The 50 Worst Inventions

That's the most egregious example of click hounding I've ever seen.

Most people don't realize that "crocs" were not invented by Crocs, Inc., as the Time Magazine article suggests. The first foam clogs were invented in 2001 by a small Canadian manufacturing company called Foam Creations. That company decided the shoes might work well in the kayaking world, because, among other things, the shoes float. They contacted Walden Kayaks and asked if Walden would be willing to carry and market the shoes. Walden Kayaks agreed and decided to brand the shoes “Waldies.” The shoes sold quite well to hikers and kayakers. (source: http://www.dirdim.com/comp_newsevents.php?fileName=DDI_SmartCEO_Waldies_0506) It wasn't until Waldies had been on the market for a year or two that Crocs, Inc. bought out Foam Creations and began marketing "crocs," which were essentially a different version of the original foam clog.

Amazingly, a few years later, after Crocs had become hugely popular, Crocs, Inc. brought a patent infringement lawsuit against the company which was making Waldies! Crocs lost that lawsuit. (source: http://www.waldies.net/aboutus.asp#NEWS)

Waldies are still on the market, and some people think they are more comfortable than crocs. They are still very popular among hikers and kayakers. Waldies even has a clog called the "Appalachian Trail clog" which are worn by hundreds of intrepid hikers as they through-hike the AT from Georgia to Maine every year.

Sue, I didn't know what "click hounding" was when I read your post and Google was no help. But when I clicked the link, I _immediately_ got the meaning. Then I just clicked away from the page. It's a list of no importance.

I want to add nuclear power.

The people at Time Magazine who gripe about Crocs have OBVIOUSLY never actually worn them. Unlike most sandals, Crocs are formed with an arch support which, at only $30, is a whole lot more affordable than $150 for equally ugly Birkenstocks.
But then, when a man's idea of beauty and "fashion" mandates that women shove all of their weight and deform their feet into hideously pointy-toed shoes with only a pencil support of a heel, gee - who are we to argue with Time Magazine about practical inventions?

Social Security, affirmative action, biological weapons, infomercials, Star Trek movies, aluminum baseball bats, Presidents Day...the list is endless.

My beef is really with the Time Magazine article rather than Neatorama's link, but Crocs, Inc. did not 'invent' the foam clog.

HFCS
Fake tan
Paid maternity leave (or parent leave - any more than 2 days of either)
Push-up bras
RFID (for use in passports or ID cards etc)
"Wheelies" (seriously, WTF?)
Atkins
Anything sold in infomercials

I love my crocs...

sigh.

Crocs are super ugly true, but I understand they are comfortable and they certainly are popular - so I can't really say I agree that they should be on a "worst" inventions list. Ugliest? Ye. Worst? Not hardly, sorry.

I must say that I am quite disappointed with TIME. This list is of a quality I have come to expect from VH1 or MTV, not a Reputable News Magazine. I admit that a large part of the list seemed great at the time, but has since been proven to have many adverse effects; however, the other half of the list is listed simply because the compilers thought the item was ugly/stupid. There is no explanation for how the items were chosen. For as stupid as I personally think that Venetian blind sunglasses are, it has proven a success in popular culture. They weren't trying to cure cataracts. They produced a product they thought people would buy... and the people bought it. That is a successful invention, in my opinion.

This list should be labled: 50 Things from the last century, some really bad and others we just think are stupid

Can't believe Betamax was on the list. Before the advent of digital storage, Beta was used as the preferred format in TV broadcasting over the easily degradable VHS. Hardly a useless invention.

I like Crocks for their functionality. I live near a creek. I can slip them on and go. I have some sandals that work okay, but then they mildew and rot after one season- and who wants to put on wet sandals? Yuck!

As for style, I might point out that fashions come and go all the time. What is in style today will have someone saying "What was I thinking?" tomorrow.

Trip,
I think you mean "Betacam", which is still in use today.

Although I totally agree, that Betamax was a good invention. It was superior to VHS in everyway- except popularity. That doesn't make it a bad invention, it just lost the battle with another format.

If someone wants to rag a bad format, I for one think 8-tracks should be on the worst invention list. No rewind and you had to listen to songs you didn't like just to get back around to the ones you did.

Team Crocs here, especially for water-related work and fun. Slip-resitant and comfortable. I've had so many pairs of sandals get up and walk away on their own form mold and mildew and other assorted fungi. Crocs are the perfect footwear for me. People only bag on Crocs because they got so popular and are ugly, that's super un-cool. People who aren't afraid to wear functional and comfortable footwear are the best type of people.

I hate telephoneS