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TIL Russian criminal and prisoners would get large chest and back tattoos of Stalin and Lenin, not out of respect, but to avoid having internal organs damaged during beatings by guards who would not denigrate the images.

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neEp7 Today I learned that when a streetcar hit a bus Frida Kahlo was on, she was impaled by a handrail, fracturing her spine and pelvis. Due to these severe injuries and the long recovery, Frida took up painting to pass the time. She is now considered to be one of Mexico's greatest artists.
EgVjP TIL until 2019, the Verve was forced to give up all their royalties and music credit rights for their 1997 hit song "Bitter Sweet Symphony" due to copyright dispute with ABKCO Studios head Allen Klein over the band's sampling of the Rolling Stone's "The Last Time" in their music.
ZpwVG TIL that in July of 2012, a massive solar storm which could have damaged electronic systems worldwide and cost the US 2.6 trillion dollars missed us by nine days.
GA4g4 TIL that after her husband died during the siege of Nishapur, his widow who was Genghis Khan's daughter requested the death of every resident of the city. The Khan's troops then killed and beheaded most of the population of the city including the animals and had their skulls piled in pyramids.
rNeM TIL 25% of all trade between the U.S. and Canada goes over one bridge between Detroit and Ontario, and it is owned by a single man who is reaping the profits and funding a large advertising campaign in the U.S. to ensure he can keep his monopoly.