- Bette Graham's invention, Liquid Paper, undoubtedly made life easier for typists all over the world before the invention of the personal computer. While working in Dallas as a secretary after World War II, Graham was frustrated by frequent mistakes in her work caused by the new electric typewriters. After she observed painters in her office using another layer of paint to cover their mistakes she adopted the idea to her work, using a water-based tempera paint to cover typing errors.
In 1956, Graham officially launched her company "Mistake Out." By 1967 her Liquid Paper Company had its own corporate headquarters and sales in excess of one million units per year. - Even before Dell computers shook up the personal computer industry in the mid 80s, Michael Dell was fascinated with technology. The Houston, Texas born computer inventor and mogul purchased his first calculator at 7 years old and programmed his first teletype machine while in grade school. He was dismantling and repairing computers by age 15. While a pre-med student at the University of Texas, Dell started an informal computer business that eventually launched the Dell Computer Corporation in May of 1984. Dell's idea to create easy to use, functional home computers shipped directly to consumers changed the way manufacturers interacted with customers and created new products.
- Since the first artificial heart transplant in the 1950s, Dr. Michael DeBakey has been at the forefront of medical discovery. Along with Dr. Denton Cooley, DeBakery oversaw the first successful heart transplant. He also created the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit (MASH) and is credited with inventing the roller pump, a vital component of the heart-lung machine. The work of DeBakery and his colleague Cooley has played a key role in the development of the Houston Medical Center's cancer research.
- While many people may know Jack Johnson as a famous boxer and the first African American to win the world heavyweight title, few people know that he was also extremely mechanically inclined, having spent the years before his boxing career as a mechanic and shop worker. After winning the world boxing championship, Johnson was the subject of much criticism and harassment by law enforcement and public officials, which eventually led to him spending a year in jail. While incarcerated Johnson worked on several mechanical projects and, failing to find a tool that suited his purposes, modified a wrench to fit his needs. He registered the patent for the design in 1922, after he was released.
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