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Weekend Trivia: Saturday

Still coughing, sneezing, and blowing here, so straight to our trivia.

Some of the best inventions are accidental. In 1948, Ed Lowe, the son of the owner of a sawmill offered a customer looking for sawdust some clay, known as Fullers Earth which was used to absorb grease. Ed realized he had a great idea and began to market a new product which he was eventually able to turn into a multi-million dollar business. Can you figure out what idea he turned into $?

I will be back with clues if you need them. Off to check on the pets (grandpup here again wearing ours out).

Cynthia

Comments (19)

  • thinman
    12 years ago

    Sorry you're still sick, Cynthia. Dang kids anyway!

    Trivia-wise, if I'm thinking of the right product, it has a two word name and the second word is a minor misdemeanor in most areas.

    TM

  • aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
    12 years ago

    Sorry you're still feeling peely wally Cyn, hope you're feeling better soon. Have a feeling both Nancy and I know the answer to this one :). I'm off to a meeting this morning will check back later this afternoon.

    Annette

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Really just feeling mostly irritated that this is hanging on so long. Got rid of it for three days, and then, WHAM, back again. You're right TM. Dang kids. One would think I'd be immune by now! :)

  • lorna-organic
    12 years ago

    I go through 20 pounds of the stuff every month. I usually carry a couple of big sacks of it in my car throughout the winter, too.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    12 years ago

    Sorry you are still feeling "icky" as my daughter would say, Cynthia. Amy has used that word since she was little and apparently it is still very appropriate. She is a nurse in a large pediatric clinic so gets a lot of "icky" and still brings it home with her! The "ickies" seem to mutate faster than our immune system can handle IMO!

    Being in the pet business for many, many years now, the trivia question was an easy one for me. I use that **** on everything! Well, not quite but it is very versatile here in the frozen north! No kitties in this house now but still a bag or two in the garage for emergencies. :)

    Ginny

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Okay, all you smarties. No need for clues, although I did think up one about having tissues littered about the house (not really, just thought it would be a good albeit "icky" clue. :) I did figure Annette and Nacy would probably know it right off.

    So, since you all know that, can you tell me how Sir Isaac Newton and cats are connected?

    Cynthia

  • mnwsgal
    12 years ago

    Well, I needed the clues, wouldn't have known it was kitty litter without them. We had cats before my son was born, almost 30 years ago, but no pets since then. I love cats, just don't have any for various reasons. A previous neighbor had a cat that would come over for tummy rubs. I miss them both.

    Newton and cats, that one I know as I considered adding one to our home. And, I taught mathematics with extra credit given to essays about mathematicians. One student wrote an essay about this then unknown to me aspect of Newton's life.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    12 years ago

    Well this one was my Dad's idea originally in this house. We have very old doors with screens you take out in the winter and put framed glass panes in. Front storm door is still like that. One year Dad got tired of the cats (2 at that time, one which Dad called Professor) breaking through the screens to get in when it was raining or the dogs chased them. So he built a little shelf on the outside of the door and cut the screen on one corner and put a wooden bar along about 3/4 of the way down so he could staple the screen to that and leave the flap open for the cats. He was the one who told me who invented it. He probably read it in one of his many interesting facts books. :) mnwsgal just reminded me.

    Ginny

  • thinman
    12 years ago

    The letters in Isaac Newton can be rearranged into sane wino cat, but that's probably not the answer is it?

    TM

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    12 years ago

    LMAO TM! Are you bored today? :) Perhaps we should have 2 trivia posts going on Saturday, lol......:)

    Ginny

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    TM, no, but I think I like it better than the real answer!

  • aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
    12 years ago

    Drat, don't know the answer to the second question :(.

    Annette

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Annette, re-read Ginny's and Bobbie's posts. Ginny really spelled it out for you.
    Cynthia

  • aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
    12 years ago

    Cat door? We've got one for Basil so he can come in and out of the basement when we're not home. Our Percy is an inside only kitty so she gets to use the stuff in the first trivia question :).

    Annette

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    **** for Ginny, TM, Lorna, Annette, and Bobbie for the kitty litter question. Here is the blurb from the website:
    "Clay cat litter came about by accident. In 1948 a neighbour by the name of Kay Draper went into her local sawmill to pick up some sawdust for her cat's litter tray. She had been using ash, but was fed up with it being tracked all over her house. Ed Lowe, the son of the owner offered her some clay, known as Fullers Earth which was used to absorb grease. Ed realised he was onto something, and started marketing the product in pet shops & at cat shows. It took a while to take off, but eventually it became a multi million dollar business."

    Clearly, I need to get ideas from sources like PhD texts on physics, astronomy, and such to give all of you any kind of brain work-out at all! :)

    Annette, Ginny, and Bobbie get extra points for knowing that Newton created the "cat flap." Apparently, there are still two patched holes in the door of the house where he lived. He made one flap for the mama cat and a smaller one for the kittens, who proceeded to follow their mother in through the larger flap. He obviously didn't think that one through, did he? I picture him slapping himself on the side of his head saying, "What was I thinking?"

    And a big grin to TM for his letter arrangement!! :-)

    Nancy, I know you would have gotten this. I think work must be interfering with your trivia time. Want me to have a word with the boss?

    Thanks for playing everyone.
    Cynthia

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    12 years ago

    lol. Finally home - yea!!!! I really need a new job!! Yes, finally figured out the kitty litter thing, but honalee, that **** is slippery when wet, don't you know!! Sand is much better for traction. As for Sir Isaac, I did not know that about him - he must have loved his pusses!!

    Nancy. - well, I thought I had posted this last night - but here is is the am!! lol. So, finally, finally!!

  • thinman
    12 years ago

    Fun questions, Cynthia. I thought I knew quite a bit about Isaac Newton, but I had never heard about the cat door.

    Thanks for the trivia and the stars.

    TM

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    and so finally, **** stars for you, too, Nancy!

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    12 years ago

    Nancy ~ Yes, the clay stuff is really slippy when it gets wet however, since Ed invented kitty litter, many others have done their best to improve it. One of these improvements was using dried corn cobs as litter. It, among many other things used, has been the best thing going for pet owners and lab workers. Besides, I use it for weight unless it is an emergency like someone stuck in the back lane. :)

    Lots of fun Cynthia! Thanks for the kitty trivia! I am pretty sure both of these questions were on an episode on the Discovery channel. Must have been a tribute to cats. :)

    Ginny

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