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TIL In 1924, German shoemaker Adolf Dassler let his brother, Rudolf, join his sports shoemaking company. During WWII, they grew to hate each other and in 1948, Rudolf started his own company across town. Adolf, aka Adi, changed his company’s name to Adidas; Rudolf started Puma.

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jwga TIL of an Italian pornstar, who was a member of Parliament, while continuing to make hardcore porn videos while in office. She often made speeches with one breast exposed, and offered to have sex with Saddam Hussein in exchange for peace in the region.
4XvbN TIL that a 13-year-old opened a hot dog stand in front of his home in Minnesota, causing a complaint to the health department. Instead of shutting him down, the inspectors helped him bring his stand up to code and paid the $87 fee for his permit out of their own pockets.
QNM7d TIL the Cagots were an outcast minority found in the west of France and northern Spain. Persecuted for centuries, they were not distinguished by any religious, ethnic or physical attributes and were just hated for who they are.
LVpV TIL a boy scout created a hazardous radioactive site in his backyard while trying to build a nuclear reactor using household items, and was arrested in 2007 for stealing 16 smoke detectors, which contain radioactive material.
awd8o TIL Sunflower (Helianthus tuberosus) root, also called Jersualem artichokes or Sunchokes, are native to North America. Native Americans were first to cultivate sunflower roots for food. Resists cold, drought, wind. The roots contain inulin, which is firmly established to decrease blood cholesterol.