The first American kazoo was created in the 1840s in Macon, Ga., by Alabama Vest, an American black, and Thaddeus Von Clegg, a German clock maker.

St. Joseph of Copertino, a Franciscan friar, was said to amaze congregations by levitating and flying through the air.

New Mexico has the highest rate for chances of being killed as a pedestrian. Arizona and Florida are tied for No. 2.

Kaga Takeshi, the actor who plays Chairman Kaga on Iron Chef, played Jean Valjean in a 1994 production of Les Misérables. He was also the first Japanese Tony in West Side Story, as well as the first Japanese Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar.

One of the monsters from Where the Wild Things Are is named “Moishe.”

This article appears in May 30 • 2003.

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