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TIL Italian banks take Parmigiano Reggiano — a.k.a. Parmesan — as collateral for loans and keep hundreds of thousands of cheese wheels in their own climate-controlled vaults for the 2 years it takes to mature

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grEQ8 TIL - van Gogh's "Starry Night" (1889) may have been inspired by Hokusai’s "Great Wave" (1831). Van Gogh was a great admirer of this Japanese print, had written to his brother Theo about it, and both share a similar coloring of rich blues.
0wO1N TIL great white sharks are not apex predators, they are occasionally hunted by orcas for their fatty livers!
oBv7K TIL that while not enforceable, the U.S. has a flag code which advises Americans on proper flag usage. Examples include, No marking or changing the flag's colors, It must be lowered at night unless properly lit, a flag may not be used on a float without a pole, and no flag apparel of any sort.
l8JN TIL most popular novels are written at the 7th-grade level
oRp87 TIL that Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine is buried right next to Marilyn Monroe in Westwood Memorial Park. He paid $75,000 back in 1992 to secure the spot. He told the LA Times, "Spending eternity next to Marilyn is a opportunity too sweet to pass up."