Friday links

January 17 is Ben Franklin's birthday - bio, quotes, videos, his 200 synonyms for drunk, the bodies found in his basement, and more.

1932: U.S. Army Kicks U.S. Veterans Out of Washington.

A brief  history of shaving.

Prohibition in the United States began on January 16, 1920.

The Delicate Art of Breeding Cheetahs.

Dinosaurs performed dances to woo mates, according to new evidence.

ICYMI, Thursday's links are here, and include the Feast of the Ass, an infographic on the most powerful weapon in sci-fi history, a map of power outages caused by squirrels (with bonus squirrel-related links), and that time President George H. W. Bush escaped cannibals.

Thursday links

Happy Feast of the Ass!

That time President George H. W. Bush Escaped Cannibals.

Infographic: What's the Most Powerful Weapon in Sci-Fi History?
Map of power outages caused by squirrels, with bonus squirrel-related links.

Stalin's Diminutive Size.

Venison Jello, Mystery Ingredients, and Other Triumphs of Soviet Cuisine.

ICYMI, Friday's links are here, and include Antarctica ownership conflicts, 100 manly skills,  the mysterious dancing epidemic of 1518, and the French power plant that runs on cheese.

Advice from c. 1200: How to Survive the Winter

So, are the old ways always the best? I tend to think so, being a grandma.

Via Ask The Past (blog):

"Winter is damp and cold: we should turn to food. Nourishment should be delicious in the winter. Neither purging nor bloodletting is helpful then, and encounters in bed with your lady friend should be moderate."

~ Daniel of Beccles, Urbanus magnus

Related:

How to Keep Your Hands Warm, advice from 1579:

"Whosoever annoynts his feete or hands, with the grease of a Woolfe: he shall not be hurt with any colde of his handes, or feete so annointed."

~ Thomas Lupton, A Thousand Notable Things (1579)

Previous posts:

How to Prevent Pregnancy, c. 1260 (the weasel/scorpion method), plus other dubious medical advice.

Advice from 1380: How to Tell if Someone Is or Is Not Dead, with bonus Monty Python.

Friday links

Who really owns Antarctica?

100 Skills Every Man Should Know

The Queen that worked at Macy’s.

The mysterious dancing epidemic of 1518.

This French Power Plant Runs on Cheese.

Did Native Americans Bend These Trees to Mark Trails?

ICYMI, Thursday's links are here, and include a "collection" of "unnecessary" quotation marks, Star Wars vehicle cross-sections,  a lost Michelangelo painting found hanging behind a couch in Queens, and what happened when slaves and free men were shipwrecked together.

Who really owns Antarctica?

Who owns Antarctica (wiki)?

Business Insider: During the first half of the 20th century, seven countries — including Britain, Norway, and New Zealand — laid claim to certain regions of Antarctica. However, their claims are only recognized by the respective countries themselves. A larger version of the infographic is here, and a brief video explanation is below.

click here to embiggen

From CGP Grey, a video explanation:

h/t Geeks Are Sexy