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TIL that in 1984, a British grandmother made the world's first online at-home consumer purchase using her TV remote. She was ordering groceries from the local Tesco.

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x6vw1 TIL Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig's last sentence was meticulously typed by his wife as she recited the alphabet and he told her when to stop but he didn't finish as he was interrupted and it concerned a "point of all points, which the Lord has truly revealed to me in my sleep"
xVXNw TIL American politician and former vice president Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814) argued against the idea of a standing army, comparing it to a standing penis: "An excellent assurance of domestic tranquility, but a dangerous temptation to foreign adventure."
Y765A TIL that Charles Whitman, the Texas Tower shooter, requested an autopsy to discover the cause of his violent behavior. The autopsy revealed a tumor pressing on his amygdala, which might have influenced his actions.
m1nxE TIL some mattresses literally have fiberglass in them. CA is the only state in the US to have banned this practice - as of October 2023.
WkVNA TIL For the opening song to "Blazing Saddles," Mel Brookes advertised for a "Frankie Laine-type" singer. Frankie Laine himself offered his services and passionately sang the western tune without the knowledge that it was for a western spoof.