› added 12 years ago

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TIL of the Holodomor, the man made famine inflicted upon the Ukrainians by the Soviets in 1932/33. Western governments ignored it due to the desire to gain the Soviets as an ally in trade and war. By the 1937 census, 11,000,000 Ukrainians were no longer present. Some left, but most starved to death.

Read more holodomorct.org

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p896Q TIL that “witch windows” are almost exclusively found in Vermont due to the superstition that witches can’t fly their brooms through slanted windows.
1aER8 TIL Shishi-odoshi, used in japanese gardens as part of the visual and aural design, were originally designed to scare away animals such as deer or boars from grazing on the plants nearby.
rLn4 TIL the Swiss Guard, known now as the guys in the vibrant clown-like costumes that stand around the Vatican holding halberds, once stood against an army as it sacked Rome. 189 Guard stood against 20,000 invaders at the Vatican long enough for Pope Clement VII to escape the city.
gMgyX TIL that Louis Vuitton burns surplus bags and products at the end of each year. This maintains exclusivity of the brand and ensures that their products are never sold at a discounted rate.
JDGB TIL of the Dunning-Kruger effect, that most people grossly over estimate their competence and expertise on a subject.