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Golden Years, Golden Cakes

Twinkies - the name stands by itself, like the cream-filled yellow sponge cake that bears its moniker.

Now, Twinkies are turning 70. No, not the Twinkies themselves - the actual Twinkie was invented 70 years ago today by Jimmy Dewar, a bakery manager in Chicago.

He named the snack "Twinkies" after a St. Louis billboard advertisement for the Twinkle Toe Shoe. The original Twinkie was filled with a banana creme. The creme filling did not become its current vanilla flavor until after a banana shortage during World War II.

Now, Twinkies are as much a part of American culture as Slinkys, Hula-Hoops and the hamburger. Wildlife queried students about the Twinkie in honor of the 70th anniversary:

"I just remember them as being a cool part of my childhood lunch. I imagine that they are all just sugar and stuff - not very good for you." Ed McKennon School of Information Resources and Library Science graduate student

"I think they're really, really nasty, but they're really good. They're fun to take apart, throw off of the top of buildings, watch them explode and the cream go everywhere. I should do that off of Old Main." Joey Hailpern education sophomore

"Twinkies are a good junk food that last forever. They're the basic junk food. When anyone thinks of junk food, they think of Twinkies. You don't know what the hell is in them - that's very important to junk food, just like hot dogs." Andy Myers philosophy sophomore

"I don't eat Twinkies. I think they're pretty gross. I hear a lot of rumors that they're made of rocket fuel, but I know that's not true. I've had them before, and they're just really buttery - you can taste the fat." Janet Dawson business sophomore

"They taste like cardboard and powdered sugar. I would say that they have no nutritional value. I haven't had one in about 15 years." Erin Atkinson psychology senior