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TIL that the producers of MASH wrote responses to hundreds of angry letters about the death of Henry Blake by explaining that a plane evacuating kids from Vietnam recently crashed with no survivors, asking if the viewers felt the same sorrow for the children as they did for a fictional man.

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e09P6 TIL of Medieval Chinese "Biaoju" (Security Company). Founded by peasant fighters, ex-military men entering lucrative private sector, and even ex-bandits, they provided bodyguard/escort and detective services to clients (usually travelling merchants) for a fee. The last Biaoju closed in 1920.
Z8evY TIL that H1N1, the influenza strain that caused the 1918 flu pandemic, survived another 40+ years as a seasonal flu bug. It was finally “extinguished” by another flu virus, H2N2, in the 1957 flu pandemic. Even so, a “new” H1N1 emerged 50 years later to cause the 2009 “swine flu” pandemic.
XpBj TIL that Arm & Hammer, the baking soda company, was purchased by Armand Hammer, a business tycoon, who was named after the symbol for the Socialist Labor Party of America - an Arm and Hammer.
0dwr1 TIL that Harry Houdini had skepticism of anything mystical and had intense anger at miracle workers, spiritualists, and mediums that preyed on vulnerable people.
oJjL TIL “47 Ronin” Starring Keanu Reeves was the biggest box office flop in history. Losing over $149 million, enough to put universal deep in the red in 2013.