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TIL that Margaret Atwood based The Handmaid’s Tale entirely on real historical events with every element of oppression in the book having already happened somewhere

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168ld TIL In 1907, a performer named "Sober Sue" appeared onstage. Theater offered $100 to anyone who could make Sober Sue laugh. People from the audience, professional comedians, all tried, but failed. Later it was found it was impossible for her to laugh because her facial muscles were paralyzed.
aw1GZ TIL Voting is mandatory in Belgium. Citizens are automatically registered in the electoral polls and more than 90% of the eligible population takes part in the voting process, since you risk a fine if you do not vote either in person or by proxy.
grAD7 TIL that Arch Hall Sr. (who is known for cult classics such as Eegah and The Sadist) was an honorary member of the Sioux tribe, and he received an Indian funeral when he died.
jyeQ TIL that Samuel L. Jackson was supposed to have an afro in Pulp Fiction. He was losing his hair so needed a wig. A PA went to get an Afro-style wig. The PA mistook the Afro for Jheri curls. Before they were able to return it, Jackson convinced Tarantino to keep it so he ended up wearing Jheri Curls.
dZj7 TIL the odds of your father’s sperm meeting with your mother’s egg to create you is 1 in 4 quadrillion. The odds of you existing as yourself (traced back to your first ancestors) is 10^2,685.000.