The Holy Grail Press
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Word of the Every So Often
leucistic: (adj.) (pronounced: loo-sis-tic) To lose all pigmentation in one’s skin and eyes is albinism. If it’s just partial, then it’s leucistic.
The Almost Daily
Earlier this year we reported that there were only two Palindrome Days this year, when the date is the same forward as backward, and one of those days is today: 62626. However, all week long the dates have been palindromes. For instance, 62126 is a palindrome. You know, who cares if the date’s a palindrome? Seriously, random arrangement of numbers means absolutely nothing. So there! And that leaves us with National Barcode Day! Now there’s a holiday far more exciting than palindromes.
It was on this day in 1974 that a pack of Wrigley’s gum became the first product scanned by a barcode at a Marsh grocery store in Troy, Ohio. The idea was first conceived way back in 1949 by Norm Woodland and Bernie Silver, inspired by Morse Code. Even though the idea was patented in 1952, it wasn’t until 1967 that the American Association of Railroads used an early version of a barcode to track railcars. In 1970 the National Association of Food Chains started working on a universal design, and then three years later, in 1973, IBM engineers (I mean, who else?) came up with the format we still use to this day. It wasn’t until the 1980s, though, that barcodes became common place, thanks to retailers like Wal-Mart, who really liked the idea of not only being able to easily ring you up at the cash register, but to also track inventory. And, yes, they use barcodes in bars.
Cartoon of the Week
Sub-Woofer
Stuff
Number 48
“Do you like my new cat?” Andrea asked when Jamal walked in the door after a hard day’s work.
“You got a new cat?” Jamal asked in disgust.
“Yes,” said Andrea. “Isn’t he cute?”
Jamal looked around and then asked, “Which one is he?”
“He’s...” replied Andrea, and then after a pause, continued, “I’m really not sure. But you’ll just love his name.”
Jamal moved over to the liquor cabinet and started rummaging through the empty bottles. “Oh, I’m sure I will,” he stated, with just a touch of sarcasm.
It wasn’t clear if Andrea ignored Jamal’s sarcasm, or just wasn’t aware. Said Andrea, “I call him 48.”
“Forty-eight?” Jamal wondered.
“Well, silly,” quipped Andrea, “he is number 48, after all.”
“Where’s all my liquor!” Jamal finally demanded, after making certain that the cabinet really was void of any spirits, except, perhaps, for the spirits of the empty bottles that had not yet followed the light into the next world, where many thirsty parishioners were eagerly awaiting their arrival.
“Oh, your liquor,” said Andrea, “that would be Bobo and Leander. They do so dislike milk.” And then, she added, “Where are you going?”
“Out!” snapped Jamal as he picked up his coat. “I’m going to the Cat and the Fiddle for a drink!” And with that, he grabbed his hat and headed for the door.
“Wait for us,” said Andrea, “the cats do so love to get out. We can take the van.”
But Jamal never heard Andrea, for he was already gone. She stood there sadly for a moment, and was only distracted when Bobo rubbed against her legs. He then looked up at her and inquired, “Well, are we going or not?”
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