The Law of Familiarity
Whenever I get too bent out of shape over some food or restaurant thing (naturally this also applies to Life), I've got to remember that in a couple of years it will seem perfectly normal.
What got me thinking about this was this lemon. Last night I was happily peeling the PLU code label off before slicing the lemon when I suddenly remembered that when they first appeared, I wrote a piece for The Sun about how irritating the nasty little labels on fruits and vegetables were. How pointless. The added cost to the consumer, etc. etc. Of course now, with self-checkout at the supermarkets, I can't imagine doing without them. But even if I didn't do self-checkout, I simply wouldn't care.
Or how about servers telling you their names. I hated that when it started and complained about it in reviews. Now it seems perfectly normal, even friendly, except at high-end restaurants.
Or how about...
...the terms starter, server and wait staff. They seemed so silly when I first heard them. Now I can't imagine writing about restaurants without using them.
Or how about people talking on cell phones in restaurants?
Nah. I'm never going to get used to that one.
By the way, PLU code stands for "price look up" code, and producers are considering using something like lasers or ink from berry juices instead of the little labels. As of this August, I learned when I Googled, there were 1380 codes assigned of 4 or 5 digits each.
The PLU of organic produce starts with a "9." If it's genetically engineered, it starts with an "8."
I wasn't able to find out how much the little guy who licks them and sticks them on gets paid by the hour.
Comments
I thought i read a few years ago about a technology that was to be used that would "burn" the code on the fruits so you wouldnt have to deal with stickers anymore...
Posted by: GunnarsMom | November 19, 2007 1:24 PM
I still hate peeling those stickers off. I thought I read they were going to use some kind of edible ink to mark produce.
Posted by: J.H. | November 21, 2007 7:35 AM
I'd rather just peel off the sticker. Watch, they'll go to edible ink and the next thing you know someone will discover it causes cancer in lab rats!
Posted by: Richard Crystal, Baltimore | November 21, 2007 12:33 PM