› added 4 years ago

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TIL that despite the popular use of being 'low on the totem pole' being lower down in the pecking order, native americans would often accord the most prestige to the lowest position on the totem pole, seen as 'bearing the weight of all other figures', or at eye level to heighten significance

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OGyde TIL there are only 2 Everglades in the world: Florida, USA and Noosa, Australia, with the latter containing more than 40% of Australia's birdlife and the only one you can safely swim in.
LQMrd TIL that a Third-Pounder burger failed because the average American did not understand that 1/3 was larger than 1/4.
4w4a TIL there is a long forgotten 13th sidereal zodiac sign, Ophuchicus “the snake holder” Nov. 29-Dec. 17. It was cut out by the Babylonians who wanted 12 signs for compatibility with their base 60 number system.
GYBg1 TIL that until 1999 in Germany, bribes were a tax-deductible business expense, and there were no penalties for bribing foreign officials. The German company Siemens used to engage in bribery in developing countries, where bribery was common, and continued to do so after criminalizing it in 1999.
ML9B TIL that if the man rationing the rum on a ship was suspected of cheating would be challenged to mix the rum with gunpowder. rum that was not watered down and was “over proof”, would still allow the power to ignite, coining the term.