Brand Names That Have Become Everyday Words

Some products are so common they enter the common vernacular as nouns. The proper term is “genericized trademark” and corporations spend fortunes to prevent this from happening to valuable brands. Certain examples are well known, such as Kleenex. (A friend of mine is actively trying to get people to refer to all MP3 players as iPods. He has his own reasoning…)

The entries are list were selected because I find them to be surprising and worthy of attention. For example…

Seeing Eye Dogs

This one shocked the hell out of me and inspired this article. Official “Seeing Eye” dogs are only trained at ONE school, located in New Jersey. The wait for one of these highly specialized guide dogs can last as long as four months. The non-profit organization is called The Seeing Eye and houses handlers during their training with dogs.

These dogs have more training than the average American worker.

Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye pioneered the use of guide dogs in the United States and their work continues today. Golden retrievers, German shepherds and Labrador retrievers are the breeds mostly commonly used as “Seeing Eye” dogs.

Zipper

An array of continuous fasteners have been patented since 1851 but the actual name “zipper” comes from the B.F. Goodrich Company. In the 1930s, the company was looking for ways to market a previously patented fastener design that was being used on rubber boots.

Zippers were never intended to withstand substantial pressure.

Around the office, workers referred to the fastener as the “zipper” because it could be closed with one hand. The name simply stuck and use continues to this day. Fun Fact: Roughly 90 percent of the world’s zippers are made in Japan and most of those are made by the YKK Group.

The Jacuzzi

Originally intended as medical equipment, the Jacuzzi has become a staple among wealthy executives and swingers. The Jacuzzi family were machinists that emigrated from Italy at the beginning of the 20^th century. After one of the members was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis, the Jacuzzis began developing a hydrology treatment based on their water pump designs. The original Jacuzzi was released in 1955 as a simple pump that people used in their tubs at home. In 1968, the company began marketing a full bath we now know as the Jacuzzi.

Pictured: American ingenuity.

Jacuzzi exploded in popularity during the 1970s amid the spa craze and was sold in 2006 for nearly $1 billion. The company’s technology was so reliable that the US Navy relied on Jacuzzi water pumps to power patrol boats during the Vietnam War. These water pumps allowed the patrol boats to operate without propellers, giving them greater maneuverability.

Band-Aids

A million companies produce adhesive bandages but there’s only one Band-Aid. Created in the early 1920s by a long time employee of the Johnson & Johnson Company, Band-Aids have become synonymous with childhood injuries and do-it-yourself projects gone awry.

This is how corporations make their products racially sensitive.

In 1951, the company debuted specialty designs containing popular characters, like Superman and Mickey Mouse. The Johnson & Johnson Company owns the trademark on Band-Aid meaning that similar products can only be referred to as adhesive bandages. Fun Fact: The stupidly catchy Band-Aid jingle, “I’m Stuck on a Band-Aid”, was written by Barry Manilow.

Heroin

This small amount would probably sell for $5K nowadays.

One of the world’s addictive and dangerous narcotics, heroin had been independently synthesized a few times before a German pharmaceutical company (today known as Bayer) began marketing the drug in 1898. Heroin was originally intended as an over-the-counter cough suppressant but was quickly regulated by lawmakers. Along with Aspirin, Bayer lost the right to claim trademarks on heroin as a result of provisions in the Treaty of Versailles. 

5 Famous American Icons… You Didn’t Know Were Unpatriotic Bastards

Helen Keller… Was a Radical Socialist

For generations, students around the world were told the brave story of Helen Kelller, a blind, deaf girl that learned to read, write and speak. Today, most Americans know Helen Keller as the inspiration to that annoying song.

I said shush girl...

While Keller’s struggle to communicate and learn is a well-known story, the rest of her life tends to get downplayed. It’s probably because Helen Keller was a Godless, Communist. To be fair, Keller was a child of Marx long before the Soviet Union ruined the good name of the proletariat and A LOT of people during her time held similar views. There was even a popular socialist candidate for president. 

Despite some mainstream acceptance, socialists were generally scorned and Keller was a radical.  A worldwide sensation after graduating from college as the first deaf, blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree, Keller was a highly acclaimed writer and speaker. Later, when her political views became widely known the reactions were not kind. Many commentators simply dismissed her views as “mistakes sprung from the manifest limitations of her development.”

Keller shrugged off criticisms and went on to found help found the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). She also led the first commission to study the working conditions of blind employees for the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

Henry Ford… Was a Nazi Sympathizer

It’s probably libelous or slander to call Henry Ford a Nazi, so I won’t. But the man was pretty damn close. Historians have noted a mutual admiration between Ford and Adolf Hitler. The carmaker was the lone American mentioned by Hitler in his prison manifesto, Mein Kampf.

Still not as anti-Semitic as Walt Disney...

What did Ford do to garner the attention of the most evil man in history? He published a few articles in The Dearborn Independent, an anti-Jewish newspaper based in Michigan and owned by Ford’s personal secretary. Well, Ford didn’t technically write anything for the paper. Instead, he allowed the editors to print articles under his name. Oh yeah, and Hitler also modeled Volkswagon on Ford’s production techniques, which would later be adapted to make planes, boats and tanks.

On the advice of many friends and business contacts, Ford closed the paper in 1927 and even apologized to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). However, in 1938, the robber baron met with German officials in Cleveland to receive the Grand Cross of the German Eagle, the highest honor the Nazis could give a non-citizen. Certain anti-Semitic materials written by Ford are still available on neo-Nazi sites to this day.

Brigham Young… Organized a Rebellion Against the Federal Government

I’m not here to dump on your religion. (Unless you’re a Scientologist cause, you know, that’s weird….) Also, I think Mormons are pretty cool. That episode of South Park with the Mormon kid was pretty much my experience with the random Mormon families I’ve known over the years. However, Brigham Young kind of scares me…

Young was the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, more commonly known as Mormonism, following the death of the faith’s founder. Early Mormons were heavily persecuted for their faith and Young responded with fierce resolve, nationality or law be damned.

Clearly doesn't give a fuck...

After settling in Utah around 1850, Young proposed establishing the State of Deseret, an autonomous region for Mormons. The area was successfully, and peacefully, incorporated into the U.S. but the real trouble was just getting started. Young was appointed governor of the area by President Millard Fillmore, giving the 50-year old control of the area’s economic, social and religious affairs.

Later, when the federal government heard rumors regarding interference with officials performing duties, James Buchanan decided to install a non-Mormon governor. Young’s immediate reaction was to organize a resistance that successfully held off federal troops for a month during the Utah War. The conflict almost ended when Young decided to burn Salt Lake City and head to Mexico. Seriously. Cooler heads prevailed and Young stepped down… without facing any consequences for his mini rebellion.

Langston Hughes… Wasn’t Not a Communist

Famed poet and author Langston Hughes spent a good deal of his adult life denying that he was a Communist. But just because you say something, doesn’t make it true.

As a writer, Hughes was not not a liar...

In 1932, Hughes was among a group of African-Americans that traveled to the Soviet Union in order to make a movie about the suffering of minorities in the United States. Hughes was also involved with a variety of Communist student organizations. (But who hasn’t been, right?)

During McCarthy era hysteria, Hughes distanced himself from past actions and even work considered to have Communist sympathies. Issues involving artistic credibility and self-censorship were common themes for Hughes at the end of his life. More politically radical work was omitted by Hughes from the 1959 release of his Selected Poems.

Aaron Burr… Fought the Law and Kind of Won

Vice president. Founding father. Murderer. Revolutionary. Aaron Burr was a lot of things and historians can’t quite decide how to label him. He was a politician, lawyer, soldier, and political philosopher. Unfortunately, history rarely bestows fame upon deserving acts of bravery and intelligence. Instead, Burr is famous for being the highest ranking American politician ever accused of murder.

Kill ONE high ranking politician and they never let you live it down...

In 1804 (following the kind of argument only 18^th century dandies could understand), Burr killed Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. Surprisingly, killing a cabinet member wasn’t the most treasonous offense Burr ever committed. After Hamilton’s death, Burr completed his term in office then moved to Louisiana, then under the control of Spain.

His plan was to relocate armed farmers with the intent of provoking war with the Spanish government. Burr even secured the help of Andrew Jackson. Eventually, Burr was found out and tried for treason but acquitted on federal charges. Known as a kind and generous person, Burr lived the rest of his life as a lawyer in New York.

Simple Inventions You Won't Believe Are Modern Developments

Sure, human history is jam packed with examples of clever and ingenious inventions. From the wheel to the transistor, a million inventions and innovations fueled the progress of society.

If you need further proof of man's ability to improvise... Just look at this. That was artist Jamie O'Shea creating a telegraph using Stone Age technology.

You wouldn't get this far...

While there's little historical evidence for a caveman Samuel Morse, evidence proves primitive man was more technology capable than modern audiences usually think...

Ancient transportation systems were remarkably advanced...

Before we start praising our genius for the iPad and HDTV, it's good to be reminded of everyday items we take for granted. Unfortunately for our collective ego, these inventions are surprising recent.

It might seem like a quibbling criticism of humanity but keep in mind the list of inventions that precede some of these simple, common everyday items: airplanes, automobiles, telephones.

For example...

Drinking Straws Weren't Invented Until 1888


Put your lips on one end and suck, it seems simple enough...

INSERT INNUENDO HERE

However, the simple drinking straw took mankind multiple millennia to figure out. Before then, people used grass stems or nothing at all. The first drinking straw was created in the late 19th century by Marvin C. Stone and was made out of paper.

Today, there are a variety of straws that actually have different functional purposes. For an overview of different kinds of drinking straws (I seriously doubt ANYONE will find it interesting) go here...


The Ballpoint Pen Was Finally Created in 1938

Writing clear, handwritten communications was a problem for much of history. Even with life long practice, letters and documents that used quills or fountain pens were inevitably splotched with ink. Despite this issue, inventors didn't get around to creating a ballpoint pen for mass, commercial use until 1938. A newspaper editor, Lazlo Biro, held the first patent on the modern point pen along with his chemist brother.


The First Door Knob Was Patented in 1878

The door knob is so completely ubiquitous it is almost impossible to think of a world without them. While historians (ie Wikipedia) claim that door knobs were used earlier in the 19th century, the first patent wasn't issued until 1878. Technically, Osbourn Dorsey filed a patent for improvement on an existing door closing device but his application with the U.S. is recognized as the first industrial design of the modern door knob.


Condiment Sachets (AKA Ketchup Packets) Weren't Introduced Until 1990


Reading this list, there's some comfort in hindsight... Well, abandon all hope of that notion. Some of you reading this might have been old enough to create and profit from the condiment sachet, more commonly known as the ketchup packet.

Fast food restaurants did not introduce this industry staple until 1990. Even more embarrassing, the development didn't come from the Mecca of the Quick Burger, the United States. Instead, the condiment sachet was created by the lovable Aussies, which are basically Americans with better/more beach front property.


Lazy Engineers Finally Create The First Prototype Electric Refrigerator


Again, this one might be reaching a little since available technology didn't always allow for invention of the electric refrigerator. However, it is a bit surprising the development didn't happen sooner. The first instance of artificial refrigeration was demonstrated in the middle 18th century by a professor in Scotland. Even the ice maker was created in 1850. The first commercial air conditioner was created in 1902. It wasn't until 1922 that electric refrigerators made their first appearance.