The best example of common sense.
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LeFromage
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ten years after
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The best example of common sense.
by taipan Tue 04 Aug 2009, 11:06
I think I've seen this before.
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that 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 300°C.
The Russians used a pencil.
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that 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 300°C.
The Russians used a pencil.
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by Bradman Tue 04 Aug 2009, 11:17
The West Wing I think. Though I wouldn't doubt it's veracity.
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by JKLever Tue 04 Aug 2009, 11:25
Is that the new USS Nimitz v Lighthouse gag?
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by ten years after Tue 04 Aug 2009, 11:40
As a parable it probably explains very neatly why America managed to land a man on the moon and the Russians didn't.
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by Bradman Tue 04 Aug 2009, 11:44
I stayed in a B&B in Canada once where the owner swears he was on/in that lighthouse.
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by Invader Zim Tue 04 Aug 2009, 12:27
And why Russia got the first man in space.ten years after wrote:As a parable it probably explains very neatly why America managed to land a man on the moon and the Russians didn't.
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by taipan Tue 04 Aug 2009, 12:28
Invader Zim wrote:And why Russia got the first man in space.ten years after wrote:As a parable it probably explains very neatly why America managed to land a man on the moon and the Russians didn't.
Wasn't a monkey first?
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by embee Tue 04 Aug 2009, 12:46
taipan wrote:Invader Zim wrote:And why Russia got the first man in space.ten years after wrote:As a parable it probably explains very neatly why America managed to land a man on the moon and the Russians didn't.
Wasn't a monkey first?
It was a mishearing of the news relayed by an Indian Engineer
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by The One Tue 04 Aug 2009, 12:47
ten years after wrote:As a parable it probably explains very neatly why America managed to land a man on the moon and the Russians didn't.
it was always a race. once the americans went there the russians lost interest
though i seriously doubt anyone would spend $12 billion to develop a pen
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by Brass Monkey Tue 04 Aug 2009, 12:58
embee wrote:taipan wrote:
Wasn't a monkey first?
It was a mishearing of the news relayed by an Indian Engineer
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by LeFromage Tue 04 Aug 2009, 17:38
taipan wrote:I think I've seen this before.
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that 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 300°C.
The Russians used a pencil.
Urban myth, according to an episode of QI I saw.
Last edited by Dello on Tue 04 Aug 2009, 18:10; edited 1 time in total
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by Henry Tue 04 Aug 2009, 18:07
The American moon landing was all faked anyway, wasn't it?
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by Bertie Ball-Bender Tue 04 Aug 2009, 18:20
Indeed. Both the Seppoes and the Ruskies used pencils at first, but the shards of graphite that kept breaking off was a serious safety problem, both in terms of getting into astronauts' eyes and into electrical equipment.Dello wrote:taipan wrote:I think I've seen this before.
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that 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 300°C.
The Russians used a pencil.
Urban myth, according to an episode of QI I saw.
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by ever hopeful Wed 05 Aug 2009, 00:34
Pencils don't write well on glass, or under water, so the Americans were right to make the pen. Or would have been if there was any glass or water on the moon.
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by LeFromage Wed 05 Aug 2009, 00:38
http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp
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Re: The best example of common sense.
by horace Wed 05 Aug 2009, 00:40
'Brass Monkey wrote:embee wrote:taipan wrote:
Wasn't a monkey first?
It was a mishearing of the news relayed by an Indian Engineer
'poor old Farhouk gets blame for a lot
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