recently (past 6 weeks or so) the NY Times reported an islamic scholar got into hot water because he went back to old, original texts (as much as possible,) and he claimed that the text about the faithful man getting 72 houri (huri, what ever spelling) was a typo.. (just as cinderelle's "glass slipper" is a typo--it should be a fur slipper, (french i think, 1 letter difference between glass and fur))and the faithfull would recieve 72 (a number meant to mean a great quanity,) of sweet, plump, dark raisins!

It's too hot in most of arabia for grapes (only the very edge of the mediterrain will support them in the south)-- and more than 10 or miles inland from the Med., you can't you grow grapes. Raisins were a treat. as a dried food, they were lightweight, sweet, they didn't go bad, and they were rare...

so, all the martyrs get a nice big bunch of grapes.. as dried up raisins for their rewards! nothing sexist about it.. just a typo!

Any know the Marx's brother's routine when they are looking for a Flash (light)? and zeppo offers flesh, a flask, a fish, a flare, etc? The word mistake is not so much a writen typo, but a homonym (sound alike, different meaning..) and someone, somewhere heard it wrong.. and perpetuated it.
(flashlight=torch)


my other obsession