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Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities


(990701) The Rural & Small Town Programme
http://www.mta.ca/rstp/

The Rural & Small Town Programme
Mount Allison University
Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada

The Rural and Small Town Programme (RSTP) studies and helps to preserve small towns in Canada. With population centers shifting to large cities, the Rural and Small Town Programme offers economic and cultural solutions to governments and businesses often facing difficulties. This independent research center has been in operation since 1984, and this site offers publications and survey reports plus pointers to other organizations, Canadian government sites and resources around the world.  (Back to top of page)


(990702) Mr.Wakeup.com
http://www.mrwakeup.com/

iPing Inc.
New York, New York, USA

Mr. Wakeup combines Internet content with local time and temperature information in an advertising funded service. People living in the fifty United States can connect to the Mr. Wakeup site, register by entering requested demographic data, and program free Mr. Wakeup calls around the clock. The call starts with a five second advertisement and then gives the requested news, horoscope, or motivational nugget, entertainment reports will also be offered in the near future. The service even allows users to type in their own reminders and messages as a part of the telephone call — use it at home or on the road. Mr. Wakeup is still in beta testing but it already looks like a novel alternative to the many free e-mail reminder services like FREEMinder (http://www.cvp.com/freemind/) (SdJotD 970608). Thanks to TheREALJoeyP for the site suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(990703) WDIV's Coverage of the 1999 Hudson's Fireworks
http://www.wdiv.com/fireworks.html

WDIV
Detroit, Michigan, USA

This year marked the 41st annual fireworks display over the Detroit River. Part of the International Freedom Festival celebrating both Canada Day and Independence Day in Windsor and Detroit. This event is probably the largest single event all year in Detroit, attracting people from all walks of life to downtown, an area many of them do not otherwise visit. Local NBC affiliate WDIV (http://www.wdiv.com/) broadcast the show for suburbanites too weary or wise to put up with the nasty crowds and traffic downtown. Visitors to this site can see that show as a RealVideo stream, still pictures are also available. From what I looked at of the nearly hour-long feed, this year's show was incredible and the television coverage included shots from cameras in the US and Canada and from a helicopter. This vantage point was one I've always wanted to see. When fireworks are synchronized to music they rarely ever look like they are, this one was different though. At just over 5 minutes into the program, it becomes quite clear that someone was paying attention and got it right. The sound and video quality of this stream isn't too bad considering the limitations of the RealPlayer, sometimes the unclear images work really well. Have a look at the still images first if you are unfamiliar with the Detroit/Windsor skyline. The only thing missing from this presentation are the "ooohs" and "aaahs" of the crowd.  (Back to top of page)


(990704) Dick Grogan's Unofficial American Flag Page
http://www.azstarnet.com/~rgrogan/flag.htm

Richard Grogan
Tucson, Arizona, USA

If you've ever had the pleasure of seeing the Star Spangled Banner, the flag which flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. the words to the US national anthem are that much more poignant. Sung to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven," attributed to Englishman John Stafford Smith, part of Francis Scott Key's poem "Defense of Fort McHenry" was eventually published by Benjamin Carr in Baltimore, Maryland and by titled "The Star-Spangled Banner". In 1931 an act of Congress made it the national anthem. Dick Grogan's Unofficial American Flag Page has original content and lots of pointers to other US and US flag related sites. Many people including Richard Grogan feel that "America the Beautiful" by Katharine Lee Bates should become the US national anthem. Included here for your pleasure are both poems. Have a safe holiday!

Defense of Fort McHenry
by Francis Scott Key

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

America the Beautiful
by Katharine Lee Bates

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stem impassioned - stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!
O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America ! America !
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!
O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life !
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

 (Back to top of page)


(990705) American Small Town Directory
http://www.peakware.com/smalltown/

American Small Town Network
Peakware
Lawrence, Kansas, USA

The American Small Town Directory is a collection of pointers to towns with populations of no more than 10,000 people. Ripe with civic pride, these sites have different degrees of content but present a unique look at the communities and citizens of places like Fairhope, Alabama (http://www.cofairhope.com/) and Thermopolis, Wyoming (http://www.thermopolis.com/). Have a look at the Peakware World Mountain Encyclopedia (http://www.peakware.com) while you're here for a great collection of photographs, maps, summit logs and pointers to gear vendors.  (Back to top of page)


(990706) Canada 1, You HAVE to see this.
http://welcome.to/Canada1
(not always reliable)

Donald, Chris and Frank
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Imagine the fun three Canadians guys can have with a loud car stereo, a 1972 Chevy Nova all painted up like the Canadian flag, and no parental guidance. At the end of a list of reasons why they did this, Frank says, "Lastly we did this because we are just so friggin' proud to be Canadian!" They sure do seem to be. This might also explain the decision to take lead out of house paint.  (Back to top of page)


(990707) The Big List of Movie Mistakes (and trivia)
http://www.movie-mistakes.co.uk/

Jonathan Sandys
Southampton, England

The Big List of Movie Mistakes (and trivia) is closing in on 3 years up and running, and in that time Jonathan Sandys has collected 2,200 errors in 680 films. Continuity problems mostly, the sort that test certain movie-goers suspension of disbelief skills to their limits. One mistake I've been known to walk out of a movie on is when the wrong money is used, it stands out like a sore thumb because United States dimes, quarter dollar and half dollar coins were made of mostly silver until 1965 when copper was added. That special silver "clink" lends so much to a period scene that I'll often ignore other problems because of the accuracy. A typical entry at The Big List of Movie Mistakes (and trivia) is included below, this one is from The Titanic with comments from Jonathan Sandys:

In the scene when Jack is to draw Rose's picture she hands him a dime stating "As a paying customer..." The dime is not a liberty head but a current dime. [Rose hands Jack a Roosevelt dime to pay for his drawing of her (obviously from the '70s). The correct dime would have been the Barber series, two dime patterns back.]

Most errors are not really that big a deal, after all it's just the movies. But you'd think that with the time and effort put into making motion pictures, some of these little things would be caught immediately. A fun site that will have you working the pause and rewind buttons right off of your VCR remote the next time you look at a movie on tape.  (Back to top of page)


(990708) Joey Green's Wacky Uses
http://www.wackyuses.com/

Joey Green
West Hills, California, USA

While working as an advertising copywriter for the advertising agency J. Walter Thompson (http://www.jwt.com/) Joey Green was included in a session to come up with unusual uses for a client's product. From that meeting, the group was able to cook up uses for instant iced tea mix and create an unsold campaign which ultimately led to Green publishing a series of books on the subject of such odd uses for regular grocery products. Many of these tips are logical extensions of the products and their intended uses, cashing in on the science and powers of specific ingredients. An interesting site and an interesting subject. Thanks to Cara Marie Filipeli for the suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(990709) The Bub and Bob Page
The first and largest Bubble Bobble Web site
http://www.bubandbob.com/

Carl Chavez
Seattle, Washington, USA

The Bub and Bob Page is dedicated to a video game. Actually, a series of games which started in 1986 when the Taito Corporation (http://www.taito.co.jp) released Bubble Bobble. Ultimately this arcade game has been released in versions for Apple II, Amiga, C=64, MSX, NES, SMS, MS-DOS, Atari XL/XE/ST, Playstation, Saturn, and Spectrum. Quite a few titles in the series followed, and as recently as December of 1998 new arcade and home versions have been released in the US. What made Bubble Bobble so special? The original version was a two player cooperative game whereby two bubble blowing dinosaurs encapsulated villains and bad ghosty things in those same bubbles. Points were scored and levels were cleared and passed by popping the captured bad guys. Keeping both players alive was crucial in getting to the end of a game. The Bub and Bob Page celebrates the spirit and innovation of the game, covering all games in the series with a few surprises along the way. Pointers to other sites like Victor Epitropou's The Unofficial Chack'n Pop Page (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/pixel/34/chackn.html), which looks at an even more obscure Taito game which shows the developmental origins of Bubble Bobble help to round this site out. Let's get blowin'!  (Back to top of page)


(990710) The DHS Trombones
The official site of the Daphne High School Trombone section..as if there was an unofficial site.
http://jay.simplenet.com/band/bones.htm

Jay Williams
Daphne, Alabama, USA

rather than repeat
episodes both short and sweet
review in haiku

high school trombonists
version of White Rabbit cool
simple site that rocks

 (Back to top of page)


(990711) Femmystery Mailing List
http://ohww.norman.ok.us/maren/femmystery

Maren Braver
Norman, Oklahoma, USA

a discussion list
women on both sides of pen
for fans of genre

 (Back to top of page)


(990712) Acronym Finder
http://www.acronymfinder.com/

Mountain Data Systems
Estes Park, Colorado, USA

help with acronyms
(almost 98,000)
finds them pdq

.  (Back to top of page)


(990713) Puzzlemaker
http://www.puzzlemaker.com

Network Solution Developers, Inc.
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Puzzlemaker is a wonderful utility for creating mazes, word, and number puzzles for newsletters and other printed pieces. Highly configurable, Puzzlemaker creates a Portable Network Graphic (PNG) file of the finished puzzle. Users of older browsers may have to update in order to see the images, there are instruction at the Puzzlemaker site if you need help. Have a look at the Mazed Things™ by Isaac M. Thayer while visiting Puzzlemaker, these hand drawn mazes are well done and have all sorts of themes. These unique mazes and puzzles are bound to add that certain something missing in the use of clip-art for filler material. A handy and useful site.  (Back to top of page)


Apollo 11 30th Anniversary logo

(990714) NASA Apollo 11 30th Anniversary
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/ap11ann/

Curator: Steve Garber at the NASA History Office
Design: Chris Pysz at NASA Headquarters Printing and Design Branch
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

For many of us, the first man on the moon was a big deal. The week leading up to that moment stays with me to this day. My maternal grandparents came to stay with us for a week. My youngest brother was born in June and this was the first time they had seen him. The memory of them getting out of their car and greeting each of us, one at a time, is as big as yesterday. The attention the baby received was something else, but there was certainly enough to go around. A day later, we were whisked away to the movies and then to a K-mart store where were told we could have anything we wanted. Also still with me is the look of understanding and amazement on my grandfather's face when I told him that a Pez dispenser was really all I needed, and that it was something my mom and dad would never get for me. The extra Pez candy was deemed a happy compromise by both of us and it made mom a little nuts to boot. I don't remember a whole lot else from that summer, except for this particular week. The one thing that stands out above all others was on the 20th, sitting on my grandfather's lap, everyone else was in the room and there was absolutely no fussing over the new baby. The point in time when it all started to make sense was when I asked my grandfather why he was crying. In retrospect, I fully understand why he had tears in his eyes. Papa Joe was born in 1901 and had seen the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk and eventually watched almost a dozen space shuttle launches before he died. His words that day will forever be coupled with the images, "Eddie, watch the TV. It's something you will remember for the rest of your life". Papa Joe probably understood better than anyone what that giant leap was all about.  (Back to top of page)


(990715) CIDCO MailStation
http://www.cidco.com/mailstation/index.html

CIDCO Inc.
Morgan Hill, California, USA

CIDCO manufactures telephones and Caller ID boxes, and has released a clever little device for not much more than sending and receiving e-mail messages. Ideal for travelers and individuals not comfortable with larger computers. Weighing in at just over 2 pounds, the CIDCO MailStation sports a full size keyboard and a 6 by 2.5 inch LCD screen. The retail price is US $99.95 when purchased with a US $99.95 subscription to the e-mail service, other pricing options are also available. Included are up to 5 addresses and local access dial-up in 48 US states. The company also provides a web-based method for checking mail and receiving file attachments. Perfect for ultra-portable messaging, the CIDCO MailStation was little more than science fiction 10 years ago. The Holidays are only 5 months away and this would be so cool to give or to get. Thanks to Soopafresh for the tip.  (Back to top of page)


(990716) KremlinKam
http://www.kremlinkam.com/
http://www.kremlinkam.ru/ (Russian Language version)

Mosenergo and Multi-Page
designed by Quarta Technologies
Moscow, Russia

This camera sits accross the Moscow River from the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral, providing a beautiful view of both around the clock. The site holds a few extra surprises, including the welcome message from Oksana, the KremlinKam's Hostess. In part it reads "We never stop our work on improving the site. New ideas constantly came into brain of KremlinKam team and we even fulfill some of them. You may notice new design of our web site. Hope you like new KremlinKam face not less than the old one". Short of visiting Moscow, the KremlinKam provides a better sense of place than any other image most of us have ever seen of these landmarks.  (Back to top of page)


(990717) Globefish
http://www.globefish.com/
http://www.globefish.org/

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Fishery Industries Division
Rome, Italy

A division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (http://www.fao.org/) (http://www.fao.org/focus/e/fisheries/intro.htm), Globefish is an 18 year-old network of regional marketing and training services. Promoting trade and quality in Eastern European countries, Asia and Pacific, Africa, Latin America and Caribbean, Arab countries and China, the organization works with governments and the people in the industry. This site provides a global view of fishing and the impact on developing economies and the environment. A 1996 estimate has 30 million men and women making a living from fisheries, 95 percent of them in developing countries. On the surface, conservation is about keeping Flipper out of tuna nets, but the issues run deeper than that. See what the industry is doing to preserve the resources while keeping a viable source of income and nutrition available to the people of the world.  (Back to top of page)


(990718) Net Vampire
http://www.netvampire.com/
http://kulichki.rambler.ru/~vampire/Rus.htm (Russian Language version)

Alex Shovkoplyas
Afreet Software Inc.
Aurora, Ontario, Canada

Net Vampire is the perfect tool for managing those large downloads which always seem to time out or go bad halfway through. You can easily set it up to connect and look for the best source for large file transfers. Net Vampire will reestablish lost connections and even let you know when the task(s) are completed. Only available right now for Windows 95, 98 and NT4, the feature packed utility comes with both an English and Russian language interface but other languages can also be added.

Net Vampire is free but is not freeware, you will see advertisements which support the project. Remove the banners with a very reasonable registration fee. Download Net Vampire, read the manual or Quick Start guide, wind it up and turn it loose. After a few nights of unattended operation that new hard drive will start to look like a good idea. Thanks to Soopafresh for the suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(990719) Metaspy
http://www.metaspy.com/

go2net, Inc.
Seattle, Washington, USA

Similar in style to the special section of the Magellan Internet Guide called Voyeur (http://voyeur.mckinley.com/cgi-bin/voyeur.cgi) (SdJotD 980725), Metaspy allows visitors to look at searches being performed by users on MetaCrawler (http://www.go2net.com/search.html). The biggest difference between the two is that Metaspy allows you to view filtered results. Instead of seeing uncensored search topics without choice, Metaspy presents the option. The filtered version still lets an adult theme through every so often, but only a fraction of what you will see at Voyeur. Perfect for those times when you don't know what you want to look at and want more than just a random site.  (Back to top of page)


(990720) Inconstant Moon: multimedia tours of the lunar surface
http://www.inconstantmoon.com/

Kevin Clarke
Solihull, England

Originally Site du Jour of the Day (980630)
June 30, 1998

(Note: To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing* I looked for sites about the Moon. None compare to Kevin Clarke's Inconstant Moon. The odds of any of us actually going to the Moon remain slim for now, so here's our best shot. Much has been added to this fantastic site since it was Site du Jour of the Day just over a year ago.)

Kevin Clarke's Inconstant Moon offers up a nightly tour of the surface features visible on the Moon. Once outside, a decent pair of binoculars or a telescope will help you see the landmarks referenced. Every day of a given month is listed, and all twelve months are available. This is a useful tool in that it uses detailed photographs of what you can expect to see on or around a specific date. Of course the view isn't the same everywhere on Earth, tips explain how to make the best of Inconstant Moon and your viewing position. If you grow weary of just looking at the Moon, see The Celestial Times (http://www.minervatech.u-net.com/celestial/index.htm). These pages also maintained by Kevin Clarke take on the entire Solar System and in turn are a portion of Minerva (http://www.minervatech.u-net.com/), A Tour of the Arts and the Sciences. All come highly recommended.

*See the NASA Apollo 11 30th Anniversary (SdJotD 990714) site (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/ap11ann/).  (Back to top of page)


(990721) Contact Light
a personal retrospective of Project Apollo
http://www.retroweb.com/apollo.html

Kipp Teague
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA

Today I received a nice note from Kevin Clarke, Webmaster of Inconstant Moon: multimedia tours of the lunar surface (http://www.inconstantmoon.com/) (SdJotD 980630 and 990721). Kevin recommended Contact Light as a site of interest regarding the Apollo Program. Contact Light is an extremely comprehensive collection of images, pointers and sound recordings from the Apollo era. Kipp Teague is not a NASA employee or contractor, but instead a man who had an incredible interest in the Apollo missions while growing up in the 1960s, an interest which continues to this day. His collection has many rare images, and the accounts of where he was during key moments and events make for a wonderful story. Imagine celebrating your 13th birthday an hour after the Eagle had landed, or seeing the launch of Apollo 15 at Cape Kennedy while on vacation, then later spending the entire day watching the Lunar Rover tooling around on the moon through the wonders of television while the rest of the family enjoyed the Gulf of Mexico and the beaches of Sanibel Island (right here in Lee County). He didn't miss much that day in 1971, the beaches are basically still the same as they were then and he can always come back — I'd say he got the better deal. Even if the hype surrounding the anniversary was enough for you, check this site out. Not all of it managed to get through. The loss of John John this weekend was a big enough distraction that most media outlets forgot about it for the sake of ratings. Contact Light will more than make up for what you missed.  (Back to top of page)


(990722) Johnson Smith Company
Things You Never Knew Existed

http://www.johnsonsmith.com/

Johnson Smith Company
Bradenton, Florida, USA

Long before there was Spencer Gifts (http://www.spencergifts.com/) or Archie McPhee, Outfitters of Popular Culture (http://www.mcphee.com/) (SdJotD 971112), the Johnson Smith Company was in business selling novelties by mail. After starting in Australia in 1905, Alfred Johnson Smith moved to Chicago in 1914 and established an empire. In 1926 he took the business to Racine, Wisconsin and then in the mid-1930s to Detroit, Michigan. In 1986 the whole shooting match was moved to Bradenton, Florida and now they have this retail site. With a long history of selling "Things You Never Knew Existed," Johnson Smith have been responsible for more than a few kids getting grounded after spending an entire summer's worth of savings on mail-order practical jokes and pranks. Their advertisements and catalogs are probably the first place many of us laid eyes on fake vomit and rubber dog poop. See SUPER MARKETING: Ads from the comic books (http://www.steveconley.com/comicads.htm) (SdJotD 970523) to jog your memory and then look at the Johnson Smith site. Most of the classic items are gone, but there are still a few for sale. Get any one of their three catalogs just for asking and don't forget to figure in the postage and handling.  (Back to top of page)


(990723) Microsoft Download Center
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/

Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington, USA

Full of trial versions and patches, Microsoft Download Center offers something for everyone. Programs for creating Windows Help files, playable demo versions of games and program updates are just a few of the free downloads you will find here. Not just limited to Windows programs, there is a wide selection to choose from for folks using different operating systems. That the pages are available in languages other than English is a nice touch, but what else would you expect from a company with plans to take over the world. If you use any products published by Microsoft have a look, you're bound to find something new and improved here.  (Back to top of page)


(990724) Aish HaTorah's Tunnel Tour
http://www.aish.edu/tours/tunnel/index.htm

Aish HaTorah College of Jewish Studies
Old City, Jerusalem, Israel

This guided tour of the archeological site known as the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is a well designed look at an area rich in history. RealAudio narration, photographs and maps, along with an annotated time line help to share an ancient part of Western history with the world. Regardless of your religious beliefs, this site offers a fascinating look back in time at an area held sacred to many peoples. Thanks to Miriam Parker (http://www.columbia.edu/~mrp29) at Columbia University in New York City for the site suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(990725) Irish Abroad - Irish News Headlines
http://www.irishabroad.com/Abroad/News.htm

Turus, Inc.
San Francisco, California, USA

A part of the Irish Abroad (http://www.irishabroad.com/) site, these headlines offer a look at the top news stories from Ireland during the week. Pointers to more detailed accounts would be a nice addition here, but for most visitors this should be plenty. A story at the site got me thinking…

There once was a university at Limerick
Every so often a diver would hit brick
So badly they wanted a new pool
That when they got it, they filled it with drool
Now nobody wants to swim in ick

Here's the type of material you can expect to see:

50 Metre Pool For Ireland
Ireland will get its first 50 metre pool by the end of next year. It will be constructed close to the National Coaching and Training Centre (NCTC) on the University of Limerick campus.  (Back to top of page)


(990726) Dayson Boats!
We're building a 14' Flat Skiff on the web - live!
https://members.tripod.com/~ChrisDay/

Christopher Day
Gainesville, Georgia, USA

With a live camera capturing the action every twenty seconds, Christopher Day is building a small boat. The project started in planning stages on July 16th and the real fun began on the 23rd. Watch as the project comes together. I had the pleasure of talking with Chris about the site and project while preparing this episode, here is part of our conversation:

SdJotD: Do you build many boats or is this your first?
Chris Day: This is my first project, but I plan to build several.

SdJotD: Gainesville is in the center of the state isn't it? Where will you use this boat when it's completed?
Chris Day: Gainesville is about 25 miles north of Atlanta. It's on the northern shore of Lake Sidney Lanier.

SdJotD: The live camera is an interesting idea, will you be working on the boat every day?
Chris Day: I plan to work on it quite a bit during the week, but most of my work will be on the weekends. I have a full-time job and I'm a full-time student. I'll have to juggle my schedule a lot. The camera runs 24 hours though.

SdJotD: Will the boat be in the camera all of the time, or will visitors see other things?
Chris Day: The camera follows me, so if I'm working on the boat, that's what visitors will see. If I'm sleeping, they'll see that too. All views are family-friendly and suitable for all viewers.

SdJotD: How many people are helping you with this project?
Chris Day: I will do all the work myself, but I am consulting the designers through e-mail when I need to.

SdJotD: You may want to look at Bruce Hallman's Building a Tack and Tape Rowboat (http://www.hallman.org/roar/) (SdJotD 980106).
Chris Day: Nice page...I'm also a member of the Boatbuilding webring (http://www.islandesign.com/boatbuilding/). The tack and tape method he refers to is similar to the stitch and glue method I will be using.

SdJotD: What will you be stitching with?
Chris Day: I will either use thin copper wire or plastic tie wraps...I haven't decided yet.

SdJotD: Any estimates on how long the project will run?
Chris Day: I'm not sure...I'd like to float it before the end of the Summer...If I worked for 2 solid weeks, I believe I could finish it.

SdJotD: Any plans to build more after the first, or will the camera and site be used for other things when this boat is done?
Chris Day: I hope to keep building boats...I'm using the skiff as a learning tool...after that I hope to build something bigger...

It sure sounds like Chris has a plan. Stop by and have a look when you can.  (Back to top of page)


(990727) Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Baby Program
http://www.ringling.com/onstage/babies/babies.htm

Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Vienna, Virginia, USA

As frightening as it may sound, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has a Baby Program. They are not selling babies or putting them in a ring to duke it out, but are giving away a free ticket to The Greatest Show On Earth to every child born in the US this year. The voucher can be redeemed at any time during the child's lifetime making this coupon one of the longest running freebies in history. If memory serves, they have been doing this for some time now in an effort to draw families back to the circus. This page is just a small part of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Online (http://www.ringling.com/), which lists tour dates and has a new souvenir stand and lists the stars of 128th and 129th Editions of show. Circuses have been under attack by animal rights activists for the past two decades, but Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey has been contributing to conservation funds and programs like the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation (http://www.elephantcenter.com/). While you are at the site, don't forget to fill out the survey for a chance to win one of five mousepads given away every week. The last time I saw the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus it was with my buddy Soopafresh and a couple of other people. We were all highly amused by the visibly irritated midgets and clowns — you'd think that they would appreciate fans in the stands. The Chinese Acrobats however did find it funny when we all "hupped" right before they did, throwing off their count and concentration. The Circus is for children of all ages, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is making sure of that from birth. An important part of American Popular Culture that should not be missed. Thanks for the site suggestion to TheREALJoeyP, who up until this point in time never knew that he was part of a much earlier (albeit short-lived) baby giveaway at the circus.  (Back to top of page)


(990728) CarPrices.com
http://www.carprices.com/

AutoFusion Inc.
San Diego, California, USA

With the 2000 models already rolling into showrooms around the world automobile dealers are taking advantage of the hype surrounding the fake millennium year. Between leasing options and rebate/incentive programs, it is getting more and more difficult to find an honest price on a car and a fair deal on your trade-in. CarPrices.com can help with both. No matter which market you are in, new or previously owned, this single source will put you well on your way to a new ride. Propaganda and reviews of new vehicles as well as information about used cars including a section called the Free Carfax Lemon Check (http://www.carprices.com/vendor/carfax.html) for discovering the possibility of a hidden history on a particular automobile. You can also share your experiences with others and browse classified advertisements for previously loved vehicles. Happy motoring.  (Back to top of page)


(990729) Lunar Impact.com
Science news and images from Lunar Prospector's crash into the Moon
http://www.lunarimpact.com/

Bishop Web Works
Bishop, California, USA

For over 25 years, NASA stayed away from Moon missions. Projects like the Space Shuttle, etc. were the focus of the agency. On January 6, 1998 Lunar Prospector (http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/) was launched and during the past year and a half the craft has returned data indicating that the polar regions of the Moon may contain water ice. Speculation and theory say that this water could one day support human colonies but the presence of water remains unproven. An experiment marking the end of the mission could end the controversy once and for all — Lunar Prospector will intentionally be crashed into a crater at the south pole of the Moon! The idea is that if ice crystals are trapped in the Lunar soil, up to 40 pounds of water vapor could be released as a result of the impact and some of it could be visible from Earth based observation stations. July 31st is the big day and this site has all sorts of information, photographs and pointers about the event. The Moon has been the highlight of the month of July, and this crash will make for a spectacular ending for both the month and this particular mission.  (Back to top of page)


(990730) The MIT List of Radio Stations on the Internet
http://wmbr.mit.edu/stations/

Theodric Young
WMBR-FM
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

The MIT List of Radio Stations on the Internet has pointers to sites for over 8000 broadcast radio outlets around the world. With the nature of commercial radio being what it is, don't be too surprised if all of a sudden some of these pointers go out of service. A big list to be sure.  (Back to top of page)


(990731) Potatoland
http://www.potatoland.org

Mark Napier
New York, New York, USA

Potatoland is a fun collection of utilities which turn your browser into live art. The Shredder is a good place to start here, enter a URL and watch as all of the carefully coded design work goes out the window. With the right sites, the effect is very nice. RIOT adds a different spin to The Shredder in that it combines three URLs, and visitors from different parts of the world can participate at the same time. No filters are used, so may see things you might not ordinarily look at which adds to the experience. Potatoland has a lot of other features and these two seem to be the most entertaining right off the bat. With enough to explore and discover, Potatoland is well worth a look. Thanks to John Dixon for suggesting The Shredder.  (Back to top of page)


 

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Updated July 31, 1999

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