Month: July 2024

The land before ZIP codes

I inherited this matchbook cover. Note the the Zip Code is labelled Zip Code, as though you’d never seen one before. This probably dates from the early 1960s when ZIP Codes were new. Note that Florida is abbreviated Fla. Before ZIP Codes, state abbreviations had the freedom to be nearly anything. Alaska and Hawaii didn’t have abbreviations because they weren’t states when abbreviations were codified. Maine, Idaho, Iowa, and Utah weren’t abbreviated because it was thought those words don’t have a natural place to be abbreviated. There was a dispute about whether Ohio could be shortened to O. My mother thought it was wrong–how big a hurry could you be in to need to shorten Ohio? Self-appointed language lovers of all kinds hated to see the two capital letters next to each other. Me, I still think they are a blight. Note also that King Edward is giving away plastic cigar holders for the asking.

Here’s the list: Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Hawaii, Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N. Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Ore., Pa. (or Penna.), R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., and Wyo.

Here’s Freddie Cannon letting us know how to abbreviate Florida.

Martin Mull died

The last time I played through my records, I realized that Mull’s comedy had not aged well. I started a note for this blog about it when I heard he had died. Before I finished it I saw a review in the Washington Post that called him a subversive genius. The writer said Mull mocked Wonder Bread middle of the road America as much as anyone. The example was the lyrics to Ukulele Blues.

I woke up this afternoon HOOO/I saw both cars were gone

I woke up this afternoon, lord mommy/I saw both my cars were gone

I felt so low down deep inside/I threw my drink across the lawn.

I remember when James Brown was on Dick Cavett around 1970. As Brown sang one of his hits, Cavett got up and danced. When Brown was done, he asked Cavett what he had been doing. Cavett said I believe it was the Funky Chicken. Brown said no, if anything it was the Funky Honky.

That was funny, and it was clearly poking fun at white people appropriating black culture. Mull, on the other hand, got his laughs by mocking Delta bluesmen.