What Were We Thinking? The Top 10 Most Dangerous Ads

image credit

Vintage advertising campaigns often steered consumers into dangerous territory, espousing misleading half-truths to convince people that toxic products were actually good for them. We may feel we're far beyond the bad old days of deceptive advertising, but our current obesity epidemic suggests exactly the opposite.

Here's a look back at 10 colossally painful advertisements, which make you wonder: What modern 'health' products might look a little more evil in the future?

(thanks Hunter)

Read More »

When The Wild Imagination Of Dr. Seuss Fueled Big Oil

image credit

Ever had an encounter with a Zero-doccus, a Karbo-nockus, a Moto-raspus, or a Moto-munchus? These fantastical creatures are some of the first Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, introduced to the world in the 1930s. But the beasts didn't romp through the pages of his well-loved children's books. No, instead, they were badgering hapless drivers and boaters in motor oil ads and bug spray.

(thanks Lisa)

Read More »

A Brief History Of The Recession

A Brief History of the Recession provides a short explanation for the 2008 financial crisis. Written and directed by Don Sherwood.



YouTube link

Read More »

20 Odd Inventions That Might Secretly Be Awesome

image credit

One man's junk is another man's brilliant invention. How many of these products are simply novelties and how many of them are actually useful?

Read More »

Microsoft To Drop 'Metro' Name For Windows 8

A potential trademark dispute has forced Microsoft to drop the Metro name for Windows 8's blocky, tile-based interface. Talks with an 'important European partner' have brought about the change according to internal memos seen by tech news site The Verge.

The partner is believed to be German retail giant Metro AG. Microsoft is currently working out what to call the interface and said the new name would be announced soon.

Read More »

The State Of The Music Industry

The history of the music business, how it once was, how it is now, and what the future holds.

(via Neatorama)

Read More »

The Rules That Protect Tech Company Brands

Most well-known brands have strict rules about exactly how they want to be represented by people they work with. Technology companies are no different, and perusing brand guideline documents uncovers exactly how some of the best-known names in tech want to be treated when it comes to their logos and trademarks.

For example: foursquare is foursquare, not Foursquare. Twitter insists that if you're talking about tweeting on Twitter, you should write it with a capital 'T.' And Facebook says: Do not use Facebook, or any other of our trademarks, as a verb. And don't pluralise them either. Trademarks may not be modified in that manner. Here's a look at some of the most interesting - and sometimes odd - brand protection rules out there in the tech world.

Read More »

A Day At A Bespoke Shoemakers

At John Lobb, one of Britain's last remaining bespoke shoemakers, little has changed since 1849. Perri Lewis unlocks the door to a lost world of craftsmanship.



YouTube link

(thanks Cora)

Read More »

Tesco's Virtual Stores In South Korea, A New Invention Of The Retail Industry

Tesco in South Korea has opened the world's first virtual store in the Seoul subway to help time-pressed commuters shop on the go using their smart phones. The walls of the Seonreung subway station come to life with virtual displays of over 500 of the most popular products by pasting posters of stocked shelves onto platform walls with QR codes.

They turn the place into a 'virtual supermarket' through which customers can scan the barcode and shop by using the Homeplus app on their smartphones and the contents of the shoppers' 'virtual baskets' were later delivered to their homes.

(thanks Cora)

Read More »

Six Strange Cases Of Science Fiction Trademarks

image credit

Trademarks are an important way for businesses to market their goods to consumers, but sometimes it can be difficult to know whose intellectual property toes you're treading on. For those who aren't familiar with this area of intellectual property, trademarks are words or images that individuals and businesses use to identify their products, services, etc. to consumers.

Here are six terms and concepts that companies claim to own, and some of them might surprise you.

Read More »

13 Bizarre Real Estate Investment Opportunities

image credit

Despite the 2008 housing downturn and troubles that persist in the market, real estate remains one of the safest, surest investments there is. But if you're still a little gun-shy about buying a house, we understand. Instead you may want to invest in these 13 bizarre Real Estate investment opportunities.

At best, you could end up with a lucrative outside-the-box endeavor that will grow your financial stake considerably. At worst, you'll have an intriguing story to share at parties.

(thanks Casey)

Read More »

10 Jobs You Didn't Hear About On Career Day

Back when we were in preschool there were only a handful of sensible options for the career-minded 4-year-old: doctor, plumber, fireman and astronaut. Clearly, had we heard about 'sin-eating,' 'knocking up' or any of these other fine ways to make a living, we would have eaten more paste and focused a little less on our permanent records.

(via Miss Cellania)

Read More »

How Many Of These Brand Names Are You Saying Wrong?

How do you pronounce Hermès? Or Stella Artois, Kinerase, Saucony, Adidas, Porsche? A company's name should be a lot of things: unique, catchy, memorable... but what about pronounceable? Be it due to a language barrier or just bad planning on the company's part, many people go around mispronouncing high-profile brand names.

Think you're immune to phonetic slip-ups? Here's a list of some of the most commonly mispronounced brand names.

(thanks Cora)

Read More »

11 Eponymous Brands And The People Behind Them

image credit

Vidal Sassoon passed away last week at the age of 84. He was an artist who revolutionized the way women dealt with their hair, created the 'bob,' and believed that women should be able to just wash their hair and still end up with a great style, rather than needing to go to a salon constantly.

Starting in the 1950s, Sassoon opened a chain of salons and sold his hair products worldwide. In honor of him, here is a look at 11 other men whose famous brands they named after themselves.

Read More »

The Worst Things For Sale

The Worst Things For Sale is a website with a weird mix of all kinds of real items that are for sale at online stores. Everything from fake medicine to dog clothing to mirrors that cost $7,600.

(thanks Eddie)

Read More »

The Men Behind Your Favorite Liquors

image credit

It's hard to walk down the aisle of a liquor store without running across a bottle bearing someone's name. Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniel, Jim Beam, Campari. We put them in our cocktails, but how well do we know them? Heres some biographical detail on the men behind your favorite tipples.

(via Miss Cellania)

Read More »

How Famous Companies Got Their Names

image credit

You see these big company names every day, but do you know what they actually mean? In order to help you fill this gap of knowledge, here's a visual list of famous company name etymologies.

Wikipedia list of company name etymologies.

Read More »

The Most Interesting Underpants In London

image credit Google Earth

In Bowes Park in the U.K. a pair of underpants are gently decaying in public. They have a fascinating and genuinely moving story to tell. The pants occupy pride of place in the window display of George Moore Menswear at 99, Myddleton Road. The shop is no longer open for business but the owner still lives above it.

The owner is Brian Moore, son of the founder George. George Moore established the firm in 1942 and despite the problems associated with starting a business during a war he made a great success of it. When Mr Moore senior died in 1969 his widow and son, Brian, continued to run the shop. When Mr Moore junior decided to retire, around 13 years ago, he simply stopped trading, he didn't clear the window display but left it just as it was on the last day of business.

(via b3ta)

Read More »

Five Things You Buy That Don't Actually Work The Way You Think

image credit

We've learned to be skeptical of product packaging and not always trust the claims it makes, but our hopefulness sometimes gets the best of us. Here are five products you've likely used, or maybe even purchase regularly, that don't yield the results you may expect.

(via Look At This...)

Read More »

7 Interesting Export Products Of Small Countries

image credit

Small countries have very limited production capacity. Still, these countries have managed to take advantage of some of their natural resources, or some good ideas to participate in international market competition.

Read More »