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TIL that 'Star Spangled Banner' only became the anthem of the USA in 1931, after the huge outcry caused by Robert Ripley, who denounced in one of his famous "Believe it or Not" cartoons that the country, in fact, had no official anthem up until then.

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Q0ME TIL that the Nijō Palace in Kyoto has special floors that squeak when walked upon, a sound that is very similar to the Nightingale birds. So when attackers tried to kill the Shogun, they would give their position away, but would only think that the birds outside are chirping.
Lkkj9 TIL a number of hotels have begun 'rent a fish' programs whereby--for a modest fee--guests can borrow a goldfish to keep as a companion for the night.
rR4We TIL Dwight D. Eisenhower said “The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants…It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals…We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.”
x6P07 TIL what the FDIC does when a bank fails. I figure it is relevant again.
78WeL TIL Blockbuster didn't die - There's still one dubbed as "The Last Blockbuster"