13 Things About Megaprojects You May Not Have Known
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Ice Cube trays made in Dayton.
Ice Cube trays made in Dayton.
On July 21, 1959, Arthur J. Frei and Raymond C. Davis received the patent for their innovation with the ice cube tray, described its purpose as a way to “minimize effort on the part of a housewife…”
The Pop Top
Brady Kress walks through a giant pop-top can which is part of the Dayton Reliable Tool display and a tribute to inventor Ermal Fraze.
Brady Kress walks through a giant pop-top can which is part of the Dayton Reliable Tool display and a tribute to inventor Ermal Fraze.
Ermal Fraze owned the Dayton Reliable Tool and Mfg. Co. when he invented the pull-top can, which replaced metal-top beverage cans that require a can opener. In 1977 Fraze modified his invention and patented the ‘push-in and fold back tab” to reduce litter and prevent cuts caused by the previous version.
The Bar Code
An employee at Marsh supermarket in Troy scans groceries in this image from the mid-1970s. The UPC code was scanned for the first time on June 26, 1974 on an NCR system at the same supermarket. FROM THE NCR ARCHIVE AT DAYTON HISTORY
An employee at Marsh supermarket in Troy scans groceries in this image from the mid-1970s. The UPC code was scanned for the first time on June 26, 1974 on an NCR system at the same supermarket. FROM THE NCR ARCHIVE AT DAYTON HISTORY
Paul McEnroe, a 1959 electrical engineering graduate of the University of Dayton, developed the bar code. Heading up a team of IBM researchers, McEnroe created a vertical-bar coding system and a laser code-scanner. The vertical coding UPC symbol system became an industry standard by the late 1970′s and is still used throughout the world.
LCD Display
The Vizio M series LCD TV. (Handout/TNS)
The Vizio M series LCD TV. (Handout/TNS)
John L. Janning, an employee at NCR, perfected the liquid crystal display (LCD). Janning’s oblique molecular alignment made it possible for the large scale manufacturing of LCDs in the early 1970s. LCDs took off quickly, appearing in watches and calculators before developing into uses for computer and TV screens, cell phones and more.
Cheez-Its
The Green & Green Company invented the Cheez-It in 1921. THe company was known for making hardtack, a cracker-like bread, for American military during WW I. This advertisement for the company was published in the Dayton Daily News on July 14, 1918.
The Green & Green Company invented the Cheez-It in 1921. THe company was known for making hardtack, a cracker-like bread, for American military during WW I. This advertisement for the company was published in the Dayton Daily News on July 14, 1918.
The Cheez-It was invented by the Green & Green Company in 1921, but its origin goes back even further. In 1847, Dr. William Wolf of Dayton determined his patients with dietary restrictions needed a different kind of food. To fill the need, Dr. Wolf created his own food, a hard butter cracker that became known as the Dayton Cracker. Dr. Wolf’s cracker became so popular it kicked off the growth of the cracker-baking industry in the city.
Trapper Keeper
In the late 1970's E. Bryant Crutchfield invented the Trapper Keeper, a binder with folders and pockets designed to hold school supplies. It's popularity grew throughout the 1980's and 1990's with over 75 million Trapper Keepers being sold.
In the late 1970's E. Bryant Crutchfield invented the Trapper Keeper, a binder with folders and pockets designed to hold school supplies. It's popularity grew throughout the 1980's and 1990's with over 75 million Trapper Keepers being sold.
In the late 1970s, Mead’s E. Bryant Crutchfield invented the Trapper Keeper, a binder with folders and pockets designed to hold school supplies. Its popularity grew throughout the 1980′s and 1990′s with over 75 million Trapper Keepers being sold.
13 Best Streaming Services You Might Not Have Heard Of
Image: Proxima Studio (Shutterstock)
Remember when online streaming seemed like it was simple and cheap? Unfortunately, those days are long gone, and all signs point to a future where managing your online viewing arsenal will require money, patience, and possibly a whole lot of bookmarks.
Last year, 22% of U.S. households responding to a J.D. Power survey said they subscribe to seven or more streaming services, which comes out to almost double the amount who said so the year previously. Unsurprisingly, overall spending on streaming has gone up in kind. In that same survey, an average household reportedly spent $55 per month on all of their streaming services combined. That’s an increase of 45% in spending from April 2020. To put that into some context, streaming overload has gotten so real there’s even a budding industry of paid apps that help users manage their growing list of subscriptions. The sick irony here is that despite this cornucopia of choice, for many users it’s never been harder to find something worthwhile to watch on TV.
If forking over half a grand a year on monotonous “content” just doesn’t sit right then it might be time to start considering diving into the dozens of alternative streaming sites currently filling in the holes left by major streamers. Whether its live TV online or curated niche catalogs, there’s’ truly something for everyone if you know where to look.
18 Things You Think Are Illegal but Aren’t
Things You Think Are Illegal but Aren't | Reader's Digest
Even the most law-abiding citizen doesn’t know all the laws out there by heart, so most people use common sense when it comes to determining what’s legal and what’s not. That’s why you will be surprised to find out these 18 things that sound like they would definitely be illegal are actually not. Also, check out these weird laws that you probably break all the time.
Having a monkey for a petRoss had one on Friends, so maybe you thought you too could keep a monkey as a pet. The thing about Friends, though—it’s fictional. In real life, you can’t have a pet monkey anywhere in New York, Alaska, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Utah, and Vermont. That said, good news for wanna-be monkey parents: It’s legal in all the 38 other states. In fact, in Oregon, you can have a monkey as a service animal, should your needs require it. Make sure you learn about the other 8 animals that are actually illegal to keep as a pet.
Owning other exotic animalsWhile we definitely don’t think it’s okay to keep a wild animal as a domesticated pet, it’s not as illegal as you might assume in some states. Think you can’t have a bear for a pet? You’re wrong if you live in Massachusetts, where you can legally purchase your very own living, breathing, mauling teddy. Want a pet giraffe? You can have one in Florida. Pet tiger? You can have one in Delaware, as long as you obtain a license. Pet cheetah? Pet lion? Oklahoma is fine with both! Here are some more surprising pet laws.
Fat-free chips made with OlestraBack in the 1990s, Proctor & Gamble came out with a fat substitute called Olestra (also known as Olean), and for a while, people ate it up in products like WOW potato chips by Frito Lay. It fell out of favor once people started realizing that trips to the bathroom seemed to happen…. very soon after ingesting these fat-free treats, often accompanied by some cramping. For a while, the FDA required warning labels on Olestra-containing foods, but not since 2003. Despite the fact that it also negates the body’s ability to absorb essential vitamins, Olestra is still fully legal in the U.S., which is why you should always read packaging. However, it is banned in Canada and all the countries in the European Union. Here are more bizarre things that are banned in other countries.
Foods containing arsenicArsenic is one of the World Health Organization’s top ten chemicals of “major health concern.” “Long-term exposure to high levels of arsenic is associated with higher rates of skin, bladder, and lung cancers, as well as heart disease,” reports the FDA. The FDA has released statements about the presence of arsenic in rice, apples, and all organic fruits. But unlike the countries of the European Union, the U.S. has no ban on arsenic in our food. Find out the strangest food law in every state.
Baby walkersA baby walker is a seemingly adorable wheeled device that allows an infant to “stand upright” and “walk” by fluttering their tiny feet on the floor like Fred Flintstone. But medical experts have found that they impair baby’s mental and physical development, giving them mobility beyond their age-appropriate capabilities, and preventing them for learning essential skills (and developing essential muscles along the way) like crawling, pulling themselves upright, and eventually walking. They have also proven to be dangerous and even fatal, since they can help a baby go to places they shouldn’t, like the top of a staircase. Baby walkers are banned in Canada, but they’re legal here in United States pretty much across the board. Baby walkers might be legal, but there are some baby names that are definitely not.
Spanking in schoolAny kind of physical force used as a means of discipline (slapping, spanking, paddling, etc.) is known legally as “corporal punishment.” If you were never spanked in school, perhaps it’s because you grew up in New Jersey, where corporal punishment in schools has been illegal since 1867. However, corporal punishment is permitted in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.
Spanking at homeSpanking in school is legal in many states, but spanking at home is legal in all states. So is kicking, slapping, and whipping, as long as it’s considered “reasonable discipline” by a parent or caretaker. What is reasonable discipline? That’s determined by case law, so if you’re accused of “child abuse” when you thought you were engaging in “reasonable discipline,” your local judge will get to decide what’s reasonable and what isn’t. Here are some new laws that could affect your life.
Marrying your cousinAlthough some view it with a negative stigma, the fact is you can marry your cousin in every state in the United States. The only issue is which cousin. At least 25 states go so far as to allow you to marry your first cousin, which is your aunt/uncle’s kid. That being said, some states in which marriage between first cousins is permitted only permit it under certain circumstances (as in Arizona, where the couple must be over 65 years of age or in West Virginia, where only adopted first cousins are allowed to wed). Check out these 13 marriage laws you might be breaking right now.
Backyard burialsIn most states, it’s perfectly legal to bury your loved ones right in your backyard. Just be sure to pay attention to zoning laws (for example, laws which say how close to a body of water a burial may take place), and it’s always a good idea to consult a specialist. These bizarre things have been banned around the world.
Drinking booze…even if you’re under-ageThe minimum age for legally drinking alcohol is 21 in all 50 states, but there are loopholes in all but five (those are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire, and West Virginia). For instance, there are:
Bought a mattress? Go ahead, and remove that mattress tag. It’s not illegal. The tag is there for commerce purposes. Its removal is illegal only before purchase by the consumer—and here’s why.
Driving nakedIf you want to get behind the wheel of your car buck naked, that’s your prerogative. It’s totally legal. There is one hitch, however; getting in and out of the car could cause you legal problems. If someone sees you (and complains), you could be prosecuted for public lewdness.
Sleeping in your carIn at least 14 states, it’s perfectly legal to sleep in your car at a rest stop (you’d think it would be more, right?). But it’s not really illegal to sleep in your car anywhere, unless your car is parked illegally or if you’re too drunk to be driving (if your blood alcohol content is above the legal limit, you should not be in your car at all). Here are some of the most confusing driving rules explained.
Driving while drowsyOne-third of all motor vehicle accidents are caused by over-tired drivers. However, it’s not illegal to drive a car while drowsy except in New Jersey and Arkansas. And most states that have attempted to put such a law on the books have failed thus far. Some far sillier laws persist, however: This is the dumbest law in every state.
Performing surgery without a good night’s sleepOne would hope a surgeon had a good night’s sleep before opening anyone up on an operating table. Unfortunately, despite widespread knowledge of how sleep deprivation impairs cognitive performance and motor skills, there’s no law that says a surgeon must have had a good night’s sleep or even any opportunity to sleep before performing surgery.
Recording a conversationIn one-party consent states, such as New York, you can legally record a conversation with someone who has no idea you’re recording the conversation. For the most part, all states are one-party consent states, except for these 10: California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Connecticut and Nevada are “mixed” consent states, where the consent laws vary by situation. You won’t believe these 25 bizarre international laws you’d never guess were real.
Marrying your step-siblingIt may seem like a taboo, and certainly society tends to frown upon step-sibling relationships, the fact remains if you want to marry your stepbrother or stepsister, there is no U.S. law prohibiting it.
Going toplessIn most U.S. states, it is just as legal for a woman to go topless as it is for a man. Notable exceptions include Indiana, Tennessee, and Utah. Some local laws ban female breast-baring, and police officers in some municipalities will arrest topless women for “disorderly conduct,” however such laws and such arrests are not likely to stand judicial/constitutional scrutiny. Next, check out these 50 things you won’t believe are banned in the U.S.
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Originally Published: January 28, 2021
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