› added 6 years ago

105

TIL that doublet and triplet phrases in English (null and void, terms and conditions, will and testament) originate in legal writing, where words from two different languages would be used together to ensure that the writing is unambiguous

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pYdW8 TIL as part of its foreign policy the Nixon administration actively portrayed the president as an out of control madman to try and convince hostile nations that he was capable of anything at anytime. Including nuclear war. Nixon dubbed this strategy "Madman Theory".
AN9Go TIL Firefighters use wetting agents to make water wetter. The chemicals reduce the surface tension of plain water so it’s easier to spread and better soaks into objects, which is why it’s known as “wet water.
66bQ TIL “… economists have pointed out that if all the money spent on federal antipoverty programs were given to [the poor], a family of four would have an annual income near $70,000. [They] get less than half the money [given] in their name; most goes to fund the bureaucracies that run the programs.”
4X0Mg TIL that Africa's arbitrary borders, which make the continent look like a patchwork and are responsible for many ethnic conflicts up to this day, were "made" at the Berlin Conference (1885) by European leaders.
WV6L TIL Dorcas Hoar, who could supposedly predict the future, was convicted during the Salem Witch Trials. In September, she asked that her execution be delayed for one month so she may pray and repent. Her request was granted and her life was spared when the Governor dissolved the court in October.