October 14

Today is National Chocolate Covered Insect Day
Ants, scorpions, crickets, grasshoppers, worms - all are available for your distinguished palate! McKandy.com boasts the largest selection of edible insects if you are interested. I have never in my life considering eating an insect. But since it is national chocolate covered insect day I, well, honestly am still not considering it. I expect them to be crunchy and do not think I can get past that part. But I guess I shouldn't knock it 'til I try it....

More importantly, October 14, 1834, Henry Blair received a patent for the seed planter. He is often cited as the first African-American to be granted a patent. Not much is known about Mr. Blair, but it has been presumed that he had been freed from slavery since slaves were not permitted to apply for patents. He signed his name on the patent with an "X" because he could not write.

So who was the first African-American to be granted a patent? In 1821, Thomas L Jennings received a patent for the invention of the dry cleaning process. Can you imagine life today without either? Bravo gentlemen!