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March 2, 2005 Food for Thought What happened to your education? You spent all those years absorbing and regurgitating facts -- you'd think something would have stuck. And yet, you struggle. Was Grover Cleveland one of our presidents? Or just a muppet? Luxembourg. What country is that in? Good thing you didn't have to know this stuff for your job. There is a way to beef up your basic knowledge without going back to school. A toy company called The Straight Edge has made placemats with an educational twist. Each mat covers a different area of study. You can bone up on Spanish vocabulary while you scarf down that burrito. Or learn what parts of your digestive system will be hit with that bowl of ice cream you're eating. Astronomy, the chemical elements, international flags. Take your pick. There's even one that shows how to recognize animals by their tracks. Okay, so they're intended for kids -- which is also good for you because they can be sponged clean. But by the time you've absorbed what's on these mats, the kids you know today will be just about ready to forget what they've learned. We found a stack of Read A Mat placemats at Okay, at 8303 West Third Street, which is east of La Cienega. You can also order them online through Kazoo Toys.