The Teddy Bear fad of the 1900’s – How a US President sparked a toy revolution.

One of the original Ideal Toy Company Teddy Bears circa 1903

When the Teddy Bear was invented in the 1900’s, its popularity soared and turned its inventors from sole proprietors of a local candy store into one of the largest toy companies in history.

And as their name implies, “energy drinks” promise to give you an extra dose of energy. With no regulatory control, their popularity exploded in the early 2000’s and were especially trendy with minors and young adults.

The introduction of the first color 3D movie set off a chain reaction of 3D movies that served Hollywood’s purpose well. Movie goers came back to the theaters in droves to see the new technology which itself triggered several new inventions in film making, many of which are still in use today.

Known as a Vod-Bomb, Birch, or a ‘DVR’ (double vodka red bull), the newest drinking trend amongst the college and high school aged crowd is a cocktail made by mixing vodka and a highly caffeinated energy drink, typically Red Bull.

Hacky Sacks, or footbags, were popular with youth in the United States during the 1980’s. During the peak of the fad, several million Hacky Sack footbags were sold each year. Surprisingly, the Hacky Sack had been invented nearly a decade earlier and footbags in general have been enjoyed by the public for many centuries.

Popular in the 1980’s, they appeared on television, t-shirts, miniature models, games, burger boxes, and in toy stores throughout the United States. Many may not know it, but the Smurfs were created over a decade before their surge to success.

streaker at the SCG during the first final between India and Australia March 2, 2008

Who was the first streaker? On July 5, 1799, a Friday evening at 7 o’clock, a naked man was arrested at the Mansion House in London. He was promptly arrested and upon questioning, admitted to the authorities that he had accepted a wager of 10 guineas to run naked from Cornhill to Cheapside. The challenge…

Girls throwing a Frisbee disc - Wham-O commercial frame

In the United States, two simultaneous “inventions” of the flying disc occurred on opposite ends of the country while a major tweaking of the disc design and a hearty dose of marketing set off the 1970’s Frisbee craze that lasted for nearly two decades.

From 1890 to 1900 was the greatest era in the history of chewing gum in the United States. The press, the pulpit, and the medical profession were largely occupied in denouncing the “vulgar” habit as detrimental to mankind.

Official Napster client running on a iBook 2001

With the movement of popular entertainment mediums to electronic formats, file sharing became quite common and widespread. Popular with teens, file sharing often involves copyrighted properties such as music or movie MP3 files and hence, is typically considered illegal.