DAILY DIRT: Barbie dolls, Etch-A-Sketches and Easy-Bake Ovens … still popular, still iconic

Daily Dirt for Friday, Dec. 27, 2024

The part of his story was kind of glossed over was that part about the five marriages If you’re a big fan of milkshakes, thought No. 2 should be interesting … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,156 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Arguably, some of the most iconic toys ever introduced came during the Baby Boomer Generation, generally regarded as between 1946-64. 

The Daily Dirt staff has put together a list of what we feel are the top 10 toys that came into existence during that period. How many did you have?

• 1. Barbie dolls (1959): “This plastic princess has dominated the toy scene since her 1959 creation. It’s estimated that more than a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide, with Mattel claiming that 100 are sold every MINUTE,” according to cosmopolitan.com. (FYI: “Ken,” Barbie’s longtime boy toy, was introduced in 1961.)
• 2. Etch-A-Sketch (1962):This temporary drawing board was introduced in 1960 and became one of the best-known toys of its time. After all, a blank canvas is exciting, but an erasable one is even better. 
• 3. Easy-Bake Oven (1963):The mini oven came with cake-mix packets and tiny round pans that, together, made a rather delectable treat — thanks to two 100-watt incandescent light bulbs. And yes, it’s evolved over the years and remains popular today.
• 4. Play-Doh (1957): Who knew that flour, water, salt, boric acid, and mineral oil would make such an iconic concoction? More than 100 million cans of Play-Doh are sold every year. Every. Year.
• 5. View-Master (1958):These firetruck-red stereoscopes were the ultimate way to go somewhere else — without going anywhere at all — with just one simple click. The 3-D effect was remarkable at the time.
• 6. Silly Putty (1960): Little-known fact: This Flubber-like toy was created during WWII when the U.S. was researching possible rubber substitutes for use. Silly Putty can bounce, flow like liquid, and break if pulled apart the right way—like a character straight out of a Marvel movie. 
• 7. Matchbox Cars (1953):Even though they were, in fact, matchbox-sized, these cars rivaled their life-size models in style.
• 8. Slinky (1952):If you haven’t watched a Slinky go down a flight of stairs, have you truly lived? This pre-compressed spring was invented in the ’40s, but it didn’t gain worldwide popularity until the early ’50s.
• 9. Mr. Potato Head (1956): Before making his acting debut in “Toy Story,” Mr. Potato Head was a popular toy spud with a variety of plastic facial attachments.
• 10. Magic 8-Ball (1951): Manufactured by Mattel, it’s still one of the more accurate ways (wink, wink … ) to find out if your crush actually likes you back.

2. Did you know (Part 228)

• That on the average, people spend about two years of their lives watching TV commercials.
• That carrageenan, a thickener in sauces and milkshakes, is also found in toothpaste and skin lotions.
• That the top three songs at this time of the year in 1969 were: 1. Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Good-Bye,” by Steam, 2. “Leaving On A Jet Plane,” by Peter, Paul & Mary, 3. “Come Together/Something,” by the Beatles.
• That the top three songs at this time of the year in 1968 were: 1. “Hey Jude,” by the Beatles, 2. “Young Girl,” by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, 3. “People Got To Be Free,” by the Rascals.
• That Americans drink about 146 billion cups of coffee each year. I do not contribute to that total.

3. Cat lovers, take notice: Here are the top 10 cat names for 2024, according to “purrfectinfluencer”:

• 1. Luna
• 2. Milo
• 3. Oliver
• 4. Leo
• 5. Lily
• 6. Bella
• 7. Charlie
• 8. Kitty
• 9. Lucy
• 10. Loki

For the record, my wife, Kathy, has been taking care of feral cat for about a year. She has built a house for it and provides food for it daily, but the cat has never allowed her to actually come near it. Kathy refers to her as “Miss Kitty” (obviously, Kathy was a “Gunsmoke” fan). It would truly bring tears to my wife’s eyes if some day Miss Kitty would allow my wife to pet her. If that ever happens, you’ll be the first to know.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Who do they worry about sterilizing a needle for lethal injections?

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. The Little Woman isn’t the only one in our neighborhood who feeds that damn cat. Yes, Steve and I live in the same posh southside neighborhood in the Woodside-Harrison oval. David used to live there too, but he got really boujie and now lives by QCC.