› added 8 years ago

221

TIL that France classifies books as an “essential good,” along with electricity, bread, and water.

Read more nytimes.com

via reddit.com

ANAkd TIL: The mistreatment of African diplomats forced the United States government to clamp down on racism. This would help push the Civil rights act to pass in July 1964.
Ajad TIL that California’s GDP is $2.5 trillion, meaning it has the 6th largest economy in the world. Canada’s, for example, is only $1.5 trillion.
0ELR TIL that “shrapnel” is named after Henry Shrapnel, inventor of a type of anti-personnel cannonball
neDWW TIL Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian tourist who joined Magellan’s historic circumnavigation around the world. Magellan himself was killed, and only 18 crew members survived, including Pigafetta — his surviving journal is where most of the information about the voyage comes from.
lGRN TIL: in 2006 a man in Sudan was ordered to marry a goat after he was caught having sex with it.