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TIL when Mel Brooks hired Orson Welles to narrate History of the World pt.1, he budgeted $5,000 a day for 5 days. Welles completed all the narration perfectly by noon on the first day, making $25,000 for 3 hours work. He said he planned to spend the money on Cuban cigars and caviar.

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kOljW TIL that the death rate of climbing mount K2, the second highest mountain in the world, is 29%.
KYNOG TIL that non-biting midges are among the most important pollinators in the Arctic. Only about 4,000 insect species have been identified in these regions, and nearly half are flies. These hardy little critters play a critical role in the ecosystem through their pollination efforts.
18mD TIL a Canadian female astronaut was sexually assaulted by a cosmonaut on a training mission. She reached out to the CSA and was told, “That kind of behavior is normal for Russians, and it would be too taboo to complain publicly.”
E10YX TIL Many “Vampire killing kits”, allegedly from the 19th century, are sold in auction houses such as Sotheby’s, for upwards of $12,000. However, their authenticity is debatable as they contain materials that place them as being made in the 1930s or later. There is also no historical basis for them.
kOdKg TIL When inflight smoking was being initially banned there was an exemption for pilots out of safety concerns of them going through nicotine withdrawl