Here are a few things I learned the other day-

In the Koran, Mary mother of Jesus is a BIG deal. She is mentioned more in the Koran than in the entire New Testament and is also the only woman mentioned by name in the Koran. She even has her own book. Like many Catholic women in Latin America, Muslim women often see Mary as their connection to God. Who knew?

In the 1300’s, and into the 1600’s there were outbreaks of DANCING MANIA. Its well documented apparently. Groups of people, tens of thousands even, would start dancing wildly and without control. Like, really out of control, and they wouldn’t stop. not for days, weeks, sometimes months! Yes, some people danced themselves to death. No music required. In fact, they played music sometimes to help calm the dancers down. There are many theories about it, but not any with much evedence. It happened to people of all ages and genders across Europe and beyond.

Sliced Bread was INVENTED. Well, pre-sliced bread, in 1928. You can imagine bread would get pretty stale if you left it laying around open so I imagine the availability of the wax wrapping helped. “people ate more slices of bread at a time, and ate bread more frequently, because of the ease of eating another piece of bread” It took a while to get a bakery to try it, but then suddenly everyone realized it was a great idea.

Thanks to Ross for tipping me to the Minaret of Jam which showed me the light of the first idea here, and The Writers Almanac for informing me of the other two.

Last night the police set up a check point near where I live, to check everyone driving down the boulevard.

A few blocks up the street from them a bunch of people were spilling off the curb with signs that said “CHECKPOINT” and “RETEN” (spanish). They were yelling at all the drivers trying to look out and turn to go around the checkpoint.

I asked them if maybe it would be better to write “DANGER POLICE AHEAD” or “POLICE AHEAD TURN” or something. Its kind of intense to drive down the street and have a bunch of people suddenly yelling and coming into the street at you vigorously waving signs that say ‘CHECKPOINT”. By the time I got over the shock and confusion I would already be at the checkpoint! But they said they do this all the time and people know what they mean.

The police are looking for drunk drivers and such, but the reason people are out in the streets trying to get drivers to turn is because lots of people around here are here illegally. They drive with fake licenses and such. If they get caught its a tragedy for the whole family. So, people are yelling “CHECKPOINT!! RETEN!!!” at them.