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Childhood Treasures Gain Little Value

Seems like everyone had them, or at least wanted them – Beanie Babies, Happy Meal toys, Hess trucks, comic books, model train sets, children’s books, Cabbage Patch Kids, Hot Wheels and Barbie dolls.When first acquired they likely became favorite playthings. But as the years past folks began to think they had ever-growing cash value.

But if they are in less than pristine – never or barely used – condition, odds are that with few exceptions they are worth little more than what was paid for them. So much for the attic or basement storage over all the years.

The treasure of these items will be found in your heart and memory, not in your pocket.

Beanie Babies became a mania in the 1990s. Introduced by Ty in 1993, the plush toys – nine in the original collection – were suddenly must-haves. If they weren’t played with and had their paper tags still attached, some could indeed command tidy sums. But last year on eBay, a collection of 2001 Happy Birthday Bears – the complete set of 12 – sought a starting bid of just $15 and had no takers. The website Ty Collector laments, “The buying frenzy decreased significantly after 1998 when Ty produced so many Beanie Babies for the worldwide market that retailers had difficulty selling them all.”

Happy Meal toys have been available with Happyt Meals at McDonald’s since the late 1970s, and many of the tiny toys included with the food have indeed become collectibles worth several hundred dollars for a complete set. But most people probably haven’t collected all 101 of those “101 Dalmatians.” And like many other youth collectibles, Happy Meal toys are worth big bucks only in mint condition with their original packaging – which includes the Happy Meal box. Alas, these giveaways are most often ripped open and played with moments after purchase.

Comic books – Unless you’ve dug into a stash of comics and uncovered ultra-rare issues from the earliest days of Superman, Batman or the classic Marvel heroes, you’re likely holding onto a pile of childhood memories, and nothing more. As baby boomers age, they are paring down and trying to cash in, and the market for comics is glutted. Condition, as with so many collectibles, is key too. A random check of price guides and online marketplaces might prove eye-opening, to say the least.

Model train sets may not have seen the underside of a Christmas tree in years, but many were made by Lionel, which has been producing model trains for more than a century, so it’s tempting to think it’s valuable. “Many of the trains made in the early years right up through the present have kept their value, and some are highly valued by collectors,” the Lionel Collectors Club of America says. But also: “More common ones, while worthy of running, may not have a high collector value.” As usual, condition, rarity and an original box are key. If the train is in beaten-up boxes jammed with twisted wires, bent tracks and a bit of rust, forget it.

Children’s books – Some parents will pay anything to share a favorite childhood book with their own children. There are also collectors who collect books for their covers or to frame pages for decorative purposes. Last year, two first-edition copies of the Dr. Seuss classic “Green Eggs and Ham” from 1960 were selling for $4,750 and $3,500 on Biblio.com – but those featured quite specific qualities that most likely matter to just the rarest collectors. After all, the charm of most children’s books is they’ve been loved: They often carry children’s names (printed perhaps for the first time by them), bent pages, random crayon marks or even little stains — and those are not exactly selling points, especially when so many classics get frequent printings.

Cabbage Patch Kids – Remember when parents would literally rip Cabbage Patch Kids from each other’s hands in stores? When the soft-sculpture dolls went national in the early ’80s, people couldn’t “adopt” enough of these for around $30. As with many youth-oriented collectibles, condition is everything, so unless your “kid” hasn’t been out of its box, expect to perhaps break even.

Hot Wheels, the miniature die-cast cars from Mattel introduced in the late ’60s kept children excited for playtime for years, and collectors happy. Unfortunately, the sheer quantity of the models produced and the fact that most were played with roughly make for poor prices. There have been record sales, but more than a few 1960s models can be scored for a couple of bucks.

Barbie dolls – There are always going to be Barbie dolls that command top dollar, because there are always going to be deep-pocketed collectors who will pay anything. But the Barbies most people own, especially those “previously loved,” won’t make anyone rich. Even a Donna Karan Bloomingdale’s Limited Edition doll recently could be had for $22 online.

Hess Trucks – As with so many toys, kids loved and played with their annual Hess Truck gift, rarely leaving them untouched in the box. If you have the first one from 1964, when it sold for $1.39, and it’s in pristine condition, the Antiques Almanac says you may be sitting on nearly $2,500. A quick check on prices in mid-July, though, shows that since dozens of models, especially those from the 1970s, sell for well under $40. There are plenty of Hess collectors, but skyrocketing prices are not the norm.

12 Essential Money Tips

Everyone makes money missteps at some point in their lives, whether it’s splurging on unnecessary items or neglecting to contribute to retirement funds as soon as possible. To help you avoid the same pitfalls, here are some tips from the experts that will help you live your best money life.

1. Start With Saving – Although it’s tempting to spend rather than save when you get a paycheck, the experts say it’s important to prioritize contributing to your savings accounts. One way to make it easier is to automate payments.

2. Avoid Lifestyle Inflation – Ted Jenkin, a certified financial planner, said it’s important to increase your savings rate whenever you start earning more to keep growing your net worth.“Save one-third of every pay raise you get so you don’t succumb to lifestyle inflation,” he said. By starting this practice early in your career, you’ll develop good habits like saving, investing and paying down debts instead of spending it on more stuff you won’t care about in a few years’ time.

3. Don’t Waste Your Money on Things You Don’t Need – Whether you’ve just received your first paycheck or your first raise, it can be tempting to spend your money on things you want rather than on things you need. This can be a huge mistake. “Don’t spend so much money on clothing,” said Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, founder of the personal finance blog “Making Sense of Cents.”

4. Don’t Buy Things to Impress Other People – Spending on immediate wants can hurt your future needs, said John Rampton, founder and CEO of Calendar. “Don’t waste your time on expensive cars or gadgets,” he said. “It’s better to save money for the long-term and for things that can keep generating money, rather than taking money.”

5. Start Investing in Your Retirement ASAP – It’s easy to put off saving for retirement when you’re in your 20s, but that’s the best time to start. The sooner you save, the sooner you can take advantage of compound interest. No matter your age, it’s important to prioritize investing in your retirement accounts, the experts said.

6. Don’t Fear the Stock Market – Doing something that scares you can be a good thing for your finances. Novice investors are often scared of the stock market, but just by getting started, even on a small scale, you’re furthering your financial life. That’s why Tom Hegna, financial author, speaker and economist, thinks you should invest in the stock market. Certified financial planner Jeff Rose concurs. “Invest sooner,” said Rose.

7. Now, Invest Even More – “Invest in the market, and lock in gains by purchasing income,” Hegna said. “Once you have your basic expenses covered with income, buy more.” By making wise investments now, you can create income for yourself in retirement to supplement Social Security, allowing you to live a more comfortable life in retirement.

8. Invest in Yourself – In addition to making financial investments, it’s important to invest in yourself by learning everything you can about personal finance so you can create a financial plan that works for you.
“No one will care about your financial success as much as you will,” said Marsha Barnes, certified financial social worker and founder of The Finance Bar. “Learn as much as you can today.”

9. Listen to Yourself and Take Action – “Figure out what you want in life, then make decisions based around this goal,” said J.D. Roth, founder of the financial website Get Rich Slowly. “Once I got clear on what my larger aims were, I was able to make financial decisions that supported these goals.” When you know exactly what you’re saving for, it motivates you to stick to your goals and work even harder.

10. Don’t Waste Time Worrying – Don’t let fear get in the way of going after what you want, said Jen Sincero, New York Times best-selling author and success coach. “Worrying is praying for what you don’t want, so stop worrying about money and focus on what you do want,” she said.

11. Remember That Money Isn’t Everything – Although you need money to cover expenses and other life necessities, it isn’t the be-all and end-all. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask for what you deserve. “Ask for more money and learn to negotiate as soon as possible,” said money expert Brittney Castro. “Don’t chase money, because it’s not the holy grail. Enjoy it. Make lots of it. But always remember it’s a resource, not an indication of who or what you are in the world.”

12. Don’t Let Money Define You – Dominique Broadway, a millennial personal finance expert and founder of Finances Demystified, notes that money doesn’t define you or your success. “Do not link money with success,” she said. “Money can come and go. Focus on saving and growing your money and don’t focus on ‘shiny things’ to keep up with other people.”

Long May It Wave!

Motorists traveling the West Dodge Expressway near the west city limits soon will be greeted by a huge American flag at the site of Dino’s storage. The City Council approved a zoning waiver on July 10 to allow Dino’s owner to erect a 125-foot tall flagpole on the hill at 204th & West Dodge.

The Omaha Planning Board had previously approved installing the pole, which will be roughly 12 stories high. Paladino had said he wanted to fly the American flag and, on Nebraska football days, the N flag of Nebraska football. The council, however, said only the Stars and Stripes may be flown from the pole.

Zoning regulations allow no more than a 75-foot flagpole, but that was waived for Dino’s new flag pole. Paladino said construction will begin immediately.

Paladino said he wants to express his own patriotism and bring Americans together by flying the Stars and Stripes high atop the Elkhorn hill, a place of prominence on the west end of Omaha. “We just want to send a statement that we just need to be more patriotic,” said Paladino, who also puts Bible verses on message boards at his storage businesses. “I wish Americans loved America as much as other countries love America.”

Fact or Fiction?

In the era of “fake news” and conspiracy theories, it seems appropriate to look back on events we all have heard of from the distant past. We note that there are historians and others who claim some of these events never happened, but that by no means means that those claims are true. Make up your own mind about the events detailed below.

Nero didn’t fiddle while Rome burned
Nero, the original unconcerned bystander. While this first-century Roman emperor certainly isn’t blameless in the story of Rome’s fiery fall, he definitely wasn’t playing the fiddle during it. For one thing, Nero wasn’t even in the city when the fire began; he was in Antium, about thirty miles outside of the city. For another there was no such thing as a fiddle in ancient Rome. While Nero was a musician (and supposedly liked to play a harp-like instrument called the cithara), he sure wasn’t playing an instrument that wouldn’t appear until the 11th century. A Roman historian has claimed that, if anything, he was singing about the legendary fall of Troy when he learned his city was burning, but there were no witness accounts to back this up.

Rats didn’t actually spread the Black Death
Recent studies have discovered that rats may not actually be to blame for this devastating plague that wiped out a third of the 14th century population of Europe. So it’s time to rat out the real culprit. Scientists at the University of Oslo conducted an experiment that assessed the potential transmission routes for the deadly pandemic. They discovered that the parasites that carried the disease were much more likely to have come from humans than rats. The model showing the disease spread by human fleas and lice matched the death rates of the actual Black Death much more closely than the model involving parasite-carrying rats.

The Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria weren’t the names of Christopher Columbus’s ships
When it comes to Columbus, the only fact that the history books really have right is that he sailed in 1492. First of all, he didn’t “discover” America – people had already been living on the continent for thousands of years. He wasn’t even the first European explorer to reach North America. A crew of Vikings sailed to Canada around 1000 AD. Even the oft-repeated names of his three ships aren’t historically accurate. In the 15th century, most sailing ships were named after saints, so while the Santa Maria is probably the real name, the Niña and the Pinta were probably just casual sailor nicknames for more piously named vessels. According to history.com, the Niña’s real name was most likely “the Santa Clara,” while the Pinta’s real name is unknown.

Martin Luther probably didn’t nail his 95 Theses to a church door
The revolutionary monk Martin Luther and his list of grievances about the Catholic Church have gone down in history as the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. While the 95 Theses were real, and did have a major impact on people’s perceptions of the Catholic Church, the events didn’t quite go down the way you learned. There is no historical evidence that Luther posted the Theses on the church door; that story wouldn’t appear until 30 years after 1517, the year the act was supposed to have taken place. What we do know for certain is that he very politely mailed his 95 Theses to the archbishop, and that he never actually intended to start a revolution within the church. Luther was a devoted Catholic, and he simply wanted the clergy to recognize their corruption. Even if he did also post the Theses on the church door, that wasn’t quite the defiant act historians have portrayed it as. It was actually the norm, since that’s where the church notice board was located.

An apple never fell on Isaac Newton’s head
The story that the famous mathematician had an epiphany about gravity after being bonked on the head by a piece of fruit is most likely an embellishment of what really happened. The first time the apple story appeared was in a biography of Newton written by his friend William Stukeley in 1792. The account says, “the notion of gravitation came into his mind…occasion’d by the fall of an apple, as he sat in a contemplative mood.” Historians believe that he may well have seen an apple fall and begun pondering why it did so; but nowhere in any records of Newton’s life does it say it hit him on the head.

Suspected witches weren’t burned at the stake in Salem
Even though you probably think of “Salem witch trials” and “witch burnings” as interchangeable, not a single accused witch in 17th century Salem suffered a fiery fate. All but one of the 20 people executed for practicing witchcraft in the colonial Massachusetts town were hanged, while the twentieth victim was crushed to death with heavy rocks. While a few other accused sorcerers died in prison awaiting trial, there were no burnings – at least not in Salem. The widespread idea that witches were burned most likely stems from witch hysteria that took place in Europe. In the 15th to 18th centuries primarily, anti-witch hysteria raged throughout western Europe and Scandinavia, and many of those accused witches were burned at the stake.

Ben Franklin didn’t discover electricity
Ben Franklin’s famed experiment involving a key tied to a kite wasn’t quite the revolutionary scientific venture you might think it was. He certainly didn’t “discover” electricity; scientists already were well aware of its existence in 1752, the year of Franklin’s experiment. What Franklin sought to discover was whether lightning was a form of electricity, and he was the first to propose that hypothesis. But, complicating matters, it may not even have been Franklin himself who sent the famous kite into the air. In 1752, Franklin wrote in the Pennsylvania Gazette about the success of the experiment and described how it worked – but he never actually said that he performed it himself. It wasn’t until 15 years later that scientist Joseph Priestly wrote an account attributing the experiment to Franklin.

Marie Antoinette didn’t say “Let them eat cake”
The doomed French queen never actually made this condescending remark about her impoverished subjects. There are accounts of spoiled royals suggesting that poor people eat delicacies they can’t afford dating back long before Antoinette’s rule. In one such tale, a German noblewoman suggests that her subjects eat a sweet bread called Krosem in the 16th century. Antoinette was born in the 18th century. The “Let them eat cake” quote itself – “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” in French – first appeared in a 1767 autobiographical account by the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He attributes the quote simply to “a great princess.” Considering that Marie Antoinette was a young girl at the time, it almost definitely wasn’t her.

Vincent van Gogh didn’t cut off his ear
Not all of it, anyway. The artist only severed the bottom part of his left ear, and no one knows for sure the reason he did it. He was certainly suffering from severe depression at the time. Some historians claim that he was agitated after a spat with his artist frenemy Paul Gaugin. Others claim that it was an act of rage committed after he learned that his brother, who was a major source of financial and emotional support for him, was engaged. One thing is for sure, though: it definitely wasn’t his entire ear.

Historic Folks or Mythical Legends?

History can be a funny thing, filled with names of folks and deeds that might never have existed or occurred except in folklore. We all know at least a little about such figures as William Tell, King Arthur, John Henry and many others. Some scholars, however, are convinced that they did not exist, that they are myths or legends handed down through folklore. Reader’s Digest provided a look at some of the most notable examples.

King Arthur
The best place for “”happy-ever-after” feelings is the kingdom of Camelot, ruled by King Arthur, who leaned on the advice of the wizard Merlin to lead the Knights of the Round Table. Except he likely is fictional: The tale was popularized in stories dating back to the 800s and it served as the inspiration for Alfred Lord Tennyson’s epic poem, Idylls of the King. Scholars aren’t sure if these works are based on a real man or on folklore. The legendary King Arthur may have been based on a real warrior who led British armies during the fifth or sixth century. He also may have been the inspiration for historical writings about a warrior king, but no one can confirm whether those were about the mythic Arthur or if he even existed at all.

Pythagoras
Even if you can’t remember exactly what the Pythagorean Theorem is about (triangles!), you’ve probably heard of the famous math equation. It’s possible that the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras wasn’t even the first to come up with it – it may have been the Egyptians. If Pythagoras did exist, he didn’t leave any records that he himself wrote, and the accounts that do remain may have been written by his somewhat unreliable followers.

Robin Hood
Robin Hood is most famous for stealing from the rich to give to the poor, but the fair-minded outlaw might only exist as a fictional hero. Medieval scholars turned up records of criminals named “Robehod” and “Rabunhod,” but they’re not sure who they were or how they got their names. What they do know is that stories about outlaws who buck the system seem to have been popular throughout history. Everyone roots for Robin Hood!

Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu is the author of the best-selling strategy guide The Art of War. The ancient book is believed to have been written in the fourth or fifth century, but no one knows for sure. And its age hasn’t stopped it from being consulted and employed by contemporary generals and CEOs. No one is sure if the Chinese military mastermind actually existed, or if the strategy classic was a compilation of Chinese wisdom gathered by many across time and then attributed to a single author.

Homer
The famous poet, supposed writer of the iconic literary works the Odyssey and the Iliad, may not have existed at all, argue scholars. They believe Homer was created out of a cultural need for an author for these great Greek myths. The works were possibly written much earlier than scholars originally believed and compiled by many authors across time through oral traditions.

Mulan
Mulan is the iconic Chinese warrior that Disney animated. This inspiring young woman is a figure in a beloved Chinese folktale that dates back to the fifth century. There are multiple versions of the tale of a girl who takes her father’s place as a warrior because he’s too old to fight. She usually hides her identity and leads an army to victory. But most scholars agree that there’s no evidence such a woman existed.

William Tell
William Tell is the famous Swiss archer who was forced to shoot an apple off his son’s head by a despot. Tell’s arrow didn’t miss, and the Swiss point to the heroic act as the start of Switzerland’s movement to become an independent nation. Although the event is supposed to have taken place in 1307 A.D., researchers haven’t been able to find evidence that the story or the man are more than an inspiring myth.

Betty Crocker
You think of her as the classic kitchen goddess who knows everything about baking. Unfortunately, she’s not a real person. The company that became General Mills invented her to answer consumer queries. The surname Crocker came from a company director, and Betty was considered a “friendly sounding name.” Soon the persona became a reliable and beloved expert on cooking and recipes.

John Henry
The superhuman railroad man was a little too good to be true: The John Henry ballads sprang out of the post-Civil War era when the railroads were being built and America aimed to become a titan of industry. Henry was said to be a former slave who challenged a steam drill to a race and won, only to die shortly after. The story highlights grit and determination, but evidence of a real John Henry is hard to find. He seems to be a composite of many stories featuring citizens who embodied the fearless spirit that America wanted to project.

Uncle Sam
You know him as the top-hatted, patriotically dressed, gray-haired guy on the “I want you” recruiting posters. The figure was inspired by a real guy – a businessman who supplied army provisions and was nicknamed Uncle Sam. Soldiers during the war of 1812 would joke that their food came from ‘Uncle Sam,” but they weren’t referring to the distributor – more so to the actual army. The nickname usage spread, especially in newspapers, and Uncle Sam became the familiar popular figure by World War I.

Airlines Have an Alcohol Problem

One of the few remaining pleasures of commercial air travel is a cold pint post-security or a Bloody Mary to quell in-flight nerves. But for flight attendants and the airlines they work for, the grand tradition of drinking while traveling causes a host of problems that some blame on airports and which the airlines are intent on cracking down on.

European low cost carrier Ryanair is leading the charge. In a recent incident a flight from Dublin to Ibiza had to be diverted to Paris to de-plane a trio of drunk and disruptive. The airline has since announced that it will be lobbying for new restrictions on drinking in airports.

The proposed measures include a ban on serving alcohol before 10 a.m., which is common in European airports, and a two drink maximum in airport bars. Similar measures have been called for by fellow low cost carrier Jet 2 and by Aer Lingus which said they would turn away visibly inebriated passengers at the gate.

In a statement, Ryanair said that “It’s completely unfair that airports can profit from the unlimited sale of alcohol to passengers and leave the airlines to deal with the safety consequences.” They added that, because their flights are so short, it is rarely the case that passengers become problematically drunk on the plane; rather, intoxication usually begins before boarding. The airline had already previously banned the consumption of duty-free liquor on their flights, a practice which already is banned in many countries anyway, including the US.

It’s not just a European problem. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a May incident when an American Airlines flight attendant was on the receiving end of a vicious tirade after refusing to serve a passenger another beer. In an opinion piece calling for the banning of alcohol in the cabin, the opinion piece noted that when asked flight attendants overwhelmingly supported a ban on in-flight alcohol.

The FBI said reports of sexual assaults that take place during commercial flights have increased an “alarming” 66% between the years of 2014 and 2017. CNN said an FBI representative told reporters that a majority of offenses happen “on red-eye overnights, flights of three hours or more where cabin lights might be darkened, and/or instances where alcohol is being consumed.”

For frequent fliers who enjoy a drink, it may seem inconceivable that the future of flight might run dry. And indeed for airlines and airports – who gain a not-insignificant revenue stream from selling alcoholic beverages – removing the drinks may bear too high a cost.

A Teacher’s Great Summer Ideas

Betsy Eggart, a Pensacola, Fla., mom and teacher, believes kids should take a break from worksheets and equations over the summer and instead focus on resting and recharging for next year.

Many teachers send students home for summer vacation with worksheets and equations to tackle, But Eggart thinks outside of the box with her approach to keep kids sharp over the long break. Call it “the non-summer packet, summer packet.”

The R.C. Lipscomb Elementary School first-grade teacher posted her concept to Facebook where it quickly went viral. Eggart, 36, encourages parents to get back to some of the basics of life with their kids like tying shoes, behaving at the dinner table and putting away the iPhones and iPads to spend quality, uninterrupted time together. The teacher of 13 years also reminds parents of the importance of slowing down and letting kids rest and relax so they’re not burned out by the next school year.

The mother of two, an 8-year-old and a 1-year-old, says “I feel like when we just keep going and going and going, we hit a wall, and I think as adults we know that. We know for ourselves when we’ve been through a really busy season at work we hit a wall, and our kids do, too.”

Eggart offers some pointed advice within the post that she thinks could help children develop both in school and everyday life.

1. Teach Your Child How To Tie Their Shoes. Eggart encouraged parents to: Find a fun trick! Watch a video! Give an incentive! Be persistent! “Just make sure your child isn’t the one dragging their laces through the bathroom and cafeteria then asking the teacher to tie it” she wrote.

2. Establish A Regular Bedtime. “If we keep our bodies in a routine with sleep, August won’t hit quite so hard,” Eggart wrote. That’s good advice for both parents and kids!

3. Find A Pen Pal. Whether to a close friend or distant family member, “Writing with a purpose makes it relevant and real for your child,” Eggart said.

4. Have Dinner Together. Better yet, try to have dinner together every night.

5. Practice Being Kind. This is perhaps the easiest and most important assignment on Eggart’s list.

6. Let Your Child Make Mistakes. “Our children need us. But they need us to let them learn to problem solve,” she wrote, “if your child is in a situation that is frustrating, but not harmful (example: can’t put together a new toy, can’t open a Lunchable, can’t decide which color shirt to wear) let them work it out! It saves time and our nerves to just do it! But in the long run, it’s crippling our children of the basic and necessary skill to problem solve and think through an issue … for themselves. Hang back … just a bit. They’ll be OK!”

7. Read To Your Child. “I can’t encourage reading enough!” Eggart said. “Please visit the library and make books a part of your summer days. Most importantly, let your child see you read- to yourself and to them.”

8. Put Down Your Phone. “We could spend this summer scrolling through strangers’ vacation pictures wishing we had their reality,” Eggart wrote, “or we could be chasing our reality through the sprinkler in our own backyard.” It’s your call.

9. Take A Moment To Relax Every Once In A While. “Be OK with not constantly going somewhere,” Eggart challenged families, adding: “Boredom gives way to creativity. Rest renews our bodies and our minds for all the next school year has in store.”

Behind the Brand Names

You’re sporting your favorite Nike sneakers and Lululemon pants as you head to the mall to shop at the Gap. En route you grab a latte at Starbucks. After a few good hours of shopping, you head to Panera to meet a friend for lunch. You Venmo her for the meal and you both decide dessert is in the cards: Next stop, Häagen-Dazs.

All these brands are staples in our lives. But do you have any idea what their names actually mean?

You might think these corporate brand names were all made up by professional marketers, or company executives huddled for hours or days to come up with them. But, as Business Insider tells us, most came from much simpler beginnings.

Here’s a guide to the origins and meanings of some of the popular brand names we all know.

Adidas isn’t an acronym for ‘All Day I Dream About Soccer’
It turns out the athletics-apparel brand is named after its founder, Adolf Dassler, who started making sport shoes when he came back from serving in World War I, according to the LA Times. The name combines his nickname, Adi, and the first three letters of his last name.

Amazon was named after the world’s biggest river
When Amazon was launched in 1995, founder Jeff Bezos had a different idea for his brand name. Bezos wanted to call his online bookstore Cadabra, according to Brad Stone’s book about the company. But Amazon’s first lawyer, Todd Tarbert, managed to convince him that the name sounded too similar to “Cadaver.” Bezos is also said to have favored the name Relentless, and if you visit Relentless.com today, you’ll be redirected to Amazon’s website, Business Insider reported. Finally, Bezos settled on Amazon, named after the largest river in the world, and incorporated an image of the river in the company’s first logo.

ASOS is an abbreviation of AsSeenOnScreen
The British online retailer was founded as AsSeenOnScreen in 1999 and lived at asseenonscreen.com. The abbreviation ASOS – which is pronounced ACE-OSS – quickly caught on, and the website was shortened to asos.com.

Gap refers to the generation gap between adults and kids
The first Gap store opened in 1969 with the goal of selling good jeans. The name referred to the generation gap between adults and kids.

Gatorade was developed for the Florida Gators
A team of doctors at the University of Florida developed the sports drink for the Florida Gators football players, who were struggling to play in the heat.

Google owes its name to a typo
Google’s name emerged from a brainstorming session at Stanford University. Founder Larry Page was coming up with ideas for a massive data-index website with other graduate students, Business Insider reported. One of the suggestions was “googolplex” one of the largest describable numbers. The name ‘Google’ came about after one of the students accidentally spelled it wrong. Page then registered his company with this name.

Häagen-Dazs may sound Danish, but it’s completely made up
Reuben Mattus, a Jewish immigrant from Poland, named his ice-cream company Häagen-Dazs as a way to pay tribute to Denmark, according to an interview with the Jewish news publication Tablet Magazine. But the name doesn’t actually mean anything. “The only country which saved the Jews during World War II was Denmark, so I put together a totally fictitious Danish name and had it registered,” Mattus said. “Häagen-Dazs doesn’t mean anything. (But) it would attract attention, especially with the umlaut.”

IKEA isn’t a Swedish word that you don’t understand.
Founder Ingvar Kamprad chose the brand name by combining the initials of his own name, IK, with the first letters of the farm and village, where grew up in southern Sweden: Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd.

J.C. Penney is named after its founder, whose name is just too good to be true
With a name like James Cash Penney, it’s as if the retail founder was born to make money.

J. Crew’s name set it up to compete with Ralph Lauren’s Polo line
According to Forbes, “The name Crew was picked to compete with Ralph Lauren’s Polo label and (founder Arthur) Cinader added the J because he thought it added (cachet).” Makes sense. Polo and crew are both pretty preppy sports.

Lululemon means nothing at all, and it’s intentionally hard to pronounce
Lululemon founder Chip Wilson came up with the yoga-wear brand’s name because he thought Japanese people wouldn’t be able to pronounce it. He wrote in 2009: “It was thought that a Japanese marketing firm would not try to create a North American sounding brand with the letter ‘L’ because the sound does not exist in Japanese phonetics. By including an ‘L’ in the name it was thought the Japanese consumer would find the name innately North American and authentic. In essence, the name ‘lululemon’ has no roots and means nothing other than it has 3 ‘L’s’ in it. Nothing more and nothing less.” A Lululemon representative said the brand’s name was chosen from a list of 20 brand names and 20 logos by a group of 100 people.

McDonald’s is named after two brothers who ran a burger restaurant
Raymond Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, was a milkshake machine salesman when he first met brothers Dick and Mac McDonald, who ran a burger restaurant in San Bernardino, California. The McDonald brothers bought several of his Kroc’s Multimixers and he was so impressed by their burger restaurant that he became their agent and set up franchises around the U.S., Money reported. Years later, he bought rights to the McDonald’s name.

Monsanto is the middle name of the founder’s wife
Agrochemical company Monsanto was founded in 1901 by John F. Queeny. He named the business after his wife, Olga Monsanto Queeny.

Panera is a portmanteau of the words ‘pan’ and ‘era’
According to Panera’s Facebook page, the sandwich chain’s name “has Latin and Spanish roots.” In Spanish, “pan” means bread and “era” means age or time. So put together, Panera means “age of bread.”
Ron Shaich, the founder of Panera, also told Fortune the name comes from the Latin word for breadbasket.

Pepsi was named after the medical term for indigestion
Pepsi inventor Caleb Davis Bradham originally wanted to be a doctor, but a family crisis meant that he left medical school and became a pharmacist instead, according to the company website. His original invention, known as “Brad’s Drink,” was made from a mix of sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil and nutmeg. Three years later, Bradham renamed his drink, which he believed aided digestion, to “Pepsi-Cola,” taken from the word dyspepsia, meaning indigestion.

A genie whispered ‘Rolex’ in the founder’s ear
Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex, wanted a brand name that could be said in any language. “I tried combining the letters of the alphabet in every possible way,” said Wilsdorf, according to Rolex. “This gave me some hundred names, but none of them felt quite right. One morning, while riding on the upper deck of a horse-drawn omnibus along Cheapside in the city of London, a genie whispered ‘Rolex’ in my ear.”

Soylent gets its name from a sci-fi novel
Soylent – that meal-replacement drink that’s a Silicon Valley favorite – got its name from the science-fiction novel “Make Room! Make Room!” which is about how population growth depletes the world’s natural resources. In the book, soylent is a blend of soybeans and lentils.

Starbucks is named after a character in ‘Moby-Dick’
In an interview with The Seattle Times, Starbucks co-founder Gordon Bowker told the story of how they arrived at the name. At first, they were going through a list of words beginning with “st” because they thought those were powerful. “Somebody somehow came up with an old mining map of the Cascades and Mount Rainier, and there was an old mining town called Starbo,” he said. “As soon as I saw Starbo, I, of course, jumped to Melville’s first mate (named Starbuck) in ‘Moby-Dick.'”

Under Armour decided to use the British spelling because it made a better phone number
The name Under Armour came about somewhat accidentally, according to The Washington Post’s interview with CEO Kevin Plank. Plank said he had landed on the name Body Armor, but couldn’t get the name trademarked. He told The Post: “I was a bit dejected, but I had lunch plans that afternoon with my oldest brother, Bill. So, I show up to pick him up, knock on the door, and he looks down at me the way only an older brother can look at a younger brother, and he asks, “How’s that company you’re working on, uhh … Under Armor?” So how did Under Armour end up with that weird spelling? “The reason we added the ‘U’ in ‘Armour’ is that I was skeptical at the time about whether this whole internet thing would stick,” Plank told The Post. “So I thought the phone number 888-4ARMOUR was much more compelling than 888-44ARMOR. I wish there was a little more science or an entire marketing study behind it, but it was that simple.”

Venmo was inspired by a dead language
Andrew Kortina, founder of the digital-payments app, writes on Quora: “When we were brainstorming names, one of the roots we were exploring for inspiration was the Latin, vendo/vendere, ‘to sell.’ As soon as we said venmo, we liked it because it was short and made for a good verb: ‘Just Venmo me for dinner.'”

Verizon stems from the latin word Veritas, meaning ‘truth’
Verizon was the product of a merger between Bell Atlantic and GTE, both telecommunications companies. The name is a mix between the latin word “veritas” meaning “truth,” and horizon, which is meant to signify that the brand is forward-looking.

Wawa is named after an area of Pennsylvania
The convenience-store chain’s name means two things: 1. It’s the name of the area in Pennsylvania where the company’s first dairy farm was located. 2. It’s an American Indian word for a Canada Goose – the one pictured in the company’s logo.

Zara came from Zorba, its original name
Zara founder Amancio Ortega originally named his company after the 1964 film “Zorba the Greek.” But this didn’t last long.The first store, which opened in La Coruña in 1975, happened to be two blocks down from a bar called Zorba, The New York Times reported. Ortega had already made the mold for the letters of his sign when the bar owner told him that it was too confusing for them to have the same name. In the end, Ortega ended up rearranging the letters to make the closest word he could come up with – hence Zara, according to The New York Times.

Get Away to Lake Country

Recently, we wrote about some fabulous, exotic spots for a July vacation, some of them halfway around the world. Here are some much closer to home lakeside vacation spots that offer fabulous summer vacation times.

Sandpoint, Idaho – Perched on Lake Pend Oreille, Sandpoint will gladly play host to your boating, wakeboarding, fishing, kayaking and paddleboarding adventures. Here, you can also dig your feet into a yoga class on the beach or lace up for hiking on Schweitzer Mountain. Every August, Sandpoint throws The Festival, two weeks of music, art and grub, all on the pristine shores of the lake. Check into a lakefront bungalow at Dover Bay, which gives you easy access to nine miles of walking and biking trails hugging the forests, wetlands and waters of the lake. Then, raise a glass of Huckleberry Cream Ale at Laughing Dog Brewery and toast a day well spent. Wow your companions at the Floating Restaurant in nearby Hope, which is exactly what it sounds like, with insane wild huckleberry pancakes at Sunday brunch.

Mountain View, California – Dubbed the “Best-Kept Secret in Silicon Valley,” Mountain View is a sporty town about an hour outside of San Francisco. Start with a trip to the Boathouse for yoga, windsurfing, Olympic class sailing lessons and more. Ditch your suit and rent a bike at the Boathouse to survey the sloughs and salt flats that feed into San Francisco Bay. Fuel up at Tied House (grab a keg to go) or Cascal, for Pan-Latin tapas. Come nightfall, give your sore muscles a rest at Dinah’s Garden Hotel, an art-filled mainstay since the 1950s. If you can time your visit, catch a show at Shoreline Amphitheater which will host acts like Dead & Company, Weezer, Chris Stapleton, and Dave Matthews Band this summer.

Kenosha, Wisconsin – Conveniently located between Milwaukee and Chicago, this unassuming dot on the map has the best catch rates for salmon and trout on Lake Michigan. This summer boasts several festival draws, ranging from Taste of Wisconsin in July to Cheese-A-Palooza in September. When you’re done relaxing at one of the town’s five beaches, climb a lighthouse at the Southport Light Station Museum or hop aboard one of Kenosha’s electric streetcars along the shores of Lake Michigan. Beer lovers will be pleased to learn of and drink at Kenosha’s three small-batch brewers, Public Craft Brewing Co., R’Noggin Brewing Co. and Rustic Road Brewing Co.

Sandusky, Ohio – Parasailing and airboating are two items to check off your Lake Erie bucket list. Amusement park enthusiasts should carve out a day for Cedar Point, which debuted the record-breaking Steel Vengeance coaster this spring. Meanwhile, motorcyclists flood the place every Memorial Day Weekend, during which Sandusky hosts Ohio Bike Week, the largest motorcycle event in the Midwest.
Unwind at Hotel Kilbourne, a waterfront boutique hotel known for the craveworthy OH Taco and its water views. For something different, catch a ferry from downtown Sandusky to the Lake Erie Islands a few minutes away. Favorites include Kelleys Island for the Glacial Grooves geological wonder and Put-in-Bay on Middle Bass Island, home to the what’s billed as the world’s longest bar, Beer Barrel Saloon and Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, from which you can pretty much see Canada.

Bloomington, Indiana – It may not elicit the name recognition of Crater Lake or Lake Tahoe, but Lake Monroe is Indiana’s biggest body of water, boasting a 10,750-acre surface area and surrounded by woodsy terrain and back country trails in Hoosier National Forest. Set out for the day with a boat rental from Fourwinds Marina or grab a kayak or paddleboard with Lake Monroe Boat Rental. Rainy day? Try indoor climbing at Hoosier Heights or blow off steam at Urban Air trampoline park, followed by an excursion to Upland Brewery’s The Wood Shop, a tasting room and production center devoted entirely to sours. If you’re not staying at Fourwinds on the waterfront, we’d point you towards a cabin at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort or Acorn Resort. It’s a find on Airbnb with a hot tub, pizza oven and an inviting common area for you and up to 11 pals.

Moneta, Virginia – Old Dominion’s largest lake, Smith Mountain Lake, spans 500 miles of shoreline and three counties. Kick off your vacation at Bridgewater Plaza, a bustling marina with putt-putt, art galleries and plenty of restaurants. When you’ve wrapped up a guided fishing tour or are all spent from your day, enjoy dinner aboard the Virginia Dare, a 19th century-style sidewheeler cruise. When you’re ready for rest, find salvation at Gills Creek Marina & Lodge. Once you’re feeling restored, give yourself a jolt of energy at Homestead Creamery’s Farm Market or swap sweets for ‘shine at Franklin County Distilleries to sample moonshine in the tasting room. For craft beer fans, a necessary pit-stop is the beer garden or pub at Sunken City Brewery named for the flooding that took place over 50 years go to make Smith Mountain Lake.

Horseshoe Bay, Texas – This Hill Country getaway is only about an hour outside of Austin, but you’ll feel eons away from the rush of city life. Slip into the vacation mindset at Horseshoe Bay Resort, perched on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson. Tee off at one of three celebrated golf courses, with views overlooking the lake. Once you’ve earned your liquor, head to Save the World Brewing Co. in Marble Falls or book a coach tour to some of the more than 30 wineries within 90 minutes of Horseshoe Bay. For lakeside afternoons, the full-service marina can hook you up with pontoon boats, ski boats, kayak rentals and more or hop aboard a sunset cruise before dinner at the resort’s Yacht Club, where you can dock your ride a few steps away at the boat slip.

Duluth, Minnesota – Navigate the rocky ridgeline above gin-clear Lake Superior on the Superior Hiking Trail. If you have the time, hit some of the 93 free back country campsites and conquer the entire 310-mile-long trail. You might want to book the Split Rock Lighthouse kayak tour with Positive Energy Outdoors. The largest freshwater lake in America also plays host to many summer festivals, including the All Pints North Summer Brew Festival in July and the Bayfront Blues Festival in August. Not into festivals? Soak up North Shore views of the lake at The New Scenic Cafe, whose regularly changing menu highlights some of the best of Minnesota’s wines. A must-visit while in town is Vikre Distillery, which in addition to using local grains and Minnesota oak barrels, distills its gin, aquavit and seasonal spirits with water from Lake Superior. When all that activity and lakefront imbibing tires you out, catch ZZZs at one of Duluth’s many campgrounds or Pier B Resort, where you can spy ships in the Duluth-Superior Harbor or park your boat in their private docking area.

Santa Rosa, California – A trip to Sonoma County doesn’t have to be all about wine. Instead, venture to 350-acre Spring Lake, a veritable Arcadia complete with oak woodlands, meadows and the blossoming of wildflowers in the spring and summer. From Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, the Spring Lake Swimming Lagoon offers free admission for both lap swimming and water play at the floating water park. Cool off in the shade of redwoods before diving into a plate of cheesy garlic bread and a pint of its renowned Pliny the Elder at the Russian River Brew Pub. This summer, enjoy Funky Fridays beside the Historic Hood Mansion with live music. Another big draw: this June’s Country Summer Music Festival featuring Florida Georgia Line, Little Big Town, Toby Keith, Maren Morris and others. While in town, also be sure to hang up your swim trunks for an afternoon and meander through Historic Railroad Square for a booze-filled time of sipping wine and cider at tasting rooms, and hitting up a farmers’ market. Lug your produce back to an Airbnb for a cookout, or stay in the square at Hotel La Rose, which first opened its doors in 1907.

Kirkland, Washington – Start summer vacation off right at Bottle and Bull, an Ernest Hemingway-inspired restaurant with a killer happy hour menu and smoked trout ravioli that will linger in your memory long after the last bite. Only 12 miles outside of Seattle, the eastern shore of Lake Washington provides visitors a small-town feel, with plenty to do. If you’re missing your workouts back home, consider torching your core with a paddleboard yoga class with Northwest Paddle Surfers, who also are boat rental outfitters. When thirst for an adult beverage calls, tackle The Cross Kirkland Corrdior, a nearly six-mile biking and walking route that connects you to Flycaster Brewing, Maelstrom Brewing and Chainline Brewery. For lakefront vistas, post up at Woodmark Hotel, which also has a spa and two restaurants begging for a sunset meal, Beach Cafe and Bin on the Lake. If you’re more of a downtowner, book at The Heathman Hotel, close to galleries, wineries, restaurants and shops.

Great Spots for an Exotic July Vacation

A posh Italian resort town, a summer ski trip and some other getaways are perfect summer destinations. Put these spots on your “must go” list.

Cartagena, Colombia – Planning a trip to Cartagena in July is a no-brainer. A number of airlines offer direct flights from New York at just under 5 hours. With no time difference, visiting the seaside city over a long weekend is easier than ever. What’s more, you’ll avoid the crowds that flock to the bustling port during the holidays, and also have your pick of great hotels. Among the best are Casa San Agustin, Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa and Tcherassi Hotel & Spa. All are located within the walls of the old city.

Lake Como, Italy – There’s no better time than July for a bucket list-worthy trip to Lake Como. You really can’t go wrong any week of the month. Book a room at the iconic Villa d’Este and you’ll feel right at home: the hotel has been hosting a July 4th Gala for its American guests to enjoy since the 1920s, complete with a cocktail party, gala dinner, dance performance and, of course, fireworks on the lake. Don’t be surprised if your fellow attendees aren’t from the US – as it turns out, non-American visitors love participating in the revelry too. It’s a great celebration.

French Polynesia – July is one of the most festive times to vacation in the South Pacific because Bastille Day celebrations are in full swing. Locals and tourists partake in the Heiva festival which includes drumming, dancing, singing and rowing competitions. With more than 100 islands to choose from, you can’t go wrong when deciding where to stop first, but The Brando, a private island located on a three-mile wide lagoon, is widely considered the area’s most luxe resort. Between snorkeling, sunbathing and meditating on pristine beaches, the exotic getaway is truly an escape you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

Kenya, East Africa – July marks the beginning of the Great Migration in Kenya, wherein wildebeests and zebras attempt to dodge the enemy – crocodiles – as they make their way across Mara River. With cooler temperatures and clear blue skies, the mid-summer month is an ideal time to experience the Kenyan safari you’ve been talking about for so long.

Zurich, Switzerland – Zurich is perfect place to visit if you enjoy traditional summer activities minus the unbearable heat. The average temperature is in the low 70’s during July, making it an ideal time to take a dip in one of the city’s 18 outdoor bathing spots. From a cultural perspective, you can immerse yourself in Swiss art while taking in the scenic view of the Alps at the lakeside sculpture festival which takes place from mid-June to the beginning of August.

Baden-Baden, Germany – Located not far from Zurich, this charming yet lively spot is known as one of the most famous spa towns in Europe. What’s best about this destination is that there’s something for everyone to enjoy. There’s Merkur Mountain for the active tourists seeking a view, art exhibits and monuments for the history buff and an endless amount of spa options for those looking to unwind. With temperatures in the mid to high 70’s, July is one of the most pleasant times to enjoy all this city has to offer.

Mount Hutt, New Zealand – It’s entirely possible to get your powder fix in the middle of summer – as long as you don’t mind flying halfway around the world. New Zealand’s ski season runs from June to mid-October, which, despite being a fairly “off-peak” travel window for tourists, promises unbelievable conditions for snow bunnies. Just two hours outside of Christchurch, you’ll find the country’s stunning southern alps – and plenty of space on the slopes.

Quebec, Canada – Travel to Quebec in July to experience the electricity of the city when it plays host to one of the world’s largest music festivals. The annual Quebec City Summer Festival takes place July 5-15 in various indoor and outdoor venues through the city. The renowned festival has come to be known for its eclectic musical selection, and this year’s line up does not disappoint. Acts range from The Weeknd and Neil Young, to The Chainsmokers and Dave Matthews Band.

Palm Beach, Florida – If you’re looking for a quiet weekend away head to Southern Florida. “People don’t realize it’s a year-round destination,” says Nick Gold, the public relations director at Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa, who adds that during the season, hotel rates drop by 30 to 40 percent. “I think it’s one of the most underrated times to visit. Plus, it’s less crowded than the Hamptons.”

Namibia – For those seeking an isolated adventure unlike no other, this desert escape is exactly what you’ve been waiting for – thanks to the orange dunes, cobalt blue waters, and what seems to be an endless horizon. Try kayaking with seals or cruising in a houseboat while elephants and giraffes drink from the waterside. To make your experience even more unforgettable, book a lodge at the soon-to-open Omaanda Resort. The micro-village consists of 10 luxurious huts located on a private 9,000-acre wildlife reserve. Or, check out Little Kulala, where you can request that your bed be made up underneath the stars.