› added 4 years ago

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TIL that in the late 1860's, the Phylloxera (insect) destroyed almost all of the French vineyards and that Americans saved it by exporting some vines to be grafted, resulting in a pest-resistant vine, saving the French from a catastrophic loss.

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QNyrX Today I learned of the 1788 specialized dictionary "A Classical History of the Vulgar Tongue", by Francis Grose which includes 500 plus pages of virtually all the best lowbrow slang, dirty words and rude insults to be found in 18th century language.
D1xwe TIL about the American town 'Merrymount', founded 1624. Named from slang at the time for 'illicit' forms of sex - the town rejected Puritan values welcoming non-Heterosexuals, freeing indentured servants and intermarrying Native Americans. Five years later it was invaded and razed to the ground.
XEok8 TIL the original board game of "the game of life" was much more depressing than the modern one we know of today. It included the chances of getting Poverty, ruin, Prison time, and even Suicide.
0weML TIL that in addition to being the NBA's leading scorer with 38,387 points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is also a professional writer who contributes to Time Magazine, The Washington Post, and has also written books which are New York Times best sellers.
eMn5 TIL that Kyoto was originally at the top of the atomic bomb target list during WW2, but was personally removed by U.S. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson. He had previously been to Kyoto on his honeymoon.