Why VoIP is music to Kazaa's ear |CNET.com
What Kazaa's founders are up to now!
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Monday, October 27, 2003
Saturday, October 25, 2003
Urban Legends Reference Pages: Business (The Write Stuff)
the snopes urban legends page gives us lots of information about ballpoint pens and the space race.... and the urban legend around it:
quote:
Claim: NASA spent millions of dollars developing an "astronaut pen" which would work in outer space while the Soviets solved the same problem by simply using pencils.
Status: False.
Examples:
[Collected on the Internet, 1999]
Thought for the day.
During the space race back in the 1960's, NASA was faced with a major problem. The astronaut needed a pen that would write in the vacuum of space. NASA went to work. At a cost of $1.5 million they developed the "Astronaut Pen". Some of you may remember. It enjoyed minor success on the commercial market.
The Russians were faced with the same dilemma.
They used a pencil.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[The Moscow Times, 2000]
There is a charming anecdote that roams from e-mail box to e-mail box around the world about how, at the height of the space race, the Americans and Soviets approached the same problem: how an astronaut (or cosmonaut) could use a pen to write in zero gravity.
As the story goes, the Americans spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on an ambitious, gravity-immune ballpoint pen; they successfully developed such a pen; and this pen went on to become a massive commercial success in the private sector. The Soviets - with the simple elegance their scientists are so rightly famed for - opted instead to use a pencil.
Origins: The lesson of this anecdote is a valid one, that we sometimes expend a great deal of time, effort, and money to create a "high-tech" solution to a problem, when a perfectly good, cheap, and simple solution is right before our eyes. The anecdote offered above isn't a real example of this syndrome, however. Fisher did ultimately develop a pressurized pen for use by NASA astronauts (now known as the famous "Fisher Space Pen"), but both American and Soviet space missions initially used pencils, NASA did not seek out Fisher and ask them to develop a "space pen," Fisher did not charge NASA for the cost of developing the pen, and the Fisher pen was eventually used by both American and Soviet astronauts.
Here's how Fisher themselves described it:
NASA never asked Paul C. Fisher to produce a pen. When the astronauts began to fly, like the Russians, they used pencils, but the leads sometimes broke and became a hazard by floating in the [capsule's] atmosphere where there was no gravity. They could float into an eye or nose or cause a short in an electrical device. In addition, both the lead and the wood of the pencil could burn rapidly in the pure oxygen atmosphere. Paul Fisher realized the astronauts needed a safer and more dependable writing instrument, so in July 1965 he developed the pressurized ball pen, with its ink enclosed in a sealed, pressurized ink cartridge. Fisher sent the first samples to Dr. Robert Gilruth, Director of the Houston Space Center. The pens were all metal except for the ink, which had a flash point above 200°C. The sample Space Pens were thoroughly tested by NASA. They passed all the tests and have been used ever since on all manned space flights, American and Russian. All research and developement costs were paid by Paul Fisher. No development costs have ever been charged to the government.
Because of the fire in Apollo 1, in which three Astronauts died, NASA required a writing instrument that would not burn in a 100% oxygen atmosphere. It also had to work in the extreme conditions of outer space:
1. In a vacuum.
2. With no gravity.
3. In hot temperatures of +150°C in sunlight and also in the cold shadows of space where the temperatures drop to -120°C
(NASA tested the pressurized Space Pens at -50°C, but because of the residential [sic] heat in the pen it also writes for many minutes in the cold shadows.)
Fisher spent over one million dollars in trying to perfect the ball point pen before he made his first successful pressurized pens in 1965. Samples were immediately sent to Dr. Robert Gilruth, Manager of the Houston Space Center, where they were thoroughly tested and approved for use in Space in September 1965. In December 1967 he sold 400 Fisher Space Pens to NASA for $2.95 each.
Lead pencils were used on all Mercury and Gemini space flights and all Russian space flights prior to 1968. Fisher Space Pens are more dependable than lead pencils and cannot create the hazard of a broken piece of lead floating through the gravity-less atmosphere.
Sightings: This legend was mentioned in an episode of NBC's The West Wing TV series ("We Killed Yamamoto"; original air date 15 May 2002).
the snopes urban legends page gives us lots of information about ballpoint pens and the space race.... and the urban legend around it:
quote:
Claim: NASA spent millions of dollars developing an "astronaut pen" which would work in outer space while the Soviets solved the same problem by simply using pencils.
Status: False.
Examples:
[Collected on the Internet, 1999]
Thought for the day.
During the space race back in the 1960's, NASA was faced with a major problem. The astronaut needed a pen that would write in the vacuum of space. NASA went to work. At a cost of $1.5 million they developed the "Astronaut Pen". Some of you may remember. It enjoyed minor success on the commercial market.
The Russians were faced with the same dilemma.
They used a pencil.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[The Moscow Times, 2000]
There is a charming anecdote that roams from e-mail box to e-mail box around the world about how, at the height of the space race, the Americans and Soviets approached the same problem: how an astronaut (or cosmonaut) could use a pen to write in zero gravity.
As the story goes, the Americans spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on an ambitious, gravity-immune ballpoint pen; they successfully developed such a pen; and this pen went on to become a massive commercial success in the private sector. The Soviets - with the simple elegance their scientists are so rightly famed for - opted instead to use a pencil.
Origins: The lesson of this anecdote is a valid one, that we sometimes expend a great deal of time, effort, and money to create a "high-tech" solution to a problem, when a perfectly good, cheap, and simple solution is right before our eyes. The anecdote offered above isn't a real example of this syndrome, however. Fisher did ultimately develop a pressurized pen for use by NASA astronauts (now known as the famous "Fisher Space Pen"), but both American and Soviet space missions initially used pencils, NASA did not seek out Fisher and ask them to develop a "space pen," Fisher did not charge NASA for the cost of developing the pen, and the Fisher pen was eventually used by both American and Soviet astronauts.
Here's how Fisher themselves described it:
NASA never asked Paul C. Fisher to produce a pen. When the astronauts began to fly, like the Russians, they used pencils, but the leads sometimes broke and became a hazard by floating in the [capsule's] atmosphere where there was no gravity. They could float into an eye or nose or cause a short in an electrical device. In addition, both the lead and the wood of the pencil could burn rapidly in the pure oxygen atmosphere. Paul Fisher realized the astronauts needed a safer and more dependable writing instrument, so in July 1965 he developed the pressurized ball pen, with its ink enclosed in a sealed, pressurized ink cartridge. Fisher sent the first samples to Dr. Robert Gilruth, Director of the Houston Space Center. The pens were all metal except for the ink, which had a flash point above 200°C. The sample Space Pens were thoroughly tested by NASA. They passed all the tests and have been used ever since on all manned space flights, American and Russian. All research and developement costs were paid by Paul Fisher. No development costs have ever been charged to the government.
Because of the fire in Apollo 1, in which three Astronauts died, NASA required a writing instrument that would not burn in a 100% oxygen atmosphere. It also had to work in the extreme conditions of outer space:
1. In a vacuum.
2. With no gravity.
3. In hot temperatures of +150°C in sunlight and also in the cold shadows of space where the temperatures drop to -120°C
(NASA tested the pressurized Space Pens at -50°C, but because of the residential [sic] heat in the pen it also writes for many minutes in the cold shadows.)
Fisher spent over one million dollars in trying to perfect the ball point pen before he made his first successful pressurized pens in 1965. Samples were immediately sent to Dr. Robert Gilruth, Manager of the Houston Space Center, where they were thoroughly tested and approved for use in Space in September 1965. In December 1967 he sold 400 Fisher Space Pens to NASA for $2.95 each.
Lead pencils were used on all Mercury and Gemini space flights and all Russian space flights prior to 1968. Fisher Space Pens are more dependable than lead pencils and cannot create the hazard of a broken piece of lead floating through the gravity-less atmosphere.
Sightings: This legend was mentioned in an episode of NBC's The West Wing TV series ("We Killed Yamamoto"; original air date 15 May 2002).
Friday, October 24, 2003
Slashdot
For those of you who don't already know /. (slashdot), here is core (hardcore?) information about everything related to high tech. With more than 50 million page views per month, it's an inevitable step to stay in touch with technology...
For those of you who don't already know /. (slashdot), here is core (hardcore?) information about everything related to high tech. With more than 50 million page views per month, it's an inevitable step to stay in touch with technology...
The Onion | Muscleman Put In Charge Of World's Fifth-Largest Economy
just a little followup on the Masters2 group's first presentation by Melinda, Charles, Antoine and Quentin! (it was really interesting! and low-tech! "look mom! no powerpoint!")
The Onion is a very well know satirical magazine... on paper first and now also online!
just a little followup on the Masters2 group's first presentation by Melinda, Charles, Antoine and Quentin! (it was really interesting! and low-tech! "look mom! no powerpoint!")
The Onion is a very well know satirical magazine... on paper first and now also online!
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Hello everyone... I've sent out invitations for the new members of our group! Now they need to accept them in order to add things to the blog.... If I've made any mistakes on addresses (I wasn't sure of Julien D's address) all of you that are already moderators can go to blogger and reinvite them!
the more the merrier!
have a good holiday!
james
the more the merrier!
have a good holiday!
james
Monday, October 20, 2003
Sunday, October 19, 2003
Friday, October 17, 2003
Merriam-Webster OnLine
don't forget if you don't know a word , or how to say it... you can look here...
don't forget if you don't know a word , or how to say it... you can look here...
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
the cluetrain manifesto - introduction Here is the text of the Cluetrain Manifesto!
(Including the Introduction....)
(Including the Introduction....)
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
CyberAtlas: Internet Statistics and Market Research for Web Marketers
This is an interesting resource for all of you interested in new technology!
This is an interesting resource for all of you interested in new technology!
Washingtonpost.com: Live Online
You can listen and watch this webTV show about "Life at Work"!
A transcript of the broadcast is also on the webpage.... Enjoy! What is the most interesting part to look at together????
You can listen and watch this webTV show about "Life at Work"!
A transcript of the broadcast is also on the webpage.... Enjoy! What is the most interesting part to look at together????
Monday, October 13, 2003
The Corporate Blog Is Catching On
The NY Times probably wants you to register inorder to read this article.... But of course then you have access to lots of free content! :-)
The NY Times probably wants you to register inorder to read this article.... But of course then you have access to lots of free content! :-)
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