Recent comments in /f/todayilearned

Vainpaix t1_j9l3oo0 wrote

Reply to comment by BigEd369 in TIL about Saint Josaphat (aka Būdhasaf), a legendary Christian saint whose life is based on Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. His life story tells of how Josaphat, a son of an Indian kind that persecuted the Christian Church in his kingdom, converted to Christianity. by kweenllama

> Easter being the most famous example. As far as Easter goes, the pagan celebration of Eostre, goddess of springtime and renewal was held in spring with baby animals, eggs, and fresh grass.

Eostre was invented by Bede, there is literally zero evidence besides his passing mention of her anywhere else, it is fantasy layered atop folk etymology. It is actually hilarious that people believe a supposed Germanic goddess gave rise to Easter since we know it has been celebrated since the 2nd-century in the Eastern Mediterranean by the original Judeo-Christians, that the date it was to be celebrated on was a whole controversy that took a couple of hundred years to set in stone, and traces its name in most languages to the Hebrew word for the Passover (Pesach) because the ressurection coincided with it.

> A more modern theory, though, is that the word "Easter" originated from a mistaken interpretation of the early Latin-speaking Christians' designation of Easter week as hebdomada alba, or "the week of albs," because of the white robes worn by baptismal candidates during that time. Although in this context "alba" serves as the feminine form of "albus," meaning "white," some thought it was the word "alba" meaning "dawn."

> Old High German speakers took the word "alba" to mean "dawn" and started referring to the holiday as "eostarun," which meant "dawn" in their language. "Eostarun" eventually evolved into the contemporary German word for Easter, "Ostern," and then the English "Easter."

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galacticwonderer t1_j9kykuu wrote

Reply to TIL: Since 1199, two counties in England will annually hold a competition event called "Atherstone Ball Game", in which participants from each towns fighting over a giant football for 2hrs. The only two rules are 1. It has to be held at the certain street and 2. No killing. by poclee

Not anywhere near as violent but this reminds me of that Japanese cultural tradition(?) where one team protect a pole with somebody on top of it and the other team tries to take them down at all costs.

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TheFirstUranium t1_j9kyhcz wrote

Reply to comment by craZbeautifuldisastr in TIL to finish writing The Hunchback of Notre Dame within an impossible deadline of 6 months, Victor Hugo locked his clothes away, making him unable to go outside and procrastinate which forced him to do anything but finish writing his book. by Old_Sport7920

Fair enough. This was the early 2000s for me. I was referred because I got distracted and started talking to my classmates after being in class for ~2.5 hours or so.

Like, duh, I was 7.

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THE_GR8_MIKE t1_j9kxeel wrote

Reply to comment by invol713 in TIL the worst snowstorm in the history of Los Angeles occurred in 1949 when up to two feet of snow covered the city for three days as it reached its lowest temperature ever recorded, 28 degrees Fahrenheit by SappyGilmore

No, I was a summer child was when I was actually working 40+hr blue collar nonsense for shit pay and over shit hours.

Now I work ~20 hours a week, but get paid for 40. I already put in my time as a sweet summer child lol and never knew how much I'd be okay with a 9-5.

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