Charles Gerhart created a chemical compound called “acetyl-sali-cylic acid” in 1853. When the Bayer folks got hold of it 50 years later, we got to know it as aspirin. Another Englishman eliminated a lot of headaches, too, when he invented the first rubber band in 1820. Thomas Hancock invented a stretchy, springy cord he first used for elastic waistbands in clothing. Soon his “rubber bands" were being used for everything imaginable. Today, almost 200 years later, we still are coming up with new uses. For example, if you put a couple of heavy rubber bands on the fold-out shelf of your ladder, you can slip all sorts of tools and small parts underneath them. That way the tools won’t roll off and fall on the floor. Rubber bands can save lots of headaches -- and Bayer’s little white tablets. And that's the On The House tip for today.