Barbara Pleasant Popular Books
Barbara Pleasant Biography & Facts
Barbara Clay Henley Blackburn (September 25, 1920 – April 18, 2008) was an American clerical worker recognized for her claimed fast typing speed using the Dvorak keyboard layout. The Guinness Book of World Records included her unconfirmed speeds amongst others in the "Typing, Fastest" category of the 1976–1986 editions, where she was listed as able to "attain a speed of 170 wpm" and "maintain 145 wpm for 55 minutes". Guinness's typing speed records for electronic and computer keyboards, including Blackburn's records, were removed from the 1987 edition onwards because "Records on electric and computer-driven typewriters cannot be compared with any accuracy." Blackburn's self-claimed peak speed, in 1986, was 212 words per minute. Blackburn was popularly recognized as the "world's fastest typist" and made media appearances to exhibit her typing speed and the Dvorak layout, notably appearing in a 1985 episode of Late Night with David Letterman and in a television commercial for the Apple IIc. Typing Dvorak keyboard layout Blackburn began typing with the Dvorak keyboard layout in 1938, taking about three weeks to switch to the new layout. She was trained as a simplified keyboard demonstrator while attending Huff Business College in Kansas City. During WWII, according to Blackburn, she was timed by a "Navy girl" to type at 138 wpm on a Royal Standard typewriter with Dvorak keyboard. In 1955 she reported typing 150 wpm. In 1972, Technical Communication reported her typing speed at 150–160 wpm using the Dvorak layout. In 1984, the Chicago Tribune reported her typing speed at 180 wpm on a Dvorak keyboard. Guinness Book of World Records Blackburn was included in the Guinness Book of World Records starting in 1976, where she is credited as "Mrs. Barbara Blackburn of Lee's Summit, Missouri" and in the later years as "of Everett, Wash". Her records were accepted into the book without an official test; a Dvorak layout advocate lobbied on her behalf without her knowledge. According to the Guinness book, Blackburn "can maintain 150 wpm for 50 minutes (37,500 keystrokes) and attains a speed of 170 wpm using the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard". Blackburn's records were removed from the 1986 edition of the book, with Guinness stating that "records on electric and computer-driven typewriters cannot be compared with any accuracy." Fastest speed The Associated Press reported Blackburn achieving a speed of 194 wpm in October 1984 using the MasterType typing game. In a January 1985 story in the Los Angeles Times, Blackburn said she had recently reached 196 wpm. During her Late Night appearance on January 24, 1985, she claimed to have achieved 170 wpm on minute tests, and 200 wpm using a computer.: 1m07s In her Apple Computer commercial, filmed at the same time as the Letterman appearance, Blackburn says that she can type "nearly 200" wpm using the Apple IIc she is advertising. In May 1985, the Seattle Times reported that Blackburn said she had "attained speeds of 212 words a minute for a brief time" using an Apple computer keyboard and the Dvorak layout. Media appearances Apple IIc commercial Blackburn starred in a commercial for the Apple IIc, released in 1984, which offered a switchable Dvorak-QWERTY keyboard. In the commercial, captioned as the "World's Fastest Typist", she explains how she achieved the Guinness World Record for fastest typist at barely 150 words a minute, yet she was able to type nearly 200 wpm on an Apple computer. Late Night with David Letterman Blackburn was a guest on the January 24, 1985, episode of Late Night with David Letterman. In the episode, Letterman pitted Blackburn against his production assistant Barbara Gaines. He challenged both to type for a minute on an IBM Selectric, copying from The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book. Afterwards, he presented a paper incomprehensible with typos, claiming it was Blackburn's. Letterman then crowned his production assistant, Gaines, the fastest typist in the world. When Letterman asked what happened, Blackburn claimed the typewriter had been tampered with, as it was functional the day before.: 12m34s On the January 28, 1985, broadcast, Letterman brought a small panel to figure out what had occurred, implying that Blackburn was a con-artist.: 12m53s A Manhattan Office Products typewriter repairman had inspected the typewriter and claimed it was in good working order.: 14m20s The former secretary of the New York State Polygraph Association claimed Blackburn was stressed during the competition.: 15m03s Finally, a United States Navy lieutenant deciphered Blackburn's typographic errors using a substitution cipher. He explained that the left hand's letters were typed correctly while the right hand's letters had been displaced one key to the right.: 16m06s A footage replay showed that Blackburn had transferred her hand one to the right.: 17m28s Blackburn felt that she lost her credibility in the comedy routine. According to her family members, Blackburn was very hurt by her experience on Letterman and never watched the episode. Personal life Barbara Clay Blackburn (née Henley) was born in Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Blackburn worked for State Farm Insurance in Salem, Oregon, until her retirement in 2001. She died in 2008. See also August Dvorak Notes References . Discover the Barbara Pleasant popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Barbara Pleasant books.
Best Seller Barbara Pleasant Books of 2024
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Always Yours
Claire RayeSome things are just meant to be... Ellen Somerville and Will McIntyre met by accident and under unusual circumstances. Getting sprayed by a skunk in a parking lot wouldn’t normall...
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A Christmas Carol
Charles DickensAn Apple Books Classic edition. It’s Christmas Eve in Victorian England. While some families don’t know where their next meal will come from, Ebenezer Scrooge sits in his large hom...
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Nothing to Hide
Scarlett FinnPrize of a lifetime: travel the world with a celebrity billionaire. Come to LA with us, Roxie… It will be so much fun! We have tickets for a latenight talk show! What could possibl...
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Eternal
W.J. MayShe will fight for what is hers. When the king is murdered, Katerina, his only daughter, must flee for her life. She finds herself on a strange and dangerous path. Alone for the fi...
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A Green Kind of Witch
Sierra CrossCinderella crossed with Mean Girls.   That's what Hazel's daily existence feels like. Born to a family of elegant yet shallow Beige Witches, seventeen y...
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The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre DumasAn Apple Books Classic edition. Alexandre Dumas’ classic paints a portrait of Edmond Dantès, a dark and calculating man who is willing to wait years to exact his perfect plan for r...
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Rogue Alpha
Kimber WhiteOne touch made her crave him. But the pull of fate could be the path to ruin. College student Laura Prince lands a plum internship deep in the Michigan wilderness. When she discove...
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Inception of Gold
Lexy TimmsThings are not as bad as they seem. They are worse. Being the personal assistant to a narcissistic actress who just happens to own the key to my family's undoing isn't ex...
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Meditations
Emperor of Rome Marcus AureliusMeditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161–180 CE, setting forth his ideas on Stoic philosophy.
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Death at Hazel House
Betty Rowlands‘Riveting, can't put it down! I love this story… a wonderfully twisted tale of a crime that has more twists than I thought possible... fantastic.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ...
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Teased by Fire
Molly O'HareFrom USA Today bestselling author Molly O’Hare comes an enemiestolovers, older brother’s best friend, romantic comedy with a curvy, antisocial, supernaturalobsessed, allyearround h...
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Pretty Little Lies
Ivy ThornFour years ago, Nicolo Marchetti took my innocence. But he left me with something else Nicolo almost took everything from me. My virginity, my reputation, and very nearly my future...
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The Icing on the Cake
Linda SeedShe’s a baker without a kitchen. He’s got a double oven to spare. It’s a recipe for success, until his mother starts stirring up trouble … Cassie Jordan has a sweet dream to open a...
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All Fired Up
Kathryn ShayCaptain Jarek Zenko, a war veteran and firefighter, meets Lacey Roth at a bar one night. They don’t share their real identities, even when they retreat to a hotel. When they meet t...
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Hot Off the Press
Lexy Timms"This is what really happened… reported by a free press, for a free people…" Wes Shaw leads a secret double life. As the secret owner of a billion dollar newspap...
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The Odyssey
HomerAn Apple Books Classic edition. Homer’s eighthcentury epic poem is a companion to The Iliad . It tells the story of Odysseus, who journeys by ship for 10 years after the Trojan War...
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Becoming Lady Dalton
Carrie LomaxA dance of desire and deceit... In the glittering world of London's ton, Mrs. Viola Cartwright revels in her newfound freedom as a lady of leisureuntil a series of jewel theft...
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Noxious
Lexy TimmsStop setting yourself on fire to keep someone else warm. Brady and Levi have been together since high school, since before he became famous and started thinking only about himself....
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The Holy Bible - King James Version
King JamesHoly Bible King James Version Few Sample Paragraphs from The Holy Bible eBook, Genesis (OT) 1 Gen. 1 IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was with...
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Pride and Prejudice
Jane AustenAn Apple Books Classic edition. Jane Austen’s beloved classic opens with this witty and very memorable line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possessio...
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Teach Me
Cassandra DeanFrom awardwinning author Cassandra Dean comes a tale where lessons of pleasure between a curious, sunshine widow and a dissolute, grumpy earl leads to passion and allconsuming love...
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Bewitching a Highlander
Roma CordonDefying all for the love of a bewitching lass. Breena MacRae, a healer from Skye with a touch of witchery in her blood, embarks on a dangerous search for her missing father. She ar...
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Dream Psychology
Sigmund FreudAn Apple Books Classic edition. Written by the founding father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud’s 1899 book is the definitive text on learning to interpret dreams. Freud’s groundbr...
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Salvation
Meghan O'FlynnIf you like mouthy detectives, serial killers, and suspenseful mysteries that don't quit, this chilling and actionpacked hardboiled detective series has you covered! Try this ...
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How to Choose a Guy in 10 Days
Lila MonroeThe only thing more hilarious than the movies is… real life?! Fall in love with the sizzling grumpysunshine romantic comedy perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Ali Hazlewood! ...
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You Are Kind
Michael GordonA little kindness goes a long way. How can you help encourage your kids to be kind from a young age? Teach kindness to preschoolers Acts of kindness can be fun, easy, and make a ...
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Just Me
Lexy TimmsWe all need somewhere where we feel safe… After leaving her abusive husband, Katherine Marshall is out on her own for the first time. She's hopped from city to city to avoid t...
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Become A Better Version of Yourself
Ben LeightonThis ebook contains golden nuggets on how to motivate, inspire and improve your current situation. It encompasses the holistic view of self improvement from mental& emotion...
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The Seduction Series Boxset
Roxy Sloane“Sensual, thrilling and wild!”   Discover the bestselling series in one collection: THE SEDUCTION, THE BARGAIN, and THE INVITATION. Perfect for fans of Ana Huang, Sierra S...
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The Stoic Mind
Addy Osmani & GoLimitlesssDiscover the timeless wisdom of Stoicism in a modern context with "The Stoic Mind," an enlightening visual guide by Addy Osmani and GoLimitlesss. This rich exploration co...
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Law of Attraction
Jordan HollisHow to Finally Overcome the Hurdles of Manifesting Proven, effective and enjoyable ways to help you manifest faster… Right now, think of something that makes you successful. If you...
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Arthur Conan DoyleAn Apple Books Classic You get not one, not two, but 25 gripping mysteries in Arthur Conan Doyle’s first of five collections of Sherlock Holmes short stories. Follow the brilliant ...
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Dracula
Bram StokerAn Apple Books Classic edition. Few characters have seized readers’ imaginations quite like Count Dracula of Transylvania, the hero of Bram Stoker’s classic. The 1897 novel put vam...
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Enemies With Benefits
Roxie NoirI don’t love him. I don’t even like him. I just want him. Eli Loveless was my nemesis from the first day of kindergarten until we graduated high school. Everything I did, he had to...
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank BaumAn Apple Books Classic edition. You’ve seen the iconic 1939 movie, but do you know about the talking field mice, the Winkies, and the Witch of the North that appear in the original...
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Holy Bible
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsThe 2013 edition of the Holy Bible contains all of the study aids contained in the 1979 edition and includes revisions to the study aids, several new photos, updated maps, and adju...
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Silenced Girls
Roger Stelljes“ Wow wow wow!  Grips you in a choke hold and  does not let go … Oozes suspense and  bonechilling twists and turns .  Astonishing … One of those...
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Man In The Water
Jon HillAn attempted murder. A missing spouse. And an international conspiracy that could change the world. Jack Green has always been skeptical of socalled facts. Though he's forced ...
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Never Enough
Lexy TimmsBe good enough never is... Anthony Accardi is a man on a mission: make his father's watch company a success while bringing in millions of dollars. To do that, he needs an assi...
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His Girl Next Door
Khardine GrayFrom USA Today Bestselling author Khardine Gray comes a sizzling hot single dad romance you won't want to miss. No strings attached fun with the ubergorgeous single d...
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Tempting the King
Jessa YorkAn escaped Mafia Queen, hiding from her past. A Mafia King who wants to claim her… Giselle They think I'm lostbut I know better. I can never be found. The path I've creat...
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The Honeymoon Homicide
J. R. Mathis & Susan MathisEnjoy this SmallTown Murder Mystery Featuring A Unique Sleuthing Couple I'm Father Tom Greer, a Catholic Priest in a smalltown parish who never expected this . . . When I came...
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Think and Grow Rich
Greg Habstritt & Napoleon HillThink and Grow Rich is one of the most popular success book of alltime, having sold more than 60 million copies since it was first published more than 70...
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Whiskey Girl
Melissa BelleThey'll do anything for each other…except commit. Logan Wild isn’t just the hottest broncriding cowboy in Texas. He’s also my best friendwith benefits. And that’s all we’ll ev...
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Christmas in Sweetbriar Cove
Melody GraceCelebrate the holidays in Sweetbriar Cove with this festive romance collection, containing two sizzling smalltown holiday stories perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Sophie Kinsella...
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The Art of War
Sun TzuAn Apple Books Classic edition. It’s believed that Sun Tzu wrote this Chinese military primer during the 5th century BChundreds of years before the Bible. The book’s 13 chapters ex...
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My Paper Heart
Magan VernonOne piece of paper can change everything After my parents received the letter I failed out of college, they didn't ask questions. They just sent me to work for my great aunt i...
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The Next Girl
Carla KovachIF YOU ONLY READ ONE BOOK THIS YEAR, MAKE IT THE NEXT GIRL... You thought he’d come to save you. You were wrong. ‘ Absolutely the best thriller I’ve read this year! ’ Goodreads Rev...
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Get Lucky
Lila MonroeFall for the hot and hilarious romcom spin on 'The Hangover', perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, and Emily Henry! What happens when you wake up in a hotel s...
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Peace on Earth
Maia RossCrime never takes a holiday. Why should Irma? Irma Abercrombie is an energetic retiree with a shadowy past, a mean right hook, and a profound love of Christmas. Surrounded by seaso...