› added 11 years ago

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TIL that Satoshi Tajiri (the creator of Pokémon), made Pokémon faint instead of die because he believed there was already enough violence in videogames and that kids should have a realistic, serious outlook on death.

ANWm4 TIL an originator of the lobotomy procedure, António Egas Moniz, received the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1949. Since then the Nobel Foundation has not rescinded the award, and in fact there is still an article active from the foundation defending the award.
OoMWg TIL when world champion boxer Joe Louis voluntarily joined the U.S. Army in 1942 he was asked about his decision to enter the (then) racially segregated organisation, he replied: "Lots of things wrong with America, but Hitler ain't going to fix them."
Lkwlm TIL in 2002 producer Kanye West suffered a car crash that led to a fractured jaw. This lead him to write his debut single “Through the Wire”, which he recorded with his jaw still wired shut from the operation.
vPEx4 TIL that in 1992 the US Postal service held a vote over whether official stamp of Elvis Presley should depict Elvis as a young man or later in life. After over 1.2 million ballots, young Elvis won with 75% of the vote, and would become one of the most popular commemorative stamps of all time.
VM10k TIL Jefferson’s first draft of the Declaration of Independence criticized King George III for enslaving Africans, and for over-ruling Virginia’s attempt to ban Slavery. In it, Jefferson called slavery a “cruel war against human nature.” The draft was struck down by the continental congress.