Comments on: The Space Pencil http://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/ Where we prove that it is easier to save a dollar than to make a dollar! Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:16:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The LeanLifeCoachhttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1518 The LeanLifeCoach Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:19:43 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1518 @ Nicholas - You are correct, the Fisher space pen story is a construct to illustrate government waste. Hearing things such as this also makes us question the $700 toilet seats and $400 hammers. Yet I doubt any one questions waste in our government, the pen fable is thought provoking. The real message and intent of this blog however is not what the government does or does not do, it is what we do with our money. I would ask you to look past the opening and consider the individual expenses you incur, have you ever made any of these mistakes? @ Nicholas – You are correct, the Fisher space pen story is a construct to illustrate government waste. Hearing things such as this also makes us question the $700 toilet seats and $400 hammers. Yet I doubt any one questions waste in our government, the pen fable is thought provoking. The real message and intent of this blog however is not what the government does or does not do, it is what we do with our money. I would ask you to look past the opening and consider the individual expenses you incur, have you ever made any of these mistakes?

]]> By: Nicholashttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1505 Nicholas Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:43:46 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1505 This would be a great story if it was true. The space pen was developed by Fisher independently and prior to the needs of NASA. After two years of testing NASA adopted the pen for its space program and purchased them from Fisher at the outrageous cost of $2 per pen. Yes, thats TWO dollars. It was the lucrative association to the space program that gave rise to the sales of these pens, and make the Fisher space pen an icon. Not a single government dollar was spent developing these pens, all research money and time was at Fisher's expense. And as for the Russians? Last time I checked their pencils still haven't gotten them to the moon..... This would be a great story if it was true. The space pen was developed by Fisher independently and prior to the needs of NASA. After two years of testing NASA adopted the pen for its space program and purchased them from Fisher at the outrageous cost of $2 per pen. Yes, thats TWO dollars. It was the lucrative association to the space program that gave rise to the sales of these pens, and make the Fisher space pen an icon.

Not a single government dollar was spent developing these pens, all research money and time was at Fisher’s expense.

And as for the Russians? Last time I checked their pencils still haven’t gotten them to the moon…..

]]> By: Festival of Frugality #218- America Saves Week Editionhttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1308 Festival of Frugality #218- America Saves Week Edition Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:54:59 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1308 [...] presents The Space Pencil posted at Eliminate The Muda!. I must admit, I love my Fisher bullet pen (fits easily in my [...] [...] presents The Space Pencil posted at Eliminate The Muda!. I must admit, I love my Fisher bullet pen (fits easily in my [...]

]]> By: The LeanLifeCoachhttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1265 The LeanLifeCoach Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:09:15 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1265 @David - Reading about Fisher brought back some childhood memories. I always wanted one of those too. I'm with you on only buying what you need, I just wish it didn't take me so long to figure it out! @David – Reading about Fisher brought back some childhood memories. I always wanted one of those too. I’m with you on only buying what you need, I just wish it didn’t take me so long to figure it out!

]]> By: David @ MBA briefshttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1256 David @ MBA briefs Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:01:39 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1256 I actually had a genuine Fisher Space Pen years ago and I have to say what a waste of money that was - I was infatuated with the idea of owning a Space Pen but never asked myself when I would find it necessary to write upside down. You're right, buying the biggest and fastest of anything usually isn't necessary unless you can justify it for at-home work. I get by with $500 middle of the line laptops, and my kids all have hand me downs except for my son who bought a nice Dell laptop for his college engineering classes. I splurged on my washer and dryer but I made sure the I was actually going to use all the extra features before I made the purchase (and they were on sale). .-= David @ MBA briefs´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MBAbriefs/~3/E2nvlR9vJyg/" rel="nofollow">Easy ways to improve your memory</a> =-. I actually had a genuine Fisher Space Pen years ago and I have to say what a waste of money that was – I was infatuated with the idea of owning a Space Pen but never asked myself when I would find it necessary to write upside down.

You’re right, buying the biggest and fastest of anything usually isn’t necessary unless you can justify it for at-home work. I get by with $500 middle of the line laptops, and my kids all have hand me downs except for my son who bought a nice Dell laptop for his college engineering classes. I splurged on my washer and dryer but I made sure the I was actually going to use all the extra features before I made the purchase (and they were on sale).
.-= David @ MBA briefs´s last blog ..Easy ways to improve your memory =-.

]]> By: The LeanLifeCoachhttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1254 The LeanLifeCoach Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:26:51 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1254 @Tracy - Funny about the purses, the other day at the airport I overheard a young lady talking about a purse that she got "on sale" for only $400! I almost choked! @MonyReasons - We have our own share of kitchen gadgets yet do almost everything by hand... even cleaning dishes. Crazy! @Ken - Good luck! I've been working on an Ice Cream maker for 2 years. She is getting weak! @Tracy – Funny about the purses, the other day at the airport I overheard a young lady talking about a purse that she got “on sale” for only $400! I almost choked!
@MonyReasons – We have our own share of kitchen gadgets yet do almost everything by hand… even cleaning dishes. Crazy!
@Ken – Good luck! I’ve been working on an Ice Cream maker for 2 years. She is getting weak!

]]> By: Kenhttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1252 Ken Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:20:00 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1252 We have a plastic food wrapper/sealer device bought 2 years ago and my wife has never used it. Gonna try to get her to part ways with it. .-= Ken´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.moneymakingsense.com/?p=233" rel="nofollow">Weekend Roundup</a> =-. We have a plastic food wrapper/sealer device bought 2 years ago and my wife has never used it. Gonna try to get her to part ways with it.
.-= Ken´s last blog ..Weekend Roundup =-.

]]> By: Money Reasonshttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1251 Money Reasons Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:23:31 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1251 I'm somewhat of a minimalist when it comes to technology purchases (it's funny, considering that I'm a techie), so I don't really have much (I don't even have a cell phone, I use the one from work). In fact, I really don't purchase hardly anything for myself! Now my wife, she has a blender, bread maker, crock pot (I'm thinking of using this though), etc that just sits in the boxes they came in... I’m somewhat of a minimalist when it comes to technology purchases (it’s funny, considering that I’m a techie), so I don’t really have much (I don’t even have a cell phone, I use the one from work). In fact, I really don’t purchase hardly anything for myself!

Now my wife, she has a blender, bread maker, crock pot (I’m thinking of using this though), etc that just sits in the boxes they came in…

]]> By: Tracyhttp://eliminatethemuda.com/2010/02/the-space-pencil/#comment-1250 Tracy Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:37:45 +0000 http://eliminatethemuda.com/?p=2487#comment-1250 I have never understood the draw (hee hee) of expensive pens. At my worst consumerism point, I still used whatever I could find that made letters.I have known people, though that would spend piles of money on a pen, though. Adn it's not just technology, the same thing goes for purses. I like them to go with my clothing, and look nice, but I can't figure out why someone will spend 600 bucks on one. I have known young 20 something girls who were struggling to make ends meet in college, but carried Louis Vuitton. A friend and I were laughing the other day about how attractive the new Apple Tablet was to us, though we had no reason (and no funds) to buy one. We both realized the advertising was part of it, and our Star Trek Geek upbringing added to the allure, but we realized it was too expensive and not necessary in our lives. Still, the idea gave us a giggle. .-= Tracy´s last blog ..<a href="http://downturnliving.com/blog/2010/02/eco-fraud-friday-please-dont-poison-the-ones-you-love/" rel="nofollow">Eco Fraud Friday: Please Don't Poison The One's You Love</a> =-. I have never understood the draw (hee hee) of expensive pens. At my worst consumerism point, I still used whatever I could find that made letters.I have known people, though that would spend piles of money on a pen, though. Adn it’s not just technology, the same thing goes for purses. I like them to go with my clothing, and look nice, but I can’t figure out why someone will spend 600 bucks on one. I have known young 20 something girls who were struggling to make ends meet in college, but carried Louis Vuitton.

A friend and I were laughing the other day about how attractive the new Apple Tablet was to us, though we had no reason (and no funds) to buy one. We both realized the advertising was part of it, and our Star Trek Geek upbringing added to the allure, but we realized it was too expensive and not necessary in our lives. Still, the idea gave us a giggle.
.-= Tracy´s last blog ..Eco Fraud Friday: Please Don’t Poison The One’s You Love =-.

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