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TIL: Pirates were generally considered by the English government to be reserve naval forces, and were sometimes given active encouragement such as knighthoods. Royal pardons were regularly issued and the public's opinion of pirates was often favorable, some considering them akin to patrons.

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RZY4 TIL that the storm that caused the Dust Bowl of the 1930s carried twice as much dirt as was dug out of the earth to create the Panama Canal. The canal took seven years to dig; the storm lasted a single afternoon
DNdg TIL Scotch tape has an unusual property. When placed in a vacuum chamber, unpeeling a length of tape from the roll will produce an enormous amount of X-ray radiation. The reason why it does this isn’t well understood.
neXe7 TIL About Bartolomeu Portugues, a Buccaneer Who Established the First Rules of the Pirate Code. Held Prisoner On a Spanish Ship, He Escaped Thru Over 120 Miles of Jungle After Swimming to Shore Using Wine Jars For Floaties Because He Couldn't Swim. He Came Back and Stole the Ship That Arrested Him.
eX6n TIL of Vitaly Kaloyev, a Russian man who lost his family in a 2002 airliner collision. 2 years later Vitaly tracked down the air traffic controller responsible for the crash, murdered him in front of his family, served 3 years in prison, and then returned home to a hero’s welcome.
VDOk TIL when the Soviet Union was pushing towards Berlin, an SS soldier was forced to play a piano for his captors. They made it clear in sign language that he would be executed the moment he stopped. He played for 22 hours, after which he collapsed in tears. They congratulated him, then shot him.