# Culture artifacts that ...maybe not ONLY you remember....but its getting close. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633 "2018-08-15T03:00:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/141 "2018-08-16T13:58:27Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Or seems to. I’m sure some people here will remember these but I don’t know anyone in person who does. > > “Monty Haul” adventures in Dragon magazine. Not the concept of Monty Haul, but a series of adventures by people who fought things like “12 Tiamats by calling a strike by their orbiting USS Enterprise.” I remember the “Monty Haul” columns, but at the time I read them I had no idea they what other [cultural phenom they were referencing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall). I assumed that “Monty” referred to Monty Python. I also remember a few cartoons that used to run in the back of the “Dragon” – Fineous Fingers, Wormy, and Phil & Dixie. I loved those. Things that (it seems) only I remember: - [Simon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yqj76Q4jJ4) (electronic game that was a huge rage for about a year in the early 80s) - [Night Flight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Flight_(TV_series)) (TV show that aired all the videos that MTV refused to air- for either being too edgy, too metal, not new wave enough, etc.) - [Fridays](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHV1ZcTVK40) - sketch comedy show - The band [Sparks](https://vimeo.com/262151804) On a more serious note, I know a lot of younger gay men who have no idea what the pink triangle signifies or know the slogan “Silence = Death”. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/142 "2018-08-16T14:02:35Z")
I had a toy gun that shot these little plastic discs: [https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&biw=1440&bih=786&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=ln51W-OVKcHKswX2-obwDg&q=vintage+toy+gun+plastic+discs&oq=vintage+toy+gun+plastic+discs&gs\_l=img.3...415668.416747.0.417952.8.8.0.0.0.0.84.549.8.8.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0....0.kUOxmQ00ngU](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&biw=1440&bih=786&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=ln51W-OVKcHKswX2-obwDg&q=vintage+toy+gun+plastic+discs&oq=vintage+toy+gun+plastic+discs&gs_l=img.3...415668.416747.0.417952.8.8.0.0.0.0.84.549.8.8.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0....0.kUOxmQ00ngU) . I had the brown one. Fortunately I wore glasses so I never had to worry about shooting my eye out. My sons have the Nerf guns and now I understand my parents’ frustration at finding the ammo all over the house. And no love for _The Banana Splits_\* or _H.R. Pufnstuf_ or _The Bearcats_? - Years ago the department I was working in would do a monthly newsletter and one of the features would highlight a member of the department. When they did me, I answered that the one thing no one knew about me was that I was a finalist for the role of Fleegle. I’m sure it will come as no surprise that no one ever called bull on that, as that would imply someone actually read the newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/143 "2018-08-16T14:03:03Z")
Apologies for the double post. I meant to fix a link that I realized a little too late was broken. Mods, if you eliminate one of my posts, please remove the first one. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/144 "2018-08-16T15:27:15Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I was expecting the Wham-O **Superball** … We LOVED Superballs\*. We could indeed bounce them over houses, and up on the roof of our 3-story school. But those of us who couldn’t afford the 99¢ discovered that “India Rubber Balls” sold at the pet shop bounced just as well for 39¢. With the added bonus that the beige rubber took ballpoint pen well, and soon ours looked like monster heads (google Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth’s monsters). \*\*"The most amazing ball ever produced… \*_ **by science!"** _ – I have GOT to work that into daily conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/145 "2018-08-16T16:40:24Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > To this day, those creatures on the **[Freakies](https://www.google.com/search?q=freakies+cereal&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwipv4ic2fDcAhWBqZAKHR6LBjEQ_AUICygC&biw=838&bih=429)** cereal box make my stomach turn over. I can still sing the jingle. “We are the freakies we are the freakies we live in the freakies tree” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/146 "2018-08-16T16:57:44Z")
Before _ **The Lone Ranger** _, before _ **The Adventures of Superman** _, before _ **Whirlybirds** _, before _ **Combat!** _, before _ **Batman** _, before _ **Time Tunnel** _, my favorite TV show was _ **Sea Hunt** _. Because of the invention of the aqualung during WWII, scuba diving was a big thing in the '50s. When I was five or six, I had a kid-sized “aqualung” that was actually a fancy snorkel in the form of a yellow plastic tank equipped with a “regulator” and a hose with a mouthpiece. You had to unscrew the bottom of the tank and fill it with sand to act as ballast, neutralizing your bouyancy somewhat. The “regulator” had a little ball inside that would block off your air supply if water got into the system. With this thing strapped to your back, all you needed was a mask and a pair of flippers to stay underwater (just below the surface) for as long as you wanted. Anybody else have one of these? They made you the envy of every other kid on the beach! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/147 "2018-08-16T16:58:46Z")
I was going to mention that “parody jingles we shared as kids” would be gone long before anything mentioned so far in this thread BUT… I’m happy to see that [the marijuana -lsd song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhfsTK5V9bU) and [The Comet Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcDQ99N0-Ds) have been archived now. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/148 "2018-08-16T17:08:42Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > You had to unscrew the bottom of the tank and fill it with sand to act as ballast, neutralizing your bouyancy somewhat. The bottom was a separate piece. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/149 "2018-08-16T17:33:18Z")
Well, not quite yet in the official “not many who remember, only a handful still survive” category\*, but for those of us then young’un NY Tristaters who didn’t have cable in the mid-'80s, there for a brief shining period was [U68 music television](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFUT-DT) with the Power Hour, Uncle Floyd & Oogie, and all… > [@](#): > > By 1985 WHT folded, due to huge losses as a result of the expansion of cable television; as a result, the station switched to music videos as U68, programmed by Steve Leeds (later at MTV) Intro clips and various reminiscing posts still exist in near obscure forums if you search, but it’s not quite the lore of MTV. And yeah, U68 did eventually play ‘Money For Nothing’ (previously banned due to the ‘I Want My MTV’ refrains), but soon after that the shopping channel aspect conquered all. \*42 years after the destruction of Manhattan of course ---
**Author:** ![Valentine\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/76d3ee/32.png) [@Valentine\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valentine_Smith)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/150 "2018-08-16T17:51:20Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Mr. Shirley Jones? (I’m not looking) I’m Dickens he’s Fenster! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/151 "2018-08-16T17:56:09Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The Original Flubber toy: > [The Fatal Flubber Fiasco of ’63 « Progress City, U.S.A.](http://progresscityusa.com/2011/09/06/the-fatal-flubber-fiasco-of-63/comment-page-1/) I had the original Flubber. I think I was literally allergic to it. We had to throw it out. I saw the Flubber movies, in glorious black and white, at our local downtown cinema, gone these 48 years. I remember Dobie Gillis, too – both the original animate opening and the later “Dobie” version. I always liked the idea of shooting Dobie’s inner monologues with Dwayne Hickman standing in front of a giant copy of Rodin’s _The Thinker_. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/152 "2018-08-16T18:00:20Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I loved mine when I was a kid too! I remember when my brother and I received them, my grandfather admonished us not to “get sick”. We didn’t understand and thought he was joking. Now that I’m old, I know I would totally be sick if I spun around on that thing for a while. > > How about [Colorforms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorforms)? I had a Peanuts themed set with dozens of little pieces. I didn’t realize until recently that the ORIGINAL Colorforms were a set of colored vinyl plastic pieces in simple shapes – circles, squares, triangles – that stuck onto a plain black background. It was an award-winning toy because it supposedly freed your creative impulses with such a simple (and hard-to-lose) set of “building blocks”. It wasn’t until later that the “made in the shapes of licensed cartoon characters” came around, but when they did, they completely eclipsed the original simple toy. I didn’t even see an Original Colorforms set until I was an adult [https://www.amazon.com/Retro-The-Original-Colorforms-Set/dp/B000BNEODU](https://www.amazon.com/Retro-The-Original-Colorforms-Set/dp/B000BNEODU) [https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/original-colorforms-set](https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/original-colorforms-set) > **[Colorforms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorforms)** > > Colorforms is a creative toy named for the simple shapes and forms cut from colored vinyl sheeting that cling to a smooth backing surface without adhesives. These pieces are used to create picture graphics and designs, which can then be changed countless times by repositioning the removable color forms. The name also refers to the specific registered trademark brand these products are produced under, as well as the company that manufactures the toys, Colorforms Brand, LLC. > Sets initially feature... ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/153 "2018-08-16T18:03:41Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Ever hit the whole roll with a hammer? Yep. Ever see a hammer jump? A few people remember Hot Stuff the Little Devil comics, but no one seems to remember his friend who wore a bowler hat and I believe was named Tuffy. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/154 "2018-08-16T18:07:09Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > I had those, also “Incredible Edibles” which was a similar concept but nasty tasting gummi candy stuff instead of plastic. > > Funny story–when we lived in Japan my dad saw an enormous (like 6-8 inches long) centipede outside my door. Bright red head, brown body and bright yellow legs and he thought it was one of my creepy crawlies that I’d left on the floor. So he bent down to pick it up and it scrambled away, whereupon he stomped that sucker flat (and why in hell did he have his shoes on in our Japanese house? We’d have gotten a spanking for that!) and left the entire mess right outside my door–about five million wriggling yellow legs that didn’t stop wriggling for a long time and a smooshed body all set off against the deep purple carpet. Of course dad left it for the housekeeper to clean up and I had an awful time getting out of my room since the door was inset into the hallway by about three feet and there wasn’t an inch of carpet not covered in bug yuck. I ended up leaping over it just to get out of my damned room. In fact, I jumped over that spot for about six months straight, I just could NOT put my foot down for fear there might be a couple wiggly legs left behind. Guh! Hah! Before there were Creepy Crawlers or Incredible Edibles there was the **Vac-U-Form** , which used the same heating element as the slightly later two things. It heated a roughly 3" x 4" square of plastic until soft, then you flipped it over onto a pad that held shapes . You then pumped like mad and the softened plastic sheet would be sucked into the shape of the shapes. (If you watch the Syfy show _Face Off_, you’ve seen them use an industrial Vacuform machine) > **[Mattel Vacuform for sale | eBay](https://www.ebay.com/b/Mattel-Vacuform/727/bn_7114054425)** > > Great deals on Mattel Vacuform. Expand your options of fun home activities with the largest online selection at eBay.com. Fast & Free shipping on many items! > **[Vac-U-Form by Mattel and Toymax - Sam's Toybox](https://www.samstoybox.com/toys/Vac-U-Form.html)** > > The Vac-U-Form plastic molding toy by Mattel > **[Vac-U-Form](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vac-u-form)** > > The Vac-u-form, was a toy invented by Eddy Goldfarb and released by Mattel in the 1960s around 1961 with the trademark filed on October 8, 1962. > Based on the industrial process of vacuum forming, a rectangular piece of plastic was clamped in a holder and heated over a metal plate. When the plastic was soft, the holder was swung to the other side, over a mold of the object to be formed. Then quickly and repeatedly pressing down on a spring-loaded handle on the side of the unit created a vacuum, s... ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/155 "2018-08-16T18:14:43Z")
Candy cigarettes and big wax lips. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/156 "2018-08-16T18:39:25Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > Yep. Ever see a hammer jump? > > A few people remember Hot Stuff the Little Devil comics, but no one seems to remember his friend who wore a bowler hat and I believe was named Tuffy. His name was **Spooky, the Tuff Little Ghost** , and he was Casper’s friend, not Hot Stuff’s. He had a girlfriend, **Poil**. But since Spooky had a thick Brooklyn accent, her name was probably really “Pearl”. Casper also had a ghost horse friend, **Nightmare**. And, of course, there was **Wendy, the Good Little Witch** > **[Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spooky_the_Tuff_Little_Ghost)** > > Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost is a fictional character that appeared in titles published by Harvey Comics. Spooky first appeared in Casper the Friendly Ghost #10 (June 1953). He is Casper's cousin, although their exact relation is never specified. He generally resembles Casper except he has freckles, a derby hat, and a large, black nose. > Spooky is written with a Brooklyn accent, for example calling his girlfriend and fellow ghost Pearl, "Poil". His iconic derby hat is, therefore, a "doiby". Altho... > **[Casper the Friendly Ghost](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casper_the_Friendly_Ghost)** > > Casper the Friendly Ghost is the fictional character who serves as the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. He is a translucent ghost who is pleasant and personable, but often criticized by his three wicked uncles, the Ghostly Trio. > The character was featured in 55 theatrical cartoons titled The Friendly Ghost from 1945 to 1959. The character has been featured in comic books published by Harvey Comics since 1952, and Harvey purchased the charac... ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/157 "2018-08-16T19:17:05Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I was going to mention that “parody jingles we shared as kids” would be gone long before anything mentioned so far in this thread BUT… > > I’m happy to see that [the marijuana -lsd song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhfsTK5V9bU) and [The Comet Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcDQ99N0-Ds) have been archived now. Fun! But no one’s put the Howdy Doody version we sang on YouTube yet… _It’s Howdy Doody TIme/ So turn to Channel Nine! And you’ll see Frankenstein/ With a bottle of turpentine… …on his head…_ (the last line is sung quietly and quickly, as if you know it’s a crappy rhyme) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/158 "2018-08-16T19:44:06Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Before _ **The Lone Ranger** _, before _ **The Adventures of Superman** _, before _ **Whirlybirds** _, before _ **Combat!** _, before _ **Batman** _, before _ **Time Tunnel** _, my favorite TV show was _ **Sea Hunt** _. Year TV series began: _The Lone Ranger_: 1949 _Adventures of Superman_: 1953 (No “The”.) _Whirlybirds_: 1957 _Sea Hunt_: 1958 When you’re right, you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/159 "2018-08-16T19:48:21Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Before there were Creepy Crawlers or Incredible Edibles there was the **Vac-U-Form** , which used the same heating element as the slightly later two things. It heated a roughly 3" x 4" square of plastic until soft, then you flipped it over onto a pad that held shapes . You then pumped like mad and the softened plastic sheet would be sucked into the shape of the shapes. (If you watch the Syfy show _Face Off_, you’ve seen them use an industrial Vacuform machine).\ Vac-u-forms were great for customizing model airplanes (and, I assume, other kinds of models as well). Just carve the part you want out of balsa (or use a part from another kit) and you could make as many duplicate parts as you wanted. \*\*\*Scale \*\*\*\*\*\*Modeler \*\*\*magazine did this to customize a stock 1/72 Ju-88 into a tankbuster used on the Eastern Front (“die Dicke Bertha”). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633/160 "2018-08-16T19:50:36Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Year TV series began: > > _The Lone Ranger_: 1949 > _Adventures of Superman_: 1953 (No “The”.) > _Whirlybirds_: 1957 > _Sea Hunt_: 1958 > > When you’re right, you’re right. I was born in 1955. The order in which I listed them is the order in which I remember seeing (and getting hooked on) them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culture-artifacts-that-maybe-not-only-you-remember-but-its-getting-close/819633.md?page=9)