Your US tax dollars at work...

[Speedfreak]

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 300C.

The Russians used a pencil.

[Cheesypuff]

I used a piece of coal.

[Jpeace121]

Isn't the idiocy of our government amazing? Did all the guys and gals in NASA miss the day in kindergarten where the teacher teaches you to use crayons? How many boxes of Crayola 64 would $12 billion buy?

Lets see, Staples.com has a box of 64 for $3.69. With $12 billion to spend, you could buy 3,252,032,520 boxes of crayons, which would equal 208,130,081,280 actual crayons. Lets assume that NASA would use 100,000,000 crayons per year for space missions, diagrams, math problems, doodling while waiting for the shuttle to launch, etc. That would mean that they would have enough crayons to last 208 years.

Although I have to say that the shipping charges for 3 billion boxes of crayons would be pretty high. I wonder if they have a coupon for that?

[Jpeace121]

Originally posted by DarkFury

Originally posted by Speedfreak
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 300C.

The Russians used a pencil.

Yes... but what did they sharpen it with? :hihi:

Again, the beauty of the Crayola 64. There's a sharpener built into the box.

[welfareloser]

Originally posted by Speedfreak
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 300C.

The Russians used a pencil.

i'm pretty sure i don't believe this. i'm sorry, but 12 billion doesn't just sound like a lot, it sounds like an impossible amount to spend on this project. i'm guessing that this story is close to true, but leaving out some crucial facts - for example, perhaps there was a 10-year, 12-billion dollar project that INCLUDED a quest for a nifty pen, among many other things. or perhaps some dipsh-t with an agenda against nasa sat down and figured in the cost of every building that was used by the researchers, etc, in coming up with the 12bil figure. i would have to actually read this from a reputable news agency or see a copy of the nasa budget before i'll buy it.

and, as a side note, i saw in a catalog a pen that could write underwater, upsidedown, in zero gravity, etc, and it sold for like $30, and the american people are buying these dippy things for stocking stuffers and executive gifts... they just might make back any money they spent on developing it.

[chrissy]

My hubby gets to see this everyday. The civilians on base don't/can't do the paperwork that goes with purchasing things for their office so, in his squadron, he gets to do the paperwork for a lot of the civilians. They buy more crap than me and jenny put together at a toy sale! You would think, that 2 printers shared between 6 computers in their office would be enough? NOPE. They think each computer should have it's own color laser printer! And that is just one example.

[Sir_Froggy]

jeez.......who really cares about a book?
heh if 'book' is something besides something u read then sorry cuz i'm only 15 and i'm just trying to put in posts :P

[TheLoneGunman]

The Americans at least brought along a pencil.

I have some cards that contain pencil marks from a pencil that was taken to the moon and back on the Apollo.

I might be willing to part with one or two if the offer was reasonable (They have certificates of authenticity and are laminated)

[ironchef]

Originally posted by TheLoneGunman
I have some cards that contain pencil marks from a pencil that was taken to the moon and back on the Apollo.

I might be willing to part with one or two if the offer was reasonable (They have certificates of authenticity and are laminated)
Oh come on, you actually think they even went to the moon! Hah! You poor deluded fool! :heh: :)

[attgig]

Originally posted by Jpeace121
Isn't the idiocy of our government amazing? Did all the guys and gals in NASA miss the day in kindergarten where the teacher teaches you to use crayons? How many boxes of Crayola 64 would $12 billion buy?

Lets see, Staples.com has a box of 64 for $3.69. With $12 billion to spend, you could buy 3,252,032,520 boxes of crayons, which would equal 208,130,081,280 actual crayons. Lets assume that NASA would use 100,000,000 crayons per year for space missions, diagrams, math problems, doodling while waiting for the shuttle to launch, etc. That would mean that they would have enough crayons to last 208 years.

Although I have to say that the shipping charges for 3 billion boxes of crayons would be pretty high. I wonder if they have a coupon for that?


staples.com: shipping is free with purchase of $50 +

I don't believe you guys missed that...are you really gotapex'ers? :)

[sbp]

I concur with welfareloser. I think this story is bunk.

[Jpeace121]

Originally posted by att gig

Originally posted by Jpeace121
Isn't the idiocy of our government amazing? Did all the guys and gals in NASA miss the day in kindergarten where the teacher teaches you to use crayons? How many boxes of Crayola 64 would $12 billion buy?

Lets see, Staples.com has a box of 64 for $3.69. With $12 billion to spend, you could buy 3,252,032,520 boxes of crayons, which would equal 208,130,081,280 actual crayons. Lets assume that NASA would use 100,000,000 crayons per year for space missions, diagrams, math problems, doodling while waiting for the shuttle to launch, etc. That would mean that they would have enough crayons to last 208 years.

Although I have to say that the shipping charges for 3 billion boxes of crayons would be pretty high. I wonder if they have a coupon for that?


staples.com: shipping is free with purchase of $50 +

I don't believe you guys missed that...are you really gotapex'ers? :)

Good Lord, can you imagine the shipping charge on 3 billion boxes of crayons? Between that and all the deals that the G|A community pulls on staples, they would be put under.

[Cheesypuff]

I'm sure that Master X would find a deal for 5 bajillion free crayons.

[Speedfreak]

:eek3: Jeez... we need a joke FORUM. This was just supposed to make you laugh. I know school is starting back up, but you don't have to do homework here.


Do this: :heh: OR this: :laugh: OR this: :thumbup: OR this: :hihi: OR even just this: :)

[Jpeace121]

Sorry Speedfreak, boredom set in today waiting for classes to start (tomorrow).

My new reply: :hihi:

[Grimm]

Originally posted by ironchef
Oh come on, you actually think they even went to the moon! Hah! You poor deluded fool! :heh: :)


Of course they did. They were brought on as day labor for the aliens. The aliens, concerned about increases in the detection technology available to civilians, decided to move their observation base to Mars. The US government provided the labor for free in exchange for the oppertunity to fake the space mission.
The govenment planted the rumors that there was no real mission to distract all the theorists from the truth that they did go, but aboard an alien shuttle and not a US built "rocket".

[welfareloser]

Originally posted by Speedfreak
:eek3: Jeez... we need a joke FORUM. This was just supposed to make you laugh. I know school is starting back up, but you don't have to do homework here.


Do this: :heh: OR this: :laugh: OR this: :thumbup: OR this: :hihi: OR even just this: :)

dude... if you wanna try to be funny, you gotta submit the joke permit request in triplicate at LEAST two weeks in advance... WE'RE NOT MESSIN AROUND HERE!!!!!

[Grimm]

Look for a Mars mission soon as they plan to move the base farther back. Probably to Io or another of Jupiter's moons.

[Grimm]

Originally posted by welfareloser

dude... if you wanna try to be funny, you gotta submit the joke permit request in triplicate at LEAST two weeks in advance... WE'RE NOT MESSIN AROUND HERE!!!!!

What she's not telling you is that can get an Express Jokes Permit which only requires 3 days of advance notice. But you have to register to get it and it can take as much as six months for your application to be processed. For a small filing asistance fee we can help you cut that down to three months though.

[Speedfreak]

Oh... I always thought those permits were such jokes, that is why I never get them. :hmm:

[qgyu]

Originally posted by DarkFury


For instance, although the card has a $2,500 limit, if they buy ANY software, regardless of cost, it has to come with a book or else they can't buy it...

Now you may be saying... "well what the hell does that mean?" Well get this... if you download software over the net (as is very common nowadays) you "usually" don't get a book with the software. Well guess what... they can't just use their CC to buy this. You have to get all those signatures and verifications together.

One time I was trying to get a useful "shareware program" for $25, but since it didn't have a book, it took over a month to get the necessary authorizations together. They spent WAY MORE on paperwork getting it done than actually buying it.

PRETTY STUPID IN MY OPINION!!!

Can't you just print the readme.txt or the help files onto nice heavier weighted paper using a booklet/duplexing printing program like fineprint and staple it nicely? Now, that's a book. :) Or do they also demand a box to go with it along with cardboard inserts and little registration cards?

[g222leav]

Originally posted by att gig



I don't believe you guys missed that...are you really gotapex'ers? :)

sorry, I (hapoo) was just conversing with myself

[Nanotech9]

Originally posted by Jpeace121
Lets assume that NASA would use 100,000,000 crayons per year for space missions, diagrams, math problems, doodling while waiting for the shuttle to launch, etc.


now i thought the doodling thing was pretty funny :D

[maggiebirdie]

Gee I wonder why the national debt is so high :rolleyes: