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TIL the Brits got smacked off of gin just to spite the French

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LQdmQ TIL that Henry Ford's net worth upon death (in 1947) equates to around $200 billion in today's money, making him the 3rd richest person to have ever lived.
wLP0M TIL saltwater can kill plants. Many mangrove tree species are able to surviving in seawater by filtering out as much as 90 percent of the salt as it enters their roots.
x9Lg TIL Rick Astley once interrupted a Thanksgiving parade in order to perform his very own live Rickroll
gMwO7 TIL that legendary saxophone player Lester Young not only revolutionized jazz through his unique laid-back approach, but also had a huge influence on our language today. He is said to have coined, among other expressions, "cool" to signify approval, "bread" as another word for money and "you dig?"
xVQ6w TIL Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier, was just 19 when he inherited the title of president-for-life from his father. He was forced from power but was allowed to live in the obscurity of a Port-au-Prince suburb, freely roaming the capital as he pleased until his death