Mind Blowing Facts: How Famous Companies Got Their Names?

Nike: Named for the greek goddess of victory. The swoosh

symbolises her flight.

Skype: The original concept was ‘Sky-Peer-to-Peer’, which morphed into Skyper, then Skype.

Mercedes: This was actually financier’s daughter’s name.

Adidas: The company name was taken from its founder Adolf (ADI) Dassler whose first name was shortened to the nickname Adi. Together with first three letters of his surname it formed ADIDAS.

Adobe: This came from the name of the river Adobe Creek that ran behind the house of founder John Warnock.

Apple Computers: It was the favourite fruit of founder Steve Jobs. He was three months late for filing a name for the business, and he threatened to call his company Apple Computers if the other colleagues didn’t suggest a better name by 5 o’clock.

CISCO: It is not an acronym as popularly believed. It’s short for San Francisco.

Compaq: This name was formed by using COMP, for computer and PAQ to denote a small integral object.

Corel: The name was derived from the founder’s name Dr. Michael Cowpland. It stands for COwpland Research Laboratory.

Google: The name started as a joke boasting about the amount of information the search-engine would be able to search. It was originally named ‘Googol’, a word for the number represented by 1 followed by 100 zeros. After founders – Stanford graduate students Sergey Brin and Larry Page presented their project to an angel investor; they received a cheque made out to ‘Google’. So, instead of returning the cheque for correction, they decided to change the name to Google.

Hotmail: Founder Jack Smith got the idea of accessing e-mail via the web from a computer anywhere in the world. When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service, he tried all kinds of names ending in ‘mail’ and finally settled for hotmail as it included the letters “html” – the programming language used to write web pages. It was initially referred to as HoTMaiL with selective uppercasing.

Hewlett Packard: Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin to decide whether the company they founded would be called Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett.

Intel: Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name their new company ‘Moore Noyce’ but that was already trademarked by a hotel chain so they had to settle for an acronym of INTegrated ELectronics.

Lotus (Notes): Mitch Kapor got the name for his company from ‘The Lotus Position’ or ‘Padmasana’. Kapor used to be a teacher of transcendental Meditation of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Microsoft: Coined by Bill Gates to represent the company that was devoted to MICROcomputer SOFTware. Originally christened Micro-Soft, the ‘-’ was removed later on.

Motorola: Founder Paul Galvin came up with this name when his company started manufacturing radios for cars. The popular radio company at the time was called Victrola.

Sony: It originated from the Latin word ‘sonus’ meaning sound and ‘sonny’ as lang used by Americans to refer to a bright youngster.

SUN: Founded by 4 Stanford University buddies, SUN is the acronym for Stanford University Network. Andreas Bechtolsheim built a microcomputer; Vinod Khosla recruited him and Scott McNealy to manufacture computers based on it, and Bill Joy to develop a UNIX-based OS for the computer.

Apache: It got its name because its founders got started by applying patches to code written for NCSA’s httpd daemon. The result was ‘A PAtCHy’ server – thus, the name Apache Jakarta (project from Apache): A project constituted by SUN and Apache to create a web server handling servlets and JSPs. Jakarta was name of the conference room at SUN where most of the meetings between SUN and Apache took place.

Tomcat: The servlet part of the Jakarta project. Tomcat was the code name for the JSDK 2.1 project inside SUN.

C: Dennis Ritchie improved on the B programming language and called it ‘New B’. He later called it C. Earlier B was created by Ken Thompson as a revision of the Bon programming language (named after his wife Bonnie).

C++: Bjarne Stroustrup called his new language ‘C with Classes’ and then ‘newC’. Because of which the original C began to be called ‘old C’ which was considered insulting to the C community. At this time Rick Mascitti suggested the name C++ as a successor to C.

GNU: A species of African antelope. Founder of the GNU project Richard Stallman liked the name because of the humour associated with its pronunciation and was also influenced by the children’s song ‘The Gnu Song’ which is a song sung by a gnu. Also it fitted into the recursive acronym culture with ‘GNU’s Not Unix’.

Java: Originally called Oak by creator James Gosling, from the tree that stood outside his window, the programming team had to look for a substitute as there was no other language with the same name. Java was selected from a list of suggestions. It came from the name of the coffee that the programmers drank.

LG: Combination of two popular Korean brands Lucky and Goldstar.
Linux: Linus Torvalds originally used the Minix OS on his system which here placed by his OS. Hence the working name was Linux (Linus’ Minix). He thought the name to be too egotistical and planned to name it Freax (free+freak+x). His friend Ari Lemmke encouraged Linus to upload it to a network so it could be easily downloaded. Ari gave Linus a directory called ‘Linux’ on his FTP server, as he did not like the name Freax. (Linus parents named him after two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling).

Mozilla: When Marc Andreessen, founder of Netscape, created a browser to replace Mosaic (also developed by him), it was named Mozilla (Mosaic-Killer, Godzilla). The marketing guys didn’t like the name however and it was re-christened Netscape Navigator.

Red Hat: Company founder Marc Ewing was given the Cornell lacrosse team cap (with red and white stripes) while at college by his grandfather. He lost it and had to search for it desperately. The manual of the beta version of Red Hat Linux had an appeal to readers to return his Red Hat if found by anyone!

SAP: “Systems, Applications, Products in Data Processing”, formed by 4 ex-IBM employees who used to work in the ‘Systems/Applications/Projects’ group of IBM.

UNIX: When Bell Labs pulled out of MULTICS (MULTiplexed Information and Computing System), which was originally a joint Bell/GE/MIT project, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie of Bell Labs wrote a simpler version of the OS. They needed the OS to run the game ‘Space War’ which was compiled under MULTICS. It was called UNICS – UNIplexed operating and Computing System by Brian Kernighan. It was later shortened to UNIX.

SCO (UNIX): From Santa Cruz Operation. The company’s office was in Santa Cruz.

Xerox: The inventor, Chestor Carlson, named his product trying to say ‘dry’ (as it was dry copying, markedly different from the then prevailing wet copying). The Greek root ‘xer’ means dry.

Yahoo: The word was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book ‘Gulliver’s Travels’. It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and action and is barely human. Yahoo! founders Jerry Yang and David Filo selected the name because they considered themselves yahoos.

3M: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company started off by mining the material corundum used to make sandpaper. It was changed to 3M when the company changed its focus to Innovative Products.

18 Amazing Human Body Facts!

World’s smallest camera !

World’s smallest camera measuring 1.125 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1.062 inches deep. It contains a 2-megapixel sensor that captures 1600-by-1200 resolution photos with auto-focus, or 30 frames per second AVI video in 640-by-480 resolution. A 2 GB microSD card is built in, and there’s a USB port for transferring photos to a PC. The built-in rechargeable battery gets 30 minutes of use per charge.

7 Amazing Secrets of Everyday Things You Probably Didn’t Know Existed

We are so used to seeing certain everyday things that we just don’t pay attention to details. But very often the most ingenious ideas or fascinating stories are hidden behind some unremarkable features.

With that in mind, we at Daily Reading have gathered together the 7 most stunning secrets of familiar things that no one noticed.

A mysterious tram’s zigzag

If you look closely at a tram’s overhead lines, you’ll see that its contact wires zigzag back and forth instead of going in a straight line.

The thing is that all trams have pantographs attached to their roofs. The upper part of the pantograph is gradually worn down by the overhead wire and eventually needs to be replaced. To wear it down evenly, the wire is not installed strictly along the tram’s path but in zigzag patterns. As the tram moves, the pantograph slides along the wire and it wears down evenly.

Who killed the King?

In the standard French deck of cards, the King of Hearts is depicted rather strangely. He’s the only king without a mustache, and, moreover, he’s the only king who appears to be sticking his sword into his head. There are several theories in this regard.

• The first hypothesis suggests that originally, the King of Hearts wielded an ax in his left hand. However, as a result of centuries of bad copying by card makers, the king’s ax has disappeared, and it has become more like a sword.
• Another theory claims that the King of Hearts represents the emotionally disturbed Charles VII (King of France). According to popular belief, the King went insane and put a sword through his head from fear of being poisoned.
• Some historians also argue that the King of Hearts represents Ajax the Great, while the Queen of Hearts is Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world. Ajax was one of the suitors of Helen. But when the woman refused him, he chose to commit suicide by stabbing himself with his own sword.

The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom

The British coins of one, two, five, ten, twenty, and fifty pence depict sections of The Royal Coat of Arms that form the whole shield when placed together. However, the pound coin depicts the entire shield of arms on the reverse. It’s just a brilliant idea, isn’t it?

Open jar symbols on cosmetic packaging

The little open jar icon is the PAO (Period After Opening) symbol that informs consumers of the determined period of time a product may be used after opening without any harm to the consumer.

This symbol, featuring a number followed by the letter "M" (months), can be seen on almost all cosmetic products. This number inside the jar graphic tells you how long the product will stay good after the package is unsealed.

The Statue of Liberty’s crown

Everyone has seen the Statue of Liberty either in person or in pictures. However, only a few people know that the seven spikes on the crown of this statue represent the seven oceans and the seven continents of the world, indicating the universal concept of liberty. And one more interesting fact: each spike weighs exactly 150 pounds.

Blank pages in books

You have probably noticed that many books have a few blank pages at the beginning and/or end. Why are they there?

Book pages are often printed on large sheets of paper rather than on small individual ones. That’s why if there isn’t enough content to fill these large sheets, there will be blank pages. Publishers often print the word "Notes" or leave some other sign on them so that readers don’t think they’ve encountered a publishing mistake.

Colorful toothpaste

Have you ever wondered why classic toothpaste has stripes of three colors: white, blue, and red? It turns out that each stripe has different ingredients and purposes.

• Fluoride (white component) is the most valuable ingredient in toothpaste, containing substances that whiten the teeth and remove plaque.
• Blue (or green) aqua gel has antimicrobial and breath-freshening effects.
• Red gel was added later. It contains some crucial elements for healthy gums.

In fact, dividing the toothpaste up with different colors isn’t necessary. It’s just a clever marketing strategy.

The Door to Hell and The Crater of Fire

The Darvaza gas crater, also known as 'The Door to Hell' and 'The Crater of Fire', is a jaw-dropping man-made natural phenomenon in the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan.

"Man-made natural phenomenon" might sound like a contradiction, but hear us out.

As explained in a new video from YouTube channel SciShow, in 1971 Soviet scientists began explored the Karakum desert search of oil and gas.
No one really knows what followed, there have been no official public reports on the matter, but it is currently thought that the enthusiastic scientists, having found oil and gas, began to drill immediately.
They had stumbled on a cavern and created a sinkhole more than 60 metres in diameter and 20 metres deep.

This released a lot of methane, which the scientists presumably decided to burn off, thinking it would only take a few weeks.

It is still alight to this day, and has a terrible eggy smell because of the hydrogen sulphide in the ground.
It's a popular tourist spot these days, because, well, it's a big burning crater of fire.

Watch the full video, below:

Are We Even Living In A 3D World? Scientsts Say Universe Might Be A Huge Hologram

The universe is one expansive enigma and with every passing finding that scientists reveal, our grip on the “truth” loosens. Now astrophysicists are proposing that the universe might just be one “vast and complex hologram” and what we perceive to be a 3D world might just be an illusion.

They’ve come out with this proposition after studying cosmic microwave background – also known as the afterglow left over from the Big Bang in lay man’s terms. Astrophysicists from the University of Southampton say they have found substantial evidence that our universe is holographic.

Our perception of the universe, they say, can be compared to watching a 3D film, where we experience depth with the knowledge that it’s appearing from a 2D frame.

Kostas Skenderis, Professor of mathematical sciences at the University of Southampton, said, “Imagine that everything you see, feel and hear in three dimensions (and your perception of time) in fact emanates from a flat two-dimensional field. The idea is similar to that of ordinary holograms where a three-dimensional image is encoded in a two-dimensional surface, such as in the hologram on a credit card.

"However, this time, the entire universe is encoded."

Professor Skenderis adds, “Holography is a huge leap forward in the way we think about the structure and creation of the universe. Einstein's theory of general relativity explains almost everything large scale in the universe very well but starts to unravel when examining its origins and mechanisms at the quantum level.

“Scientists have been working for decades to combine Einstein's theory of gravity and quantum theory. Some believe the concept of a holographic universe has the potential to reconcile the two. I hope our research takes us another step towards this.”

Source: indiatimes

NASA Releases Most Detailed Photos of Saturn’s Rings Ever Taken

NASA just released the highest resolution photographs of Saturn’s rings yet. About 1.2 billion kilometers )(746 million miles) away from Earth, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft is busy capturing a beautiful piece of our solar system in never-before-seen detail.

As Cassini approaches Saturn’s moons, the spacecraft has entered what NASA is calling its “Ring-Grazing” orbits phase. Closer than ever to Saturn’s icy debris rings, the spacecraft sent back these closeups, which offer twice the detail of anything the human race has seen previously.

“Although Cassini saw these features earlier in the mission, the spacecraft’s current, special orbits are now providing opportunities to see them in greater detail,” explains NASA. “The new images resolve details as small as 0.3 miles (550 meters), which is on the scale of Earth’s tallest buildings.”

Have a look for yourself at the four images NASA has release thus far:

SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED THAT JACKFRUIT IS A STRONG CANCER KILLER

Colon cancer is one of the most dangerous and hard to cure cancers that also create additional complications. According to  N. Cancer Institute, more than 1.16 million people suffered from this sickness in the USA in 2013.

Nature has again provided a cure for this deadly condition, like in many other similar cases, through the delicacy fruit named jackfruit. This fruit grows in hot tropical areas in the world and people from these parts use it to prepare many kinds of recipes.

Jackfruit is believed to be a strong cancer killer. This fruit is rich with nutrients such as isoflavones, lignans, phytonutrients and saponins that benefit the health and are able to fight cancer.

These nutrients prevent the flow of free radicals that are the main cause for cancer and other chronic sickness.

PHYTONUTRIENTS

Phytonutrients prevent the creation of the cancer cell in its first stage. The jackfruit can cure a person who suffers from belly ulcers and remarkably improves his/her  health condition. There are thousands of the phytonutrients discovered and recognized by scientists that have the capability to provide remarkable benefits to overall health. Phytonutrients originate from food based on plants.

SAPONINS

The saponins are very important and strong colon cancer killers.  A research has discovered that these phytonutrients caused mitotic arrest. In the condition of the leukemia cells. The research also showed that it is useful for various cases in creating remission. Saponins attack the outer layers of the cancer cells, by linking them and stopping them from growing further.

LIGNANS AND ISOFLAVONES

Isoflavones and Lignansbelong to phytoestrogens. They are attached on the receptors of estrogens. These nutrients are believed to be able to lower the risk of the endometrial cancer. In 2006, the N. Cancer Institute published a research that covered about 500 women that were chosen random. According to the research, the group of women that consumed largest levels of isoflavones leaves and the lignans from the jackfruit showed lower cancer rates than the ones in control group.

PROTECTION OF CELLULAR DNA

The jackfruit is also rich with antioxidants that are important for protecting the cellular DNA from the potential damage that could be caused by free oxygen radicals. And it is also successful in fighting already created mutations. Therefor the anti-cancer benefits of jackfruit do not stop here. The value of this fruit is enormous. It lowers the risk of colon cancer and is fiber rich. It is an incredible colon cleanser and also cleanses the digestive tract from toxins.

STRENGTHENING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Jackfruit is rich with vitamin C and with simple sugars that are important for strengthening the immune system in humans. A research was performed on mice that involved an analysis of influence of sugars that exist in the pulp of jackfruit on immunity. The results of the research showed that jackfruit consisted of polysaccharides that help improve the function of the phagocytic cell, which is part of the immune system. See below the nutritional value.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF JACKFRUIT

For lowering the risk of colorectal cancer and improving the digestive system, jackfruit is the number one fruit.
1 cup jackfruit has 155 calories and just 4 calories from the fat
The fruit has minimal quantities of saturated fats, cholesterol and also sodium.
It is rich with vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, niacin, thiamine and riboflavin.
It is rich with minerals such as potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, manganese, copper, selenium and phosphorus.
Contains simple sugars that are exceptional for human health
Only one cup jackfruit provides more than 11% of daily fiber that your body needs.
This fruit is so delicious that it is almost impossible to satisfy your taste buds with just one cup, once you start consuming it. In China, jackfruit is also able to reduce the negative effects caused by alcohol.