Laszlo Biro

I just wrote about Inventor's Day in Argentina. Found that Laszlo Biro is the reason that Argentina celebrates Inventor's Day on his birthday. Who would have thought that the invention of the ball point pen would result in such an honour.

László Bíró (1899-1985)The Inventor of the Ballpoint Pen
Everybody is familiar with the ballpoint pen and all over the world this eminently useful invention has become an indispensable part of our everyday lives. But how many of us know the story behind this convenient writing implement or the name of its inventor?
The story begins in the 1880s. At that time several inventors tried to develop a ballpoint pen but it was the Hungarian, László Bíró, who created the pen with which we are familiar today László Bíró was born in Budapest on September 19th, 1899. He gained a place at the Medical School in Budapest but did not graduate. For a time he dabbled with hypnosis then he got a job with an oil company as a clerk responsible for matters relating to customs duties. He also had a go at motor racing, which provided the stimulus for his next invention - a new type of gear lever. He was also a successful painter.The need to invent something like the ballpoint pen arose when he took up journalism. He was the editor of the journal "Hongrie-Magyarország-Hungary" and when this was closed down he began working for the newspaper " Elôtte". As a journalist he was frequently irritated by the difficulties involved in using a fountain pen and began to think about how he could replace it with a more convenient writing implement.
Eventually he realised that the technique used in printing by which a rotary cylinder ensures continuous and uniform application of the ink could be adapted for use in a pen in such a way that a slender tube filled with ink with a small ball bearing at the end would be able to apply the ink continuously to the paper. It took several years of experimentation, however before the original idea could be realised in the form of the ballpoint pen, which rapidly became popular all over the world. Part of this experimentation was carried out abroad because in 1939 fears for his own and his family’s safety prompted him to flee from Hungary, firstly to Paris and then to Argentina.
Like all inventions the ballpoint pen had its precursors and required the input of numerous experts and considerable financial backing. For the ballpoint pen to work well it requires precision-made ball bearings, which finally a Swedish company was able to produce to the standard required by László Bíró. Another problem was to produce ink of suitable viscosity. Initially Bíró’s brother, György, helped to resolve this problem, but later the experimentation was continued in the workshops of the firm of Goy and Kovalszky.
Andor Goy played an important role in the development of a ballpoint pen that could be mass produced. His name is associated with the "Gopen". In 1940, in Argentina, László Bíró began experimenting independently until he finally patented his ballpoint pen there in 1943. The first ballpoint pens sold in large numbers to the public were manufactured in 1945 and were marketed in Argentina under the name of "Eterpen".
Bíró invented other things but his name will be for ever associated with the ballpoint pen, in fact in Britain a ballpoint pen is usually referred to as a "Bíró".László Bíró was so highly respected in Argentina that the Argentine Inventors’ Day is celebrated on his birthday September 29th.László Bíró died on November 24th 1985 in Buenos Aires.

Inventor's Day

Today is Inventor's Day. What a day! Celebrating Inventor's day are the Argentinians. The day corresponds to the birthday of the inventor of the ballpoint pen, Laszlo Biro, ruiner of many shirt pockets.
Found this information in a column that gives reasons to call in sick. Who would have thought that Inventor's Day would be a good enough reason. Who would have thought that it would be celebrated?
I am going to have to watch this column more closely to see what other days are available to call in sick. I am not likely to do it but nice to know that the possibility exists.

City feeds hungry

The city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil has accomplished what few have done elsewhere. It is feeding all its people. As Frances Moore Lappe has discovered hunger is not caused by a scarcity of food but a scarcity of democracy.
Belo Horizonte, a city of 2.5 million, with citizens groups has managed to feed all its citizens through democracy and careful planning. In 1993, a newly elected administration declared food a right of citizenship. The officials said, in effect: If you are too poor to buy food in the market-you are no less a citizen. I am still accountable to you.
The coalition proceeded to set up markets, restaurants and other innovations to make sure that all citizens could access food as a right. "People's Restaurants" plus a few smaller venues daily serve 12,000 or more people using mostly locally grown food for the equivalent of 50 cents a meal. People of all economic strata eat at these establishments.
"I knew we had so much hunger in the world, but what is so upsetting, what I didn't know when I started this, is it's so easy. It is so easy to end it. What a wonderful thought that hunger can be conquered.

Everbearing Strawberries

Finally, they have been noticed. Today's Star has an article about everbearing strawberries. Strawberries that grow from June until the first frost. They are not available in grocery stores but are available at farmers markets and are wonderful. Apparently, the day neutral or everbearing strawberries are sun neutral which means that the weather that we have been having has not been a problem. My only problem is that I have not been able to get to the market to get some. Hopefully, I will manage to get some of these wonderful berries in the near future.
If you are near a market that has the everbearing strawberries, try them. They are worth the effort.

Rehearsal!!!!

After spending, hours considering dates to rehearse, we are back to the original date. My goodness, what a problem. Lesson learned is that we can not practise into the regular season. I wonder how other groups manage? Or is this the reason few larger groups are formed unless they are bands, orchestras or choirs large enough to deal with the absence of some members. The good thing is that everyone managed to have their say. Even if the solution is not satisfactory all factors were considered before moving back to that date.
How do others handle situations like this?

Practise for a large group!

In case some of you are wondering what I am doing these days, one of them is trying to find a common time for a group of 10 musicians to practise. It was not too bad in the summer when we practised on Thursday evening and even then we had subs come in most of the time. There was always someone who was away. During the course of 2 1/2 months, we had one or two weeks with all the permanent members present. The group which only has two more weeks left before it disbands for the season, is desperately trying to find a time to meet. Let us start with Sunday- no that does not work because it is Yom Kippur, Monday night-one of the members is away, Tuesday and Friday-one of the members is busy coaching, Wednesday and Thursday nights-several members have orchestra rehearsal. Well, not sure what we are left with but I am going to look at a calendar and pray.
Wish me luck with this one.

Mary Travers has passed away.

Mary Travers, one-third of the hugely popular 1960's folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary has died.
Travers, 72, had battled leukemia for several years.
Travers joined forces with Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey in the early 1960's.
The trio mingled their music with liberal politics, onstage and off. Their version of "If I had a Hammer" became an anthem for racial equality.
They were vehement in their opposition to the Vietnam War, managing to stay true to their liberal beliefs while creating music that resonated in the mainstream.
They disbanded in 1971, launching solo careers-Travers released five albums-that never achieved the heights of their collaborations.
This marks the end of an era. Peter, Paul and Mary were certainly part of my teenage years and to find that Mary Travers has passed away is sad and that does not adequately express my thoughts on this event.