In answering Alex's question last week about UPC bar codes, I got hold of some outdated information. Here's an update:

Manufacturers seeking a bar code now apply to the company GS1 - GS1 US in this country - and are assigned a unique code that ranges from six to nine digits, depending on the requirements of the customer, said Jon Mellor, a spokesman of GS1 US. That part identifies the manufacturer; the remaining numbers in the code on nearly every manufactured product you buy are selected by the manufacturer and identify that product.

All the numbers also are represented as a bar code that can be read by a machine.

Alex was particularly concerned about duplicate codes. That's unlikely, but you might find duplicates on bar codes bought over the Internet from anyone other than GSI US that don't conform to commercial standards, Mellor said.

Here's a two-fer of related questions:

Now that the election is over, who is responsible for removing yard signs on public property? - Brent

Can the plastic, corrugated signs be recycled? - Richard

Know the answer? Post it on the Ask! blog, blogs.Rocky Mountain News.com/denver/ask, or e-mail rudeenm@Rocky MountainNews.com. While you're on the blog, check out the other questions on the Ask! home page, or post one of your own by clicking on the link to the right on the page.