(1) Zero Gravity
When NASA started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside-down, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300 C.
The Russians used a pencil. Your taxes are due again--enjoy paying them.
(2) Our Constitution
'They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq . Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years and hell, we're not using it anymore.'
(3) Ten Commandments
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a Courthouse is that you cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians! It creates a hostile work environment.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
9 comments:
Ha you're gullible. Seeing how the entire Apollo program cost around $25 billion, I doubt they would spend half that on a pen. Fisher (the company that makes the pens used in space) designed the pen on their own dollar. Pencils were being used on Gemini and Mercury missions and were causing problems for astronauts.
True - True - True
ps: Hey 9:25 Anon - I think you kinda missed the point!
Wow...no wonder Jack Klompus held that grudge so long against Seinfeld for taking his pen.
"Be that as it may, astronauts in the Apollo program did begin using a specially-designed zero-gravity pen in 1968 called the Fisher AG-7 Space Pen. Nitrogen-pressurized, the pen worked in "freezing cold, desert heat, underwater and upside down," as well as the weightlessness of outer space. It was developed not by NASA but by an enterprising individual, Paul C. Fisher, owner of the Fisher Space Pen Company. By his own account, Fisher spent "thousands of hours and millions of dollars" of his own in research and development; not billions."
-urbanlegends.about.com
Anon 10:03 I didnt miss the point...
yes...you did miss the point (and I'm not the 10:03 dude). The point is that no matter how intelligent you may (pretend to) be it doesn't appear you have a drop of savvy or common sense (or a sense of humor).BTW...the Judge in the court of public opinion just pissed himself when you cited an "urban legends" website as evidence. There will be a brief recess....
ha ha ha ha ......
anon 1:25pm
you hit it right on the head.....as it was flying over anon 12:44pm !
countrygirl@heart
I do always like to make the pretty ladies laugh! Might as well out myself officially (I was finally driven over the edge today by the "Civics Coma" that seems to have claimed many readers here); Hugs and Kisses, TPE!!
"Paul C. Fisher and his company, the Fisher Pen Company, reportedly invested $1 million to create what is now commonly known as the space pen. None of this investment money came from NASA's coffers--the agency only became involved after the pen was dreamed into existence. In 1965 Fisher patented a pen that could write upside-down, in frigid or roasting conditions (down to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit or up to 400 degrees F), and even underwater or in other liquids. If too hot, though, the ink turned green instead of its normal blue."
"That same year, Fisher offered the AG-7 "Anti-Gravity" Space Pen to NASA. Because of the earlier mechanical pencil fiasco, NASA was hesitant. But, after testing the space pen intensively, the agency decided to use it on spaceflights beginning in 1967."
"According to an Associated Press report from February 1968, NASA ordered 400 of Fisher's antigravity ballpoint pens for the Apollo program. A year later, the Soviet Union ordered 100 pens and 1,000 ink cartridges to use on their Soyuz space missions, said the United Press International. The AP later noted that both NASA and the Soviet space agency received the same 40 percent discount for buying their pens in bulk. They both paid $2.39 per pen instead of $3.98."
-http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen
Is this better? Or shall I get another source?
No...it is much much much much worse. You STILL don't get it. We aren't disputing your intelligence, just that overwhelming lack of common sense. Dude or dudette-we aren't laughing at you because of how accurate your info is. We are laughing at you because you have obviously spent the better part of your day on this dissertation about space pens without sniffing out the sarcasm of the piece. You appear to be the type of person who could perform an appendectomy, yet can't handle "Lather, Rinse, Repeat" on the shampoo bottle. Take the rest of the evening off to at least enjoy the intrinsic glow that comes with being the smartest person in Salisbury about intergalactic writing instruments. TPE.
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