DAILY DIRT: I’d like a couple of Papa Suckers and a few Raider bars

Daily Dirt for Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025

I have a feeling the story about the Butterfingers might be your favorite. Jus’ sayin’ … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,182 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Have you ever wondered how your favorite candy bar or sweet treat acquired its name?

Well, I have. So after some research, here are a few of the more interesting answers to that question that I found:

• Sugar Daddy: Originally called “Papa Sucker,” it was changed to “Sugar Daddy” in 1932 since that was a more popular phrase at the time and evoked a “wealth of sweetness.”
• Milk Duds: The original goal of the candy was to be made into perfectly round shapes, but they kept coming out as, well, duds. The “milk” refers to all the milk in the candy.
• Life Savers: Since they look like “mini life preservers,” they were named after the flotation devices way back in 1912. Also, the mint ones will save save your life when on a date or in an interview.
• Smarties: Ever hear the phrase “That smarts”? It basically means “that hurt.” Or, in this case, “that made my face pucker unexpectedly.” Hence, “Smarties”. (Yeah, I agree. Kind of lame. But they sure are good.)
• Twix: This one’s a bit on the strange side, in my opinion. The United States was introduced to Twix in 1979, but it was known throughout the rest of the world as the “Raider” bar. However, in 1991, the Mars Company converted all Raider countries to Twix ones. Go figure. Butterfinger: This is one of my favorites. Named in 1923 through a public contest, the name is in reference to klutzes, especially when it comes to sports. If that same contest were to be held today, the candy bar would probably be named “Hey! Get Your Head Out of Your Ass!” writes Justin Abarca of buzzfeed.com.
• Tootsie Roll: Leo Hirshfield, an Austrian immigrant, named the Tootsie Roll after his daughter Clara, who was nicknamed “Tootsie”. Hirshfield invented the Tootsie Roll in 1907 and patented a technique to give it its unique texture.

2. Did you know (Part 254)

• That women spend more time wondering what men are thinking than men spend actually thinking.
• That it is impossible to fold a standard piece of paper more than seven times.
• That KFC once partnered with Crocs to produced limited edition footwear that smelled like fried chicken.
• That Qatar has 3.39 men for every woman, making it the country with the most men per woman, excluding the Vatican, which has only male inhabitants.
• That titanium dioxide, used as a coloring agent in powdered sugar and icing to give a bright white appearance, is also commonly found in paint, toothpaste, sunscreen and cosmetics.

3. This week’s best of “Found on Facebook”:

• “I heard that by law you need to turn on your headlights when it’s raining in Sweden. How the heck am I supposed to know when it’s raining in Sweden?”
• “The only blizzard conditions I’m interested in are from Dairy Queen.”
• “Chuck Norris can gargle sand.”
• “I can’t believe I forgot to go to the gym today. That’s five years in a row now.”
• “On a positive note, you are now too old to have a midlife crisis.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day – The fact that Keith Richards and Willie Nelson have outlived Richard Simmons has me rethinking the whole eating right and exercising thing.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. When it’s your time, it’s your time, regardless of your lifestyle.