› added 11 years ago

113

TIL that there is a system for threatened airline pilots to remove control and navigation capability from everyone on the plane, including themselves, using an Autopilot that cannot be over-ridden from within the plane. “I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

D17Wp TIL the process of dry cleaning was invented in 1821 by an African American business owner named Thomas Jennings. He was one of the first African Americans to be granted a patent. He had to use the proceeds from his invention to buy his wife and children out of slavery.
XEP1R TIL the British have invaded or fought conflicts in 171 of the world's 193 countries recognized by the United Nations
ZrpQ TIL DC police officer William West warned Ulysses S Grant, the sitting President of the United States at the time, about recklessly driving his horse-drawn carriage. The next day West saw Grant driving in the same manner and placed the POTUS under arrest. (Washington Post, NOV 7 1925)
OwYa TIL of Ernst Loof, the record holder for the shortest F1 career. In his first, and last, Grand Prix, he traveled 6 feet (2 metres) off the starting grid before retiring due to a malfunction.
KOdwB TIL after the movie Office Space premiered, Swingline received requests for red staplers, which they stopped selling years prior. Due to high demand, they began to produce the red staplers again. They would later become the company's best selling stapler and transform the image of the company.