This week we've had a tough time deciding if we should a) stay home and read Popular Science's Best of What's New, a look at the year's 100 greatest achievements in science and technology; or, b) go Christmas shopping at Macy's. Tough call, don't you think? Always looking for the compromise, we've opted for now with option c) welcome you to Picks. You know the rest.
The folks at Houghton Mifflin Interactive are sponsoring for the second year in a row the Polar Express Share the Spirit Campaign. This holiday season charity requires participation on your part in the form of an email. Simple as that. What happens is, "for every 25 messages received, HMI will donate a copy of The Polar Express or another children's book to a children's hospital." The goal this year is to receive 50,000 messages and thereby give away 2,000 books. So, visit the site and send a message full of holiday cheer. That's all it takes. Cool. (Note: Thanks to all who made this campaign a success. As of 12/10/96 HMI reached its goal of 50,000 messages and does not need any more. So, feel free to visit the site, just don't email 'em.)
That's all well and good, but it doesn't tell us what WE'RE getting this year for Christmas - and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and any other related holidays we might have missed. (We're flexible, see.) So, in order to get everything our hearts desire, we're visiting Santa's List, the "place to tell Santa what you really want." Santa's List is exactly what it sounds like: a sort of bridal registry for the North Pole, if you will. Create your own wishlist by choosing items from a huuuuge list of... of... STUFF. Once you've made your choices enter the email addresses of three people you'd like to receive this list and the rest, as they say, is history.
Someone say history? How convenient. As it happens, the Kansas State Historical Society is having an Historical Newspaper Auction, consisting of "bound newspaper runs ranging from 1796 to 1994, representing 22 states and over 180 different titles." The lots vary from one to over 200 volumes and cover several wars: 1812, Civil War, Spanish American and on up. You'll also find coverage of Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Bonnie & Clyde and oh so much more. What makes this auction different? You can do your bidding online. If you want your own little chunk of American history, please pre-register by January 14, 1997. The auction ends January, 17, 1997. And who said old news didn't pay?
From old news to plain old strange news. It's a bad segue, but a segue nonetheless. Ah yes, we're talking about all those "strange tales of the day" that "even hard-nosed reporters and editors find outlandish" - stories with headlines such as Hummingbird Nests In Schoolboy's Hair, Won't Budge, or Cleanup Day Yields Corpse Buried in Garage, or even Chinese Dentist Builds Tower of 28,000 Human Teeth. You know, the kind of stories one might find, say, in the San Francisco Examiner's Bondage Files. (Be warned, some of these true tales are not for the squeamishly inclined.)
What? Not interested in strange news of the day? You'd rather peruse the Weekly Freebie Compilation, a "guide dedicated to presenting to you the newest and coolest freebies on the 'Net?" Fine. Go ahead. The best things in life are free. Apparently.
Finally, a few words about Karen Thorndike and Amelia. Karen is a veteran sailor with over twenty years of experience. Amelia is her yacht. Together, they're sailing 30,000 miles around the world. Started in July, their trip could take anywhere from a year to a year and a half. Follow their progress at this interesting and friendly site, which includes updated reports as they come in, maps and stats showing K & A's current position, photos, FAQs and more. Karen and Amelia are on the fourth leg of their journey, heading from Tahiti towards the ever-lovely Cape Horn. We wish them well. The site is part of the very cool Global Online Adventure Learning (GOALS) project.
Hey, it's either that or peruse the gallery of rogues at Wells Fargo Wanted. See anyone you recognize? Take your pick(s).