HISTORY OF  FATHER'S DAY
Mrs.  John B.  Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909.  Mrs.  Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart.  William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs.  Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child.  Mr.  Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state.  It was after Mrs.  Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.  The first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington.  At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a "father's day." In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day.  Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.
Father's Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure.  Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all be honored on Father's Day. 

And a female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that?  If you’re going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high?  He won’t be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping."

And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?"

And when God made a father’s hands, they were large and sinewy.

And the angel shook her head sadly and said, "Do You know what You’re doing?  Large hands are clumsy.  They can’t manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats."

God smiled and said, "I know, but they’re large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day…yet small enough to cup a child’s face."

Then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders.

The angel nearly had a heart attack.  "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked.  "Do You realize You just made a father without a lap?  How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?"

God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap.  A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."

God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. 

"That’s not fair.  Do You honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries?  Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?"

And God smiled and said, "They’ll work.  You’ll see.  They’ll support a small child who wants to "ride a horse to Banbury Cross" or scare off mice at the summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."

God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that see everything, but remain calm and tolerant.

Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears.  Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?"

And the angel shutteth up!

The declination of the Sun on the Summer Solstice is known as the tropic of cancer (23° 27').  In the southern hemisphere, winter and summer solstices are exchanged so that the Summer Solstice is the day on which the Sun is farthest south.

A common misconception is that the earth is further from the sun in winter than in summer. Actually, the Earth is closest to the sun in December which is winter in the Northern hemisphere.

As the Earth travels around the Sun in its orbit, the north-south position of the Sun changes over the course of the year due to the changing orientation of the Earth's tilted rotation axes. The dates of maximum tilt of the Earth's equator correspond to the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice, and the dates of zero tilt to the Vernal Equinox and Autumnal Equinox.

The reason for these changes has to do with the Earth's yearly trip around the sun. For part of the year the Earth's North Pole points away from the sun and part of the time toward it. This is what causes our seasons. When the North Pole points toward the sun, the sun's rays hit the northern half of the world more directly. That means it is warmer and we have summer.

The day of the summer solstice is the longest day of the year. The length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is a maximum for the year. In the United States, there are about 14½ hours of daylight on this day.

06/06/07
... discussed the latest FBI catch, Robert Alan Soloway.     http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18955115/from/ET/

... reviewed a worldstart presentation of the newly remake for "Jeeves" then "Ask" and now "Ask 3D."  Read the review on the tech page.  

... heard Sue Foust discuss the latest KCnet efforts hypernet (see NEWS AND NOTES WITH SUE FOUST: - just below on this page).  Then the class got her going on the KCnet Web Mail.  That was a good session.

06/13/07
... reviewed the latest Microsoft Patch Releases.  It was Patch Tuesday this past week.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-jun.mspx

... reviewed an article about Yahoo, their  IM and cam software patch.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6189627.html?tag=nl.rSINGLE

... reviewed an article which revealed the money that Search Engines pay to Browsers.  This was an eye opener.  
How much is that Safari search box worth?  http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=5356&tag=nl.rSINGLE
They are talking big bucks.  No wonder there are Browser Wars.

...  viewed videos about the latest Microsoft Project called "Milan."  This is awesome Technology.  You need a High Speed connection.
http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=933742930
http://reviews.cnet.com/Microsoft_s_Surface_computing/4660-10621_7-6737942.html?tag=nl.e729

We did some other interesting stuff too, but you had to be there...
 

This class often becomes idea swapping and we learn by sharing our many experiences and I'll tell you all again, that really happened this week.
Thanks to all that brought in suggestions, asked questions, and helped with explanations.

This next feature is not a contest; it is just something to do for fun.
When you travel, take a KCnet hat with you and have someone take a picture of you.  Make sure there is something in the picture with you that identifies the location.

The first one we’re going to publish is one of James F. Shell.  Jimmy has a domain, hosted by KCnet: http://www.jimmysvoyageurs.com.  He is originally from Milton, Pennsylvania.  He served in the US Air Force, married a French girl Nicole, and settled in Checy, France.

Recently, his niece from Philipsburg, PA, visited him.  Jim and his niece Becky Ritter, who has a master’s degree as a teacher of Sign Lanquage, toured Chateau de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France..

Their picture:

This is what Wikipedia.org has about Chateau de Chambord.  Jim says there are 365 chimneys on it!

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture that blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Italian structures.

It is the largest castle in the Loire Valley, but was built to serve only as a hunting lodge for King François I, who maintained his royal residences at Château de Blois and at Château d'Amboise.  The original design of the Château de Chambord is attributed, though with several doubts, to Domenico da Cortona, whose wooden model for the design survived long enough to be drawn by André Félibien in the seventeenth century.

Let us see where else the KCnet hat has traveled.

Until next time…

KCnet Board Of Directors Officers:   President Bill Raco, Vice President Bob Rolley, Secretary Jon Ahrens,  Treasurer Don Miller and Past President Judy Yoho.   Other members of the board:  Carolyn Carl, Lori Hoy, 
R.  Keith Kelly, Donna Lannan, Amy Lapriola, Tom Livingston, Ray McGill, and Ray Rathmell.