› added 8 years ago

231

TIL that Canada has passed a law banning genetic discrimination - when providing a service or signing a contract, among other things - and which is now included within the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Read more openparliament.ca

via ift.tt

v16gB TIL about Daniel Freeman, a Civil War veteran and the first person to claim land under the Homestead Act. Later in life, he brought up and won a landmark separation of church and state case against a teacher who was evangelizing to her students with permission from the school board.
ZJja TIL that the Amish use air-powered tools for everything, including pneumatic blenders, sewing-machines and table-saws.
d8ek8 TIL about The Mad Trapper of Canada. He opened fire on policemen, fled 85 miles in -50 degree weather in 3 days, climbed a 7,000 foot mountain during a blizzard, and was finally shot dead by a WWI ace. The only sound he ever made was laughter as he killed a policeman. His identity is still unknown.
WeB8 TIL an internet service provider in the UK is compliant with xkcd comic #806, meaning they will transfer your call to a higher-level rep if you say “shibboleet.”
Bg0DL TIL In Japanese folklore there are ghosts that came and cut your hair in the middle of the night. They usually gave you a really bad haircut. They can sometimes do this as a warning that you're about to get married to a demon and they're protecting you.