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Just because you start out selling dried noodles doesn’t mean you can’t become one of the largest purveyors of personal tech devices on the planet.

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36

CRACKED DECAF COFFEE WAS MADE WITH BENZENE. In the early 20th century, scientists figured out they could strip the caffeine out of coffee with benzene. It also happened to be capable of stripping paint. — Source

35

CRACKED COUGH MEDICINE WAS HEROIN. In the 1890s, Bayer (yes, the aspirin people) sold bottles of heroin as cough medicine, even for children. In other words, everything that would get you banned from playgrounds today. — Source

34

CRACKED SURGEONS WOULD LITERALLY CHLOROFORM YOU. The first surgeries performed under general anesthesia involved chloroform, which had to be dosed extremely precisely to not kill you, or ether, which had the added bonus of being extremely flammable. Chlorofon Calven Chloroform ED & S by Antib ARED SOL & O! RITTE by New THE - the any d THO! Slip, RITTER New ye Slip, — Source

33

CRACKED SCHOOL BUSES USED SUPER TOXIC YELLOW PAINT. When school buses were first painted yellow, it was with a kind of chromium paint that caused genetic mutations and cancer, but don't worry. It was just kids! SCHOOL BUS STOP 54 SCHOOL DISTRICT 54 — Source

32

CRACKED THE FIRST ROLLER SKATES DIDN'T HAVE BRAKES. It took 100 years for someone to invent the toe stop. In the meantime, a lot of Victorian nogs got bonked. — Source

31

CRACKED THE FIRST HAIR REMOVAL CREAM WAS MADE OF ARSENIC. Causing hair loss is usually a pharmaceutical nightmare, but in the 1800s, it was rebranded as a benefit. After all, were those filthy, stinking peasants supposed to walk around with hairy legs? — Source

30

CRACKED 7-UP USED TO CONTAIN LITHIUM. Before 1948, when the FDA banned the drug in soft drinks, it was marketed as a mood stabilizing beverage, which it arguably still is. ytim YO 7up sh 6 7up ! 7up REC. U.S. PAT.OFF. — Source

29

CRACKED GLOW IN THE DARK PAINT WAS MADE WITH RADIUM. It was especially popular on watch faces, which killed, just, so many people. On the other hand, you could tell time in the dark! So neat! — Source

28

CRACKED GREEN DYE USED TO CONTAIN ARSENIC. In the early 19th century, Europe was dazzled by the advent of a dye that made their dresses greener than any green they'd ever seen. Sure, it gave them open sores, made their hair fall out, and killed them, but anything for... beauty? — Source

27

CRACKED POTTERY GLAZE USED TO CONTAIN URANIUM. From ancient times all the way through the '70s, attempting a Ghost could have really killed the mood (and also you). — Source

26

CRACKED EARLY REFRIGERATORS USED TOXIC GAS. The ammonia, methyl chloride, and sulfur dioxide used as refrigerants sometimes leaked and killed someone, which is why people started keeping their refrigerators outside the main home (and your grandma still has one in the garage). — Source

25

CRACKED THE FIRST EYELINERS WERE MADE WITH LEAD. Ancient Egyptians shoved a number of toxic metals that lead to irritability, insomnia and mental decrease right into their sight holes. No wonder the political climate was so tense. — Source

24

23

CRACKED THE FIRST ELECTRIC TOASTER WAS A FIRE TRAP. It had iron wires, which is probably not what you want to use for heating bread, given that it melts so easily. It caused a bunch of fires and not even very good toast. — Source

22

CRACKED EARLY TOILETS EXPLODED. Before we figured out how to deal with the buildup of flammable gas that results from hiding our poop, our earliest forays into indoor plumbing resulted in tons of wounded butts and pride. — Source

21

flickr was originally part of a POINTLESS GAME THAT NEVER ENDED. Refresh Report . Bug Save & Exit striatic 12,354,314 1783/5000 energy GAME 8 NEVERENDING Level 9 xp: 32,261 mood 125/200 (next level at 64,000) karma 88/200 Port Dentry What's Here: Who's Here: The major port for the city, here you can find fishing, naval activity and container bonforte shipments, as well as a cannery. Late night the shadowy docks provide anonymity for more covert activities Chat Activity Log Prefs bonforte has joined you in Port Dentry yoz: So this is it, we're all going to die Loli: :( blackbeltjones: — Source

20

During WWII, brothers Rudolf and Adolf Adi Dassler manufactured boots for the German soldiers, as well as anti-tank weapons. УБ Panzerschreck Adolf plotted against his brother When Rudolf to get him captured recovered his as a prisoner of war, freedom, he also in order to develop started his own a new business of sport clothing his own called: company called: adidas PUMA® CRACKED.COM — Source

19

In 1940, Marty Bromley founded Standard Games, which made slot machines and jukeboxes for military bases in Hawaii. However, in 1952, the US government outlawed slot machines, so Bromley made a new company to export them to Japan: Service Games. Now known as Sega. Saga GRACKED.COM — Source

18

CRACKED.COM 75 ml Coca-Cola Dr. John Pemberton created Coca-Cola in the hopes of curing his morphine addiction. — Source

17

CRACKED.COM Little Trees ® Margarita The idea for Little Trees air fresheners was born after the company's founder Julius Samann listened to a milkman complain about the stench of spoiled milk. — Source

16

Twitter began life as the podcasting app Odeo. ODE sxhead Listen Sync Create Find original audio Automatically Create and content in tons of download to your publish your own styles and topics computer/iPod audio for free + Discover, Create, and Subscribe to original audio BROWSE content for your iPod. Featured Channels New Audio New Channels FEATURED CHANNELS The Too 40 mediageek radioshow Indymedia Radio By Topic Radio programs from the archives indymedia network around arts Archives for the weekly the world. business mediageek radioshow in mp3 and ogg vorbis. comedy SUBSCRIBE SUBSORIES 1 entertainment 14 14 » internet VIP KIA — Source

15

Bank of America used to be Bank of Italy. 632 BANK BANCA OF D'ITALIA ITALY 632 COMPAGRIE OIL BANCA WATER LEFRONDONA is GO JPFEGAH Provishoes 634 632 632 CIGARS BANK OF ITALY. NCA D ITALIA I JANE в sin GF GROTOGNA & CO BANCA OPERA It was a neighborhood bank by and for working-class Italian immigrants. CRACKED.COM — Source

14

13

GRAGKED.COM P&G Candle maker William Procter and soap maker James Gamble PROUD had nothing inw common but the materials in their D products, until they married sisters. head shoulders Their father-in-law suggested they become partners and share their resources instead of competing for them. — Source

12

Kellogg's® and specifically Kellogg's Cornflakes, was invented to curb masturbation. John Harvey Kellogg BILL en Cash 38 use Kellogg's wasn't a fan of sex or CORN FLAKES KINZA masturbation, and - April believed that a bland diet would curb the urge. CRACKED.COM — Source

11

Today one of the world's most powerful electronics brands, SAMSUNG STARTED AS A GROCERY STORE dealing mostly in dried seafood and noodles. SAMSUNG After losing almost everything in the Korean War, founder Lee Byung-chul diversified into sugar refining, textiles, and mills, before finally entering the electronic industry in the 1960s. CRACKED COM — Source

10

Marriott CRACKED COM began as a tiny A&W root beer stand. 3120 The Mete COFFEE HOT TAMALES ROOT BEER CHILLI CON CARNE The family expanded their business by opening numerous drive-in restaurants. Twenty years passed before they even entered the hotel business. — Source

9

CRACKED.COM COLECO CLASSIC FOOTBALL VEROGANE - - ST FOOD K SC HOT MATTEL began as the Connecticut Leather Company, selling materials to shoe companies. It later went into the plastic swimming pool business, opening the door to becoming the producer of some of the favorite toys and games of Generation-X. — Source

8

AVON was founded by a book salesman. Avon Outtook NOW YOU ARE IN BUSINESS FOR YOURSELF Travelling book salesman David McConnell began giving away perfume that he himself made to his female customers in an attempt to boost sales. They were more interested in his perfume, however, so he focused on making perfume and recruited women to sell his products. CRACKED.COM — Source

7

3M began as a mining company 333 201 Alway Minnesota Mining S Abanufacturing Company, PHIP per Creck BEAS a - Ford с - Charact Out оли Ministering Company handfulle for - Freeke of the & - helpful properly - TEAR White you doged يوم - offer they $1.00 3M, formerly known as Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company, started with mining highly-valuable corundum for making abrasives. However, they got anorthosite, which was poorly-suited for their purpose. 3M 3M 3M They instead went on to KITO AM KIE AW KITO AT AW Wetordry Wetordry™ Wetordry™ dry make their own sandpaper 3000 3000 0 — Source

6

Abercrombie & Fitch began as an outdoor goods retailer, known for high-end hunting, fishing and camping gear. CRACKED.COM — Source

5

CRACKED.COM Raytheon World's largest manufacturer of guided missiles, started out making fridges and microwave ovens. Corn Faces 4 — Source

4

DuPont™ Teflon® DuPont, the maker of your non- stick Teflon pans, started out as a company that specialized in making gunpowder and explosives. CRACKED.COM — Source

3

NASCAR was founded by bootleggers They all raced the police for a living... and they wanted to know who was the best one at it. CRACKED.COM — Source

2

Smartphone manufacturer NOKIA had began in I 1865 لم f - y MINOS LEOL ...as a PAPER MILL. GRACKED.COM — Source

1

THE FOUNDER OF L TGI FRIDAY'S AYS I DID IT ALL FOR THE NOOKIE. Alan Stillman had no food experience FRIDAYS yes when he opened his first location. And his goal wasn't RID to make the world's V'S most awesome potato skins. Не just wanted a way to meet the models and flight attendants that lived in his neighborhood. CRACKED.COM — Source

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