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Where would we be without that multi-purpose, fashionably silver adhesive known as duck tape (and, yes, "duck" tape is actually the historically accurate name)? And whom do we have to thank for such an ingenious invention? According to the Ministry of Duct Tape and High Voltage, the tape was a by-product of World War II. In 1942, after numerous cases of ammunition were destroyed by humidity, the United States government turned to wartime supplier Johnson & Johnson, hoping for a fix. J&J promptly responded with a waterproof tape dubbed "duck tape" by the military due to its ability to repel moisture like water off a duck's back. It did the job admirably, and soldiers soon found an assortment of other uses for it as well.
After the war ended, the resultant housing boom inspired yet more uses for the material. Homeowners soon realized how effective the tape was at sealing off ducts -- leading to a change in name (from "duck" to "duct") and color (from army green to silver). We hope the ministers of the aforementioned office will forgive us for questioning their authority on the matter, but we went looking for confirmation of the story. We found it on the Great Idea Finder web site, which seconded the story but alas, still offered no name for the faceless inventor. Though we did learn that the original name of "duck tape" also stemmed from the cotton "duck" used to produce the tape. However, we did find this statement, "No specific person or group of people at Johnson & Johnson have been named in the development of duct tape. Don't ask them... they don't know." Once again, we took that at face value and headed to the J&J web site, only to find a conspicuous absence of info on the material. After a few more failed searches, we thought it safe to say that the nameless employee of J&J will forever remain anonymous. Ever since the Department of Homeland Security recommended people stuck (sorry, stock) up on it, the tape has been enjoying increased sales and a new vogue, and it may come as no surprise that duct tape has a devoted cult following. Witness
the duct tape club and the mother of all duct tape sites, the Duct Tape Guys. There you'll find a gallery of sticky art, silvery fashion, the handy Make It Yourself With Duck Tape Guide, and of course, 1001 uses for everyone's favorite adhesive. As one fan of the device said, "Duct tape is an essential tool for everything that life throws at you."
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