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TIL the movie "Paranormal Activity" had a budget of only $15,000 but made $194 million. During the screening, people were walking out that one studio executive thought the film was bombing. They later learned that the viewers were actually leaving because they were too frightened.

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9wMj7 TIL The Dominican Republic launched a genocide of Haitians living on the two country's frontiers. They identified Haitians from their own populace by making suspects pronounce "parsley," or "perejil" in Spanish. If they could not do this, they were deemed Haitian and murdered.
loYQA TIL the Japanese used "nightingale floors" to alert castle lords to enemy attacks. These floors were designed so that walking on them created a shrill chirping noise. To tell friend from foe, the lord of the castle would identify a set rhythm for allies to use when walking on the nightingale floors.
6EV4l TIL A man was arrested during layover flight in Dubai for possession of 0.003g of marijuana detcted in his shoe
XEyR6 TIL The so-called "Dancing Doctor", who filmed "instructional" music videos during surgery had her license suspended for 2 1/2 years in 2018 after several patients were severely scarred (one was brain damaged) and it was discovered that she was a dermatologist and not a board certified surgeon.
v1Vvr TIL European matchlock guns were introduced in Japan in 1543 and the Japanese, rapidly recognizing their use, produced them in such amounts that by the end of the 16th century, it is believed they had produced more matchlock firearms than all of Europe put together