It can be said with a check mark or a thumbs up. It’s written with two letters or four. What began as a joke nearly 200 years ago, OK has become the most recognized word in the world.

Okay, let’s start with the humble beginnings in the 1830’s when young Boston intellectual types delighted those in the know with butchered coded messages such as KC for “Knuff Ced,” KY meant “Know Yuse” and OW was short for “Oll Wright.” What stuck through the years is OK for “Oll Korrect.” Try getting past spell check with this paragraph!

The word OK could have disappeared into oblivion if it weren’t for the 1840 presidential election when Martin Van Buren was given the nickname of “Old Kinderhook” because of his hometown of Kinderhook, NY. Guess it’s okay to say that OK was the predecessor of today’s LOL and other popular abbreviations since it’s short for everything’s all right, fine, hunky-dory and satisfactory. Linguists say it has become essential to our communication.

As for which version of OK or okay is correct, multiple sources confirm they both get a thumbs up. Although some suggest that more formal writing calls for using okay, it really is OK to use either spelling. Glad we got this sorted out, as in KC or “Knuff Ced.”

 VIDEO: WHY WE SAY OK

Originally published by Pazanga Health Communications 

There is something fishy about today’s feature, but first a little background. Like way back to when Eli Whitney developed the cotton gin machine that mechanically separated cotton fibers from the seeds—the first of several automated iterations that revolutionized the production of cotton. Many more inventions such as refrigeration, printing presses, steam engines and cars  followed during the machine age paving the way for technology and production as we know it today, including the onset of 3D printing initially used to make prototypes in the early 1980s.

Today the merits of 3D printing are vast with successful applications in a considerable number of industries from housing construction to medical technology. Many homers have been hit with this new knowhow, but I’m not sure about 3D printing of pastries and pizza which could be a stretch for my picky tastebuds. As for the idea of 3D printed fish fillets, I’m calling it a ‘foul ball.’

There are two companies that are very excited to bring their new fish fillets to market–Steakholder Foods in Israel and Umami Meats in Singapore. According to a CNN report about this latest techno phenom, their “secret sauce” info claims that actual grouper fish cells are lab cultivated and then “fed” to the 3D printer to create fish fillets that look and taste just like real fish and are said to also be “clean and antibiotics-free.” That’s quite a mouthful which for some could be just a bit hard to digest.

Regarding the business side of this fishing expedition, the fish fillets are more costly to produce compared to plant-based chicken and beef products, and there are also regulatory requirements that need to be met. Yet both companies are optimistically reporting a 2024 launch date in Singapore; it will be a few years before the fish fillets are available in the U.S.

The idea of 3D printing fascinates me, and I love learning about the latest applications of this technology. Still, it’s hard to picture a house or a bone made with 3D printed materials. I’d love to actually be on site and watch the process in person although I don’t feel the same about manufactured food since I prefer mine “au natural.” Facts are one thing, but personal preferences are something different. When it comes to food, just like some may call raisins fruit while others might call them candy, for now I’m sticking with the real thing—that my fish is marinated and grilled. However, just like the automation of cotton picking, I could be eating 3D printed fish someday.

Published by Orange County Register, September 8, 2023