American kids think they outperform other countries in tests. In reality? they're almost dead last!

American kids think they outperform other countries in tests. In reality? they're almost dead last!

There are many things wrong in the American public school system (we covered cafeteria meals here), and the film Waiting for Superman brought light to a lot of the issues facing schools. 

One of the most shocking ones is that, on international math and science tests, American schoolchildren rank 25th in Math and 21st in Science among the 30 most developed countries. However, they also ranked 1st in thinking they outperformed everyone else. Some experts think that this is a combination of a high focus on self-esteem and low expectations. If true, this might put the US in an educational disadvantage in the future. 

(Source)

There are more than 20,000 slaves buried in New York!

There are more than 20,000 slaves buried in New York!

Archaeologists in New York have been investigating a burial site located under the busy New York streets. They estimate that about 20,000 slaves were buried under the metropolis. They've found many skeletons with filed teeth, a practice that leads them to believe that they arrived to New York straight from Africa. These slaves helped build the city back when it was becoming the economic center of the United States.

One horrible finding that has been found on these slave burial grounds is that half of the remains were children under 12 years old! Researchers speculate that it was more cost effective for slave owners to work people to death and replace them instead of taking good care of them, so they took people that were young, but ready to work.

JFK bought 1,200 Cuban cigars days before it became illegal!

Since 1962, there has been a commercial embargo between the US and Cuba. This makes it illegal to sell in the US anything made on the island. Perhaps the most famous product affected by this are Cuban Cigars. Cubans are famously good and considered to be superior over other cigars. 

A former aide to President Kennedy has said that the president ordered him to buy 1,000 cigars a few days before the embargo came into effect. He later returned with 1,201 Petit H. Upmann cigars, JFKs favorite brand.