Many of the items we use every day, like zippers and escalators, were once brand names. Even heroin, which no one should use any day, was a brand name. Here are some trademarked names that are often used as generic terms... READ ON

Courtroom sketch artist Shepard (in red) shows one of her drawings of the Martha Stewart trial to a reporter. © Ramin Talaie/Corbis/2004 Why can't they just use a photographer? In many cases in the US (and the UK and Canada), cameras aren't allowed into the courtroom. Especially in high-profile trials, where the presence of many media personnel and their equipment would present a distraction for the court. (There are exceptions, of course, and some states allow camera blanket access to courtrooms).... READ ON

Today in 1893, the US Supreme Court ruled that the tomato was a vegetable, not a fruit. The relevant case (Nix v. Hedden) involved tariffs -- the US had an import tariff on vegetables, but not fruit. So when a tomato importer (the Nix family) claimed that the tomato is a fruit and thus not subject to the tariff, the case ended up in front of the Supreme Court. Last year, our own Ethan Trex wrote an excellent article on the tomato debate, including this nugget: ...the Supreme Court unanimously found... READ ON

Nineteen-year-old Colton Harris-Moore was arrested in the Bahamas Sunday after a two-year run from the police. The "Barefoot Bandit" is accused of a string of robberies, including the theft of up to five airplanes.  Along the way, he picked up 83,000 fans on his Facebook fan page and spawned a fan club. Harris-Moore's mother defends his actions, and has reportedly sold the rights to his story to 20th Century... READ ON