26Evolution of the "Red Phone"
The "Red Phone," linking Washington to Moscow, was neither actually red nor a traditional phone. It began as a teletype system in 1963, transitioned to fax in 1986, and has functioned as secure email since 2008.
27. Samsung has the capability to remotely disable its TVs equipped with a "Television Block Function." When connecting to the internet, the TV cross-references its serial code with Samsung's servers and ceases functionality if there's a match. Samsung employs this feature to prevent cargo theft and unauthorized retail.
28. The US Marshals' "Con Air" service provides transportation for non-federal prisoners at a maximum cost of $2,643.
29. During the Civil War, former US President John Tyler supported the Confederacy and won election to the Confederate House of Representatives. However, he passed away in 1862 before assuming office. Despite his request for a simple burial, the Confederate flag draped his coffin at his burial.
30. To alleviate the immediate financial strain of Terminator 2: Judgment Day's production costs, Carolco Pictures paid most of Arnold Schwarzenegger's salary with a financed $12.75 million Gulfstream III jet.
Latest FactRepublic Video:
15 Most Controversial & Costly Blunders in History
31Canada's Progressive Conservative Defeat
In the 1993 election, Canada's Progressive Conservative Party suffered a devastating defeat, losing 154 out of 156 seats. It marked one of the worst election defeats in any Western democratic nation.
32. Fat men's clubs were a popular phenomenon in the US from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Many of these social clubs restricted membership to men weighing over 200 pounds (91 kg). The decline of these clubs paralleled a shift in societal perceptions of obesity, shifting from being associated with wealth and kindness to a negative view.
33. Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone hold the distinction of being the only two actors in history to have starred in a box-office No. 1 film across six consecutive decades.
34. In 1870, the French National Assembly offered the French throne to Henri, the Count of Chambord, but he declined when they refused his demand to change the flag. This decision prompted Pope Pius IX to famously remark, "All that for a napkin!"
35. Hepatic pregnancy refers to a rare condition where implantation occurs in the liver.