A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro (British English), ball pen (Hong Kong, Indian and Philippine English), or dot pen (Nepali English), is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point".  The metal commonly used is steel, brass, or tungsten carbide.   A ballpoint pen is now the world's most-used writing instrument; millions are manufactured and sold daily. It has influenced art and graphic design and spawned an artwork genre.  The first patent for a ballpoint pen was issued on 30 October 1888 to John J. Loud, who was attempting to make a writing instrument that would be able to write "on rough surfaces—such as wood, coarse wrapping-paper, and other articles" which fountain pens could not.  Loud's pen had a small rotating steel ball held in place by a socket.  Although it could be used to mark rough surfaces such as leather, as Loud intended, it proved too coarse for letter-writing.  With no commercial viability, its potential went unexploited, and the patent eventually lapsed.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballpoint_pen   Thank you, Muse reader!   

A pom-pom–also spelled pom-pon, pompom or pompon–is a decorative ball or tuft of fibrous material.   The term may refer to large tufts used by cheerleaders, or a small, tighter ball attached to the top of a hat, also known as a bobble or toorie.  Pom-poms may come in many colours, sizes, and varieties and are made from a wide array of materials, including wool, cotton, paper, plastic, thread, glitter and occasionally feathers.  Pom-poms are shaken by cheerleaders, pom or dance teams, and sports fans during spectator sports.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pom-pom 

See other uses of pom:  "Pom Poms" (song), a song by the Jonas Brothers   pom pom (album), an album by Ariel Pink   Pom Pom: The Essential Cibo Matto, an album by Cibo Matto   Pom Pom Squad, an indie rock band   The Pom-Poms, a project of Kitty and Sam Ray Pom Poms, a candy made by the James O. Welch Co.  Pom Pom Island, a coral reef island in Malaysia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pom-pom_(disambiguation)     

noun  tanzanite (countable and uncountable, plural tanzanites)  A trichroic violet-blue variety of the mineral zoisite mined in Tanzania, used as a gemstone.  [from 1968] synonyms ▲quotations ▼ Synonyms: blue zoisite, pleochroic zoisite, vanadium zoisite  https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tanzanite#English    

COMIC STRIP HUMOR  Let remembering be an excuse to party.  https://www.creators.com/read/dogs-of-c-kennel/12/23/360437   December 9, 2023   

Mark Twain’s “piece of careless hackwork” otherwise known as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published (December 10, 1884) • O. Henry’s iconic short story “The Gift of the Magi” is published (December 10, 1905) • American oil tycoon Armand Hammer (yes, that would be Armie Hammer’s great grandfather) buys Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook for over $5 million (December 12, 1980) • Aphra Behn, who will grow up to be one of the first English women to earn a living from her writing (she was also a spy, natch), is baptized (December 14, 1640) • Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and Anne Brontë's Agnes Grey are published in a 3-volume set under the pen names of Ellis and Acton Bell respectively (December 14, 1847) • Upton Sinclair is invited to the Johnson White House to witness the signing of The Wholesome Meat Act (December 15, 1967) • The supermodel-snubbing Brontë Society is established in Yorkshire (December 16, 1893) • Beatrix Potter self-publishes The Tale of Peter Rabbit (December 16, 1901).  Literary Hub December 10, 2023   

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com   Issue 2755   December 11, 2023