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TIL the reason the Gamecube and Wii cannot play standard DVD discs is because the consoles spin the media at a constant angular velocity (the disc spins at the same speed regardless of the laser’s position) versus a constant linear velocity as with standard drives/players.

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R7rL6 TIL that the very first Medal of Honor recipient, Pvt. Jacob Parrott, received the honor in 1863 after stealing a train just north of Atlanta and riding it north to the TN border. Along the way, they destroyed track switches and cut telegraph lines, severely limiting Confederate communications.
x618w TIL: in 1964 the U.S. ceded land to Mexico. A boundary dispute caused by the changing course of the Rio Grande near El Paso was resolved by the Chamizal Treaty which ceded land north of the river to Mexico and some Mexican land to the U.S. They agreed to rechannel the river so it won't happen again.
KLrQ TIL that during the filming The Princess Bride, the actor playing Count Rugen (Christopher Guest) inadvertently knocked Cary Elwes out when he tapped him on the head to hard with the butt of his sword. The scene of Westley falling to the ground unconscious is real. (Video clip in Comments)
9wB4M TIL in the late 1960s George Carlin made about $250K annually, however in 1970 he changed his routines & his appearance. He grew his hair long, sported a beard, & wore earrings to look more "hip" for a younger audience. After his income declined by 90% initially, his career arc was greatly improved.
nJBW TIL that in 1991, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad’s son killed 2 people while driving. He was only ticketed for improper lane usage & fined $15.