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It’s hard to believe we only have one month left and then it will be 2004!

Wasn’t sure what I was going to write about this month, until my youngest son was sent to Baghdad. He started sending email and digital pictures as soon as he could get to a computer.

43 years ago I joined the Air Force.  My first duty assignment was on the island of Formosa (Taiwan.)  I spent 14 months on the island before returning stateside.

In those days we received a whopping $60 a month, which increased to $80 per month before I left the island.  It cost 2000 NT ($25.00) to make a 5 minute telephone call to the states.  I could make the call from the mountain where I was assigned, but I had to take a bus to Taipei in order to pay for the call.

We had no Internet, no email.  Letters took over a week.  It was a different world then.

My job was to  keep long haul encrypted message circuits running so we could send reports and classified information back to the states for analysis and processing.

I remember a young airman (we were all young then) asking me if I could help him.  He was a new father and had just found out by letter about the happy event.  He wanted to know if I could obtain any current information for him about his new baby.

I pulled a high priority encrypted teletype circuit going to Okinawa and told the controller on duty what I needed. He pulled a circuit to Japan and I explained what I needed to the new controller.  Japan patched me through to Kelly Air Force Base in Texas.  The controller on duty said to give him a few minutes and he’d see what he could do.

A few minutes later my teletype started and printed a message saying we had a connection (via several teletype and voice circuits) to the base in Montana where his wife was living.  The base operator was getting her on the telephone.

For about ten minutes we relayed their information back and forth and got the new father up-to-date on what was happening to his little family back stateside.  He thanked everyone, we pulled the patches and figured that was the end of that.

It wasn’t … About two weeks later he told me the following.  Every relay point that participated in the conversation he had with his wife took up a collection and sent money, flowers and presents to his wife  He had tears in his eyes when he told me about how surprised and happy his wife was. I can still feel the emotion we both experienced that day.

So, what does the above have to do with today? We have instantaneous communications virtually everywhere via the Internet and email.  Airman, Sailors, Marines and our reservists who may or may not have been ready to deploy still need to know that we are pulling for them.

It is very lonely when mail call comes and you are the only one without mail.  Even with the Internet, a letter from a loved one or friend can make a bleak day  very bright.

If you know anyone in the military serving overseas or stateside, please send them a card, a letter, or if you’ve forgotten how to write a letter, at least send an email.  It will mean the world to them and brighten their day. 

No matter how you feel about “the war”,  please show support for our troops that are in harms way.

You can also contact Adopt A Soldier at:  operationac.com if you’d like to do more than just send an email, card or letter.

Now for this months web sites:

This site provides online safety tips and links to resources on Microsoft and the Internet.  They also have a 15 minute Stay Safe OnLine program aimed at teaching kids how to stay safe on the Internet.


http://www.msn.staysafeonline.com/

This site lets you create a personalized map which tells the story of a special event such as a remembering a summer trip or celebrating important events in a retirees life.

http://printyou.com/

Butterfly Alphabet is a site that you must see to believe.  According to the site’s main page, “It took the Smithsonian author, naturalist and photographer, Kjell  B. Sandved  (retired), 24 years to find all the letters.  The letters of the alphabet being close-up photographs of butterfly wings.

http://www.butterflyalphabet.com/

According to their website, the owners of this company were unhappy corporate types.   They decided to do something different.  If you’re looking for handcrafted, one-of-kind wire charms, bookmarks, key chains and fan pulls, check out their site.

http://www.stemwear.com/index.html

If you’re over 50, and a lot of us are, here are two websites hat may be of interest and value to you.  First is from the AARP listing their picks for the best web sites for those of us over 50.

www.aarp.org/internetresources

The second is Wired Seniors.  A portal site dedicated to the needs and interests of seniors.

http://wiredseniors.com/

Do you like blueberries?  Here’s a site devoted to the subject.  Also have some nice recipes too.

http://www.realblueberries.com

It’s the middle of the night and one of the little ones is sick.  Who do you call?  No, not Ghostbusters.  Hop on the Internet and check out this site. They have a wealth of information, which has all been approved by a board-certified pediatrician.  Worth a look before someone gets sick.

http://www.kidsdoctor.com

This site sounds like a modern version of one of the methods used in Cheaper by the Dozen.  It offers educational placemats which cover a variety of subjects.

http://www.painlesslearning.com/

Here’s a site that will take your special photo and create a pencil drawing for you.  Makes a very unique gift that will hang on the wall and be treasured.

http://portraitsbykim.tripod.com/

Do you like Post-It Notes?  Here's where you can design your own. Makes a nice, practical gift.

http://www3.designapad.com/

Here’s a site that specialized in creating personalized refrigerator magnets.

http://www.magnetqueen.com/

Birthday Chronicles
We’ve added an electronic version of our popular Birthday Chronicle to our web site.  Instead of mailing the Birthday Chronicle we send we create a PDF file and email it to you. Then you or the person receiving your gift can print it on his or own printer.

http://rwrinnovations.com/birthday_chronicle.htm

That’s it for December.  Try to slow down and remember what the holidays are really all about. Try to set a good example for your little ones and get them started on the right foot.

CU in 2004!

Ron Nixon
RWR Innovations
We Make Reading Fun Again!

Issue: 12/01/2003 ISSN #:  1543-9275

Note: The websites in this newsletter are listed because I find them interesting and have value to parents and children. They have not paid
money or given me anything to be mentioned.

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