h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Polos - The Mint with the Hole - A2449181
Author: Schwarzenegger20 - U669436

This is my first entry, but i welcome constructive criticism. Thanks for reading!

Short and sweet I've not even thought about them for ages, so they've probably died out, but can you still get the multi-flavour fruit Polos? They always seemed to get kind of sticky and lose their shape a little bit, in contrast to the always-pristine mint classic.

Could you add a bit about how and why they have a hole? Like the history behind them?

Hi, intresting subject for an entry but I think perhaps it's a little short on information. Including the history of the mints is a good idea.

Also perhaps that it was well known that until recently that they werne't suitable for vegtarians - I think that's changed as a result of a boycott !

Perhaps the nestle website would provide some of the information that you're after...

There was a lemon flavour around a few years back (apologies if it's still around - I just haven't had any in a while). I quite liked them at the time. I actually remember putting a mint hole inside a lemon Polo at one point. That was a weird one.

I've got a packet of Fruit Polos sitting in my kitchen at the moment, so they are about. I also have a packet of invidually wrapped large glacier mint Polos in my car.

They brough out some mini Polos at one time as well. Packed in a big Polo-shaped plastic container. Either mint or orange flavours, as I recall.


Geggs

Ooh yes and do they still have the large individulally wrapped flavour?

Yep, more history required.

Also can you put a bit in about how when you crush polos in the dark they give off little flashes of light? Somewhere on the site there is a scientific explanation of why this happens, got to be worth a mention.



sprout

Judging from the response to this entry there's certainly a lot of intrest in this topic in the guide...

There's a lot more that could be said:

I think the light given off when you crush them is called triboluminescence. That might help you research it.

Polo vs Lifesaver - are they the same sweet with two different names?

The world record for sucking a polo mint - mention the American/British controversy where the British rules state that the polo mint ceases to be a polo mint when there is no longer a hole. The Americans worked by the rule that if any part of the mint still existed the mint was still there. THis explained the discrepancy between American and British results.

I don't think the Polo Centres was a failed experiment - it was a one-off marketing stunt to go with the advertisement.

Why are they called Polo mints?

I believe they are called Lifesavers here, and the reason why should be a lot more obvious than why they're called Polos in the UK. I think there are more flavours too, and mini Lifesavers have been spotted too. Who makes them, and which came first - the Polo or the Lifesaver could be worthy of research

Does the word Lifesaver mean a ring that you throw into the sea to save a drowning person in America? It doesn't mean anything specific in British English.

Yes.

Always carry a packet of mint polos when visiting stables - horses love them!
Hard to get hold of any over here! Reminds me, must put on Want List!

Yes, agree bit succinct. See if any history of them around!

http://www.jenkins-ip.com/mym/spring2003/item_05.htm
This gives quite a bit of info about dates, trademarks, etc.

Why do they have a hole?

From

http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/2003/09/09/opinion/opinion3.txt

we get this...

"By the way, it's not true that a man invented LifeSavers because he lost a child to asphyxiation. Rumor had it he deliberately created the candy with a hole in the middle. This would allow air to get through should a child accidentally swallow it. Consequently, the name LifeSavers took on a rather heroic connotation.

"Nonetheless, that story is pure urban legend.

"The truth is: Clarence Crane invented the candy in 1912 for a fairly simple reason. Summer is slack time for chocolate sales, what with melting and stickiness and all. He used a pill-making machine to create peppermints, and then punched a hole in the middle to distinguish them from medicine. The white circles looked exactly like the lifesavers on boats and were priced at a nickel per roll. Crane called them 'Crane's Peppermint Life Savers for that Stormy Breath.'"

weeeell, looks like Schwarzenegger20 managed to write precisely 1 postings, 5 weeks ago.

Shame - this could be a good topic for an article if it's properly researched.

Looks like we have a one-stop shopper.

Move to Flea Market?

Seconded. I really think there should be some sort of mention somewhere that when you submit stuff Peer Review you should expect to have to stay with it and respond to an ongoing process of feedback to get it into the EG.

I reckon quite a lot of newbies get the impression it's a case of putting something in and getting an 'aye' or 'nay'. I know I did when I first came here.

Can you send the email please Gosho?

Roger wilco