› added 9 years ago

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TIL Robert Moses (considered to be the “master builder” of mid-20th century NYC, Long Island, Rockland and Westchester County) was responsible for various NYC bridge constructions, Interstate 278, the Cross-Bronx Expressway, parkways and other highways, but never held a valid driver’s license.

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Ypydx TIL: Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense, the pamphlet that helped gain support for American Independence, was one of the first people to publicly doubt Jesus Christ existed. Prior Christian skeptics simply believed Christ wasn't the son of God.
Lkl10 TIL that because insulin is incredibly expensive despite being the same drug discovered a century ago, there's a movement to create an open source, small-batch manufacturing process
VgE8 TIL that not only can Brazilian prisoners take time off their sentences by writing book reports, but also by riding exercise bicycles that helps power the local plaza. (16 hours of biking = 1 day removed from sentence)
yKwe TIL Andrew Jackson said for a people to really be free they need to have a revolution every 20 years
OoJZ1 TIL of Neerja Bhanot - a stewardess on hijacked Pan Am flight 73. She hid the passports of American passengers to protect them. Hijackers shot passengers killing 22 and wounding 150. Bhanot was posthumously awarded medals of bravery by India, Pakistan, and the US.