Jeans sagging below the waist began in jail!

Sagging began in prison where the inmates weren’t allowed to wear belts for fear they would commit suicide with them or kill another inmate. It was popularized in the hip-hop culture in the early 1990s and represents a delinquent and disrespectful attitude towards authority.

Some towns in the South have even outlawed the trend. Other towns have a $500 fine and up to 6 months in jail! The laws, most people argue, hinder the rights of freedom of expression. What do you think? Is it indecent or should it be acceptable, even if you don't like the way it looks?

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The Dancing Plague caused people to dance themselves to death.

It was a phenomenon that occurred between the 14th and 17th centuries. A mass psychogenic illness labeled the “dancing plague” where people danced uncontrollably until they collapsed! The dancing mania took place in mainland Europe. 

One of the most famous cases involved people dancing on a bridge. Eventually so many people danced that they broke the bridge and fell into the river. The most notable case involves a woman that in Strasbourg that began dancing on the streets. Within a few days 33 people joined her, then 400 in a month! Some people died from heart attacks.

The people would dance in groups, sometimes in the thousands, in a bizarre way until they collapsed. They screamed, shouted, sang, and said to have hallucinations. Some say that it was a religious cult and others say it was just a psychogenic illness that affected many throughout the course of several centuries. It was mainly present in times of hardship. In a particular case, the plague occurred after a whole town had fasted for a long time. 

Some people have compared modern day raves to this. What do you think?

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Michael Jackson admitted to ripping off a riff. He was told that that riff was itself ripped off

Jackson reportedly admitted this to Daryl Hall, of Hall and Oats, during the recording of “We Are The World.” He told Hall that he lifted the bass line of “Billie Jean” from their song “I Can’t Go For That,” and Hall admitted he’d taken it from another song! Hall told Jackson that it was something all musicians did.

The Hall and Oats song that Michael Jackson admitted to ripping off was “I Can’t Go For That,” was released in 1981 and it was their 4th number-one hit single. The song knocked out “Physical” by Olivia Newton John for the number-one spot. The song has been covered by other big names since its release.

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Bubble wrap was intended to be used as wallpaper!

In 1957, inventors Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes attempted to create a 3D wallpaper. Unfortunately, the wallpaper didn’t catch on but the men realized that it was useful for packing delicate items for shipping!

The success and popularity of bubble wrap has gotten so large that the last Monday of every January is dubbed “Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day”. Toy company Bandai even created a virtual bubble wrap popping toy called “Mugen Puchipuchi” and a version was created for the Wii! Do you like popping bubble wrap? What’s your favorite thing to do with it? Tell us in the comments!

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Despite Sierra Leone’s rich natural resources, 70% of its people live in poverty!

Sierra Leone is quite wealthy due to its natural resources. It is among the top 10 diamond producing nations in the world. It also is a top producer of titanium and bauxite, and a major producer of gold. The country also has the third largest natural harbor in the world. 

Shipping from all over the world takes place in the harbor called Queen Elizabeth II Quay. The country is one of the most religiously tolerant nations in the world with 60% of the population being Muslim. Despite all their natural resources and wealth, the country has a 70% poverty rate on its people. This is pretty notable, because wealth in natural resources usually correlates highly with poverty levels. The country is emerging from a long civil war with signs of economic recovery. 

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