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But aside from safety crimps added to the ends, the design remains
the same. And the basic model is only $2.99.
Its simplicity aside, inspiring a Slinky to gyrate can be a trial.
Try living in a one-story dwelling, often the home of countless
failed -- and creative -- Slinky spectacles.
"The only stairs we had was the four steps out the front door," said
Carol Jocoy of Conyers. "So I would build different levels with TV
trays, books and whatever else I could find to have fun."
While sitting in the bleachers for her 1974 high school graduation,
Lori Evers could barely stay awake as the commencement speech droned
on. And on.
Thankfully, one of her fellow North Springs High School graduates
unleashed a Slinky from the top of the Atlanta Civic Center
bleachers -- to resounding applause.
"My most memorable graduation memory!" said Evers, a Sandy Springs
resident. And who says Slinky is strictly low-tech?
"The metal Slinky is often used as an antenna for shortwave radio
listeners," said Jim Shields of Stone Mountain. "There are sites on
the Net that manufacture antennas using Slinkys. I have used one for
a couple of years." Slinkys even went to war in Vietnam, where
soldiers would drape them in the trees as radio antennas.
And no ode to Slinky would be complete without mentioning the
commercial jingle. Perhaps no toy is more associated with a theme
song (composed in the 1960s), an infectious ditty that just screams
for a sing-along:
"Everyone knows it's Slinky,
What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs
and makes a slinkity sound?
A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing,
Everyone knows it's Slinky.
It's Slinky, it's Slinky,
for fun, it's a wonderful toy.
It's Slinky, it's Slinky,
It's fun for a girl and a boy
It's fun for a girl and a boy."
These are perhaps the best-known lyrics although other versions
exist (Slinky remixes?). A modern version is currently blasting on
radios as Poof-Slinky pushes the product on its anniversary.
But, apparently, word of mouth remains its strongest supporter.
"I am now a parent of an 8-year-old and have been able to pass down
the love of the Slinky to her," said Heidi Stentz of Marietta. "The
simplistic nature of the slinky represents a much more simple time
for us. Toys today are so complicated. It's nice to be a kid and not
have to use anything but your imagination to make a toy work."
(c) 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Mike Cooper, Artie
Bigley, Mike Terry, DXLD)
AS CARS BECOME MORE CONNECTED, HIDING THE ANTENNAS GETS TOUGHER
AUTOS ON MONDAY | TECHNOLOGY By IVAN BERGER Published: March 14, 2005
It makes sense that automakers borrow model names from the jaguar and
impala to evoke speed and gracefulness, yet carefully avoid
associating their products with a creature like the porcupine. But
with all the antennas in some new cars - high-tech luxury sedans may
carry 18 or more - it takes a major engineering effort to design
vehicles that do not bristle with metal quills.
Today's cars need a selection of antennas just to serve their
entertainment systems (separate units for broadcast and satellite
radio, and another to receive television programming); navigation
units and cellphones use different aerials again. The count increases
further with systems that employ a "diversity" antenna to improve
reception. This design uses two or more individual antennas tuned to
the same band, relying on a microprocessor in the radio to select the
clearest signal.
More antennas yet are required for cars equipped with telematics
systems like OnStar or the Mercedes-Benz TeleAid. These systems offer
concierge services and emergency notification in the event of a
collision, using a second set of cellphone and global positioning
satellite aerials to contact a call center.
Keyless entry, security alarms and other functions controlled from the
driver's key fob require one or more antennas, as do the short-range
Bluetooth communications that link a driver's cellphone or handheld
computer with the audio systems of some new cars to permit hands-free
phone conversations. Direct-reading tire pressure monitors necessitate
still more aerials to keep tabs on the inflation of each tire,
including that of the spare in the trunk.
Active cruise control systems, which maintain a preset distance to the
car ahead (and can apply the brakes if the gap narrows too quickly),
depend on a radar antenna mounted in the grille. Bumpers may carry a
series of antennas that emit signals to measure the distance to nearby
vehicles as part of a warning device intended to make parking less of
a hit-and-miss affair.
Each feature making use of a radio frequency input requires an antenna
tuned to its particular signal, presenting a big challenge to the
engineers who must find places to install all of this hardware. Adding
to the complexity is a wide range of size and shape requirements,
which change with the wavelength of the signal.
Besides avoiding stickleback styling, incentives to strip antennas
from the car's exterior and tuck them away include the potential to
reduce wind noise and aerodynamic drag. Drivers also appreciate the
elimination of breakage by carwashes and vandals.
Some of the earliest antennas in cars were wire loops hidden within
the cloth tops of 1930's sedans, but with the advent of all-steel
roofs the upright mast antenna became the preferred design. About 30
years later, carmakers tried hiding them again, integrating antennas
into windshields or rear windows by applying wires to the surface or
embedding them inside the glass.
"Those were simple antennas, and reception was poor," said Robert W.
Schumacher, manager for integrated media systems at Delphi, a leading
parts supplier.
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