What's NASA done for me lately?

NASA- someone says NASA and you picture astronauts, vivid images brought to you by the Hubble Telescope, rocket launches.... you may also remember the destruction of space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, the failed Apollo mission, and million dollar satellites that failed to respond to commands from Earth.

I want to take a moment to thank NASA for making my life simpler. Here's a list of items that I can't live without, but don't get much publicity for being associated with the space agency:

the microwave (I'd starve without mine)

smart appliances like automatic coffee makers, blood pressure monitors, and any modern electronic home wiring

smoke detectors

vaccuum cleaner

digital imaging

wireless tools (phones, drills, dust busters, etc.etc.)

handheld calculator

the VCR, CDs, DVDs

miniature electronics components (for cameras, cars, pacemakers, teeny tiny cellphones, PDAs, etc.)

my remote controls (and for you Game Cube players - the joysticks)

the GPS system

Velcro

DirecTV and other TV dishes

equipment used by fire fighters

lasers (now used in laser angioplasty and vision corrective surgery)

Teflon

advanced fabrics (like heat resistant, fire-resistant nonwoven materials)

advanced plastics (used in everything from medical equipment to GLAD food containers)

advanced robotics (some modified to improve mobility for people with disabilities)

For all this and so much more, thank you NASA!