› added 12 years ago

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TIL Tom Lehrer’s (of ‘Element Song’ fame) song 'The Old Dope Peddler’ is sampled in 2 Chainz’s song 'Dope Peddler’. When asked for permission he responded: “As sole copyright owner… I grant you motherfuckers permission to do this. Please give my regards to Mr. Chainz, or may I call him 2?”

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vPX14 TIL that during the Vietnam war there were 7 discharges, 17 AWOL cases, 2 disciplinary charges, 12 complains to congress and 18 non-judicial punishments in every 100 groups of soldiers, whilst one third report some form of consistent drug abuse
vPBp8 TIL: Abraham Lincoln told his biographer, friend, and law partner of 18 years, William Hearndon, how he had been infected with syphilis in 1835 or 1836 (by a prostitute). Hearndon, believing both Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln had syphilis, suspected it in the premature death of 3 Lincoln children
J1vDj TIL that the famous painter Rembrandt created over a hundred self portraits during his life and you can look at them chronologically to see how he aged! He is one of the oldest people you can do this for.
R5LG9 TIL At some point after the battle of Drepana, in which the roman navy was wiped, Claudia, the roman commander's sister got stuck in a traffic jam, and in a bit of road rage she yelled "i wish my brother was still alive to lose another navy and thin that crowd". She was tried for treason
OG5Je TIL that the famous scene in "Apocalypse Now" where Martin Sheen’s character has a drunken breakdown in a hotel room, was not scripted. One day, Sheen got completely shitfaced and ordered the crew to film him. He got aggressive and started punching out mirrors. Francis Ford Coppola kept rolling.