Tag Archives: Invention

Toy Marble

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Toy Marble

Flick the marble down the hill.

  • Marbles are small ball-shaped toys that have a diameter averaging 1.3 to 2.5 centimetres (0.5 to 1 inch), but they can be as big as 7.6 centimetres (3 inches) and as small as 0.1 of a centimetre (0.03 of an inch).
  • Marbles are most commonly made of glass, although steel, ceramic, plastic or clay is sometimes used.
  • Marbles are often used to play games of the same name, with various rules that usually involve rolling or tossing one at a group of others, often to push them out of a boundary.
  • Marbles were invented thousands of years ago, and were a popular item in Ancient Egypt and Rome.
  • Marbles became commercially viable in the 1800s, particularly later in the century, after American Samuel Dyke and others started mass producing them, as the toy was previously individually handmade.

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  • The British and World Marbles Championships has occurred annually in England’s West Sussex, in Europe since 1932, and other competitions are held around the world, including the United States, and Australia.
  • Marbles typically contain brightly coloured patterns including swirls, although solid colours, clear ones, and others with imagery are also available.
  • Marbles are often collected, due to the variety and value of some, and very rare specimens can sell for up to $10,000, although the value of more common examples can be halved if any defects such as chips or cracks are present.
  • Marbles are often made by melting recycled glass, that is then cut into even portions and dropped onto moving rollers that allow the malleable glass to form balls as they cool.
  • Marbles, said to be named due to the stone that they were manufactured from in the past, have been historically made of clay, and they were also produced using glass or stone.
Bibliography:
A Brief History of the Birth of the Modern American Toy Industry in Akron, Ohio, 2008, American Toy Marble Museum, http://www.americantoymarbles.com/akronhist.htm
History of Marbles, 2012, Oh Marbles!, http://www.imarbles.com/historyofmarbles.php
Marble (Toy), 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_(toy)

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Hello Kitty

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Hello Kitty

“Happiness comes in all colours of the rainbow!” – Hello Kitty

  • Hello Kitty is a licensed, cartoon-style character created as an icon and promotional device for Sanrio, a Japan-based company, and it has become the biggest seller for the company, as well as having been one of the top grossing characters in Japan.
  • ‘Hello Kitty’ is known as ‘Harōkiti’ in Japanese-rōmaji and her complete name is ‘Kitty White’ or ‘Kiti Howaito’ in rōmaji; her birthday is the 1st of November; and she is known as a ‘symbol of friendship’.
  • Hello Kitty has the appearance of a clothed, upright, white, Japanese bobtail cat with a red or pink bow on the left ear and  human personality traits, and she is as tall as 5 apples and weighs as much as 3 apples.
  • Hello Kitty is described as a kind and happy British girl from London, that loves to bake, make new friends, listen to music, travel and read, and she has a twin sister named ‘Mimmy’, a pet hamster named ‘Sugar’, and a pet cat named ‘Charmmy Kitty’.
  • Hello Kitty was originally designed by Japanese designer, Yuko Shimizu, for Sanrio in 1974, due to the company noticing that cute designs increase sales, while the second designer was Setsuko Yonekubo, and the third designer was Yuko Yamaguchi.
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Hello Kitty
Image courtesy of Sanrio
  • Hello Kitty’s image was first sold on a purse in 1974, increasing company profits significantly, and appearing in the United States in 1976, although by the late 1970s she had lost popularity.
  • Hello Kitty does not have a mouth, which means she can portray a variety of emotions, and consumers can relate differently to her, depending on their mood.
  • Hello Kitty overcame her significant slump in the late 1970s after Yuko Yamaguchi, her third designer, took over, as she created a story for her, and improved the appearance and style of the character.
  • Hello Kitty was originally designed for young girls, although this market was enlarged to encompass teens and adults by the 1990s, and in 2008, Hello Kitty was featured on 50,000 products, and was worth $7 billion on the icon’s 40th anniversary in 2014.
  • Hello Kitty has been depicted on products ranging from clothing, personal items, credit cards, cafes, household items and transport, and she has been featured in video games and a number of television series, as well as a music album.
Bibliography:
Hello Kitty, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Kitty
Hello Kitty, My Melody, Badtz-Maru and other Sanrio characters at SanrioTown.com, 2011, Sanriotown, http://hello-kitty.sanriotown.com/
Interview: Third Hello Kitty Designer Yuko Yamaguchi, 2014, Tokyo Otaku Mode, http://otakumode.com/news/53856f4a935d07d66400069c/

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Fudge

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Fudge

Fudge! Well at least these facts aren’t messed up.

  • Fudge is a sweet confectionery food item usually with a strong sweet flavour, that is usually eaten in small quantities.
  • Fudge is typically made of sugar, butter and milk, and sometimes corn syrup, which slows the crystallisation process, and sometimes chocolate, for flavour.
  • Fudge comes in a variety of colours, often coinciding with the various flavours available, and it may contain fruit or nuts.
  • Fudge is typically made by heating the ingredients to temperatures of up to 116°C (240°F) and allowing it to partially cool; then beating the mixture until creamy and smooth and pouring it in a pan to set, before cutting.
  • Although fudge traditionally has a smooth and creamy texture, it will become brittle or hard if cooked at higher temperatures.

Fudge, Lemon Tart, Caramel, Blocks, Homemade, Sweets, Confectionery, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Fudge can be difficult to master as incorrect crystal sizes, due to imprecise cooking times; temperatures; or cooling processes; can cause more liquid or very hard solid versions of the confectionery.
  • The origin of fudge is uncertain, however it is likely a North America invention, possibly prior to 1886; and the first known instance of commercialisation of the product is said to be in 1886 (sold for 40 cents per pound), in Baltimore in the state of Maryland, in the United States.
  • The term ‘fudge’ possibly originated from the expression of annoyance typically used when something goes wrong, in this case, when making a confectionery that turned into a different substance than expected.
  • Fudge is not very nutritious as it mostly contains large volumes of sugar and a significant portion of fat, although it has a small quantity of manganese and other vitamins and minerals.
  • Fudge is commonly presented and sold in the shape of a rectangular block, and is usually available at market stalls or specialty confectionery stores.

 

Bibliography:
Fudge, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudge
The Science of Fudge, 2011, The Big Bake Theory, http://bigbaketheory.com/2011/12/22/the-science-of-fudge/
What is the History of Fudge?, 2014, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-history-of-fudge.htm

 

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Playground Slide

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Playground Slide

Don’t you like sliding down playground slides?

  • Playground slides are entertainment constructions often placed in recreational areas or residential backyards, as well as amusement parks.
  • ‘Playground slides’ are also known as ‘slides’, ‘slippery dips’ and ‘slippery slides’.
  • Playground slides are often a slippery, flat or partially curved strip of material, with barriers on the left and right, either perpendicular or sloped.
  • Playground slides are used by people, typically children, by them climbing up a ladder or set of stairs to reach the top of the slide, sitting on their backside at the top; and pushing themselves forward so that they are propelled down the slide’s strip.
  • Playground slides are commonly curved in some form, often around a structure, while some are completely enclosed, and they come in a variety of colours.

Playground Slide, Yellow, Park, Recreational, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Although fun, playground slides can be quite dangerous; injuries such as bruises, scrapes, cuts and broken bones can occur, often due to an unsafe user or slide, such as a high drop.
  • Playground slides are typically made of plastic, wood and/or metal, although the latter often heats up in the sun and can cause burns.
  • Adults often slide down playground slides with their children, although it is a common cause of broken legs in young children, due to the possibility of the child’s foot catching onto the slide and the force of the parent’s movement pushing the child forward with their foot still caught.
  • The origin of playground slides is uncertain, although one of the first slides patented was possibly by James Kirker of Kentucky in the United States in 1893, which was intended as a fire escape, however earlier patents exist for water slide designs, and slides were being constructed by the beginning of the 1900s.
  • Many laws have been passed regarding the legality and guidelines of construction and placement of playground slides, particularly regarding protruding devices and the slide drop.
Bibliography:
Erickson A, The Politics of Playgrounds, a History, 2012, Citylab, http://www.citylab.com/design/2012/03/politics-playgrounds-history/1480/
Kirker, J 1893, ‘Fire-escape’, US506238, 10 October, p. 1, Google Patents, Google
Playground Slide, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playground_slide

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Thumbtack

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Push pin, gold, rustic, Thumb Tack, Drawing Pin, Flat head, metal, Ten Random Facts, Invention

Be careful not to drop your thumbtacks.

  • Thumbtacks are small items that have a ‘head’ attached to a sharp tip, or body, which can be inserted into a board to hold items in place or used as a marker.
  • ‘Thumbtacks’ are also known as ‘map tacks’, ‘push pins’, ‘drawing pins’, and ‘chart pins’, with various word combinations, sometimes without spaces or with hyphens.
  • Thumbtacks bodies are typically made of metal such as brass, tin, stainless steel or iron, and the head is usually plastic, wood or metal.
  • Thumbtacks are typically pushed into a softer solid, like cork, using one’s fingers and arm strength.
  • Thumbtacks traditionally have a circular or cylindrical head, although they can be other shapes, and the head can be raised, flat, bevelled or indented.

Push pin, gold, rustic, Thumb Tack, Drawing Pin, Flat head, metal, Ten Random Facts, Invention

  • Swallowing thumbtacks can cause great internal damage, including choking and tissue damage.
  • Contrary to popular belief, the thumbtack was invented as early as the mid 1870s, although the British term ‘drawing pin’ was in use sometime in the 1850s or 1860s, and patents exist for the item as early as the 1890s.
  • Thumbtacks can be dangerous if dropped and left unnoticed on the floor, as upward facing pins can be easily stepped on, although some designs are more likely to face downwards if dropped.
  • Thumbtacks were historically used by draftsmen for the purpose of attaching paper to a drawing board, hence the name ‘drawing pin’.
  • Thumbtacks come in a variety of sizes, colours and shapes, that are often used for different purposes, such as in art or as markers, and they are generally considered as stationery items.
Bibliography:
Drawing Pin, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_pin
The Invention of the Push Pin and Its Usages Today, n.d, Answers, http://invent.answers.com/clothing/the-invention-of-the-push-pin-and-its-usages-today

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Shortening

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What food product is tasteless and flavourless?  Shortening!

  • Shortening is a type of fat used in cooking and food, primarily to improve the texture of baked goods, by making them less dense and more delicately textured.
  • Shortening is typically made from hydrogenated (partially or fully solidified) vegetable oils such as palm, soybean, or coconut.
  • The term ‘shortening’ was used loosely to refer to lard and margarine, until the 1900s invention of the vegetable based version, although it is still sometimes the case.
  • Shortening quickly became a more viable product than the similar functioning lard, as it was more cost effective and did not need to be refrigerated.
  • ‘Shortening’ is also known by brand names such as ‘Copha’, ‘Cookeen’ and ‘Crisco’, even though they are made from different vegetable oils and may have a different consistency.

Copha, Shortening, White Block, Australia, Crumble, Culinary, Food, Ten Random Facts

  • Shortening is often used in pastry making to make it flaky, as well as a replacement for margarine or butter, and because it contains less water, it is a safer fat to use for the purpose of frying food.
  • Shortening was first produced as a commercial product in 1911, in the United States by Procter & Gamble, a company that produced soap, candles and lard at the time, and they called it ‘Crisco’, said to be short for ‘crystallized cottonseed oil’, and prior to its launch, the product had been intended for soap making purposes.
  • Shortening originally contained an unhealthy quantity of trans fat, however in some cases, processes have been adjusted to achieve a product that now contains less or none of this type of fat.
  • Shortening typically has a long expiry date, of up to two years unrefrigerated, and once opened, generally up to a year.
  • Shortening is generally tasteless and flavourless, but butter-flavoured varieties are available in some brands.

 

Bibliography:
Shortening, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortening
What is Shortening?, 2014, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-shortening.htm

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