These 10 Compelling Facts Will Make You Think

It can be very difficult to impress people these days.

And when I say that, I mean that it can be hard to impress them with anything.

But we think our fact sets knock the ball out of the park on a regular basis. Because we work hard to curate our facts day in and day out.

So, without further ado, dive into these facts, let them sink in, and enjoy!

1. The effects of corporal punishment?

I have a feeling many parents don’t do this anymore…

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. I really wish this wasn’t true.

There’s no such thing as “alternative facts”, people.

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3. Try to keep it separate.

If you can, that is…

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4. All hail the Ravenmaster!

A tradition that goes way, way back.

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5. Take that, Boomers!

Hey, leave those young people alone!

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6. Flatter than a pancake.

The verdict is in.

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7. That makes sense to me.

God bless Texas!

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8. A terrifying real-life killer.

The inspiration for a lot of movies…

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9. Next on the list.

Scary to think about.

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10. A total accident.

But we’re all glad it happened!

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There are some damn good facts in there, if I do say so myself.

Now we’d like to hear from all the readers out there.

In the comments, please share something interesting with us that you think we’d all enjoy: an interesting fact, a story, a unique photo, etc.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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This Man Turns Discarded Christmas Trees Into Canes for Veterans

You always see a ton of discarded Christmas trees dragged out onto driveways to be hauled off by garbage trucks after the holidays. I’ve never really thought about what comes next for this near-endless supply of trees, but I suppose they just decompose in the dump, releasing CO2 back into the atmosphere.

Great.

That’s not what happens to (some of) the trees in Copperas Cove, Texas, however. One local man has found a creative and important use for some of these old trees.

Jamie Willis is an Army veteran, and he’s asking people to send their old Christmas trees his way because he turns the trees into canes for fellow veterans who need mobility aids – and for other folks who require canes as well.

I'm happy you like the cane. Thanks for sharing your picture brother.

Posted by Canes For Veterans Central Texas on Thursday, March 30, 2017

Willis’ cause is called Canes for Veterans Central Texas and he’s made about 200 canes so far. Willis said, “The whole process, it’s just done off donations. I make the canes myself. Everything’s done out of pocket.”

This is the second year that Jamie Willis has reached out for tree donations, and he has been overwhelmed with this year’s response. He said, “It’s been an outpouring of donations this year, more than I ever thought I would get. Home Depot flooded me with trees, they’re sending me 400, and the rest of the community will be giving me about another 100 trees.”

Posted by Canes For Veterans Central Texas on Saturday, January 4, 2020

Willis said he usually takes an entire day to make one cane. He got the idea to start making his own because the one he was given by Veterans Affairs kept collapsing on him, and he didn’t trust it. So he reached out to an organization in Florida called Free Canes for Veterans.

The man behind that organization, Army veteran Oscar Morris, told Willis they didn’t have any more canes and instead taught Willis how to make his own. Willis then asked if he could branch off of that organization and start his own canes-for-veterans nonprofit in Texas, and Morris gave him his blessing.

Mr. Paul Miles and cane #209 standing tall. Another veteran brother who I met while at a local tire shop. And after talking with him we were honored to make him a cane. Much love and respect go out to you sir.

Posted by Canes For Veterans Central Texas on Thursday, August 8, 2019

Morris said that Jamie Willis is the fifth veteran to start their own branch of Free Canes for Veterans. Great work by all!

The post This Man Turns Discarded Christmas Trees Into Canes for Veterans appeared first on UberFacts.

America’s Oldest World War II Veteran Has Celebrated His 110th Birthday

The men who served in World War II are a dying breed – in fact, most of them have already passed on from this plane of existence to the next (where hopefully they will not be asked to save the world by enacting great mental and physical trauma on themselves).

They’re not all gone, though. One of those great, brave men just celebrated his 110th birthday.

Lawrence Brooks of New Orleans, Louisiana was born on September 12th, 1909, and had his most recent birthday celebration at the National World War II Museum in his hometown.

During the war, Brooks served in a primarily African-American unit in the army, the 91st Engineer Battalion, with which he was stationed in New Guinea before heading to the Philippines. He was active between 1940 and 1945, exiting duty as a Private 1st Class.

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Today, we had the honor of celebrating Lawrence Brooks 110th year around the sun! He is the nation’s oldest living WWII veteran, and we are proud that he lives right in our home base of New Orleans! The Belles have been privileged to sing happy birthday to Lawrence for the past five years at the museum. We are thankful that Lawrence enjoys our continuous serenades to him each year. If only we had enough lipstick to give him 110 kisses… ???❤ . . . . ?: Chris Granger Photography #LawrenceBrooks #110Years #110thBirthday #WWIIVet #WWIIVeteran #VictoryBelles #WWIIMuseum #WWII #Kisses #LipstickVictims #Smooch #Lipstick #RedLips #Birthday #HappyBirthday #NewOrleans #Louisiana #NationalWWIIMuseum #WorldWar2 #WorldWarII #Army #ArmyVet #VintageLadies #1940s #1940sHair #1940sMakeUp #1940sLook

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The National World War II Museum in New Orleans has hosted Brooks’ last five parties, loves doing it, and hopes to be asked to help celebrate for a few years yet to come.

“We absolutely love Mr. Brooks,” said a spokesperson for the museum. “We’ve told him, ‘As long as you keep having birthdays, we are going to keep having birthday parties for you here.’ We consider him ‘our’ veteran.”

Though Brooks is definitely getting long in the tooth – he has poor vision and low blood pressure and requires a walker to get around – he’s thankful to have good hearing and to never have been faced with any serious diagnoses in his long life.

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Happy belated birthday to #lawrencebrooks ??? #moorinfo

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“I’ve started to think about not having many birthdays left. But I’m not worried about it, because God has let me live this long already. I think it’s because I’ve always liked people so much. Oh, yes, I do.”

It’s safe to say that plenty of people like him right back – including me, now that I’ve leaned a bit most about him.

Brooks takes over the title of oldest living WWII veteran from Mr. Richard Overton, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 112.

The post America’s Oldest World War II Veteran Has Celebrated His 110th Birthday appeared first on UberFacts.

Postal Service Releases New Stamps Benefiting Veterans With PTSD

One thing that our divided nation can all get together to support is helping out our veterans. And even though the task may seem daunting to many of us, one easy way we can all help out is by purchasing these new stamps the United States Postal Service has put out to benefit military veterans suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Sales of the stamps (which cost 65 cents and will cover the cost of a piece of first-class mail) will benefit the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, which oversees the National Center for PTSD.

The photo of the plant sprouting from ground surrounded by dead leaves on the stamp was taken by Mark Laita. The USPS says the image on the stamp is meant to “symbolize the PTSD healing process, growth and hope.”

The USPS explained the motivation behind the stamp:

“With this semipostal stamp, the U.S. Postal Service will raise funds to help treat those impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Tens of millions of Americans will experience PTSD in their lifetimes. Today, the nation is increasingly dedicated to compassionately treating this mental health issue.

Many kinds of trauma can lead people to experience persistent symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and difficulty sleeping. Depression, anxiety, and fear can also occur. Though these symptoms may initially interrupt one’s daily life, for most people they typically dissipate over time. However, if these problems continue for more than a month, PTSD may have developed.”

Go to your local post office to pick up these stamps or you can order them online HERE. Your money will go to a great cause.

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People Share What They Think Are the Toxic Ideas Spread on Reddit

Reddit can be a good site to connect with people and to learn about different topics, but let’s face the facts: there are a lot of people out there with dangerous ideas that spread like wildfire on the Internet.

That’s why it’s important to find your news from reputable sources…which can definitely be hard to do these days.

Folks on AskReddit shared what they think are the toxic and potentially dangerous ideas and beliefs that people share on Reddit. Share your thoughts in the comments.

1. Deviating from the norm.

“Absolutely hating on those that deviate from the norm. Hating on people that conform to society’s norms but not Reddit’s norms. Hating on people trying to have fun or hobbies.”

2. Pure selfishness.

“Glorification of selfishness. I get the impression a ton of people on this site have difficulty asserting themselves, or recognizing or setting their own boundaries, because Reddit is full of advice geared toward people with these problems.

What these posters seem to forget is that not everyone is codependent with self-esteem through the floor. And yet anytime anyone wants to get out of something that someone else wants them to do, Reddit leaps to “no is a complete sentence! Put yourself first! Don’t JADE!” In real life though, maintaining healthy relationships requires sometimes doing things you aren’t thrilled about for others’ sake.”

3. Let’s see the proof.

“Reddit is very much “Guilty until proven innocent”.

They will jump straight down the throat of any alleged criminal with 0 facts, 0 context, and demand they be sentenced to years behind bars, or worse.”

4. Quick to judge.

“Reddit has a tendency to label people “toxic” and encourage relationship advice that isn’t great.”

5. That’s bizarre.

“Worshipping celebrities. 10 year olds don’t need to receive death threats because he’s never heard of a 55 year old actor.”

6. Hostile to the facts.

“Reddit is extremely hostile to actual expertise. If you state outright “I do this professionally and you are wrong” it will send people into an impotent rage. If you don’t say so, they will smugly keep missing the point. There really is no good way to try to correct misconceptions or bad information.”

7. Amen to this one.

“To an extent, Reddit plays a role in the growing anti-intellectualism. There seems to be a large assumption that this is a website of experts and lengthy replies must be credible. I saw a fellow redditor describe it perfectly, “you finally realize how little most redditors know when they start talking about a topic you happen to be well researched in”.

I see this in two places primarily, topics about public education (I am a middle school teacher) and topics such as anti-vaccine. I understand reddit hates anti-vax for good reason, but it is also stuck in the old “anti-vaxxers are just stupid” stereotype. Instead of educating and helping the problem, they just poke fun. This unfortunately drives more anxious parents toward anti-vax communities. A little empathy, understanding, and education would do more to combat ideologies such as anti-vaccines than anything reddit actually does.”

8. Does that mean you can do whatever you want?

“Those people who make introversion out to be an excuse for some pretty terrible antisocial/misanthropic/unacceptable behavior.

I don’t like loud spaces and can feel overwhelmed by crowds of people; I would pay not to go to a concert. I also genuinely love the people in my life and will always make time for anyone who needs me. In my experience this is true for everyone extroverts and introverts alike.”

9. Don’t take this advice.

“Everyone is an armchair psychologist. You post about feeling sad sometimes and inevitably someone is like “thats because you have atypical depression and bipolar disorder” or whatever.”

10. Come on Reddit…

“One example of this….a medical doctor posts a well written comment about the dangers of over prescribing anti biotics. Top comment of the thread. Tons of awards. Later a 2nd year med student posts a similar comment. Still well written but maybe misses a few key points specifying how and why. Again…top comment of the thread. Gilded to the nines.

Later a college freshman bio major writes a pretty bad summary of the situation but it’s part of the Reddit hive mind echo chamber so anyone who bothers to correct him gets misinterpreted and downvoted. And so on and so on until someone LITERALLY TELLS ME they read on Reddit that taking antibiotics is dangerous and will lead to a super disease that will wipe out humanity. Come on Reddit….”

11. Stereotyping.

“Stereotyping, in general, seems rampant. Many comments and posts seem to believe that individuals are incapable of independent thought and just reflect the race/religion/gender/ethnicity/group/nationality/political party/subreddit/culture they belong to.

People are varied even within ideologies. Argue points and issues, not identities.”

12. That’s not good.

“If your partner does anything at all that you dislike, you should dump them, take them to the police, avoid all other partners in the future, etc etc.

Particularly prevalent in Relationships, Relationship Advice, AmITheAsshole and even just AskReddit itself. It’s rather appalling, and it seems to be pushed by people who have no idea what being in a relationship is actually like. It’s not fucking easy basically, you want to love something and be in a completely committed relationship? Prepare to fight for it, because it is not easy.”

13. What about the gray areas?

“Failure to acknowledge any nuance or gray areas. People feel the need to go all in on one side for any issue. I think they feel they’ll look weak or hurt their argument by relenting on any point. Or having a discussion on any point.”

14. Bad advice.

“That whenever someone in your life isn’t behaving perfectly or 100% supporting of you all the freaking time, you need to “cut them out of your life” because they are “abusive” and “toxic”.

I’m curious how many families have been ruined by such destructive advice.”

15. Most people are good people.

“Most Americans I know are nowhere as racist, dumb or fat as reddit makes everyone else think.

A good bunch of them are smart, hardworking people, and are also nowhere as extremist as to be considered far-right, far-left, etc. Reddit might be a huge echo chamber in politics, but, at least the Americans I know, have moderate views and are easy-going people.”

The post People Share What They Think Are the Toxic Ideas Spread on Reddit appeared first on UberFacts.

A Town in Austria Is so Sick of Nazis Visiting Hitler’s Birthplace That They’re Turning It into a Police Station

In a small town in Austria on the border of Germany sits a structure with a notorious past. It was here, in a nondescript building downtown called the Braunau am Inn, that Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889.

The building has been used as a school and a library over the years, but it has also been a magnet for neo-Nazis who view it as a shrine to Hitler. People have been coming since all the way back in the 1940s just after World War II ended, when Austrian and German veterans would flock to the house on Hitler’s birthday.

In 1972, the interior ministry of Austria took over the main lease from the family that owned the building so that the government could eventually have the final say about what the building would be used for. In 1984, the Austrian government tried to acquire the building outright from Gerlinde Pommer, who had sole possession of the building, but she refused to sell. Pommer also refused to renovate the structure so the government could not find a good tenant for the property.

Finally, in 2017, the Austrian government seized the building from Pommer and the dispute ended. Authorities have decided to turn Hitler’s birthplace into a police station to hopefully deter neo-Nazis from visiting the site.

In 1989, a stone was put in place in front of the building that reads, “For peace, freedom and democracy. Never again fascism. Millions dead are a warning.”

There will be an international architectural competition to redesign the building for its future police tenants.

Wolfgang Peschorn, the interior minister of Austria, said, “The future use of the house by the police should send an unmistakable signal that the role of this building as a memorial to the Nazis been permanently revoked.”

And it’s about time.

The post A Town in Austria Is so Sick of Nazis Visiting Hitler’s Birthplace That They’re Turning It into a Police Station appeared first on UberFacts.

The U.S. Postal Service Honors Military Dogs with New Stamps

The U.S. Postal Service has honored the U.S. military for many years by creating special limited-edition stamps. Now they’re highlighting the canine division of the military with these military working dogs stamps.

Dogs began serving in the U.S. military since the Civil War. They’ve continued to accompany humans in every war since, from World War I to Afghanistan. In fact, there is one dog for every three human soldiers in Afghanistan, Bloomberg reports.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

The most common dog breeds in the modern U.S. armed forces include the German shepherd, Dutch shepherd, Belgian Malinois, and Labrador retriever. Less common breeds are the Rottweiler, Bloodhound, and Beagle.

The USPS has created four new stamps with images of the four most common breeds, which they call “the four-legged heroes of the nation’s military.” The illustrations are stylized geometric versions with red and blue backgrounds. They’re available in a booklet of 20.

“As a military veteran and former law enforcement officer, I have the greatest appreciation for these animals and the service they provide,” David C. Williams, vice chairman of the USPS Board of Governors, said in a press release.

“Today, these dogs are born and raised to serve alongside soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and women, and members of the Coast Guard. They are heroes deserving of our respect and gratitude.”

A book of 20 Forever stamps costs $11. You can find them at your local USPS, on the online Postal Store, or by calling 800-STAMP24.

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William the Conquerer Literally Exploded at His Funeral

Yes, History Can Be Both Fun And Interesting!

Some might argue that, given the brutal, bloody way William the Conquerer ruled England, his brutal, stinking, bloody end was more than fitting.

William who-would-be-the-Conquerer was born around 1028 to the Duke of Normandy and a peasant girl. Officially a bastard, William still inherited his father’s titles at the age of 8. Normandy, though, found itself embroiled in a Civil War, and William’s childhood could not be described as idyllic, title or no.

 

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Whether it came naturally to him or he learned the behavior of brutality, William embraced his legacy as he grew, punishing his defeated foes by chopping off their hands and feet in at least one instance.

In 1066, he won the bloody battle of Hastings and was crowned King of England on Christmas Day the same year.

Though he instituted some constitutional and social reforms and forged close ties with France while ending Viking influence in England, he’s mostly remembered for the way he treated the people that disagreed with and fought against him.

 

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In 1069, he began a campaign known as “The Harrying of the North,” in which he put down rebellions by burning villages and slaughtering livestock (and sometimes people), leaving those who survived starving to the point of cannibalism.

William, however, grew fatter and fatter until an incident with his horse – an unexpected movement caused the saddle to puncture his intestines – eventually killed him.

It took 6 weeks, and while dying, the king supposedly confessed that he regretted at least some of his atrocities. According to Orderic Vitalis, a Benedictine monk and chronicler of English contemporary life, William spoke from his deathbed:

“I treated the native inhabitants of the kingdom with unreasonable severity, cruelly oppressed high and low, unjustly disinherited many, and caused the death of thousands by starvation and war, especially in Yorkshire …In mad fury I descended on the English of the north like a raging lion, and ordered that their homes and crops with all their equipment and furnishings should be burnt at once and their great flocks and herds of sheep and cattle slaughtered everywhere. So I chastised a great multitude of men and women with the lash of starvation and, alas! was the cruel murderer of many thousands, both young and old, of this fair people.”

He wanted his wealth to be given to churches and the poor upon his death, “so that what I amassed through evil deeds may be assigned to the holy uses of good men.”

A nice speech, though most historians and other experts  – including author David Bates – doubt he ever said it.

“Orderic has William express regret for the terrible bloodshed as a part of his deathbed confession. Although the speech is, as far as we know, entirely Orderic’s invention and an idealized version of what he thought ought to have happened, what he was certainly saying is that he believed William made a good end, as also did Eadmer and William of Malmesbury.”

The fruits of his time on earth caught up with William, and when he finally died, the knights and other noblemen fled, leaving the King’s corpse vulnerable to the peasant class who despised him. Orderic paints a ghastly final scene.

“The lesser attendants, seeing that their superiors had absconded, seized the arms, vessels, clothing, linen, and all the royal furnishings, and hurried away leaving the king’s body almost naked on the floor of the house. …as if he had been a barbarian.”

Only one knight – Herluin – came back to ensure the king would be properly buried. He did this, according to Orderic, because of “his natural goodness,” and “procured at his own expense persons to embalm and carry the body; and hiring a hearse, he caused it to be carried to the port on the Seine; and embarking it on board a vessel, conducted it by water and land to Caen.”

 

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The 70 mile trip took some time, and by the time the body arrived in Caen, the bacteria in the king’s gut had leaked and begun to decompose the rest of his tissue at an alarming pace. The funeral was further delayed due to a fire in Caen, then again by a “mourner” who claimed he had been robbed of his land by the church. A legal meeting proceeded, and by the time the heckler was compensated and sent on his way, things had begun to get smelly.

The body had overheated and swollen to enormous proportions. He would not fit into his tomb, and while they were trying to decide what to do, his “swollen bowels burst, and an intolerable stench assailed the nostrils of the bystanders and the whole crowd.”

And everyone peaced out because, yeah. Gross.

William the Conquerer hasn’t exactly been undisturbed since – he’s been disinterred 3 times (by the Church, at the hands of the Calvinists, and again during the French Revolution). All that remains of his unlucky corpse is a thigh bone, which is marked by a slab of stone.

If ever there was a guy who was definitely haunting people, it’s William the Conquerer.

Not that I blame him, even if he was a big of a wanker in his prime.

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7 Interesting Facts About Harriet Tubman

The movie Harriet recently came out at the U.S. box office, and (for most viewers) the movie is going to tell stories about this American historical figure that were previously unknown.

If you haven’t had time to get to the theatre yet, or you’re wanting to share details about a great American legend with your kids who are too young to view it, we’ve got you covered: here are 7 facts about Harriet Tubman that every American should know.

7. She never stopped serving others.

After the war, Tubman continued to push for women’s suffrage. She never had much, financially, but used what she had until the end, even donating some of her property to establish a Home for the Aged for elderly African Americans.

6. Harriet Tubman is not her given name.

She was born Araminta Ross (“Minty” as a girl), but changed her name in her teens to honor her mother.

5. She was tiny.

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#harriettubman #harriettubmanmuseum

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Tubman might have been larger than life – she had a reputation for being forceful – but she stood under 5 feet tall.

4. She suffered a debilitating head injury as a child.

Tubman was struck in the head with a weight thrown at another slave, and nearly died as a young girl as a result. She suffered from headaches, seizures, and visions her entire adult life, but none of that stopped her from undertaking hundreds of arduous, dangerous journeys.

3. She was the first woman to lead a U.S. military raid.

Tubman worked as a cook, nurse, scout, and spy for the Union Army during the Civil War, and was given $200 for her trouble. She also led a raid that freed 750 slaves from bondage in South Carolina.

2. She led her own family to freedom.

Tubman escaped, and then immediately began work with the Underground Railroad. She returned to Maryland’s eastern shore for her siblings, and led them, along with 70 other people, to freedom.

1. She lived an extremely long life, especially considering the circumstances of hers.

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HONOR THE ANCESTORS! Lately I've noticed people making jokes about Harriet Tubman's hair. I cannot understand why any black person would dishonor such a fierce warrior in the fight for liberation of black people. When you disrespect the ancestors you disresect yourself. You are your ancestors. We were brainwashed to hate orselves. Now it is time to wake up. HONOR ALL BLACK WOMEN. Hold black women in the highest regard no matter their background or level of awakening. HONOR ALL BLACK MEN. Hold black men in high regard no matter their background or level of awakening.The black woman and man are one. #harriettubman . . . There is a reason the black woman is hated on. Follow to read my upcoming blogs for @reflectionmag that reveal the truth that dates back hundreds and even thousands of years. IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND! . .⁣ . Click link in bio to read my latest article. Comment, follow, share! #blackwomenareaforce #blackwomenwillneverbeerased #blackwomen #blackgirls #diaspora #africandiaspora #africa #african #africanamerican #caribbean #blackpride #blackbeauty #blackpower #blackpeople #blacklivesmatter #blackgirlrock #blackgirlmagic #blacklove #blackunity #panafrican #panafricanism #africanstyle #africanbeauty #africanfashion #africanculture

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Harriet Tubman lived to around 93, which is made all the more astonishing considering all she endured during her lifetime.

 

Me, I’m still itching to see the film.

Are you going to see it? Please say yes!

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