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TIL that in 2006, the US ambassador to Syria received instructions to overthrow the Syrian government by force. Instructions included intentionally stoking sectarian tensions to destabilize the government.

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LLVd TIL of Tibor Rubin, a Hungarian Jew who survived Mathausen concentration camp, was deliberately given dangerous assignments by an anti-Semitic sergeant in Korea, and spent 30 months as POW after being captured by the Chinese.
gOA TIL that Hidden Valley was an actual Dude Ranch and is where the popular dressing was created.
bVy7 TIL In Norway there is a fortress called Akershus. It is believed that whoever controls Akershus also rules over Norway. However the fortress has survived every siege in the last 700 years.
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5Y8dr TIL That you don't actually need to rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth.