› added 1 year ago

51

TIL about the "resource curse", the phenomenon of countries with an abundance of natural resources having less economic growth, less democracy, and less development than countries with fewer resources.

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jNJyQ TIL The "Miss Bumbum contest is a Brazilian annual pageant show which aims to find the best buttocks in the country."
DQxxV TIL Switzerland has a merchant marine force. Switzerland is connected to the ocean via the Rhine and as of 2010 there are 37 ships flying the Swiss Flag.
e7mg TIL that the term “Just Joshing you” is in reference to Josh Tatum, a man who, in 1883 took newly minted nickels and plated them with fake gold to make them appear as a new $5.00 coin. He would then buy items that cost about a nickel, and receive $4.95 in change, gathering quite a fortune.
wgAM TIL the band “They Might Be Giants” published an errata for their song, “Why Does the Sun Shine?” to address some factual errors called “Why Does the Sun Really Shine?”
yQPKe TIL that Elmo from Sesame Street is the only puppet or non-human to testify before Congress in 2002, advocating for increased funding for music programs.