Today's Google logo has paid 90th birthday tribute to artist Art Clokey and his creation, Gumby In this tribute page, you can see Clokey's first clay film, done on his parent's table tennis table. It does not star Gumby, but it is a fun, early animation in modeled clay.

Location of ALL Austin Moonlight Towers

Moonlight towers are one of the really fun things left from the end of the 19th century in Austin. There is a dark story behind their creation that you can read here. They have been decimated by construction permission, accidents and "accidents", as well as benign neglect. Expensive work was done not too long ago to refurbish them and prevent further failure for some time to come. I was trying to answer a question about an old photo tonight that showed a moonlight tower in the background. In my research, I found this map at the Austin History Center Web site. If you are interested in the topic, all current and past tower sites are marked on the map.

Comments welcomed.

Ideas for a "Homemade Christmas"

My friend, Gary, said:
Avoid the "Great Gift Card Exchange" AKA "Money Swap"..... here's a starting place.... http://www.instructables.com/community/Letter-from-the-Editor-Homemade-for-the-Holidays/
To which I added:
Here are more thoughts for the homemade gift group:
Hand scrub with lemon
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/05/mothers_day_homemade_hand_scru.html
Homemade gift contest winners
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2007/01/homemade_gift_contest_win.html
More gifts to make
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/11/instructables_diy_gift_id.html
Gift cards you can make
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/holiday_projects/?p=2
Gifts for "foodies" on your list
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/11/gifts_for_foodies.html
If you have a youngster, this might be interesting:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Kinetic-Marble-Track-Around-The-Top-Of-A-Room/

Whatever you have in mind beyond these ideas, you are welcome to make a comment here.

The Game Isn't Over

The road never ends and there's one more ball in the game! You can keep telling yourself both these stories, but neither one is true. But, as of today, there is just ONE manufacturer left making pinball machines. Maybe that doesn't affect you, but to some, it is time to run out in the street, placard in hand, proclaiming, "The End is Near!"

This article tells of that last pinball maker from the NY Times reporter's point of view. By the end of the article, you still aren't sure if the reporter "gets" the game or not.

Oh, for the days of three games of five balls each for a quarter! When all the bumpers and flippers on every machine worked because there was someone around who knew how to fix and tweak the machines if they stumbled. When the store owners didn't hike up the screws in the back of the machine until the ball makes a bee line for the exit chute. When a friend and I played all afternoon on a quarter. Or when we each took a flipper and knew the game and each other's minds so well that we won games playing only one flipper apiece.

But, there ARE determined individuals out there who, working with similarly motivated friends, keep the torch lit and the ball rolling.

Comments?