› added 6 years ago

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TIL that during a negotiation with Portuagal in 1617, future Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba was not offered a chair, instead being offered a mat. This was an attempt to disrespect her, so she ordered her servant to get on the ground and then sat on her back during the negotiations.

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x7Kk TIL of “Feeders of Lice” a job in nazi occupied poland, where individuals were wrapped with lice cages to serve as blood farms and food for disease carrying lice. These cages were used to develop Typhus vaccines.
9w6QB TIL that Orthodox and Conservative Jews believe a person is Jewish if his mother is, but not if only his father is.
LbNv TIL NFL football offensive lineman John Urschel has been published in several complex mathematics journals.
9n8D TIL in 1908 Teddy Roosevelt approached the Smithsonian Institution with an idea. He would collect specimens from Africa to have sent back for display and would be of unique value. The “unique value” he was referring to was the chance to acquire specimens shot by the president of the United States.
PYbLL TIL when Sylvester Stallone went to the person he sold his dog to, after he got paid for Rocky (1975), the new owner asked for $3000 instead of the original price of $60. After Stallone declined, the new owner agreed to give the dog if he got a role in Rocky. Stallone obliged and gave him a role.