› added 9 years ago

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TIL During Bolvian election periods, alcohol sales are banned, it’s illegal to gather in large groups, no one can carry weapons, and 100% voter participation is encouraged by fines and penalties.

16Z67 TIL of the Polynesian legend of Mahuika – goddess of fire and the grandmother of Māui. She married Auahi-roa (a comet) and their children were the fingernails of fire on Mahuika's hand. Years later, Māui retrieved the fingernails and planted them in the trees used for making fire.
9YBkD TIL that contrary to popular belief not a single death due to a bite from a Black Widow spider has been reported in the US since 1983, and the cannibalism frequently attributed to these spider is actually rare.
4XJMR TIL 'Catastrophizing'. A cognitive distortion that prompts people to jump to the worst possible conclusion after a minor setback. When a situation is upsetting but safe, they still feel like they are in the midst of a huge crisis. Getting enough sleep can also help keep 'catastrophizing' in check.
v1VRL TIL the first Asian Americans to fight on behalf of the US were Filipinos, referred to by General Andrew Jackson as "Manilamen" during the War of 1812. They were from a small fishing town called Saint Malo in Louisiana, which is also the first Filipino Settlement in the US.
XEEmj TIL that MASSIVE was CGI software developed to generate battle scene special effects in the Lord of the Rings films. It was later developed into a complete product and licensed out for use in other movies such as Avatar, The Hobbit, 300, & more.