CRAIG CONLEY (Prof. Oddfellow) is recognized by Encarta as “America’s most creative and diligent scholar of letters, words and punctuation.” He has been called a “language fanatic” by Page Six gossip columnist Cindy Adams, a “cult hero” by Publisher’s Weekly, a “monk for the modern age” by George Parker, and “a true Renaissance man of the modern era, diving headfirst into comprehensive, open-minded study of realms obscured or merely obscure” by Clint Marsh. An eccentric scholar, Conley’s ideas are often decades ahead of their time. He invented the concept of the “virtual pet” in 1980, fifteen years before the debut of the popular “Tamagotchi” in Japan. His virtual pet, actually a rare flower, still thrives and has reached an incomprehensible size. Conley’s website is OneLetterWords.com.
Takarabune, the treasure ship piloted through the heavens by the Seven Lucky Gods during the first three days of the Japanese New Year. From Rockford's 1929 yearbook.
This cat's name, "Fred Onepound," sounds like one of the cat names coined by comedian Bob Mortimer. (Such as Papa Handwash, Bobby Resistance, Softy Pinkpowders, and Sargeant Walnuts). Plus, this cat's the mascot of a ship named after the goddess of sorcery. FromNavy News, 1967.
We can vouch for the authenticity of this drawing. As obsessive stoopers for lucky coins, we can't count the times lightning has knocked our hat off. From Colorado College's 1920 yearbook.
Few people have heard of the tiny sea creature called the "ploshkin." A web search for "ploshkin betty wales" will reveal all, as will this fashion history blog post about it. From Chowan's 1917 yearbook.