His Nibs.com update --
Happy New Year!

December 31st, 2006

Let me wish everyone a most joyous New Year. In
keeping with the nature of this update -- may
everyone find their perfect pen in 2007!

The December 9th update focused on the Monteverde
Artista fountain pen. We now also carry the
rollerball and ballpoint versions. The ballpoint
comes with the new Soft Roll refills...including
one with blue/black ink.

We just received our end-of-year Duke/Uranus
restocking order...including the always popular
Multifunction pen. We also once again have all four
of the Gold Medal fountain pen finishes....it's been
awhile.

The Pilot 78-G fountain pens are running low
(although I have buyers trying to source more for me
in China). Read some new customer feedback about the
pen in the FPN (Fountain Pen Network) links provided
below.

On the blog...The vaccine to prevent every strain of flu

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in this issue
* Monteverde Artista ballpoint & rollerball
* '2018' Multifunction pen
* DUKE Gold Medal
* Pilot 78G
* On the blog...The vaccine to prevent every flu strain

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Monteverde Artista ballpoint & rollerball

The Monteverde Artista Kit ballpoint pen includes 3
extra assorted, technologically advanced Soft Roll
refills, for a total of 4 (1 blue medium, 1 black
medium, 1 blue/black medium, 1 black super-broad).
These ballpoint refills are quite unlike any I've
experienced before. They have a noticeably softer
feel when writing than a typical ballpoint. The
point extends and retracts with a twist.

See and read more... - http://www.hisnibs.com/artista.htm [1]

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'2018' Multifunction pen

Unscrewing the cap above the clip reveals a
super-smooth rollerball, fed by liquid ink. The
metal tip allows for the most demanding writing,
from the Sunday crossword puzzle to multipart forms.
But, unlike the pasty 'ink' used in a conventional
ballpoint, this liquid-ink rollerball provides for a
smooth, skip-free writing experience, allowing for a
quick note -- or an extended writing session.

Pulling off the cap from the other end of the pen
reveals the real surprise however, a self-contained,
flexible calligraphy 'brush', fed from the same ink
source as the rollerball! Made of a soft,
sponge-like material, the faux-brush allows for the
writing of traditional Chinese characters (or
Japanese 'kanji'), with a fidelity as close to using
a real calligraphy brush and ink stone as I've seen.

More here.... - http://www.hisnibs.com/uranus_2018.htm [2]

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DUKE Gold Medal

The gorgeous DUKE Gold Medal pen is offered in four
finishes (three shown here). Measuring 5-1/4" capped
and 6-1/4" posted,
it's on the slim side, and fits comfortably in any
hand. The first two make use of a lovely
marble-veined Italian resin, used in a number of
DUKE pens, while the third and fourth have a deep,
rich 'wood-grain' appearing resin that's quite
unlike any I've ever seen.

More photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/gold_medal.htm [3]

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Pilot 78G

The Pilot 78G has certainly been a hit on the
website for the past month or so. A couple of
discussion threads have recently been started on the
FPN, which you might enjoy reading here
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21752 [4]
and here ot+g78... [5].
Note: One of the posters mentions that
the filler is removable -- which it is -- but I know
of no cartridge that will fit into the pen.

Hopefully I be able to replenish the dwindling stock
again in the coming weeks!

Read more here.... - http://www.hisnibs.com/pilot_pens.htm [6]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the blog...The vaccine to prevent every flu strain

"British scientists are on the verge of producing a
revolutionary flu vaccine that works against all
major types of the disease.

Described as the 'holy grail' of flu vaccines, it
would protect against all strains of influenza A -
the virus behind both bird flu and the nastiest
outbreaks of winter flu.

Just a couple of injections could give long-lasting
immunity - unlike the current vaccine which has to
be given every year.

The brainchild of scientists at Cambridge biotech
firm Acambis, working with Belgian researchers, the
vaccine will be tested on humans for the first time
in the next few months."

Read the full article here... - http://hisnibs.blogspot.com [7]

Regards,

Norman Haase
His Nibs.com
www.hisnibs.com [8]
Blog: http://hisnibs.blogspot.com [9]