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TIL about Nicolas Antoine, who attempted to convert to Judaism in the 1620s and then became a Calvinist pastor in the Canton of Geneva while secretly practising the Jewish worship. He ended up being burned at the stake for heresy on 1632

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vxBj TIL that ‘boosting’ is a form of cheating in paralympics. Athletes with spinal cord injuries will do things like breaking bones (usually in toes), electric shocks (to feet/legs/scrotum/testicles), and more. This results in increased blood pressure which improves performance.
GY7wQ TIL the World Sauna Championships were held annually in Finland from 1999 until 2010. Contestants would start in tempartures above the boiling point of water and whoever could endure the longest would win. The competition folded after a contestant died when he effectively cooked himself inside.
4ymg TIL The White House has an estimated market value of over $390 million, and would cost $2 million a month to rent.
nWwjo TIL Jean Lafitte was a pirate who smuggled slaves into Louisiana. In 1814, he rejected a British offer and instead aided General Andrew Jackson in defending New Orleans. His privateers played a key role in the American victory, earning Lafitte and his men a full pardon from President James Madison.
M7rE0 TIL Back in 2007, Rockstar Games gave fans the opportunity to dial a number and express their grievances about what they perceived as issues in America. The most notable calls were later showcased on a radio station within "GTA IV"