Zero Gravity - When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly
discovered that ballpoint 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!
American Ingenuity
by Amazing1914 13 Replies latest jw friends
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Amazing1914
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franklin J
we have all heard the "fleecing of America" stories.....
fact is, the American economy still goes on; up and down; in and out; strong or weak; Bull or Bear.....and we all still pay our taxes
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logansrun
Aw, come on Jim. You know in your heart of hearts the enormous benefits of the welfare state. In fact, I think I'm going to buy you one of those Che Guevara t-shirts for Chirstmas. hehe...
B.
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Englishman
I invented a keyboard that can type underwater.
UNDERWATER.
Englishman.
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franklin J
Eman...are you sending these posts from underwater? Because if you are; there are some suits here in Washington that would like to speak with you....
...and what are you drinking? Will you share it?
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mkr32208
You know the real problem with the world today? People believe anything they read on the internet...
Email example contributed by R. Daugherty, 7 Sep. 2001:NASA's $12 Billion Zero-Gravity Pen Netlore Archive: Did NASA spend $12 billion to develop a ballpoint pen for astronauts working in zero gravity? Description: Urban legend
Status: False
Circulating since: 1997 (as Netlore)
Analysis: See belowSubject: NASA's Zero Gravity Pen
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered the ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 Billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300C.
The Russians used a pencil.
Comments: This is a marvelous story to illustrate the perils of government waste; pity it's not true. NASA didn't have $12 billion to spend on anything when it first started sending astronauts into space in the early 1960s. The agency's entire budget for 1960 was $500 million; by 1965, it was up to $5.2 billion, still not enough to throw billions away reinventing the ballpoint 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.
The Fisher Space Pen is still used by both American and Russian astronauts on every space flight, and you can buy one yourself direct from the company for a measly 50 bucks.
try a little research in the future I found this article in under 30 seconds!!!!!!
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Elsewhere
*** Tosses a bucket of water on MKR ***
Easy there... breath... slowly... in and out.... in and out...
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RunningMan
It's a damn good story, though. I think I'll blame the Republicans. Or, maybe it was the Democrats. Oh, it doesn't matter. The bastards.
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Amazing1914
Hello Mr. MKR32208,
try a little research in the future I found this article in under 30 seconds!!!!!!
The problem with the world is that some people are very humor-impaired. Of course its an "urban legend" ... ooooo you're soooooo smart. The catch was about Russians using pencils instead of investing in research. The humor was in the contrast ... even though it is urban legend. It is much like a joke about Santa Clause. It is still a joke, and does not require the audience to believe that there is a real Santa living at the north pole. Oddly enough such a joke can still be funny.
I have several urban legend web sites saved on my favorite places. I just enjoyed the humor behind this one, and thought I would post something a little different. Thanks for your 30 seconds ... but next time use it to have a spot of tea or a slug of beer ... and try to see the humor in life ... and stay off the self-righteous-prove-your-knowledge-high-horse. PS: All this said in humor of course, so don't get in a hissy-fit or panties in a wad.
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Simon
I do think the supposed benefits of the space programme are a bit dubious though. Sure, there are spin off technologies like Velcro (whoopy doo ) but you cannot justify the billions or millions spent on it for those. If "invention" were the end goal then the money could be better spend on R&D IMO.
No, the real value of the space programme is in scientific knowledge, furthering our understanding of our universe and just making us go "oooh, wow!"
The story does illustrate the different approached between the US and Russia though. When the Americans were developing star-trek-looking panels with nice buttons and lights the Russian space capsules looked more like steam-trains with levers and the like. They are practical and can put people into space more cheaply and more reliably.
