The Dead Kiters Society (DKS) just got a new Webcan. The $50 Logitech just didn't have the optics that we were looking for, so rather than wasting valuable bandwidth pretending to be webcam beta-testers, we opted for this old and reliable approach. Sometimes with modern technology, you don't get what you pay for :-( So far, the webcan audio has been *fair* but the video driver needs work.

I went out and bought a $50 Logitech "QuickCam" today... The WinTV USB setup I have been using works fine for videos, but since it only broadcasts at 320 x 240 pixels, it won't work with many of the *new wave* of videoconferencing proggies like YahooMessenger, the new multi-cam beta version of PalTalk, and the Talkway type web-based video message sites... It is odd that WinTV hasn't *fixed* their driver to compensate for that. So... now, I will be able to broadcast cam shots at 128 x 96, 160 x 120, 176 x 144 and 352 x 288, as well as 320 x 240. Strange, huh? We spent $50 for dinner tonight. Money is only money. $25 a month for unlimited long-distance video communication? *shewt... let's go! I know a bargain when I see one :-) BTW, I see Intel has a new $99 webcam with a composite (RCA) input in the back for a camcorder or likewise. Good golly, Miss Molly. Rock me. Roll me.

"Choppers Chew Up Westport Windriders Kite Festival" A successful day with "Choppers" on Saturday... every other person who commented asked us if I was a dentist. Gonna have to come up with a *standard* reply, I suppose. (or you end up getting tired of the question and start making dumb ones :-) Maybe, like, "I don't make near as much money as a dentist, but I score a lot more chicks," or something? (Yikes, this could get to be a mouthful :-) *shewt, I'm apparently already tired of the question ;-)

Yahoo Kite Chat: Couple of ways to get there... 1. http://chat.yahoo.com then go to "Start Chatting," then "Recreation and Sports" and create a room called, "Kites." If there already is a Kite room, it will be listed under "User Rooms." ...or (best) 2. Use Yahoo Messenger http://messenger.yahoo.com/ and create the room. This
takes you to the same place, but it's a much better way, IMO. Look for "puppetkitekid." I'm a newbie. Don't hurt me :-)

"Can Your Quad-Line Kite Do The Twist?" ...a video by The Puppet Kite Kid. Shows the extremely smooth twisting motion required in a quad-line kite design.

The Magical Pivoting Y-Fitting (Photos and Video Clips) "The whole key in getting this fitting to perform it's *magic* is to insert a small piece of ferrule into the Y-fitting, then place another ferrule (and end cap to keep it from coming off the vertical rod) on the vertical rod, and slide and secure the fitting into the proper place on the vertical rod."

Long Beach weekend was fun. Here's some videos of Kilroy interacting with the action upwind from the competition: 1."Kilroy Checks Out The Huge Inflatable Slug." Kilroy checks out the slug. 2."Kilroy Crash." Kilroy folds up in the sky and crashes, leaving the Kid baffled and needing more practice, practice, practice. 3."Kilroy Plays Soccer." Kilroy plays with a large inflatable soccer ball, along with some unsuspecting kids. 4."Kilroy Looks At The Spinner." Kilroy looks at the large spinner and decides that he needs a few more hours of practice flying before he risks his life for the sake of entertainment.

July, 2001 brings major changes to Puppet Kite webpages! Both NBCi and Homestead, which have been the main sites for information, with over 100 megabytes uploaded and archived in a four year period, are shutting down their free unlimited member sites! Catch these links while you can, as many of them will be dead links by the middle of the month! I'm playing with another site, at the moment, but file sizes are limited to one megabyte, which seems to be a trend with the free advert-supported sites these days. Here's a few videos to test out the new site: "How To Attach Kitelines To A Belt To Fly A Stunt Kite With Your Body," "I Just Bought A New Weller Hot Tool For Hot-Tacking And Cutting," and "Lubricating The Weller Hot Tool Tips With Graphite." Off to Long Beach this weekend. Kiteflying season just started in the Pacific Northwest. It usually runs from July 1 to April 1, when we take a couple of months off and let it rain :-)