Just a small title award to inform you that there is still activity going on.

There are many false rumors about the origin of the spork and the word spork. According to a rumor circulated in the "Spork FAQ", the spork was invented in the 1940s by the United States Army, which introduced them to occupied Japan. This rumor has all the hallmarks of an urban legend. Virtually every reference to the occupied Japan theory misspells General Douglas MacArthur's name as McArthur, lending credence to the notion that all these references have a common origin. Furthermore, in real life the United States Army M-1926 mess kit, which served from 1926 until the 1980s, included a separate knife, fork and spoon. The "Spork FAQ" does have a small amount of truth, though, as sporks became widely known in Japan after the 1940s in the aftermath of World War II.

The Straight Dope reports that a "patent" was issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a "combination spoon, fork, and knife" to the Van Brode Milling Company of Clinton, Massachusetts on August 11, 1970. In this case the report should have referred to the publication of a trademark application in the name of this company on this date, rather than the issuing of a patent (see History above).

Another popular Internet rumor describes the spork as the creation of a nameless resource-pressed and inventive German scientist near the end of World War II. Supposedly, the spork was designed for use with field ration kits issued to front line troops. No known historical documents validate this urban legend, but it is clearly wrong. Both the word spork and the utensil predate the war.

Supposedly, the spork existed in the medieval era (despite not being patented until the late 1800s); this story claims widespread use among peasants, for it was fairly easy to craft.

So of course, the award today goes to the Runcible Spoon. What is the award? "Best Name For A Spork Or Sporklike Object".

Close runner-up: Knork.