Sodium (photos) may increase blood pressure

How times have changed!!! In just 100 years we've gone from horse and buggy to segues and golf carts. It seems our laziness is ever increasing, as is our tolerance for ostentatious displays of human flesh consumed by the mass public.

Don't believe me? Take the Morton's salt girl, for example (and no, this umbrellaed sex goddess is nameless ... although Sodium Chloride-ina has quite a ring to it). When initially introduced to consumers in 1914 she was an innocent curly-haired gal just shy of 10 years or so, skirt to her knees and clutching her oversized umbrella (incidentally, did you know that Mortons is responsible for the phrase "When it rains, it pours" ?)

In the 54 years to follow, our Iodine princess' skirt has raised considerably to Marilyn-Monroe status, hair straightened and pixie-like, and she is staring prodigiously at the generous hook of her umbrella (I kid you not!!!).

From frumpy to chic this savory sister has made quite a transformation. Although there have not been any revisions to Ms. NaCl since 1968, one can only imagine how she would appear were she to be re-drawn in 2006.

Inspired by the swimsuit beach models of Sports Illustrated, our Morton's containers would probably bear the image of some pubescent siren barely concealing her personals with damp patches of salt.

Check out the drawings from 1914-1968 at: http://www.mortonsalt.com/consumer/about_us/history/mug.htm