› added 1 year ago

54

TIL about mummering, an old English/Irish tradition where people disguise themselves during Christmas to visit family and friends

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vGL4 TIL quicksand scenes appeared in 3% of all movies in the 1960s, but claims of REAL human deaths by quicksand are nonexistant or poorly supported. (more in comments)
R71m7 TIL General MacArthur wanted to win the Korean War by dropping 30-50 atomic bombs on air bases, followed by sowing nuclear waste into the ground to create a permanent radioactive border to prevent future invasions from the North.
oRNMA TIL There's a festival in Spain called 'El Colacho' where they lay newborn babies out in the street, after which men dressed in red and yellow costumes run and hurdle over them. This is meant to cleanse the babies of original sin and protect them in their future lives.
GAvJQ TIL that There is a ranking to measure a country's level of multiculturalism (ethnic, linguistic and religious). The most ethnically and linguistically diverse is Uganda and the most religiously diverse is South Africa.
neWAd TIL the song "Wagon Wheel" was partially written by Bob Dylan. He wrote the chorus in 1973 and Ketch Secor, the lead sing of Old Crow Medicine Show finished the verses 25 years later.