Free Republic

Numerous stories attempt to explain term's beginnings Most know of the alcoholic beverages that involves blending drinks called a "cocktail" but do not know where the word cocktail comes from. There are countless tales about the origin of the cocktail; Here are some of the more believable ones. The first story involves a man named Aztec in Mexico had a beautiful daughter named Xoctl. After visiting his house, some American Marine officers were served some bizarre mixed drinks. The officers said they would never forget his daughter Xoctl, so they decided to name the drink after her. "Cock-tail" became easier...

IN 1977 the American public saw its first television commercial for bottled water. Orson Welles crooned about a place in the south of France where "there is a spring, and its name is Perrier," and the response was feverish. American sales of Perrier went up more than 3,000 percent from 1976 to 1979. "I remember thousands of us running in Perrier T-shirts in the 1979 marathon," said Johanna Raymond, a New Yorker. "Perrier was the coolest thing then. It was more than water." Since Perrier's introduction, the American market for bottled water has grown from almost nothing into the world's...

SEATTLE - Jones Soda takes the idea of a liquid diet to a new low. How does Green Bean Casserole Soda strike you? And how about an aggressively buttery-smelling Mashed Potato Soda? Even the creators of the fizzy concoctions at this small Seattle soda company can hardly stomach the stuff. But last year's unexpected success of the Turkey & Gravy Soda means another round of bizarre food-flavored soft drinks. As an added bonus -- they're calorie-free.