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TIL tortoiseshell, used in eyeglass frames, guitar picks and luxury items, has been banned for trade since 1973 because it mostly comes from the endangered hawksbill sea turtle. Most "tortoiseshell" objects today are made from plastic

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7VZ TIL that 60 percent of the US deficit by 2019 will be a result of the Bush-era tax cuts.
YpekA TIL that Disney World once had its own airport with a runway that sang. It had grooves in the tarmac that were spaced such that when a plane reached 45 mph, it played Pinocchio's 'When You Wish Upon A Star".
yrKM TIL No violent crimes were reported in New York City on November 28, 2012, possibly for the first time ever. Not a single person was murdered, shot, slashed, or stabbed until 11:20 am the next day. Officials couldn’t remember it ever happening before.
VBG8B TIL That in the original version of The Hobbit, Gollum willingly surrendered the Ring to Bilbo as reward for winning a Riddle Game. However, as Tolkien conceived LOTR, he realized that the Ring's grip on Gollum would never permit him to give it up willingly. Bilbo steals the ring in the 2nd edition.
VMNkZ TIL Ennio Morricone refused to move to US even offered mansion for free and never learned English.