if you ever think that you’ve made a big mistake, just remember that in 1788 the Austrian army attacked itself and lost 10,000 men

This is why we have uniforms, people.

~ Maytag Multi-Motor Washer with Swinging Reversible Wringer, 1916 via Flickr "Can Churn While You Wash…. It has a belt wheel that enables it to run the churn - ice cream freezer - food chopper - bone grinder - any small machine - while washing and wringing, if desired."

Maytag, go home, you're drunk.

shit got weird in the 50’s

Voluntary slavery? Ancient Egyptians paid a monthly fee to become temple slaves

Becoming bound by eternal, unquestioning servitude as someone’s property is not likely most people’s career of choice. 2200 years ago, however, it seems some Egyptians voluntarily signed up to become temple slaves.

Not only that, they even paid a monthly fee for the “privilege.”

The revelation comes from the work of Egyptologist Kim Ryholt of the University of Copenhagen, who has been studying papyrus slave contracts found in a rubbish dump in the ancient Egyptian temple city of Tebtunis.

“I am your servant from this day onwards, and I shall pay 2½ copper-pieces every month as my slave-fee before Soknebtunis, the great god.”

This is part of the translation of 100 of these papyrus slave contracts that Ryholt has spent years trying to collect and analyse. The documents were scattered in fragments across Egypt, Europe and the US after they were illicitly excavated. In one example, a contract was divided between Copenhagen and the British Museum. Read more.

No really: What the fuck, history?!

My favourite picture from the Bosnian war/genocide.

Hey, points for not sugar coating it.

Did Humans Evolve in the Oceans at Some Point?

We human beings have some strange characteristics which set us aside from the other primates:

(via samsaranmusing:)

Oh shit evolution did you hear that!? Where’re my sexy dorsal and face fins!?

We were all Eridans.

Ah yes. Allow me to direct you to The Aquatic Ape Theory.

Gordon Parks, Dr. Kenneth B. Clark conducting the Doll Test, Harlem, New York, 1947

In the “doll test,” psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark used four plastic, diaper-clad dolls, identical except for color. They showed the dolls to black children between the ages of three and seven and asked them questions to determine racial perception and preference. Almost all of the children readily identified the race of the dolls. However, when asked which they preferred, the majority selected the white doll and attributed positive characteristics to it. The Clarks also gave the children outline drawings of a boy and girl and asked them to color the figures the same color as themselves. Many of the children with dark complexions colored the figures with a white or yellow crayon. The Clarks concluded that “prejudice, discrimination, and segregation” caused black children to develop a sense of inferiority and self-hatred. This photograph was taken by Gordon Parks for a 1947 issue of Ebony magazine. (via)

You want to know what is exceptionally fucked up?

The same study was replicated in 2008.  Dark-skinned children still by far selected the white doll.  Repeatedly. 

What the actual fuck.