When In Macedonia, Drink Like Beetle Bailey

The life of a reference librarian tends to be mundane and fascinating at the same time. The range of questions that we answer every week, and the interesting facts our brains accumulate, never cease to amaze me. Here is a selection from this week:

• Beetle Bailey's sister is Lois, from the comic strip Hi and Lois.
• If you are bitten by a snake, you should bring said snake with you to the emergency room for identification. It is best to verify that the snake is dead. Antivenom is scarce enough that a snakebite must be deemed "serious" before it is administered.
• Macedonians have not one, but two rotting beverages that they enjoy imbibing. All right, juva and boza aren't actually "rotten," but fermented. Juva is fermented cabbage juice and boza is a fermented wheat drink.
• Bamboo should have "bright indirect light."
• Back in 1909, there was a feud between the Newmans and Prichards down in Meadville, MS. The deadly feud seems to have started either because a Dr. Newman won the position of Chancery Court Clerk or because of an anonymous letter disparaging the reputation of a female relative of the Prichards.

My favorite question this week, though, was asked by a young patron who wanted to know more about Bunny and Clyde. (Wink, wink.)