notbob wrote:

> On 2005-09-22, Gregory Morrow
<gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:
>
> > It's a bit before my time (I was born in '53), but for a year or two in
the
> > early 50's ('52 I think) chlorophyll was touted as a "miracle"
indgredient
> > in stuff like toothpaste, gum, mouthwash, etc. I don't get it, but
> > apparently it was supposed to promote cleanliness or something...it was
one
> > of those goofy short - lived 50's fads, e.g. the Hula - Hoop ('58),
pink
> > shirts with black ties for men ('56), air suspension on cars ('57 - '58)
or
> > Philco "Predicta" teevee sets ('58)...
>
> OK, I remember that, but I don't know if I'd qualify it as a
> craze/fad, just MadAve schlock, liked striped toothpaste and gum. Now
> Hula-Hoops were definitely a seriously full blown craze. As for the
> rest, I don't think so. I've seen one Predicta in the wild in my
> life. More a curiosity than a craze. Air suspension? That was more
> of a craze in the late 70's, early 80's, when you could retrofit your
> rear suspension with air and vary the pressure at any gas station.
> It's still around, here and there. Honda Gold Wings can adjust their
> air suspension while on the go. As for me, I prefer Pink on gray.
>


I remember seeing Predictas in a few mom 'n pop hotels even into the early
70's, I guess they got a deal on them back c. 1960 when they turned out to
be the Edsel of TV sets (made by the same company, too!)...

Air suspension back in the 50's was the Next Big Thing...all the Big Three
automakers offered it IIRC on many of their models, in fact GM considered
making it standard on their entire 1958 line (it was GM's 50th anniversary,
they had to have some engineering coups to go along with that gawdawful be -
chromed Harley Earl "styling"). Problem was, those early air suspension
systems were faulty and they leaked (shoddiness in any case was rife among
Detroit iron of that era; ask those who had Ford Skyliners how many times
their convertible hardtops would stop in mid - air when it was being raised
or lowered into the trunk), the few folks that ordered the option would all
of a sudden find their cars sunk low to the ground and useless. The
manufacturers realised their folly and retro - fitted these cars with
regular suspension systems...by 1960 air suspension was gone.

Of course today air suspension has been virtually perfected, it is generally
problem free...

Oh, and one of the rooms in my apt. has dark gray walls with a pink - ish
"accent" wall :-)

--
Best
Greg