The James Logan Courier

By Robin Abcarian
Los Angeles Times (MCT)

LOS ANGELES — As Sarah Palin begins a book tour Tuesday in Phoenix that will take her to the early presidential voting states of Iowa and South Carolina, the former Alaska governor seems to have set her sights set on something grander than mere wealth and fame.
After all, in two short years, she has become a political star, a publishing star and now a television star. So what's left to conquer?
Well, maybe the White House.

In a rare newspaper interview, Palin confirmed to The New York Times Magazine that she is discussing with her family whether she should run for president. During a segment on the special "Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People," scheduled to air Dec. 9, she told Walters she believes she can beat President Barack Obama.

Which leaves the political world engaged in one of its favorite sports: Guessing what Sarah Palin will do next.

From wikipedia:
Bessie Virginia Blount, born November 24, 1914, in Hickory, Virginia, was a physical therapist, inventor, and forensic scientist. She is also known by her married name, Bessie Blount Griffin.

Bessie Blount attended the Panzer College of Physical Education and Hygiene in East Orange, New Jersey, and Union Junior College.

Inventions
During World War II as part of her work with wounded soldiers, Blount devised an apparatus to help World War II amputees feed themselves. She invented the electronic feeding device in 1951. It was a feeding tube which delivered one mouthful of food at a time, controlled by biting down on the tube. The American Veterans Administration did not accept her invention, so she sold it to the French government.

Learn more about Bessie Blount, and see a schematic of her feeding device, free from About.com.