Episodes

  • 107: How the Super Soaker became the worlds greatest water gun
    Apr 10 2024

    The Power Drencher! ...Wait? You mean the Super Soaker, right?

    Yes! The Super Soaker has an amazing history and was invented by a nuclear engineer with a list of achievements most could only dream of.

    Find out how the world's most famous water guns made a splash in the 90s with their new technology that left competitor sales dry. I talk about how Lonnie Johnson came up with the idea for the toy, how it went into production, the different models and where the toy is today.

    Enjoy this fascinating episode of VIVID RECALL!

    To see more, visit the podcast's social media pages: https://www.instagram.com/vividrecallpodcast https://twitter.com/VividRecall https://www.youtube.com/@VividRecall

    References: http://www.sscentral.org/physics/works.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1zAO1WkG58 https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/super-soaker/ https://web.archive.org/web/20080211181421/http://www.vidgame.net/NINTENDO/GB.html https://issuu.com/retromash/docs/argos-no36-1991-autumnwinter/1?ff www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYq6aKLuSk0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBtJGsyrQjE www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h3mZLLjQgk https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/g138/4322164/#slide-4 https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/20150609_Alvin_Davis__businessman_behind_the_Super_Soaker.html https://www.nathenson.org/courses/innovations/larami-v-amron/ https://www.blastercentral.com/nerf-history/ https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R42642.pdf https://steminstitutenyc.org/ http://www.isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis/SuperSoaker_tree_all_series.php http://www.isoaker.com/Info/history_presupersoaker.html http://www.isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis/1992/super_soaker_ss200.php http://isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis/2013/nerf_super_soaker_flashblast.html http://www.isoaker.com/Info/history_supersoaker.html https://nerf.fandom.com/wiki/Lonnie_Johnson https://nerf.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Soaker https://nerfguns.net/articles/a-brief-history-of-nerf-super-soakers/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37062579 https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/what-is-the-best-water-gun-for-long-distance-water-fights/ https://www.biography.com/inventors/lonnie-johnson-invent-super-soaker https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/water-blaster.htm?srch_tag=pjq2fewzrxaf4fl2gcol4t7lx5ffoci3

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    22 mins
  • 106: Did anyone get rich from Beanie Babies?
    Apr 3 2024

    The bean-filled animals took auction websites by storm and caused mass hysteria among collectors. Theft, divorce and bankruptcy clouded the 90s craze that was originally intended to be a children's toy, which quickly spiralled into adults racing to buy rare Beanie Babies that would allegedly make them rich.

    I talk about how Beanie Babies came to be and why so many people believed they were a great investment. I'll cover where they are now and those who sunk their entire life savings into buying thousands of the toys, hoping that the investment would one day pay for their children's college education.

    Did anybody get rich from Beanie Babies?

    Find out in this Episode of VIVID RECALL!

    To see more, visit the podcast's social media pages: https://www.instagram.com/vividrecallpodcast https://twitter.com/VividRecall https://www.youtube.com/@VividRecall

    Sources: https://public.com/learn/beanie-babies-boom https://beaniebabiespriceguide.com/ https://truebluebeans.com/ https://www.businessinsider.com/rise-and-fall-beanie-babies-ty-warner-2021-8?r=US&IR=T https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2015/03/02/beanie-baby-bubble http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/billion-dollar-babies-history-ty-beanie-babies/ http://www.aboutbeanies.com/checklists/McDonalds_Teenie_Beanie_Babies_1997.html http://www.aboutbeanies.com/checklists/McDonalds_Teenie_Beanie_Babies_1998.html https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator https://beaniepedia.com/beanies/beanie-babies/iggy-the-iguana-tie-dyed-no-tongue/ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/02/27/part-1-how-the-internet-has-woven-itself-into-american-life/ https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/beanie-babies-jail-dark-side-of-the-90s.html/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgDsyj5eLmo https://shop.ty.com/ https://www.arosetintedworld.co.uk/are-beanie-boos-and-beanie-babies-the-same/ https://www.history.com/news/how-the-beanie-baby-craze-came-to-a-crashing-end https://www.thetrendspotter.net/beanie-babies/ https://web.archive.org/web/20110609213656/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4DA5E062B1E4C&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

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    22 mins
  • 105: Were Furbies a risk to national security?
    Mar 27 2024

    Furbys or Furbies? Tiger Electronics says both are correct. However you want to spell the plural of these robotic pet friends, they are the topic of this week's episode.

    The first mass-produced robot would wake children in the night, screaming its made-up language and making fart noises... It was also allegedly deemed a risk to national security by several intelligence agencies. People claimed to have taught their Furby how to talk, but could it learn from its owner?

    In this episode, we talk about the invention of a robotic pet that resembles a Chinese demon who is said to cause harm to humans.

    Find out more in this episode of VIVID RECALL.

    To see more, visit the podcast's social media pages: https://www.instagram.com/vividrecallpodcast/ https://twitter.com/VividRecall https://www.youtube.com/@VividRecall

    Sources: https://furby.fandom.com/wiki/Furby https://official-furby.fandom.com/wiki/Furbys_vs_Furbies https://www.toystreet.co.uk/throwback-thursday-furby/ https://kids.kiddle.co/Furby https://elephant.art/furbies-became-cute-emblem-90s-nostalgia-toy-27022020/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/577688/furby-myths-people-believed https://www.worldcollectorsnet.com/features/furbys/ https://www.brandwatch.com/email/brandwatch-bulletin-0130-furbys/ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mogwai https://oldworldgods.com/chinese/mogwai-chinese-culture/ https://oldworldgods.com/chinese/mogwai-chinese-culture/ https://www.pandanese.com/blog/mogwai-meaning https://asianethnology.org/downloads/ae/pdf/a741.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20090412071816/http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/bodhidharma/mara.html https://stuffedparty.com/the-history-of-furby/ https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20141013-why-do-your-eyes-face-forwards https://www.bustle.com/p/the-history-of-furby-the-electronic-pet-that-took-the-late-90s-by-storm-8080509 https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/BigFunInFurbyland https://official-furby.fandom.com/wiki/Dancing_Furby_(Game) https://official-furby.fandom.com/wiki/Furby_Connect_World https://official-furby.fandom.com/wiki/McFurbys https://kids.kiddle.co/Image:Furby,_a_McDonaldsToy_circa_2001,_with_bright_blue_coat.jpg https://official-furby.fandom.com/wiki/Shelby https://stuffedparty.com/the-history-of-furby/

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    21 mins
  • 104: Tamagotchi: a millennials' first pet
    Mar 20 2024

    Tamagotchis were the 90s toy that was most millennials' first pet. The invention changed the way we thought about gaming and paved the way for a system that remained on, living in a continual cyber environment that couldn't be paused or turned off.

    People would become extremely attached to these toys, which led to some very strange goings on in a cemetery in Cornwall...

    Find out more in this episode of VIVID RECALL.

    To see more, visit the podcast's social media pages: https://www.instagram.com/vividrecallpodcast/ https://twitter.com/VividRecall https://www.youtube.com/@VividRecall

    Sources: http://gotchi-garden.blogspot.com/p/click-on-image-to-view-it-in-full-size_76.html https://www.thetoyshop.com/brands/tamagotchi https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/kids/toys-activities/tamagotchi-pix-original-buy-uk-b2291967.html https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/keeping-tamagotchi-alive-180979264/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/642373/tamagotchi-history https://www.wired.com/story/tamagotchi-25-year-anniversary-impact/ https://www.itechpost.com/articles/109711/20220324/toytech-history-evolution-tamagotchi.htm http://www.mimitchi.com/tamaplus/tama_history.shtml https://wellcomecollection.org/articles/WsT4Ex8AAHruGfWb https://tamagotchi.fandom.com/wiki/Tamagotchi_(1996_Pet)

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    14 mins
  • 103: Could Alien Egg toys give birth?
    Mar 13 2024

    CONTENT WARNING! This episode contains an audio reenactment of the discovery of an abandoned foetus, as well as discussions of foetuses and the misidentification of abandoned foetuses.

    Alien Eggs had some sensational urban legends around them. The mystery of the toys breeding and giving birth mesmerised children. What was the secret to getting them to reproduce?

    These collectables were described as the most disgusting toys in the world. Did you ever own an Alien Egg from the planet Scardox?

    Listen to hear more about these toys and hear the story about how they caused the partial closure of a train station...

    To see more, visit the podcast's social media pages: https://www.instagram.com/vividrecallpodcast/ https://twitter.com/VividRecall https://www.youtube.com/@VividRecall https://vividrecall.podbean.com/

    Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/nov/04/5 https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgxqx3/alien-eggs-toy-craze https://www.ladbible.com/community/weird-inspirational-scientific-experiment-confirms-whether-goo-aliens-can-have-babies-20171011

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    15 mins
  • 102: POGs and TAZOs
    Mar 6 2024
    POGS were the small, collectable discs that gave most millennials their first experience of gambling. Those who collected POGS contributed to the nationwide ban, which stopped kids from playing the slamming and flipping game whilst at school. Millions of children across the globe traded POGS with their friends and won them in battles. TAZOS were the alternatives that were given out in packs of potato chips, and both were covered in colourful graphics and pop culture images. In this episode, find out where POGS and TAZOS came from and the rise and fall of the currency of the kids in the 1990s. To see more, visit the podcast's social media pages: https://www.instagram.com/vividrecallpodcast/ https://twitter.com/VividRecall https://www.youtube.com/@VividRecall Sources: https://www.pogunlimited.com/ https://www.pogdigital.com/ https://www.grunge.com/36515/real-reason-pogs-disappeared/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/54202/weird-history-pogs#:~:text=Pogs%20as%20we%20know%20them,and%20made%20out%20of%20cardboard https://www.vice.com/en/article/evyxgj/meet-the-guy-who-invented-tazos-and-gave-meaning-to-school-lunchtimes https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2005/06/mil-050606-afpn04.htm https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-07-mn-611-story.html https://archives.starbulletin.com/2005/07/30/news/whatever.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070716215117/http://www.milkcapmania.co.uk/howtoplay.html https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/54202/weird-history-pogs https://twitter.com/PogDigital?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor https://public.com/learn/pogs https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/38558/pogs https://www.milkcapmania.co.uk/how-to-play-pogs.html https://www.90stoys.com/games/how-to-play-pogs/ https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1947621_1947626_1947589,00.html https://geeksoup.co.uk/pogs-tazos-and-milk-caps-a-brief-history-of-toys/ https://www.milkcapmania.co.uk/Tazos/Walkers/305-Monster-Munch-Series-1.html https://swmerchandise.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Tazos https://www.milkcapmania.co.uk/Tazos/Walkers/296-Looney-Tunes.html https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/backyard-fun-games/pogs.htm?srch_tag=7ysffv47pllwjvh4smcnmfrc4cl6opyl https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/how-to-make-korean-ddakji-game-2541008 https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/squid-game-paper-flip-ddakji-how-to-play/ https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52bb37eee4b089a76bb4322f/t/5f4992080ce42f136e33ef02/1598657033366/Ddakji+Instructions.pdf https://medium.com/omgfacts/why-were-pogs-banned-in-school-ff30dd6e3513 https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/22/us/to-end-pog-fights-schools-ban-game.html
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    17 mins
  • 101: Pokémon
    Feb 28 2024

    Episode #1 is here and it's all about those pocket monsters known as Pokémon!

    You'll hear about the Pokémon video games, TV show, movies and trading cards. We even take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about that crazy glitch in Pokémon Red and Blue that had kids seeking an encounter with a mysterious creature called "Missingno."

    Listen until the end to hear the topic of next week's episode.

    Don't forget to give a 5-star rating and share the show with your friends.

    To see more, visit the podcast's social media pages: https://www.instagram.com/vividrecallpodcast/ https://twitter.com/VividRecall https://www.youtube.com/@VividRecall

    Sources: https://abcnews.go.com/US/90s-toy-phenomenon-making-comeback/story?id=73830092 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Red_and_Blue_Versions https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Red_and_Green_Versions https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-pok-mon-game-launches-in-uk-history-uk-time-tunnel https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/MissingNo. https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/12/25/pok-233-mon-red-amp-blue-a-look-back-at-the-20-year-journey-to-catch-em-all.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20080127200258/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/gameboy/trouble_specificgame.jsp https://web.archive.org/web/20110112193416/http://ds.ign.com/articles/114/1143427p1.html https://screenrant.com/pokemon-red-blue-hidden-side-quests-missed/ https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Old_man_glitch https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2019/06/04/box-office-pokemon-pikachu-rampage-warcraft-resident-evil-dwayne-johnson-ryan-reynolds-angelina-jolie-avengers/?sh=314dad668968 https://www.gamespot.com/articles/detective-pikachu-opens-to-huge-box-office-number-/1100-6466831/ https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/pokemon-detective-pikachu https://archive.org/details/tradingcardgames00kauf https://www.indiewire.com/2019/02/detective-pikachu-trailer-ryan-reynolds-pokemon-live-action-1202047481/ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pokemon_detective_pikachu https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/pokemon-detective-pikachu https://www.ign.com/articles/detective-pikachu-returns-review https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/pokemon-detective-pikachu-review-1207169/

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    23 mins
  • VIVID RECALL Podcast Trailer
    Nov 22 2023

    A light-hearted and informative podcast looking at your favourite toys and games from the 1990s and 2000s.

    If you played with POGs or TAZOs, put tag protectors on your Beanie Babies, collected Pokémon cards or tried to teach your Furby to swear - this is the podcast for you.

    Subscribe so you don't miss episode #1

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    1 min