More Inventions

In his book, "ManVentions," Bobby Mercer lists "The Top Ten Manventions from the 1970s."

I'm sure you remember all of them. (I don't.)

01.  The Van. - Volks Wagen mostly.  Beloved by our "turned-on society."  (I have owned a mini-van.)

02.  Shag Carpet. - We had some, but what a job keeping them clean, and it hurt to step on the little toys hidden in the shag.

03.  Pet Rocks. - Fess up! You had one.  I had one.  We all had one.  We were all idiots back then.

04.  Disco - dance craze. I never got involved, thank goodness.

05.  Pong - add this to your list of stupid, but addictive arcade games by Atari, which got sued by Magnavox for patent infringement.  

06.  Disco Balls - "roughly spherical objects that reflect light directed at them in many directions, producing complex displays."

I'm told they are once again appearing here and there.

07.  Leisure Suit"a casual suit consisting of a shirt-like jacket and matching trousers."  John Travolta wore a white version in Saturday Night Fever, and that caused millions of young men to try to emulate John's look.

08.  Star Wars - this was an American epic space opera movie, which became a form of cult, spawning video games, books, clothing, costumes, conferences and other movies.

09.  Sea-monkeys - a hybrid breed of brine shrimp called Artemia NYOS, produced in 1957 by Harold von Braunhut. Publicized, people bought hatching kits and now had novelty aquarium pets.  

I've never even seen sea-monkeys.  I'm told that they might live for 5 years if properly cared for. 

10.  Silly String - "a toy of flexible, sometimes colored, plastic string propelled as a stream of liquid from an aerosol can!"  Looks like fun for 11- year-old boys trying to irritate pretty little girls.

........