385:", for a year, the date of October 29, 2007, was originally rendered as "Cal 7, 201 C.M." (for Cowznofsko Madi, or "in the Cowznofski of MAD"). The dates are calculated from October 1, 1952, the date MAD was first published. Dates before this point are referred to, tongue-in-cheek, as "B.M." ("Before MAD.") Later Knuth preferred 0-origin indexing, so October 29, 2007 is now rendered as "Cal 6, 201 C.D." (for Cowznofsko Dimentii, with "mad" also translated into Latin). The ten "Mingoes" are: Tales (Tal.) Calculated (Cal.) To (To) Drive (Dri.) You (You) Humor (Hum.) In (In) A (A) Jugular (Jug.) Vein (Vei.)
20:
193:#13 (July 1954), pasted into a panel as the title of an abstract painting seen in the background. In the same issue the word appears as POTS-REBIE, emblazoned on a cauldron in which Robinson Crusoe is roasting a frankfurter. This piece reappeared in one of the earliest
158:. Kurtzman, who was fascinated with unusual words, decided it would make an appropriate but meaningless background gag. After cutting the word out of the instruction sheet, he made copies and used rubber cement to paste "Potrzebie" randomly into the middle of
318:
517438173216473 mm, although the eighth digit was mistakenly dropped and the thickness appeared as 2.263348517438173216473 mm in the MAD article. A standardization in terms of the wavelength of the red line of the emission spectrum of
245:
395:
can both perform conversions from the potrzebie system to other units. WolframAlpha uses the originally printed value of a potrzebie, while Google
Calculator appears to use a value rounded to 5
177:#11 (May 1954), where it was the exclamation of a character who spoke only in foreign languages and song lyrics, in "Murder the Story", a parody illustrated by
583:
865:
794:
632:
323:
is also given, which if the 1927 definition of the Ångstrom is taken for the value of that wavelength, would equal 2.263347539605392 mm.
903:
827:
474:
Knuth, Donald E. (2011). "The
Revolutionary Potrzebie (addendum to chapter 3, a reprint of an Engineering and Science Review article)".
1049:
959:
154:
spotted the word printed in the Polish language section of a multi-languaged "Instructions for Use" sheet accompanying a bottle of
711:
1079:
438:
Knuth, Donald E. (2011). "The
Potrzebie System of Weights and Measures (addendum to chapter 1, a reprint of the MAD article)".
238:
189:#12 (June 1954) on an airplane advertising banner. With the same type font, it reappeared in Jack Davis's "Book! Movie!" in
1054:
576:
342:
and a specific heat of .31416"), and time in seven named units (decimal powers of the average Earth rotation, equal to 1 "
1074:
898:
787:
512:
1064:
310:. According to Knuth, the basis of this new revolutionary system is the potrzebie, which equals the thickness of
1069:
569:
343:
124:
1034:
926:
728:
249:
178:
234:
45:
1059:
1044:
780:
36:
500:
940:
299:
760:
396:
693:
488:
307:
1039:
654:
388:
182:
24:
984:
832:
661:
647:
614:
607:
524:
348:
335:
270:
59:
934:
860:
592:
303:
151:
120:
102:
1008:
1002:
819:
804:
686:
627:
621:
540:
407:
213:
comics, were written by Harvey
Kurtzman. Frequent repetition gave it the status of a
1028:
754:
638:
556:
49:. The issue is dated June 1954, the same month the 1953 Tati film had a U.S. release.
978:
882:
872:
392:
378:
226:
214:
133:
40:
377:
According to the "Date" system in Knuth's article, which substitutes a 10-clarke "
877:
843:
837:
229:
in 1994, the word was made available for display on T-shirts and other licensed
128:
990:
738:
733:
382:
354:
453:
1013:
965:
679:
115:
971:
548:
110:
244:
369:
363:
331:
326:
Volume was measured in ngogn (equal to 1000 cubic potrzebies), mass in
320:
265:
218:
155:
148:
221:
among the readership which continues to the present day. In the first
920:
327:
106:
501:
26 potrzebie / 0.31416 ngogn = 16155.5 m (reciprocal square meters)
19:
561:
298:
published a partial table of the "Potrzebie System of
Weights and
243:
202:
18:
489:
26 potrzebie / 0.31416 ngogn = 0.0161561625 kilometers per liter
776:
565:
83:
454:"DONALD KNUTH - The Potrzebie System of Weights and Measures"
399:. As such, the two sites may not compute identical results.
339:
89:
74:
65:
260:
A typical appearance of the word is exemplified by the
772:
80:
86:
71:
68:
62:
951:
912:
891:
853:
812:
747:
721:
703:
671:
599:
209:#19 (January 1955). These stories, like others in
77:
788:
577:
137:not long after the comic book began in 1952.
8:
513:1 potrzebie / 2.263348517438173216473 mm = 1
285:"The burgid prillie gives one heebie-jeebie.
552:: "The Art of Don E. Knuth" by Mark Wallace
346:"). The system also features such units as
233:products. It also sees occasional use as a
795:
781:
773:
584:
570:
562:
16:Polish word used as a joke by Mad magazine
428:. E.C. Publications, New York, 1959, p173
418:
31:12) the word "Potrzebie" made an early
557:Potrzebie System on Google Calculator
282:"Whon thot Aprille swithin potrzebie,
101:
7:
185:'s "From Eternity Back to Here!" in
278:#43, December 1958), which begins:
544:: Jimmy Raney's "Potrezebie" (sic)
476:Selected Papers on Fun & Games
440:Selected Papers on Fun & Games
27:'s "From Eternity Back to Here!" (
14:
330:(equal to the mass of 1 ngogn of
248:Fourth appearance of the word in
381:" for a month and a 100-clarke "
58:
542:The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer
37:Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr
456:. Webofstories.com. 2008-01-24
1:
712:Harvey Kurtzman's Jungle Book
527:(retrieved February 26, 2024)
515:(retrieved February 26, 2024)
503:(retrieved February 26, 2024)
491:(retrieved February 26, 2024)
334:, which is "a form of pie a
173:was first used in a story in
302:", developed by 19-year-old
525:1 potrzebie / 2.2633 mm = 1
1096:
408:Wiktionary: furshlugginer
1050:Polish words and phrases
201:It was illustrated as a
181:. It was used again in
123:word popularized by its
35:appearance, flying over
131:in the early issues of
1080:Quotations from comics
722:Frequent collaborators
257:
235:metasyntactic variable
205:in "Puzzle Pages!" in
50:
39:, and a caricature of
633:Kurtzman's editorship
314:issue 26, or 2.263348
290:System of measurement
247:
99:Polish pronunciation:
22:
1055:Units of measurement
1075:Comedy catchphrases
397:significant figures
252:'s "Book! Movie!" (
103:[pɔtˈʂɛbʲe]
46:Mr. Hulot's Holiday
828:Recurring features
761:Mad Monster Party?
694:Little Annie Fanny
308:computer scientist
258:
51:
1022:
1021:
770:
769:
389:Google Calculator
183:Bernard Krigstein
119:, "a need") is a
25:Bernard Krigstein
1087:
1065:1950s neologisms
985:Maria Reidelbach
913:Television shows
833:Alfred E. Neuman
797:
790:
783:
774:
615:Frontline Combat
608:Two-Fisted Tales
586:
579:
572:
563:
528:
522:
516:
510:
504:
498:
492:
486:
480:
479:
471:
465:
464:
462:
461:
450:
444:
443:
435:
429:
423:
336:specific gravity
306:, later a famed
271:Canterbury Tales
105:
100:
96:
95:
92:
91:
88:
85:
82:
79:
76:
73:
70:
67:
64:
1095:
1094:
1090:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1085:
1084:
1070:1952 quotations
1025:
1024:
1023:
1018:
947:
908:
887:
861:Harvey Kurtzman
849:
808:
801:
771:
766:
743:
717:
699:
667:
595:
593:Harvey Kurtzman
590:
537:
532:
531:
523:
519:
511:
507:
499:
495:
487:
483:
473:
472:
468:
459:
457:
452:
451:
447:
437:
436:
432:
424:
420:
415:
405:
304:Donald E. Knuth
292:
223:Mad Style Guide
168:
152:Harvey Kurtzman
143:
98:
61:
57:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1093:
1091:
1083:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1035:Mad (magazine)
1027:
1026:
1020:
1019:
1017:
1016:
1011:
1009:William Gaines
1006:
1003:Up the Academy
999:
994:
987:
982:
975:
968:
963:
960:Berlin v. E.C.
955:
953:
949:
948:
946:
945:
944:
943:
931:
930:
929:
916:
914:
910:
909:
907:
906:
904:TV show spoofs
901:
895:
893:
889:
888:
886:
885:
880:
875:
870:
869:
868:
857:
855:
851:
850:
848:
847:
840:
835:
830:
825:
816:
814:
810:
809:
802:
800:
799:
792:
785:
777:
768:
767:
765:
764:
757:
751:
749:
745:
744:
742:
741:
736:
731:
725:
723:
719:
718:
716:
715:
707:
705:
701:
700:
698:
697:
690:
687:Goodman Beaver
683:
675:
673:
669:
668:
666:
665:
658:
651:
644:
643:
642:
635:
630:
618:
611:
603:
601:
597:
596:
591:
589:
588:
581:
574:
566:
560:
559:
554:
546:
536:
535:External links
533:
530:
529:
517:
505:
493:
481:
466:
445:
430:
417:
416:
414:
411:
404:
401:
291:
288:
287:
286:
283:
167:
164:
142:
139:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1092:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1004:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
992:
988:
986:
983:
981:
980:
976:
974:
973:
969:
967:
964:
962:
961:
957:
956:
954:
950:
942:
939:
938:
937:
936:
932:
928:
925:
924:
923:
922:
918:
917:
915:
911:
905:
902:
900:
897:
896:
894:
890:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
867:
864:
863:
862:
859:
858:
856:
852:
846:
845:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
823:
818:
817:
815:
811:
807:
806:
798:
793:
791:
786:
784:
779:
778:
775:
763:
762:
758:
756:
755:Harvey Awards
753:
752:
750:
746:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
726:
724:
720:
714:
713:
709:
708:
706:
702:
696:
695:
691:
689:
688:
684:
682:
681:
677:
676:
674:
670:
664:
663:
659:
657:
656:
652:
650:
649:
645:
640:
639:Superduperman
636:
634:
631:
629:
626:
625:
624:
623:
619:
617:
616:
612:
610:
609:
605:
604:
602:
598:
594:
587:
582:
580:
575:
573:
568:
567:
564:
558:
555:
553:
551:
547:
545:
543:
539:
538:
534:
526:
521:
518:
514:
509:
506:
502:
497:
494:
490:
485:
482:
477:
470:
467:
455:
449:
446:
441:
434:
431:
427:
422:
419:
412:
410:
409:
402:
400:
398:
394:
390:
386:
384:
380:
375:
373:
372:
367:
366:
361:
357:
356:
351:
350:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
324:
322:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
294:In issue 33,
289:
284:
281:
280:
279:
277:
273:
272:
267:
263:
255:
251:
246:
242:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
165:
163:
161:
157:
153:
150:
147:
140:
138:
136:
135:
130:
126:
122:
118:
117:
112:
108:
104:
94:
55:
48:
47:
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
21:
1060:Donald Knuth
1045:Running gags
1001:
996:
989:
979:The Mad Show
977:
970:
958:
933:
919:
883:John Ficarra
873:Al Feldstein
842:
821:
803:
759:
710:
692:
685:
678:
660:
653:
646:
620:
613:
606:
549:
541:
520:
508:
496:
484:
475:
469:
458:. Retrieved
448:
439:
433:
425:
421:
406:
393:WolframAlpha
387:
376:
370:
364:
359:
353:
347:
325:
315:
311:
295:
293:
275:
269:
261:
259:
253:
230:
227:Bhob Stewart
225:, edited by
222:
215:catch phrase
210:
206:
198:
197:paperbacks,
194:
190:
186:
174:
170:
169:
159:
145:
144:
132:
125:non sequitur
114:
53:
52:
44:
41:Jacques Tati
32:
28:
899:Film spoofs
878:Nick Meglin
844:Spy vs. Spy
820:History of
426:Bedside Mad
349:whatmeworry
264:version of
199:Bedside Mad
166:Appearances
129:running gag
1029:Categories
991:Planet Tad
866:editorship
739:Wally Wood
734:Will Elder
729:Jack Davis
460:2018-02-12
413:References
383:cowznofski
355:cowznofski
250:Jack Davis
179:Jack Davis
1014:Al Jaffee
997:Potrzebie
966:EC Comics
680:Hey Look!
600:As editor
171:Potrzebie
162:satires.
127:use as a
54:Potrzebie
1040:In-jokes
972:Mad Kids
941:episodes
927:episodes
672:Features
403:See also
300:Measures
116:potrzeba
111:locative
952:Related
854:Editors
838:Fold-in
813:General
628:History
360:vreeble
332:halavah
321:cadmium
266:Chaucer
239:hackers
219:in-joke
156:aspirin
921:Mad TV
655:Humbug
344:clarke
340:3.1416
328:blintz
274:(from
149:editor
141:Origin
121:Polish
107:dative
892:Lists
748:Other
704:Books
662:Help!
648:Trump
550:Salon
379:mingo
203:rebus
391:and
368:and
256:#13)
935:Mad
822:Mad
805:Mad
622:Mad
371:hah
365:hoo
338:of
312:Mad
296:Mad
276:Mad
268:'s
262:Mad
254:Mad
237:by
231:Mad
217:or
211:Mad
207:Mad
195:Mad
191:Mad
187:Mad
175:Mad
160:Mad
146:Mad
134:Mad
113:of
43:in
33:Mad
29:Mad
23:In
1031::
374:.
362:,
358:,
352:,
241:.
97:;
84:iː
796:e
789:t
782:v
641:"
637:"
585:e
578:t
571:v
478:.
463:.
442:.
316:4
109:/
93:/
90:i
87:b
81:z
78:ˈ
75:ə
72:r
69:t
66:ɒ
63:p
60:/
56:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.