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Not too long ago, French children were served wine during their school lunch break. Not a sip, but a couple of glasses. It was only in 1956 that it became illegal to serve booze to kids under the age of 14, and alcohol wasn’t fully banned from schools until 1981.
That’s just one of the interesting facts that can be found on an Instagram page called I’m Just Culture. It has 249,000 followers and a wall of somewhat unrelated but intriguing tidbits from around the world and throughout history. The account is a go-to if you’re looking for something to talk about during your next boring dinner date, or you just want to brush up on your general knowledge. Bored Panda has put together a list of our favorite posts from the page for your scrolling pleasure. Don’t forget to upvote the ones that give your brain something to feast on.
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For some, it might be hard to believe that French kids were not only allowed, but encouraged, to drink wine at school. In a world where adults are warned about the dangers of alcohol, and the sale of booze is not permitted to minors, it might sound like the “fact” was made up.
Thankfully, there are ways to verify. And a site called “Snopes” is one of them. It’s dedicated to separating fact from fiction and has a skilled team behind the scenes that know exactly how to do this. Bored Panda decided to do a little dig to see what Snopes says about French children and fermented grapes…
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Smeghead Tribble Down Under 4 weeks ago
The French still look after WWI Anzac war graves at Villers-Bretonneux. Thank you, always.
It turns out that the little ones were in fact allowed to enjoy some wine with their school meal, and many were fully encouraged to drink at home too.
“According to various reliable sources the rumor was true and until 1956 French children attending school could be served wine on their lunch breaks,” reads the Snopes site. "For instance, France 3, a French public television channel, shared a video on its Facebook profile with a caption ‘After the Second World War and until 1956, red wine was served in school canteens! And that surprised no one!’”
Snopes cites a Public Sénat article as saying "at that time, it was a common practice to see children consuming wine." The piece goes on to explain that the government addressed the issue of alcohol in school canteens in 1956.
“For the first time, a significant measure is adopted. Now no child under 14 is allowed to drink wine at the table,” reads the article, which has been translated from French into English. “A real revolution is underway in the fight against drunkenness in schools.”
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Crash1985 4 weeks ago
The record for the longest solo time adrift at sea is held by José Salvador Alvarenga, who survived for 438 days (14 months) in the Pacific Ocean. He was found on January 30, 2014, on the Marshall Islands after being adrift since November 17, 2012. Alvarenga survived primarily by consuming raw fish, turtles, small birds, sharks, and rainwater
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That same article reveals that, while nowadays, parents might send their kids to school with some water or juice, back then the folk would fill a flask of wine mixed with water and give it to their children to take to school. It was all part of getting them accustomed to the taste of fine French wine from a young age...
It would only be in 1981 that a blanket ban on alcohol in schools finally came into effect. Snopes quotes French newspaper Le Parisien in its fact-checking endeavors. "According to the terms of the circular of September 3, 'water is the only hygienic drink recommended at the table,'" it read.
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Lori Beauchamp 4 weeks ago
Only took one twit to k.i.l.l. him and destroy all faith in creation.
France isn’t the only wine-producing country with a controversial history when it comes to the provision of alcohol. South Africa is home to the Cape Winelands. And back in the day, it was not unusual for farmworkers to be paid in wine instead of money.
Known as the “dop system,” dop being Afrikaans slang for liquor, it created not only dependence on booze by some, but also a whole generation of babies with fetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD). Long after the system was abolished, the country still has the highest rate of FASD in the world.
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Remi (He/Him) 4 weeks ago
"My cat is a foot and a half in length and about six inches in height. When he curls up he is very small, looking like a black millet berry, but when he stretches out he is long, resembling a drawn bow. The pupils of his eyes sparkle, dazzlingly bright like shiny needles flashing with light, while the points of his ears stick straight up, unwaveringly, looking like the bowl of a spoon." - https://diariesofnote.com/2023/03/11/like-a-black-dragon-above-the-clouds/
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BeesEelsAndPups 4 weeks ago
I guess this "fact" depends on how "traditional" you want that igloo to be. Some facts about the arctic. There are no trees from which to collect wood to build a fire. If you were an Inuit living prior to modern conditions, you would have collected seal, whale, and fish oil for burning. These were sacred though, and wouldn't be collected in large enough amounts for actual fires. Instead they were used to provide light to the interior. Most meat was consumed raw. Traditional Igloos were small, and are well insulated, but they were heated by the body heat of the people inside, not by fires. A hole was cut into the roof to let air flow in. Hot air would rise out of the hole at the top, and pull in air through the door. Otherwise the people inside would run out of oxygen. This was not for smoke. Modern igloos are much larger than traditional ones, and a small fire inside a large structure won't melt it very fast. If the structure is too small the ceiling will drip, and that would be deadly
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Totally happy Panda 4 weeks ago
I wish there was a banana for scale. Can't imagine the actual size of this beauty
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Victor 4 weeks ago
Michel and Nadine Vaujour, who are now published authors, were arrested 4 months later, he was sentenced to an additional 16 years (he was caught during a robbery) and she was sentenced to 2 years in prison. He was one of the most wanted criminals in France for a while and was detained in the Prison de la Santé, one of the most secure in France.
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PeepPeep the duck 4 weeks ago
I wonder what they thought about the cotton balls in the cheeks of his mouth 😂
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Annik Perrot 4 weeks ago
More like those, and less "celebrities" and "must have" items, please.
Wild Cream 4 weeks ago (edited)
Yes, idk how BP hasn’t noticed that the amazon shilling posts get massive downvotes
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Annik Perrot 4 weeks ago
More like those, and less "celebrities" and "must have" items, please.
Wild Cream 4 weeks ago (edited)
Yes, idk how BP hasn’t noticed that the amazon shilling posts get massive downvotes
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