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TIL that Tolkien wrote yearly letters to his children as if they were from Father Christmas. They started off as simple Happy Christmas letters but grew more complex including a polar bear sidekick, the man on the moon, goblins, snow-elves, pictures, and he even developed an Arktik language.

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awnvZ TIL that on February 25, 1991 28 US soldiers died when a previously reported software glitch in the Patriot Missile system’s clock prevented it from shooting down an Iraqi SCUD missile. A software patch to fix it was released on the following day.
GYBDN TIL that sitting inside of a snowed-in car with the engine running can be deadly if the tailpipe is clogged with snow.
yV7me TIL GPS, despite being free for global use, costs around $2 million a day to operate and maintain. This budget covers satellite launches and system upkeep, funded through American tax revenue.
0dmn5 TIL a “Made Man” is a fully initiated member of the Mafia and must be Italian and sponsored by another Made Man. The ceremony involves pricking the trigger finger and bleeding onto a burning picture of a saint while reciting an oath.
pYYQp TIL that agriculture workers in the U.S. face a variety of mental health issues, including a nearly-doubled chance of suicide compared to the general working population.