1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Histories, a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome back to the show, 2 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: fellow Ridiculous Historians. Thank you, as always so much for 3 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: tuning in. Let's hear a shout out for the man 4 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: the myth legend, super producer, mister Max Williams. 5 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 2: I get weirder and weirder on the way. 6 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: We say Williams. At the end, we'll accidentally invent a 7 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 1: new name for Max. At some point, you're Noel Brown. 8 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: I've been bowling. We are continuing our series on accidental 9 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: inventions throughout history with the help of our research associate 10 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: Jeff And before we really start, as our pal Dylan 11 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: would say, dig it up the rudabagas he does he 12 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: does at the weirdest times. No, You and I decided 13 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: off air that we were we weren't just uh spinning 14 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 1: spinning tails and blowing smoke when we called ourselves an 15 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: accidental invention. Before we get into proper accidental inventions in 16 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: today's episode, we thought we would share with you, guys, 17 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: uh an origin story of Ridiculous History, which is itself 18 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: an accidental invention. 19 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: And it is itself, in a way, a very regular 20 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 2: source that we use to this day. For this show. 21 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: You'll recall in the last episode we cited our alma 22 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: mater How Stuff Works a couple of times, and we're 23 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 2: going to do that again in this one. Originally, when 24 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 2: Ben and I were working under the House Stuff Works 25 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: website slash kind of podcast thing, we were asked by 26 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: our boss to make a quick and dirty podcast that 27 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 2: would help satisfy like a momentary ad deal six weeks. 28 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 2: Six weeks, you guys, six weeks. Just kill it and 29 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 2: use the articles on the house Stuff Works website that 30 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 2: were published under the Moniker Ridiculous History. We can't claim 31 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 2: credit for that one as your research material, and we're like, cool, 32 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 2: we'll take one for the team. We'll do this. Boss 33 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 2: talking about our beloved at Major DOMO Admiral Connell Byrne, 34 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: who has just continued to rise in the world and 35 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 2: he's actually it's weird. 36 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: I used to be so pissed at him, uh, because 37 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: I thought that a boss at a Jack donnagey level 38 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: had no right to be as cool as he is. 39 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 2: He is cool. He's yeah and super cool. Like Gate he. 40 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: Gave you a s or something, gave me a with 41 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,119 Speaker 1: Juno one oh six from his band that he used 42 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: to be because of course called Adam. 43 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 2: And here's the kicker. He said, this doesn't it doesn't work, 44 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: but I bet you could like fix it. And I 45 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 2: had another one and I was going to use it 46 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 2: to scavenge for parts. Turns out I took I took 47 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 2: it to my synth guy because I have one, and 48 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 2: he was like, oh, it's just wired for a UK 49 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 2: power exactly. All he had to do was like do 50 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 2: some very quick fix and it was a pristine. It 51 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 2: even came in the original case emblazoned with the stencil 52 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: for his band Atam. 53 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: Where Science meets Magic. Uh yes, so also, uh, the 54 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: I can share one story with Kennel. We have we 55 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: He and I have long had an ongoing discourse because 56 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: he's a fantastic writer as well. We've had a long 57 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: discourse about books, so we will we will chat with 58 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: each other, non related to work about just different different. 59 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: Books we like. 60 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: And anyway, the final chapter of the Accidental Invention of 61 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is we, as Noel said, took one for 62 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: the team and then on maybe week five ran out 63 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: of articles. So we read out of articles and on 64 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: the say like the same, we recognize we're running low 65 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: on research material that morning, and that afternoon we get 66 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: the We get the marching orders to continue the show forever. 67 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: And the only reason we're able to do that accidental 68 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: invention is thanks to. 69 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: You ridiculous historians. You said it, Ben, no question. Thanks 70 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 2: for hanging with us for low these many years, and 71 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: for any new folks out there, welcome, and I don't know. 72 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,239 Speaker 2: We love doing the show and it is a great 73 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 2: example of an accidental invention that ended up working out. 74 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 2: It's something that you and I do every single week 75 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 2: and we will until the wheels fall off metaphorically to 76 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: use a car car stuff reference there and Hughes. Thanks 77 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 2: to Max and for being such a great producer, super 78 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: producer and partner and star trek nerd and Skyrim aficionado. 79 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 2: We couldn't do it without you, buddy, correspond that's right, 80 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: that's true. Ccn't mind. 81 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 3: Can I jump real quick to illustrate how cool Conne 82 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 3: is because a couple of years ago at our Christmas party, 83 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 3: which we had our Holidays party we had at the 84 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 3: Claremont rooftop, I remember Kna and I were just talking 85 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 3: about he. 86 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 4: Had met me. 87 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 3: I met him in person for the first time, just 88 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 3: like a little bit before that, and he was just 89 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 3: like saw me watching the Hawks game. He's like, oh 90 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 3: your Hawks fand he'd given me like three tickets three 91 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 3: of the I heard tickets, like hundred me down, found me, 92 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 3: sent me the email. 93 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, he'll do it. Yes, he's a good dude. Everyone's 94 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 2: got a good Connell story. 95 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 3: So after this was done, So after this this, a 96 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 3: few months later, we're up there and I'm breaking down 97 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 3: the difference between a pick and roll and ISO and 98 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 3: basketball with him and Sean Titne, who you know, doesn't 99 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 3: who's in charge of the sports play So I don't 100 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 3: explain this stuff to him. But Connle's like super engaging. 101 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 3: He's like really loved the conversation. Like, man, this is 102 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 3: actually like to your point, I'm like, I'm supposed to 103 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 3: hate I thought I was supposed to. 104 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 4: Hate corporate overlords. 105 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: Well, Ben, you quote you've quote him all the time 106 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 2: with is uh what is it? 107 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: The world is both understandable and worth understanding. 108 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, and Connell is both interesting and interested, and we. 109 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: Know he probably doesn't listen to the show. 110 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 2: So now going on, been on. I think he's like 111 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 2: the head of the entire IR digital universe. At this point, 112 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: the guys, we should just text him later, but you should. 113 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: But look at us. We are at accidental invention. We 114 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: are a little podcast train that could uh post being 115 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: bitten by radioactive microphones, a jokeer not letting go. 116 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: Uh. 117 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: We wanted to, with the help of our pal Jeff, 118 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: explore some other uh accidental inventions. We we talked about 119 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: some world changing ones. Maybe we uh dip our toes 120 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: or start walking up and down the stairs with a 121 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: favorite toy of yesteryear, the slinky. 122 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 2: Ah, yes, the slinky spring a spring, a marvelous thing. 123 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 2: Everyone knows it's slinky. Uh. It defined an era, you know, 124 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: it was like the thing I'm a jig that everyone 125 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: had to have. I did you have? Honest, I'd certainly 126 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 2: have had multiples. You know. Now they're still around and 127 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 2: they'll be like plastic ones made with different color gradients. 128 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: And you know, the original one was literally this kind 129 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 2: of industrial metal. 130 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: Coil fingers smell weird after yeah, like I knowell you 131 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: know about your your feelings about handling metal. 132 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: The slinky would not have been a toy for young men. 133 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: And it's originally what's that old line from Egon spangler. Uh, 134 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: I had a slinky once as a child, but I 135 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: straightened it. 136 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 2: That's that sounds like a far side panel, doesn't It's like, 137 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 2: oh my god, it's about linear thinking. Uh. Well, that's 138 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 2: interesting that you say that, Ben, because you know you 139 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: while you might think that the slinky came from the 140 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 2: mind of some sort of like Willy Wonka esque figure, 141 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 2: you know not not. The truth came from somebody much 142 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 2: more square in the best way spring like. Even during 143 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 2: World War Two, an engineer by the name of Richard James, 144 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 2: which makes some only my second favorite Richard James. Uh 145 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 2: one up only by Richard D. James of Aphex twin. 146 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: That's incredible. Musician technologists out there, weirdos alive. 147 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: He's always do Yeah, he's always like. He's always like please, Ben, 148 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: Richard was my father's name. Call me Penis. 149 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 2: That's also a good joke about Richard versus Dick. Doesn't 150 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 2: make sense. It doesn't make sense as a nickname is 151 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: a shortening of Richard. Never understood it. But this Richard 152 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 2: James wanted to help the troops by inventing stable springs 153 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 2: that could be used to bolster the technology and within 154 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 2: naval ships. It would help stabilize I think the you know, 155 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 2: the ride on rough waters. 156 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, because these are very sensitive instruments, right then as 157 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: now and all right, the story is our non aphex 158 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: Richard is he's he's working on these springs, and he's saying, okay, look, 159 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: I need to make sure that if the seas do 160 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: not favor our boys at war, the royal, right, then 161 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 1: we can still save the instruments via the miracle of coils. 162 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:23,959 Speaker 2: And while he is. 163 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: Working on these springs figuring out you know, uh, correct materials, 164 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 1: tensile strength and so on, he knocks one of the 165 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: springs off the table. This is the accident. And when 166 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: it is knocked off the table, it doesn't just a 167 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: plump low and behold this mysterious spring. This coil walks 168 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: down the floor le boop. 169 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: I was trying to make a real version of it. 170 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: That's that's what I don't know why my version was 171 00:09:57,320 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: French la boop le boo boom. 172 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 2: It does seem like a bit of a French invention, 173 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 2: that's right. It's almost like you know the thing that 174 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: the clown that you knock down and then it just 175 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 2: sort of pops right back up. It's a booy, right, 176 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 2: But then it's also a toy. This was a spring. 177 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, I totally said it wrong. Initially I was saying, like, 178 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 2: these were designed to help stabilize a ship. That's not 179 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 2: nothing's gonna do that. If you're on rough water. You're 180 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 2: on rough water. But you can help safeguard the delicate instruments, right, 181 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: that are so crucial to your ability to navigate and 182 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 2: to like you know, shoot missiles and whatnot. 183 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: Super super tough, especially the surveillance instrumentation. 184 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,079 Speaker 2: Shock absorption would would be what this is going for, right, 185 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 2: And it was real good at that, But it was 186 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 2: also I think, if I'm remembering the physics of it, 187 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:49,079 Speaker 2: it transfers energy like from you know, it basically stores 188 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 2: potential energy and sort of moves it from one stage 189 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 2: to the next down like a stairstep or whatever. 190 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: And then that's yeah, yeah, you nailed it. That's what 191 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: stands out to Richie James because not only does this 192 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:05,559 Speaker 1: thing walk its way down to the floor after he 193 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 1: knocks it off the table, but then it recoils itself 194 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: and assumes its original shape. It stands upright, and look, 195 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 1: this is another sort of fleming spencer thing. 196 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 2: This guy. 197 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, Just so this guy could have said, my 198 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: job is too tough. 199 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 2: I keep springs walking away from me like a dick. 200 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 1: But instead, with his optimism which he must have had, 201 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: or perhaps with simply his feverish curiosity coming to all 202 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 1: inventors to he said, hang on, this might be funny. 203 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, a what if we could make this little 204 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 2: hoppy boy? Uh? 205 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: What if we can to make something of him? So 206 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: he goes back home and he's married. He has a 207 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: wife named Betty. And you know how it is when 208 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: you're in a long term relationship and someone is super 209 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: into their job and they this happened. 210 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 2: You're about tired of hearing about it, right, But this happens. 211 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, let's be honest, this happens to you and me 212 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: all the time when we're dating folks, and you know, 213 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: we'll especially. 214 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 2: Strangers on the street, are tired of hearing about it. 215 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: Right. And so he goes and he tells his wife 216 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: about the idea, and she's probably doing that internet meme 217 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: of going uh huh, oh wow. 218 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 2: That's crazy. Okay, all right, that's really oh wow wow. Okay, yep, 219 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 2: So but you know what, No, she's into it. She's 220 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 2: She's supportive of old Dick James, and in nineteen forty four, 221 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 2: she decides to help him out by lending a clever 222 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:42,959 Speaker 2: name to this accidental invention. 223 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 1: This is the weirdest thing I did not No, you know, 224 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: we're etymology nerds. I had always assumed that slinky was 225 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: created specifically for this brand of toy. But slinky is 226 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: a real word, meaning sneak and sinuous movement. 227 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 2: All out line people talk about a slinky dress, you know, 228 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 2: or like slinking around like an old tomcat. Right. I 229 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:18,839 Speaker 2: love the sinulous sleek movement. Okay, how can we make 230 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 2: this thing a little less sexualized? Okay, we'll just keep 231 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 2: it stark silver and we'll call it the slink. Just 232 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 2: don't look it up right, right, wildly inappropriate. No one 233 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 2: tell the kids. 234 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: So it comes to pass that they take out a 235 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: loan to get a five hundred dollars loan in nineteen 236 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: forty four. If we could inflation calculate, boop, dude, well, boom, 237 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: five hundred dollars in nineteen forty four was only nine 238 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: eighty five dollars in twenty cents, which is still you know, 239 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: in the world of big corporations. 240 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, toy type to me, come on, you know, look 241 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 2: out the door for less than ten grand. 242 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: So they co found, in a burst of humility, something 243 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 1: they call James Industries in nineteen forty five. At that 244 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: very same year, the slinky hit store shelves. At first, 245 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: you know, there's what we call a learning curve for 246 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: the market, like, how is this a value proposition in 247 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: the world of dolls and you know, little action figures 248 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: and toy cars. How can we convince people that this 249 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: extremely nerdy, literal bundle of wire is a toy they 250 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: should spend money. 251 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 2: On, oh Man exactly. You know, Ben, I actually had 252 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 2: a pretty interesting encounter recently where there's some toy stores, 253 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 2: specialty toy stores, as toy stores in general are less 254 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 2: and less free, you know common, like you don't have 255 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 2: KB toys, and I think Toys are Us is completely 256 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 2: out of business. They are Fao Schwartz. I think that's 257 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 2: what I'm talking about, Ben, Thank you, That's exactly what 258 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 2: I'm talking about. In New York City there's still Fao Schwartz. 259 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 2: And you might have seen some viral videos of this 260 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 2: cute little kind of plush cafe where they're cooking with 261 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 2: like plush toys and like like like plushy bacon and 262 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 2: cats and it's very Japanese, but they have just a 263 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 2: regular part of the toy store and in that I 264 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 2: once walked in and they were doing these demonstrations of 265 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 2: these like they had this one thing where it could 266 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: make a coin like levitate and it was probably using 267 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 2: some sort of gyroscopic technology. But the thing about it 268 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: is the guy didn't tell you how it worked. You 269 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 2: had to buy it and like see, but it was 270 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 2: really cool and I almost bought it. I was really 271 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 2: taken by this. So this is exactly what they do. 272 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 2: They decide, Okay, people aren't quite wrapping their heads around 273 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 2: this spring thing. We need to take this to the 274 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: people and show them how it works. And what a 275 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 2: what a absolute WoT it is. 276 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, this is where you know, you're like Jesus 277 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: doing demonstrytion in the street. 278 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 2: Right. 279 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: There are four hundred slinky stocked during the Christmas shopping 280 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: season at Gemble's department store in Philly. It's nineteen forty 281 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: five and in less than two hours after them essentially 282 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: saying look at this league, after two hours, all of 283 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: the slinkies are sold. That's about they were sold for 284 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: a dollar apiece, and that's about fourteen bucks each in 285 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: today's value. We want to thank our friends over at 286 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 1: the Smithsonian, specifically Rachel Alalensack for writing an excellent article 287 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: the Accidental Invention of the Slinky. 288 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 2: Yep, yeah, no, it's true. And Ben, we can't talk 289 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 2: about the slinky and it's sort of impact on popular 290 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 2: culture without talking about log. Ah. Yeah, it's big, it's heavy. 291 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: It's wood. It's big, it's heavy, it's wood. What rolls 292 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 2: downstairs alone or in rolls over your neighbor's Dog's great 293 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 2: for a snack and it fits on your back, it's 294 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 2: log log log. Now, Brend and Stimpy was created by 295 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,959 Speaker 2: a dude who's not good. He did some bad things, 296 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 2: but that was part of our childhood. And that was 297 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 2: a pretty damn good parody of Slinky because the theme 298 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 2: song that it had the spring spring of Marvel's thing. 299 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 2: They basically you know Nailer but yeah, John k had 300 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 2: some real issues with you know, courting young young women 301 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 2: and not good. But sorry, I had to mention it 302 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 2: didn't mean to make it out everybody's mind. 303 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,959 Speaker 1: The log story, the log parody. We also know that 304 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: when they were writing the log parody, they may well 305 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 1: have had a list of the original slinky lyrics. 306 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 2: That's what I mean. It's like super super Spot on 307 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: the money down to the cadence. 308 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 1: And they may have written those lyrics as reference points 309 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: in their parody composition. They may have written those on 310 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: post it notes. Oh bad, another another class monster stuff 311 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: a genius like man, do you ever use post it notes? 312 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 2: You know, I've said this, but I haven't said on 313 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 2: the show, but it does come up from time to time. 314 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 2: I so rarely write with my hand anymore, I realize, 315 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 2: And I know that's sort of like a statement about 316 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 2: technology and whatever, but like everything I do is digital, 317 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: and so I just but I would, I maybe should, 318 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: because I think there's something to be said, and scientifically speaking, 319 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,120 Speaker 2: there's definitely something to be said about writing things down 320 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 2: and the connections that it makes with your brain and 321 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 2: all of that. So I have there. I will say this. 322 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 2: They are cool for there are little ones you can 323 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 2: get as dividers for chapter markers or like doing research 324 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,879 Speaker 2: and like books and books. Can you imagine? Those are 325 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 2: super cool? But I couldn't say I've used a proper 326 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 2: post it in ages, but people use them to beat 327 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 2: out stories and writers rooms all the time, you know, 328 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 2: big important thing, very very cool. Then the story's need 329 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 2: and the colors. It's just another one of these things 330 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 2: like tupperware that starts off as one thing and then 331 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: becomes this like cultural phenomenon. And we see the digital 332 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 2: legacy of post its as well in the notes app 333 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 2: right on mac yeah, yeah, yeah, and different collaborative sort 334 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:22,160 Speaker 2: of visual representation stickies and sticky mac. Yeah. 335 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: So look, this is another accidental invention. It's nineteen sixty eight. 336 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: There's a guy working for a giant company named three M. 337 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:35,119 Speaker 1: This guy's name is super cool Spencer Silver. It's his 338 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: real name, not like his LA band name. 339 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 2: It's very very cool. It's almost as good as like polystyrene. 340 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 2: That's right. We're talking about Spencer Silver working in the 341 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:49,160 Speaker 2: lab slaving away, I believe, as part of the department 342 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:54,159 Speaker 2: responsible for creating super strong adhesives, which is you know, 343 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 2: kind of three one of three m's Stocks and Trade. 344 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 2: They're a chemical company and they make things like that 345 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 2: clinic cleaners, you know, solvents and answers. Well, that's the 346 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 2: thing exactly. And this is also early days where maybe 347 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:09,400 Speaker 2: a lot of that stuff was just running on out 348 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 2: into the rivers and the water supply, and it took 349 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 2: some doing to make them stop. But that's not Spencer's fault. No, 350 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 2: that's not. 351 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 4: No, it's not it's not he's. 352 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 2: He's trying to. 353 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: He is tasked with developing the world's best adhesive. 354 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, because he makes the world's weakest one. It's too good, 355 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:29,920 Speaker 2: it's too good, it's crazy. 356 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: His bosses are saying, essentially, Spencer, we need you to 357 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 1: invent a glue so strong that it can hold planes 358 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: together in the air. Right, And he says, right on, 359 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: And then what does he do? 360 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 2: No, he makes the weakest he's of all time. But 361 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 2: it's just like I was saying, Man, I'm sorry, I 362 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 2: got excited. Just weak enough, right, yeah, like to hold 363 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 2: up a single tiny piece of paper, just pressure sensitive too. 364 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 2: So if I'm not sure, yes, yes, yes. 365 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 1: If you use this on a plane, then theoretically you 366 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: could go up to the plane and push two of 367 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: your fingers on it and the plane would just fall apart. 368 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 2: That's exactly right. However, there were implementations, of course, outside of. 369 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: This, yes, for acrylate co polymer microspheres. His invention and 370 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: what he noticed is okay, this is weak sauce, as 371 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: the Internet would call it, but it is reusable weak sauce, 372 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: and it doesn't trail. Yeah, don't leave messy residue. It's 373 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 1: not strong. It's not permanent. It's like you were saying, Noel, 374 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: strong enough to hold together paper, but weak enough to 375 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: allow even the most. 376 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 2: Even the most whimpy of people to pool the montage 377 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 2: to the Olympics. Yeah, no, it's great, it's true. But 378 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 2: once again, if I'm not mistaken, he doesn't immediately land 379 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 2: on post it notes. 380 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: It's another team effort, right, Oh yeah, A lot of 381 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:09,360 Speaker 1: he's got the thing. 382 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 2: He doesn't know what the hell to do with. This 383 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:12,199 Speaker 2: is a weak thing. I gotta be something. 384 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: But yeah, yeah, He's like, look, I found these I 385 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: believe in the weakness of my product. I believe the 386 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,199 Speaker 1: weakness of a product. I've found these unique traits for 387 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: this material. And a lot of his colleagues and his 388 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: bosses in people in other departments at three M are like, Wow, 389 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: this guy sucks at making adhesive airplace. 390 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:40,199 Speaker 2: That's good. It's sort of like talking about like a 391 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 2: really bad superpower. And it's like, I you'd be better 392 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 2: at thinking of an example, but of like something that 393 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 2: like who's isn't squirrel Girl that's like considered one of 394 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 2: the weakest sauce superpower superheroes. 395 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: She can speak with squirrels, She's got a couple of powers. 396 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean. Wonder Twins also, 397 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:00,959 Speaker 2: but it's like, what do I do? Was this, you know, 398 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 2: like I've got this gift slash curse, what do I 399 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 2: do with it? 400 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: Or in Doctor Horrible's blog that came out during COVID 401 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: or during the writer's strike. Excuse me, there was a 402 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: guy whose superpower was that he's moist, Yeah, exactly, Or 403 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 1: it's like that character in I Know He's Maybe he 404 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 1: was just for the Spider Verse movies, that Jason Schwartzman voice. 405 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 2: He's just like a Polka Dot man or whatever, like 406 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:30,879 Speaker 2: he like just creates random portals, control over it, you know. Yeah, 407 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 2: so what do I do? He spends years spinning his 408 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 2: wheels about this, right, and finally he needs someone to 409 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 2: take a little bit of an outside perspective. Right, that's 410 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 2: really important with collaboration, right, yes, yeah, this is great 411 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:44,920 Speaker 2: for the story too. 412 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 1: This comes from Silver's own interviews later, Like you were 413 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: saying Noel for years. He's he's thinking, I've got something here. Okay, 414 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: it's not going to work to keep planes together. 415 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 2: It's not good exactly for what. 416 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: We were looking for, but it's reusable, it's residue free. 417 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 1: He is going around to any literally any of his 418 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: colleagues will listen to him and saying, hey, guys, help 419 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: me with this. His own line, and he's quoted in 420 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: posted dot com saying this. He says, I came to 421 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: be known as mister Persistent Superpower. 422 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 2: It's like a superhero name. That's his superpower and persistence. 423 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 2: Is he yeah? Is he great? I don't know? Does 424 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 2: he have super strength? 425 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: No? 426 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: Can he fly? 427 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 4: No? 428 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 2: What's not talking about? This? 429 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: Persist at some point if we let him into the Avengers. 430 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 1: But like you're saying, team power. 431 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 2: Uh. 432 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: He hangs out with another three M scientist, a guy 433 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: named Art Fry again, real name, real name, Yeah, and 434 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,919 Speaker 1: so Art Fry is in addition to being a scientist, 435 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: he is a frustrated member of a local church choir. 436 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,880 Speaker 2: That's right, he is, and he is really struggling, despite 437 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 2: his scientific background and prowess, with a really basic problem 438 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,880 Speaker 2: to mark the pages of the hymnal that they are 439 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 2: using to kind of mark what songs are going to 440 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 2: sing that day. They're using little scraps of papers. But 441 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 2: the problem is, gosh darn it, every time he comes 442 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 2: back the next Sunday, they're all over the floor like 443 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 2: so much confetti. Because the spirit moved to you clearly. 444 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 2: But I mean, what do I do about? I don't 445 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 2: know what page to go to? Sa religious hymns. 446 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 1: I love the made for TV version of this. 447 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 2: There's gotta be a way. Only I had help putting 448 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 2: on my shoes exactly. This salad won't spin itself. Now 449 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 2: that being said, Man, a salad spinner is helpful because 450 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,920 Speaker 2: it's the central usual effect that sucks the water out, 451 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 2: and it does a better job than just drying it 452 00:25:56,440 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 2: with a towel or directly. It makes it crisper. I'm 453 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 2: just saying, I'm I'm I'm on team salad spinner here. 454 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: I hear you, Man, I'd like it if it were multifunctional. 455 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,199 Speaker 1: I think we could take the idea of the one is. 456 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 2: The one thing. You could use it as a calender 457 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 2: if you wanted to. That's a great part. 458 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,199 Speaker 1: Okay, it does two things. It could also just be 459 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 1: a container. 460 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 2: It can It does have a lid with a little 461 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 2: hand crank on it. You could just use it to 462 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 2: store believing in people, believe in, believe in yourself, and 463 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 2: then the others and the rest will follow. But what's 464 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 2: going on with mister persistent here? All right? 465 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 1: And how do he and mister Fry sort of join forces? Okay, 466 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: so this is how persistent Silver is. This is why 467 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: they call it. Mister Persistent. He holds seminars where he 468 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: talks about how cool the opportunity of post it notes 469 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: could be, even though they don't call it post it notes. 470 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: And so Art Fry frustrated member. 471 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 2: Of the local church choir. 472 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: Uh, he thinks back and he has a flashback moment 473 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: where he says, oh, yeah, who's that we call mister 474 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:05,120 Speaker 1: p that he loves the microspheres, you know. Uh, And 475 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 1: this hits him and he reaches out in Silver and 476 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: they start working on this and they say, look, we're 477 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: going to develop something out of this. And they realized 478 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: all that they're writing messages on these notes that have 479 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:25,520 Speaker 1: been laced with this adhesive lace to communicate, you know, 480 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 1: around the office. And later you'll see interviews with Art 481 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: Fry who says, I thought, what we have here isn't 482 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 1: just a bookmark. It's a whole new way to communicate, 483 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:39,160 Speaker 1: which I way a little ambitious. 484 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 2: A whole new way to be passive, aggressive to your 485 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 2: coworkers on the on the company fridge right. 486 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:51,400 Speaker 1: Right to whoever keeps eating my Philly cheese steak man. 487 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 2: That was actually brave of you to bring one of 488 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 2: those to work, Ben, I got it. That does mean 489 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 2: like people are gonna they're gonna come at your Philly 490 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 2: So I think so one it's a popular saying. Well, 491 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 2: I mean, I hope that you took care of that 492 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 2: a whole new ways. It was Josh Clark, he knows 493 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 2: what he did. It's true. 494 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:10,919 Speaker 1: So now they have to pitch it the post it 495 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 1: note to their bosses, which is that's the next stage. 496 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 2: By the way, this is just like the idea. It ain't. 497 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 2: It doesn't have this brilliant, you know, zeitgeisty name yet, right, 498 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 2: which is half of the product. If I'm being if 499 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 2: we're being honest, that's a really good point. 500 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it is because if you, I mean, 501 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 1: like German companies have struggled with that sometimes if a 502 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:34,640 Speaker 1: German company discovered the slinky what they have called it, 503 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: like kinder metal coil. 504 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 2: Yes, exactly. They probably would have been. And it's not 505 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 2: to say that like sticky paper is something that one 506 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 2: could hold holy like own, right, right? You know what 507 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 2: I mean? Like it's I think it's too general, Like 508 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 2: how how is any different from taking a piece of 509 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 2: Did they have Scotch tape? At this point? We should 510 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 2: talk about that some time. That was the Scotch company, right, 511 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 2: that did like another chemical. 512 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 4: Company actually did an upside on that one. 513 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 2: I thought we did too. I thought we did. 514 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 4: Scotch was a. 515 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 1: Bizar, it was a dis it was crappy. 516 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 4: Tape was considered not very good, like. 517 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 2: Post I just gotta wonder, though, what came first, the 518 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 2: post it or the Scotch tape. 519 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 4: I think Scotch came first. 520 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 2: I think you would have to because to me, is. 521 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 4: There scot was the early twentieth this is middle one. 522 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 2: I think that's true. But I think the thing about 523 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 2: Scotch tape too, is it also has sort of a 524 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 2: weak residue. 525 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 3: Lists it turns out hold that's a good thing, because 526 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 3: so many times you don't want to tape something down 527 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:39,239 Speaker 3: that's super glue because then you can't That's exactly right. 528 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 2: But what I'm saying is like it they sort of 529 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 2: already had something going that could have been, you know, 530 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 2: co opted into something like this, but it was a 531 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 2: lot of that had to do with the name and 532 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 2: the brand in nineteen thirties. 533 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 4: Yeah to nineteen thirty by Richard Drew. 534 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: Right, And this is something that three M is aware of. 535 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: They're aware of Scotch tape. They're not going to change 536 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 1: the name, just get because they do think Scott's are 537 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: cheap people. 538 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 2: How'd the pitch meeting go with the three M brass? 539 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 2: Oh boy, yeah, that's the setup. Thank you know. Uh. 540 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: The company execs don't love it until a lab manager 541 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 1: named Jeff Nicholson spelled like our dear research associate Jeff. 542 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:21,959 Speaker 2: Uh. 543 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: He gets into it, and he is radicalized. He says, 544 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: we're going to get this out on the market. We 545 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 1: are going to first off, we're gonna do something really clever, 546 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: says Jeff. We're not going to sell this immediately. We're 547 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 1: going to make a bunch of it, and then we're 548 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: going to give it out to businesses and people around Boise, 549 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: Idaho for free. 550 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 2: So just like a drug dealer. But with post it notes, 551 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:50,800 Speaker 2: it was just the tiny post it's to start, yeah, 552 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 2: and then they graduate, I need more full sized ones. 553 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: Now your first post is free, right exactly. And this 554 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 1: is actually this is funny. Jeff found this thanks to 555 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: our alma matter how stuff works. Post its are like 556 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: orthodox post it notes are yellow. Apparently that's an accident 557 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 1: as well, because when they are making these free samples, 558 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: they just go to the lab literally next door and say, hey, 559 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 1: do you guys have any paper, and they say, oh, 560 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: I get we. 561 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 2: Have pea colored stock here. 562 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: And so after ninety percent of the people in Idaho 563 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: get the reorder this stuff. They like the taste, right, 564 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:42,240 Speaker 1: so now they want more, all fricking cow right, yes, 565 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: So now they say, okay, well, dang, people are used 566 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 1: to the urine colored like the pea papers, so we're 567 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: just gonna keep with the yellow paper. 568 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 2: Let's do it. It seems to be a hit. It was, 569 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 2: in fact, an overnight success. As they put it in 570 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 2: the History of post it notes on post dot com. 571 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 2: It was always a self advertising product because customers would 572 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 2: put the notes on documents they sent to others. Built 573 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 2: in advertising, arousing the recipient's curiosity a very arousing product. 574 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 2: Slinky there, we say. They would look at it, peel 575 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 2: it off and play with it, just thick it on 576 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 2: different stuff. Oh you know what, I mean, where's this? 577 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 2: But yeah it is? And you know what, to this 578 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 2: day people still f with posted notes when they're bored 579 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,120 Speaker 2: at the office. Oh yeah, post the note art is 580 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 2: a real thing, It really is. We haven't gotten into 581 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 2: the cornucopia of colors that were to follow, you know, 582 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 2: that became its own thing right now, we're just with 583 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 2: the one, the p yellow. But that in and of 584 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 2: itself is an absolute smash. Silver said, like many groundbreaking innovations, 585 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 2: theirs was a product nobody thought they needed until they did. 586 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:59,160 Speaker 1: And we know what is on your mind? Now this 587 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 1: is the story everybody. Everybody right now is uh screening 588 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 1: with their post or muttering yeah, they're writing their posting botes. Wiously, 589 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: why are Furiously? Why aren't the guys talking about Velcrow 590 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 1: and George demus Stral. 591 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 2: You want to know why because we took a little 592 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 2: consultation conciliatory off Mic break and discussed how Velcrow in 593 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 2: and of itself is an episode because it is not 594 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 2: only an accidental invention, which again we could lump in 595 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 2: with tupperware because that was a byproduct. Therefore, one could 596 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 2: argue it was like a repurposing of an accidental thing 597 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 2: that happened. But it's so incredibly important in manufacturing and 598 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:45,520 Speaker 2: military applications. Uh if I'm not mistaken, man, we've talked 599 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 2: about Velcrow stuff like on stuff they don't want you 600 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 2: to know. Oh yeah, like it's so we decided rather 601 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 2: than short change you because we're also running a little 602 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:56,840 Speaker 2: uh low on time. We've got some travel coming up, 603 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 2: we'd save it and give you a full Velcrow episode 604 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 2: coming right up. 605 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: Yes, and uh with that mind, thank you, as always 606 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Historians for joining us. If you have some ideas 607 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 1: for future accidental inventions, picture, we won't steal them, we promise, yeah, 608 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 1: picture inventions overly want we mean yeah, we legally can't. 609 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: On our Facebook page, Ridiculous Historians. Big thanks to our 610 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: super producer mister Max Williams and our research associate for 611 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,879 Speaker 1: this week series, Jeff. 612 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 2: Jeff the g e O f F Jeff Bartlett g 613 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:36,520 Speaker 2: e O F f G. It's a great spelling of Jeff. 614 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 2: It is it is? We asked when you get a Jeff, 615 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 2: do you say as a J E F F or 616 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 2: G E O F? 617 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 1: I always ask, I ask for what are Oh that's 618 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: big for that demographic. They care about it. I remember 619 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:54,080 Speaker 1: talking to one of your close friends. The first time 620 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 1: I met him. 621 00:34:54,680 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 2: People ask me with or without them loud, and then 622 00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 2: I punched them. 623 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 1: And people ask me, is that you're real name? But 624 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: by that point I've already ghosted a customs. 625 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 2: So you threw down a smoke bomb, and like that threw. 626 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:07,319 Speaker 1: It out a smoke bob, we also want to throw 627 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:08,880 Speaker 1: it down a smoke bomb of thanks to. 628 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:12,279 Speaker 2: I love that idea. Yeah to Alex. 629 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 1: Williams uh our brother in arms who composed this slap 630 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:16,440 Speaker 1: and bop? 631 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:19,400 Speaker 2: Who else who? Just speaking of a smoke bomb of thanks? 632 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 2: It just makes me think back to we recorded this morning, 633 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,399 Speaker 2: uh the Strange news segment of our stuff they Don't 634 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:27,359 Speaker 2: Want You to Know podcasts with our buddy Matt. And 635 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 2: prior to that, we did a really cool conversation with 636 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 2: John Cameron Mitchell of Hedwig and the Angry Inch Fame, 637 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 2: who has a great podcast out called Cancelasian Islands, and 638 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:40,799 Speaker 2: he introduced us to a concept of like positive conspiracies Yeah, 639 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:42,839 Speaker 2: I'm glad you brought that up. I think that's so cool. 640 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: I can't remember the word research on that a few 641 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:51,839 Speaker 1: years back, and I didn't want to I didn't want 642 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 1: to slow the rule. But it's it's really interesting because 643 00:35:55,080 --> 00:36:00,040 Speaker 1: it comes from a guy named doctor Goldner back in 644 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 1: the early nineteen eighties and it. 645 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 2: Can we say what it is real quick case. 646 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:07,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, Prunoia is This is doctor gold Goldener's words. Prunoia 647 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:12,840 Speaker 1: is the positive counterpart of paranoia, the delusion that others 648 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 1: may think well of one. And I mentioned that on 649 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:17,000 Speaker 1: stuff they're watching. 650 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was just so we do so many I forget. 651 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 2: But the way John put it in the context of 652 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 2: our conversations with y'all, y'all should check out really hit 653 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 2: me and I just thought it was worth mentioning. 654 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:32,120 Speaker 1: And also do check out John's newest podcast, Cancelation Island, 655 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: available wherever you find your favorite shows. While you're doing that, 656 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: do check out The Puzzler by our one and only 657 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 1: Bahamas aj Bahamas Jacobs. 658 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, and if you missed it, we had a great 659 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 2: chat with him recently about ridiculous historical fashion fads, very 660 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:54,280 Speaker 2: illiterative episode and a lovely man and if. 661 00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:57,200 Speaker 1: You're ever like the guys on Ridiculous History are just 662 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 1: too nice to each other and everybody else, check out 663 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:05,120 Speaker 1: our episodes featuring Jonathan Strickland aka the Twister, who has 664 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,240 Speaker 1: still yet to be prosecuted for as many war. 665 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 2: Crimes, Yes, against humanity and podcasting dumb. Huge thanks to 666 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,360 Speaker 2: Alex Williams who composed our theme, super producer Max Williams. 667 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,560 Speaker 2: We haven't thanks to enough. We had a nice little 668 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,040 Speaker 2: love then at the top, but we do love you Max, 669 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:23,239 Speaker 2: and a huge thanks to you too. Our research associated 670 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 2: Jeff Bartlett again and Ben Man to you. It's been 671 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 2: a fun little series and I think it's going to 672 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 2: be an ongoing one. 673 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, let's make it so again. 674 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 2: Accidentally, we'll see you next time, folks. For more podcasts 675 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 2: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 676 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:47,280 Speaker 2: you listen to your favorite shows.