Today I learned...

... Mark Twain believes the first novel ever written on a typewriter was "Tom Sawyer". Twain wrote the book in 1876, and said that many of the adventures in the book really happened, Huck was based upon a real friend, and Tom is a combination of three different boys he knew in school. Typewriter historian Darryl Rehr believes the first was Twain's "Life on the Mississippi" manuscript. What I want to know: WHO KNEW THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS A TYPEWRITER HISTORIAN??

... Eleanor Roosevelt was the only First Lady to pack heat- and "Eleanor" isn't her first name: Anna is. Both of her parents were dead by the time she turned 10, so she was raised by extended family. President Teddy Roosevelt is her father's older brother, which also means that she was Franklin Roosevelt's 5th cousin. When she married FDR, Uncle Teddy walked her down the aisle. She was a HUGE supporter of racial equality in our military, especially the Tuskegee Airmen. Her racial equality advocacy was a major factor in President Truman's decision to desegregate the military in 1948. One of my favorite quotes EVER is credited to Eleanor Roosevelt: The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of an group of animals I have ever seen. Thank GOD for the United States Marine Corps!
OORAH AND AMEN, MRS.ROOSEVELT!!!

... The most common shoe size for female models is an 8... which explains why I am not a model, with my size 10 1/2 hoofs. It has nothing to do with my wee-bit-bigger-than the average model dress size of 2. Yup. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

... The electric chair was invented by... A FREAKIN' DENTIST. In 1881 Dr. Albert Southwick got the idea after watching an elderly drunk man accidently kill himself by touching the terminals of an electric generator. He thought it looked quick and painless. Oh yeah... totally painless.. just like getting a new crown. No wonder I hate going to the dentist- it really is TORTURE!