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TIL the Ampex corporation in the 1950s sold the first 8 track recorder machine to musician Les Paul (solid body electric guitar pioneer). It was installed in Paul's home studio in 1957 for $10,000 which was roughly three times the US average yearly income in 1957 and equivalent to $107,000 in 2023.

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woLl7 TIL In 1958 the French Army invaded Corsica and planned to attack Paris. There was a crisis in Algeria at the time and French generals wanted Charles de Gaulle to return to power to deal with the issue. The invasion of Paris was canceled when parliament invited de Gaulle to be Prime Minister again.
VBvQk TIL in 1992 the UK secretly bought a number of Russian T-80 tanks for $5m each through a fictitious trading company for defense research & development purposes. The UK evaluated the tanks on its proving grounds & also sent one to the US where the Americans evaluated it at the Aberdeen Proving Ground
5VJvP TIL about Nan Madol, historic capital of the Saudeleur Dynasty of Micronesia. It has been called the Venice of the Pacific for its multiple islands and channels.
yXo8 TIL in 1953 a newspaper boy was paid with a coin which he found to be hollow and contain a coded message. He gave it to authorities but the code could not be deciphered. Years later, a Russian spy in the U.S. defected and during his interrogation was shown the coin and code. The message was for him.
p8rDN TIL that Cheez-Its aren’t squares. They’re 26 by 24 mm (1.0 by 0.95 inch).