There’s a popular myth that NASA spent “millions” of dollars developing a pen for astronauts to use in the weightless environment of a space ship — while their sensible Russian counterparts were happy to use the low-tech pencil.  Alas, for all its appeal and plausibility, this is not true.  Initially, astronauts and cosmonauts were both equipped with pencils, but there were problems: if a piece of lead broke off, for example, it could float into someone’s eye or nose.  A pen was needed, one that would defy gravity, write in extreme heat or cold, and be leak proof: blobs of ink floating around the cabin would be more perilous than a stray pencil lead.  A long-time pen maker named Paul C. Fisher patented the “space pen” in 1965 (which he had developed at the cost of a million dollars, at the request of but not under the auspices of NASA.)  NASA bought four hundred of them at $6 each, and, after a couple of years of testing, the pens were put into space.

That is from Kitty Burns Florey, Script & Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting.Pen and pencil myths — Marginal Revolution.

Totally adorable. Also, does the baby tigers back foot look a lot like a human foot, or what?!

Tiger Mom » Design You Trust – Social Inspirations!.

Goggie Gif: I Can Do It! – Loldogs, Dogs ‘n’ Puppy Dog Pictures – I Has A Hotdog!.

SEEMS LEGIT – Very Demotivational – The Demotivational Posters Blog.

Fast Company is allowing a completely open nominations list for folks to determine who should be selected for their 2011 list of Most Influential Women in Tech. Here is my nomination: Victoria Ransom should definitely be among Fast Company’s list of the Most Influential Women in Tech for 2011…she is a tremendously awesome woman— in the past year, she has grown a company, Wildfire Interactive, from 5 people to 55 people (and counting). While doing so she has navigated a round of funding, 3 office moves, and a couple of office foster dogs. She is the face of the company and represents Wildfire’s expert, engaging, and enthusiastic take on social media to the outside world and to her close-knit team of employees. She is a shining model of superb leadership AND she’s a woman in tech. Pretty awesome, I do think. #wit11

After my Leo told me “Happy Birthday” at the stroke of midnight, and approximately 1 million times thereafter during the day, I also really enjoyed those Facebook wall comments, as random as they were– people took the time to wish me good things, and even though Facebook comments are so simple, it really did mean a lot!

My mom and dad both called several times, including once to have me listen while they clinked their glasses, toasting their *heavily* alcoholic drinks to me, from 2,500  miles away. My brother sent me a text message in the midst of counseling summer camp for a bunch of 3 year olds. Oh, family.

During work, the folks at the office surprised me with a cake and sang me a song! I feel that I’m gushing, but to have workplace do something like that, just surprise you and sing for you and wish you a great day– it made me so happy, about everything and about workplace. Thanks guys!

The cherry on the sundae came during dinner. I thought Leo was taking me for a meat-tastic dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse with at most 2 friends…when we walked in, there was a table full of people who were beaming at me! I  was utterly surprised, exhilarated, a little teary, and it was wonderful. I am SO thankful to have all of these people in my life– Leo, my handsome man who went all out and completely surprised me, Kris who came down from San Francisco, Orkut and Derek who brought me karaoke video games (…yes, a karaoke party is now forthcoming), Melissa and David who brought champagne for the birthday girl, Nick who drank the darkest beer I’ve ever seen (like black oil), and Dan and Cristina, who will soon move straight into my apartment complex and I will pester much more often.

Thanks guys! Having all of you there to share in good meat and good food meant the world to me– I floated on clouds, and that’s how a birthday should be. I am completely grateful.

Out of the approximately 10 girls they showed walkin in and gettin ready to strip down, probably 90% were attractive, clean, young…it struck me that instead of “exposing” the secret prostitute industry on Craigslist, they just made some more people think…”Hey! Those girls are totes hot. I’m gonna hire a ho through Craigslist now!”

I wonder if anybody else thought that their coverage was perhaps…misguided.

“What will they dooooo, Puppy Pee or Puppy Pooooooo?”

This is crazy, Mattel. I know I love Barbies, but, really?

Via Happy Meals and Happy Hour.