The Smarmy Carny

One Economy Corporation's Digital Connectors program has young people helping their community through technology. Here are two brothers who worked in the program:

Jeremy and Justin Smith have enjoyed working with computers for years. Now the 16-year-old twins from south Chicago are learning enough to teach others – thanks to One Economy’s Digital Connectors program. In the fall of 2005, the engaging teenagers enrolled in the One Economy Digital Connectors course to prepare them for A+ certification in computer set-up and troubleshooting. Participants in the program received a small stipend and One Economy paid the fee for taking the A+ certification test.
Jeremy and Justin are already using their skills to help others – friends in the neighborhood, teachers at their school and even an occasional paying client who needs assistance with a computer problem.
“The Digital Connectors program is really great,” says Jeremy. “It gets kids involved with the community. I like giving back and this program gives me an opportunity to do that.”
Adds Justin: “It gives kids alternatives to just standing around on the street. It teaches them something that will be useful to their futures.” Despite a busy schedule that includes the computer training, coaching a little league team and participating in a robotics competition, the twins are already thinking about their future. Both are taking a course at a nearby college and they’re making plans for the computer business they hope to open someday. Also in the boys’ plans: a community center in Chicago to offer technology training to people in the area. “It’s something we really want to make happen,” says Jeremy.
One Economy’s work in Chicago has been generously supported by the Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

There are dozens of stories like this that come out of the Digital Connectors program. When you help kids to learn to help others, it's always a win-win situation.

The Crayola Factory in Easton, PA used to give out bracelets to visitors as they entered. To save money, they started giving out stickers instead, which makes sense.

What happened, however, is that one customer left the factory and realized they were wearing a sticker they no longer wanted or needed. So, instead of throwing it out, they decided to stick it on a nearby garbage can in front of neighboring stores. What one customer started, thousands of subsequent visitors followed up on. Today, stickers cover many of the garbage cans, parking meters, traffic signs, and even the columns in front of Easton's City Hall.

Who can blame a kid for wanting to save their sticker to add to the collection of hundreds, if not thousands, of stickers outside of the Crayola Factory? Once the large number of stickers are in place, putting a sticker up is not defacing property — it's adding to the community "art."

Some city leaders were bothered enough to tell Crayola to do something about the problem. Easton Councilman Carole Heffley complained about the stickers in a March city council meeting, and later that month, an Easton representative spoke with a Crayola representative about the problem. Crayola committed to placing large sticker boards near the exits so that visitors could have an acceptable place to put their stickers before they left.

Despite Crayola's attempts to help out, Easton council President Sandra Vulcano still wasn't happy. She wants Crayola employees to clear the stickers from the public areas and pay two employees to walk the surrounding area and police any children who might look like they are about to place a sticker on public property. As if these demands weren't enough, the city of Easton already has a 5% City of Easton Admissions Tax that is added to the cost to enter the Crayola Factory:

An admissions tax of 5% is due on a quarterly basis for all admissions collected in the City of Easton. In addition a $50 permit is required for year round establishments and a $25 permit for temporary venues. — Easton's official website

Perhaps the City of Easton should start ticketing small children and charging them $50 fines for placing these colorful stickers on already-covered garbage cans. Or maybe the center of town should include a large banner hanging from the Center Square Civil War Memorial that reads, "Visit the Crayola Factory, pay your 48 cent per person tax on admission there, and get the heck out of town." They'd rather have a sticker-free town than your business, apparently. Add Easton, PA to your list of towns not to move to.

Of course, I'm sure that Easton has normal people who don't mind the stickers and what they represent. Unfortunately, it's not their voices we're hearing.

More than meets the eye

At long last, the trailer for the live-action Transformers movie is available for viewing at Yahoo! Movies. The trailer is available in WMP and Quicktime formats, including high definition Quicktime formats.

This trailer gives us glimpses of a few transformers, including Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.

Die hard Transformers fans have already spoken up with the usual fan qualms, but the movie looks to be exciting and entertaining for fans, both old and new.

Cross the beams to toast this one

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day. All across the nation, Americans of all ages are toasting up these sweet treats. It's no coincidence that this holiday falls in late August, when starting up a campfire and enjoying a toasted marshmallow seems like the natural thing to do.

Rumor has it that most marshmallows consist of up to 80% air. With that much air, they must be low-calorie, so dig in!

No matter how you enjoy marshmallows, there are so many different ways to prepare them:

• Toasted on a stick over a campfire. (Classic.)
• Microwave. High. 3 seconds. Ding!
• Toasted over the kitchen range. (Ideal only for rainy days.)
• Toaster-mallows. (Please allow 14 days for cleanup.)
• . . . and many more creative methods!

Once you decide on a cooking method, there are still different ways to prepare the marshmallow:

• Rotisserie marshmallow: Lightly caramelized shell with a warm, gooey core.
• Kids' choice: Flaming ball of marshmallow death, resulting in a black, charred mass on a stick that burns your fingers as you attempt to pull it off.
• ADHD marshmallow: Well-toasted on one side, raw on the other.
• Impatient and hungry person's choice: Slightly warmed with no true toasting at all.
• Raw. (The abomination!)

How do you prefer to cook your marshmallows, and how well done do you cook them? Let your voice be heard!

Of course, you can always use your toasted marshmallow to make a S'more, but you should know that National S'mores Day was back on August 10. You must have at least one unadulterated toasted marshmallow today! If you run out of fire, feel free to play a game of Chubby Bunny with your friends.

For more weird and bizarre holidays, check out my Eccentric Holidays calendar at Google Calendar.

Just as I posted precisely at 09:00 EST on Saturday morning, I end the Blogathon by posting precisely at 09:00 EST on Sunday morning.

Total blog posts: 53. (This is an odd coincidence, considering this blog was originally named "53 Things To Do in Zero Gravity.")

But what has the Blogathon taught me?

1. You can make popsicles out of pickle juice.
2. People don't comment on your blog when you break your blog's commenting feature.
3. For some unknown reason, Grape Nuts continue to enjoy a mysterious level of popularity.
4. Children with terminal illnesses have a special, unique attitude toward life.
5. I am Superman.
6. Some celebrities and companies give a lot more of their time and money that we ever hear about.
7. People don't realize the value of Fruity Pebbles these days.
8. I love spending time with my family.
9. In the long haul, my eyes are my weakest link.
10. I am one of the first inhabited planets in the universe.
11. A half hour really isn't that long if you want to put together a valuable post, chat with people, and surf all the Blogathon blogs!
12. Scrabble is trying to tell us something.
13. I end up listening to the Reading Rainbow theme instead of actual music.
14. I get hungry when I forget to eat.
15. My wife likes to blog — she just doesn't know it yet.

Here's my status at the close of Blogathon:

Status: I'm finally tired. The last 1.5 hours did me in. My eyes are very tired. My back and neck are tired. It's time for rest.
Verified sponsorship total: 6 pledges for $117.00
Unverified sponsorship total: 7 pledges for $129.00

To those kind souls who sponsored my endeavor this year: My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you.

Blogathon is finished.

Fin

Q: Will you do Blogathon again next year?

A: At this very moment, I would have to say that I will not do Blogathon next year. If I were a single college guy, it'd be great and I'd love to do it every year. Physically, I am up for the task. Sure, my neck and back hurt from sitting in this chair for 23 hours so far, but I didn't start to get tired until about 22.5 hours in. I do this to myself all the time, and it's no big deal.

As things are, however, my time with my family is just too important. It pains me to be home all day and only able to spend 10 minutes playing outside with my son, having to pass on helping him ride his bike, and unable to pick up my toddler because I've got to get the next post finished in time. I was reading Hooked on Phonics with my son during the evening hours, and I had to stop to write up a quick post. By the time I returned, he had fallen asleep. It's just upsetting when that happens. Luckily, he woke up in the early morning and wanted to finish the book with me (and did).

So, it's not you — it's me. My family is important. You understand, don't you?

Still, one positive thing about not blogging next year is that I'd get to participate more with all the fun blogs out there — you guys are fun! I just wouldn't be hanging out all 24 hours.

Ryan meets Joe

4-year-old Ryan wished to meet Joe from Blue's Clues and have a Blue's Clues party. Donovan Patton ("Joe") was more than willing to help out the cause.

Ryan and his family got a limo ride to the Hilton Garden Inn, where 79 friends and family were waiting to celebrate Ryan's 5th birthday. During the party, Joe appeared to meet Ryan. They were both wearing identical orange shirts. The two spent some time together and had a great day.

Read more about Ryan's encounter with Joe at Make-A-Wish®'s website, wish.org.