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TIL That in New York City, some public high schools have an entrance exam called the SHSAT. Although the De Blasio Administration has tried replacing it due to Blacks and Latinos scoring disproportionately lowered, it caused widespread dissent among Asian Americans who desire to keep it in place.

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xljB TIL The first music video to be shot entirely with mobile phones was “Some Postman” by The Presidents of the United States of America
Lk6VP TIL the country with the highest percentage of native English speakers is Ireland, followed by UK and New Zealand. Canada ranks as only 56% due to the prevalence of French and First Nations languages.
08QN TIL a 2005 article from Der Spiegel quoting Fouad Hussein predicts the future regarding the Islamic State in an eerily accurate way: “An Islamic Caliphate in Seven Easy Steps” We’re currently at phase 5 and right on schedule.
PYwye TIL that in high school Weird Al Yankovic was a part-time accordion teacher and occasional accordion repo-man. And he has a degree in Architecture.
LkOGp TIL of Katsuma Dan, a Japanese marine biologist who studied in the US before WW2 and who saved his marine lab with a note to advancing American forces asking to preserve his scientific work. (note in comments)