Pack of chewing gum becomes 

first-ever item scanned with a UPC barcode 

On the morning of June 26, 1974, at a supermarket in Troy, Ohio, a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum becomes the first grocery item scanned with a Universal Product Code, or UPC. The result of years of scientific experimentation and industry cooperation, the UPC barcode would go on to be used well beyond the grocery checkout counter, becoming a ubiquitous feature of modern commerce, with billions of barcodes scanned daily.

The first version of a barcode was drafted by inventor Joe Woodland in the sand on Miami Beach in 1949. He designed a pattern of thick and thin lines arranged in concentric circles, readable by a scanner from any angle. Woodland took the inspiration for his design from Morse Code, but instead of communicating through dots and dashes, the barcode relayed information through thick and thin lines. He applied for a patent for his invention in 1949 and received it in 1952.

It took two decades to translate Woodland's idea into a functional barcode scanning system. In 1949, there was no practical way to "read" a barcode's image. The invention of the laser in 1960 created new possibilities for scanning technology.  At the same time, computers became smaller and more affordable. Barcode scanners took advantage of both these advances. The new scanners used the ultra-bright light of a laser to sweep across the black-and-white image of a barcode, communicating information about the product and the price to a computerized cash register.

Grocery industry executives recognized the potential of these new technologies to improve efficiency and keep costs down in their stores. They also realized that they needed a standardized system to effectively introduce barcodes industry-wide. The "Ad Hoc Committee of the Grocery Industry" convened in 1970 to develop a plan for implementing barcodes and scanners at the nation's grocery checkouts. Kroger, independently, became the first store to install a pilot program of barcode scanners in their stores in 1972. Kroger and RCA collaborated on an automated supermarket check stand, which used Woodland's "bull's-eye" barcode design.

The round design proved somewhat unreliable, however, because it tended to get smudged coming out of the printer. The Ad Hoc Committee selected a different design, based on a last-minute submission by IBM engineer George Laurer. He redesigned the barcode as a rectangle, rather than a bull's-eye, which made the image easier to print accurately. Laurer's winning design, named the Universal Product Code (UPC), combined vertical stripes with a row of 12 digits. Clyde Dawson, head of research and development for Marsh Supermarkets, ceremonially scanned the first grocery item with a UPC on June 26, 1974, at 8:01 a.m. It was a pack of Wrigley's chewing gum, proving that barcodes could work on even the smallest items.

The new barcodes and scanners in grocery stores garnered mixed reactions from shoppers, however. Some thought the lines and numbers represented the "mark of the beast" from the biblical Book of Revelation. More widespread was the belief that barcodes would provide stores with a new way to rip off customers. The Consumer Federation of America launched a campaign against barcodes nationwide, and protesters picketed stores with barcode scanners. The U.S. Senate even held a "symposium on the Universal Product Coding System." Due to the pushback from customers, grocery stores were slow to embrace barcode scanners, with only 1 percent adopting the new devices by the end of the 1970s. A decade later, however, the consumer backlash had ebbed, and more than half of U.S. grocery stores relied on UPC scanners. Since then, it has become arguably the most pervasive technology of the retail shopping experience.

- Credit history.com 

Net Discussion Questions

Have you been to Coney Island?

Are you a roller coaster fan?

Did you know that the bar code “concept” came from Morse Code?

On June 19th we learn about National Watch Day and recognize an industry that has been around for more than 500 years and is steadily evolving. Choosing a watch is very personal as the choices are vast and numerous. Even with the advent of smartphones and smartwatches, the classic wristwatch signals individual taste, culture, and a rich history that cannot be disputed.

Enveloped in history and nostalgia, makers crafted watches not only for telling time but as a symbol of something personal. Watches present a statement of who we are. When we pass down timepieces from generation to generation, they often become family heirlooms. Watches also serve as a rite of passage in many cultures, signifying the passage of more than just time - an era perhaps.

The iconic watch brands also paved the way for new trends like vintage-inspired, slimmer profiles, and affordable luxury. Incorporating design, re-inventing a brand’s signature look often balances traditional aesthetics with modern details. By creating and recreating new concepts, watches became a fashion accessory much like scarves and bags.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL WATCH DAY

As we celebrate the day, indulge in a piece that makes a statement. Even today, the watch remains a classic and timeless gift. We often give watches for an anniversary, graduation, or birthday gift. June 19th is the perfect time to give this traditional gift to someone you know. You can also share photos of your favorite watches using #NationalWatchDay on social media.

NATIONAL WATCH DAY HISTORY

Nordstrom founded National Watch Day on June 19, 2017 to celebrate the history and design of watchmaking.

- Credit national day calendar

On June 19, 2013, James Gandolfini, the actor best known for his role as New Jersey crime boss Tony Soprano on the TV series “The Sopranos,” which debuted in 1999 and ran for six seasons, dies of a heart attack while vacationing in Rome, Italy. He was 51.

The son of working-class parents of Italian descent, Gandolfini was born on September 18, 1961, in Westwood, New Jersey, and graduated from Rutgers University in 1983. Afterward, he worked as a bartender and club manager in New York City, drove a delivery truck and studied acting. He made his film debut in 1987’s low-budget “Shock! Shock! Shock!” and went on to play supporting character roles in such movies as “True Romance” (1993), “Get Shorty” (1995) and “The Juror” (1996).

Gandolfini shot to stardom in the groundbreaking HBO drama “The Sopranos,” which centered on the violent, complicated Tony Soprano. Gandolfini’s portrayal of the brutal mobster, who lives in the New Jersey suburbs where he deals with ordinary family issues and sees a therapist after suffering from panic attacks, earned him three Emmy Awards for outstanding lead actor in a drama. Critics called Tony Soprano one of the greatest TV characters of all time, and by the show’s final season Gandolfini was being paid a reported $1 million per episode. Additionally, “The Sopranos” was credited with paving the way for edgier TV shows and flawed leading characters such as corrupt detective Vic Mackey on “The Shield,” schoolteacher-turned-meth dealer Walter White on “Breaking Bad” and cynical, philandering adman Don Draper on “Mad Men.”

After “The Sopranos” ended in 2007, Gandolfini acted on Broadway, appeared in movies including “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012) and produced several documentaries about injured American military veterans. Following Gandolfini’s June 2013 death, the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, ordered all state government buildings to fly their flags at half-staff for a day in honor of the popular Garden State native.

- Credit history.com

Net Discussion Questions:

• Are you a watch wearer?

if yes, what do you own?

• Did you watch the Sopranos?

Barker's longest-tenured and most successful game show hosting job began on September 4, 1972 (#0001D), when he selected to host the newly revamped daytime version The Price is Right. (Dennis James hosted a syndicated nighttime version from 1972 to 1977 when he was dismissed and Barker taking over the hosting duties until its cancellation in 1980). He became much more closely associated with the series than the late original host, Bill Cullen, whose tenure had lasted from 1956-1965 for 9 years (as the show went from NBC to ABC before being cancelled).

As Price's host, Barker used the reference of "Loyal Friends And True" to refer to long-standing fans of the show who appeared in the audiences on regular bases and/or became contestants who appeared on stage. The origin of this term is not known.

On October 15, 1987 (#6604D, aired out of order on October 22), Barker did what other game-show hosts rarely did--he renounced the use of hair dye, allowing his hair to turn gray and eventually white. In addition to his hosting duties, Barker also became executive producer of The Price is Right following the death of Frank Wayne, the original executive producer of the show. In this capacity, Barker created several pricing games, instituted a prohibition of foreign cars and animal-based products, and launched the prime-time series of specials known as The Price is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular, the first of which aired in 2003, after the success of The Price is Right Salutes, a series of 2002 prime-time specials saluting the five armed-forces branches and the firefighters and police officers who helped the victims of the 9/11 attacks. On the ceremonial 5,000th episode of The Price is Right, which was taped on March 11, 1998, and aired on April 9, 1998 (#0724K, in reality, it's the 5,132 episode), Barker received a special honor by Studio 33 being renamed "The Bob Barker Studio."

During Barker's hosting tenure, three games used his name in their titles: Barker's Bargain Bar, Trader Bob and Barker's Markers. Barker's Bargain Bar and Trader Bob debuted within one week of each other in 1980, while Barker's Markers debuted in 1994. When Drew Carey took over as host, Barker's Bargain Bar continued to be played (with its running gag being frequent references to a supposed relative of Bob's, "Ezekiel Barker"), but Barker's Markers was renamed to Make Your Mark (which was also its name on the single playing on The New Price is Right that was hosted by Doug Davidson). Trader Bob was retired in 1985, Make Your Mark saw its last playing in 2008, and Barker's Bargain Bar was renamed to Bargain Game in 2012 after a four-year hiatus.

In addition to his hosting duties on The Price is Right, Barker also served as a long-time host of the Miss USA/Universe pageants, so serving for 20 years from 1967 to 1987. He stepped down from his hosting duties after he requested the removal of fur coats as prizes and the Miss USA committee had refused to do so facing removal from there.

After parting ways with the Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants, Barker dedicated his free time to his long-time passion for animal rights. As an animal activist, he frequently and publicly petitioned for furs to be banned and marched through the streets leading anti-fur marches. He also established the DJ&T Foundation in Beverly Hills, California, whose purpose was to help control the dog and cat population, funding the foundation through his resources to support low-cost or free spay/neuter clinics. This foundation was named in memory of his wife, Dorothy Jo, and his mother, Matilda, both of whom had had a passionate love for animals, and his work on behalf of animals won him a long list of awards from prestigious humane organizations across the country. Around the middle of the 1970s, he ended each show of The Price is Right with the phrase, "Help control the pet population--have your pet spayed or neutered." At first, he often said it, but in the early '80s, he made it official until his retirement in June 2007 with actor and comedian Drew Carey taking over the hosting duties come October. Carey continues to use the closing message about spaying and neutering to this day.

Tell us about your home base station antenna setup. Do you have something indoors, outdoors, simple or complex? Did you make it yourself?

 The heart of the system of Amateur Radio is the antenna. There are many other misinformed persons stating that power is the ultimate force. Not So ! The heart of any radio station, be it Amateur Radio, Commercial, Business, CB, Personal Family Radio, or experimenters in extremely low power amateur radio ( QRP as it is called ) transmissions IS the antenna! Without good reception, you won't hear much. Without good antennas for transmitting, you won't transmit far, even if you apply high output RF power, or if high output watts are used !

-WikiHow