ignored him.Just two days earlier he played in a sold out theater with each seat costing $100. The violin he used on the street was worth 3.5 million dollars.
ne80r TIL Jupiter is no longer considered to be the planet with the most moons. With a recent find of 20 additional moons, Saturn surpasses Jupiter with 82 moons, compared to Jupiters measly 79.
BrJbk TIL Alan Turing, father of theoretical computer science & artificial intelligence, was convicted of homosexuality and given a choice between prison or freedom with ongoing injections of female hormones. The injections sent him into depression. He died age 41 by eating an apple he laced with cyanide.