History: Birth of the Blue Jeans in 1873 On this day in 1873, Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis received a patent for rivet-reinforced work pants—the birth of blue jeans. Originally made for laborers during the Gold Rush, these durable pants…
History: Philips founded in 1891 On this day in 1891, the Philips Company was founded by father and son, Frederik and Gerard Philips. The Dutch company initially produced carbon-filament lamps and other electro-technical products. The first factory building in Eindhoven…
Today is Zipper Day From handbags and jackets to trousers and boots, it really is impossible to imagine life without zippers. They are so widespread it is easy to take them for granted. This is where Zipper Day comes along to remind…
History: Leonetto Cappiello born in 1875 On this day in 1875, painter and poster artist Leonetto Cappiello was born in Livorno, Italy. Leonetto Cappiello started his career as a caricaturist before dedicating himself to poster art. Sometimes called the "father…
Today is National Beer Day National Beer Day is observed annually on April 7th. The world’s oldest beverage might date back as far as 9500 BC when cereal was first farmed, so recorded in the written history of ancient Iraq…
History: Ireland Bans Smoking in the Workplace In 2004, Ireland becomes the first country to ban smoking in all workplaces. Contrary to initial concerns, the ban had no adverse economic effects, and soon several other countries passed similar legislation. According…
History: First Rocket Launch in 1926 The American Professor Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882-1945) is considered the founder of modern astronautics. He is credited with building and launching the world’s first functional, liquid fuel rocket on March 16, 1926. Its flight…
Today is #NationalJewelDay National Jewel Day is observed annually on March 13, celebrating brilliant gems of all shapes, sizes, cuts, and colors. While the origins of this holiday are unknown, we can take a wild guess that a jeweler or…
History: Aspirin hits the world market Aspirin is a medication used to treat pain, fever, or inflammation. A precursor to aspirin found in leaves from the willow tree has been used for its health effects for at least 2,400 years.…
Today is National #Absinthe Day Absinthe is a very strong green aniseed-flavored liqueur (actually spirit, as it is unsweetened), originally made with the shrub wormwood. French doctor, Pierre Ordinaire, has been credited with the creation of absinthe in the early…