Refresh for new random facts
1. American Express started off as a shipping company in 1850, shipping financial products across the United States; their first credit card wasn't issued until 1958.
2. The original 12 stocks on the Dow Jones were cotton oil, sugar, tobacco, gas, cattle, electric, gas, lead, coal, leather, utility, and rubber companies.
3. Samuel F.B. Morse, renowned inventor of the telegraph and Morse Code, twice ran for mayor of New York City...and lost both times.
4. Bank of America was originally called "The Bank of Italy." It was founded by Amadeo Giannini in 1904 to cater to Italian immigrants in San Francisco.
5. Conveniently, credit card companies are all headquartered in states with high or no cap on interest rates such as Utah, South Dakota, and Delaware.
6. Henry Ford invented the charcoal briquettes that are commonly used by the grilling enthusiasts of today, to make use of scrap wood left over in the manufacture of the Model T.
7. Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike, first got the inspiration for creating Nike shoes after staring at a waffle iron.
8. Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.
9. Nathaniel C. Wyeth, son of artist N.C. Wyeth, brother of artists Andrew, Carolyn and Henriette Wyeth, developed the plastic soda bottle while working as an engineer for the DuPont Company.
10. The first vending machines were installed on New York City elevated subway platforms in 1888 and dispensed Tutti-Fruiti gum.
When me and old Abe used to sit by the fire he would tell me the darndest tales about this great land of ours.
