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TIL In 1990, Muhammad Ali defied then-President George H.W. Bush's wishes by traveling to Iraq, where he secured the release of 15 American citizen hostages held in Iraqi prisons and brought them home. ( President Bush would eventually award him the Medal Of Freedom.)

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rRpnW TIL that almost nothing is known of the social organization or religious beliefs of the people who erected tens of thousands of menhirs (large upright stones) across Europe, Asia and Africa. There is not even any trace of these people's language.
JYVnQ TIL of an ~800 year old charter that has been invoked this year to close a market held at the ironically named Free Trade Inn near Loughborough, UK, as it's within a protected 6 2/3 mile radius of the town, a protection granted by King Henry iii
oo5K TIL even though Einstein said “God does not play dice with the universe” He also said. “It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly.”
jnyE TIL Paul Reubens tested out the appeal of the Pee Wee Herman character by responding to a cattle call audition for the Dating Game. They called him to appear on the show before he even made it back home.
MLJm TIL that, when the bible references a person putting their hand under someone else’s thigh when making an oath, they were actually cupping–and swearing on–their testicles. Evidently this custom is what led to the term “testify”, being derived from “testicles”.