What's New This Week?   Ken's brother Ron and wife Lolli took their traditional New Years trip to the desert. As usual they had a really exciting and interesting time. We mention this because several of you have written us about how much fun his site is to read. Well he has updated his web page with a travelogue of this last trip. If you enjoy a good story about interesting places we think you will get a kick out it. Just go to www.roadcow.com/Death_Valley_Anniversary.html and enjoy.

We mentioned a while ago that Ken got a new R/C electric helicopter. Well learning to fly it has turned out to be a real challenge. At first we thought we'd try it in the house but soon found out that there is not enough room to learn how to control it. Way too many things to run into. So outdoors we went but every time the wind was just too much. These little electric planes just don't like much wind. Finally this past weekend the winds were perfect and it wasn't raining. We took it out into the street and away it went. Ken got it about 15 to 20 feet in the air before loosing control and bringing it in for a semi-crash landing. We both tried it several more times but the batteries were starting to get low. At least it finally made it off the ground. Now we just need some more wind free days and flying time to get it under control. Eat your heart out Ron R.

Ya, right! To prevent further fraud my butt! If I had clicked on their link there surely would have been some further fraud from my account. Please don't fall for any of these scams. If your bank or credit card company needs to get a hold of you this is not the way they will do it. Do not stop at these messages, do not pass go and you will not loose $200 dollars!

     As promised last week we are continuing our education into "News Readers". We have put together a little tutorial that will give you some idea as to what we are talking about. Like we said before, a news reader is a way of getting your favorite newsletters and other information delivered to your desktop without having to deal with email.

One of the news readers that we've been using and like is Awasu. It's fairly simple to install and it's free. Many of the news reader programs today cost $10 to $25 but not this one, at least not yet. The other thing we like about Awasu is all the information that is available on their site about RSS (really simple syndication) or news readers.

For our tutorial go to www.runnerduck.com/rss_info.htm. For Awasu go to www.awasu.com. Between the two of these you might just be encouraged to join the future of News Readers.

Over the holidays a number of you took advantage of some of the great sales at Cooking.com. We hope that our coupon saved you a bunch of money. Check out the New Year sales that we have for you. Just click on the banners below for more information. Be sure to use your RunnerDuck coupon # C93893 for free shipping on purchases over $75.

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Offer good until February 29, 2004.

2 Liter Bird Feeder

     RunnerDuck readers Ziggy and Rena sent us this weeks project. It's a really simple bird feeder that would be fun to make with your kids. There is some cutting involved so be sure to supervise them with sharp objects.

Here's what you'll need:

An empty 2 liter pop bottle
A pie tin. We used a foil tin and it's a little flimsy
Clothes hanger
Needle nose pliers

Here are their instructions along with our comments.
About a half inch up the neck from where the bottle will inset into the pie tin you cut 4 tabs that open up to let the bird seed out. These tabs should be no bigger than 3/8 inch tall and no more than 1/4 inch wide and should be in the shape of a "U" and still connected at the top of the "U".
We found that the hole size really depends on the type of bird seed you use. Different parts of the country recommend different feed, for your local birds so size the holes accordingly.
Now you turn the bottle upside down and punch a hole on either side of the bottom.
Take a clothes hanger and cut down the center bottom of it until all you have is about 1/2 inch pointing in from both sides. Curl the 1/2 inch in so it looks like a hook and insert into the holes you made in the bottom of the bottle.
You cut a whole in the center of the pie tin that the bottle top will fit through (without the cap on it).
After the bottle is through the tin you put the cap on. This should hold the tin and the bottle together even when bird seed is in it.

Remember we have all of our past projects archived on our web site at www.runnerduck.com. Just click on the Projects or Kids Only Eggs.

We have some unfortunate news. The Tempos piano player Wayne is going in to have his prostrate removed. This is due to a reoccurrence of prostrate cancer. We wish him the very best and ask for prayers from all of our readers. Wayne is one of those really great guys, not to mention a great piano player, that needs to get well and back on his feet real soon!

     The Tempos big swing band is available for hire. If you have a special event that could use the wonderful music of a classic sixteen piece big band be sure to contact thetempos@runnerduck.com. We perform all over the Seattle area for all sorts of events.

Album Pick of the Week

Because Wayne is such a good piano player we decided that this weeks CD recommendation should be a good piano player also. Bill Evans is of course one of the very best jazz piano players. A music fan from Seattle summed the CD up this way, "This is the "perfect" ballads album from Bill. As strong as silk thread, tender and moving all at the same time!
When you see him bend his back, lower his head down, eyes closed, fingers gently touching the keys....how can you not be moved with this recording? Man!
Read his books and you understand how this is a shy, loving man who just pours himself anytime he produces the music. Simply one of the most intelligent people in the music business, before and after, he is here with the carefully selected tunes to accommodate his sensitive side, thumbs up to Orrin Keepnews who compiled this only all-ballads album from Evans!
Check out If You Could See Me Now....or I Fall In Love Too Easily..you'll understand how this man can simply describe the color of the rainbow and the soft radiant evenings with fewest notes possible...carefully arranged, simply astonishing! How did he do it?
The mover, the shaker, the genius that inspires the millions, the center of the soft glowing light, here it is: Bill Evans!

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Remember, we have a link on our web site, www.runnerduck.com, to our ever popular Grammy® Shopper site. If you haven't been there yet just click HERE to see all the 2003 Grammy® winners complete with links to purchase any one of them.

RSS News Feeder One of the best ways to get our newsletter is to have it delivered to your door step. Actually it would be delivered to your desktop! Right click on the XML link, select Copy Shortcut and paste it into your newsreader. Don't know what this is all about? Check out our little tutorial HERE!

   THIS WEEK'S FREE RECIPE

Remember, if you have a recipe you'd like to share please send it to marilyn@runnerduck.com.

     Every month we post a new recipe on our web page. Be sure and check out the January recipe at the RunnerDuck Kitchen Store.
We'd be happy to post your favorite recipe there or in our newsletter and give you credit. Just drop a line to marilyn@runnerduck.com.

Be sure and visit the RunnerDuck Cookbook Store for other great savings on cookbooks and cooking supplies.

Checkers

If you remember last week we made a serving tray/game board. This week we are going to make some checkers for the game board.

Here's what you'll need:

• 4" X 4" Walnut
• 16" X 3" X 1/4" Poplar
• 1/4" Dowel
• Red and Black Acrylic paint
• Toung Oil
• Wax
• Glue

Cut a piece of 3/4" walnut 4" X 4"
Radius the top edges with a 1/2" rounder over bit.
Measure 1 1/8" in from each for the four post locations.
Drill a 1/4" hole in four places half way through the base.
Finish the base with toung oil and wax.
Cut out 24 checkers using a 1 1/2" hole saw with a 1/4" pilot bit. We made a few extra just in case they ever get lost.

Sand the edges round.
Paint the checkers, 12 black and 12 red.
Cut the 1/4" dowel 2 1/8" long. You may need to adjust this length depending on how deep you drilled the holes in the base.
Sand one end of the dowel round and glue the other end into the base.

That's it, now go have yourself a good game of checkers.

For a great selection of woodworking supplies and tools check out Rockler, Great Prices/Great Selection! They are in the middle of a huge sale with savings up to 50% off.

If you have a project that you would like to share please send us an email and we'll help get it published in the RunnerDuck review. We are looking for woodworking, gardening, crafts and kids projects so send us your thoughts at projects@runnerduck.com .

Questions and Answers

Welcome to our Q&A center.
Got questions? We've got answers.
Got answers? We've got questions.

Q: We've already had some good suggestions on dust control in a small wood shop but are looking for more. We'll be running an article or series of articles in the future on dust control in a wood shop and your help is greatly appreciated. Just send your suggestions to projects@runnerduck.com, thank you!

CONSERVATION TIP

      During these cold days it's always nice to start your car and let it warm up so you can climb into a nice warm environment. The only problems are that it wastes a lot of fuel and we've had a rash of cars stolen while they are just sitting there with the engine running. A better way is to put on some warm clothes, get in the car, start the engine and drive away slowly. Don't jump on the gas but just leave slowly and gradually increase your speed. By the time you get to a freeway your car should be warmed up enough to handle the higher speeds and you should be starting to warm up also.

If you have a conservation tip please send it to conservation@runnerduck.com and we'll post it in our newsletter.

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If you are looking for a great hosting service at a terrific price check them out at www.fastwirenetwork.com. If you mention that you heard about them from RunnerDuck you will get a $5.00 per month "Duck Discount" for as long as you have your account.

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JOKE OF THE WEEK

This is from our friend and Tempos tenor player, Curtis B. It's not as much of a joke as one might think, sad but true!

With the average cost for a nursing home per day reaching $188.00, there is a better way when we get old and feeble. I have already checked on reservations at the Holiday Inn. For a combined long term stay discount and senior discount, it's $49.23 per night. That leaves $138.77 a day for:
1. Breakfast, lunch and dinner in any restaurant I want, or room service.
2. Laundry, gratuities and special TV movies.
Plus, they provide a swimming pool, a workout room, a lounge, washer, dryer, etc. Most have free toothpaste and razors, and all have free shampoo and soap. They treat you like a customer, not a patient. $5 worth of tips a day will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.
There is a city bus stop out front , and seniors ride free. The handicap bus will also pick you up (if you fake a decent limp).
To meet other nice people, call a church bus on Sundays.
For a change of scenery, take the airport shuttle bus and eat at one of the nice restaurants there. While you're at the airport, fly somewhere. Otherwise, the cash keeps building up.
It takes months to get into decent nursing homes. Holiday Inn will take your reservation today. And you are not stuck in one place forever, you can move from Inn to Inn, or even from city to city. Want to see Hawaii? They have a Holiday Inn there too.
TV broken? Light bulbs need changing? Need a mattress replaced? No problem. They fix everything, and apologize for the inconvenience.
The Inn has a night security person and daily room service. The maid checks to see if you are ok. If not, they will call the undertaker or an ambulance! If you fall and break a hip, Medicare will pay for the hip, and Holiday Inn will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.
And no worries about visits from family. They will always be glad to find you, and probably check in for a few days mini-vacation. The grandkids can use the pool. What more can you ask?
So, when I reach the golden age I'll face it with a grin. Just forward all my email to: me@Holiday.Inn

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     If you want to talk about something just drop us a line at duckmaster@runnerduck.com any time, we like to talk about most anything. We are always looking for content for our newsletter so if you have something to add we'd love to publish it. Assuming it meets our strict family oriented requirements!

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