Hypography Science Forums Newsletter
Friday, January 28, 2005
Hello,
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for being a member of Hypography. The previous year brought many changes to the site, and we have really enjoyed making those changes with you. Hypography is growing, with new members signing up every day. Thank you for spreading the word to friends and colleagues, and thanks for participating in forum discussions.
If you haven’t stopped by for a while, you may not even recognize the place. I encourage you to drop in TODAY. Check us out, read some news articles, try the quiz, and POST something. We love to hear what you have to say, and posting is the best way we know of to share your views with others. There are a few different posting competitions going on right now, including a ‘bet’ that involves one of our Moderators and a member. Maybe even *YOU* could get involved. You might just walk away with some terrific Hypography merchandise!
Happy posting!
With warmest regards,
IrishEyes
Hypography Science Forums Administrator
Communications Officer
http://www.hypography.com/
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Important message from Tormod - please read!
We had some serious problems with our old newsletter software. We are working on a better solution. If you have already opted out of our newsletter, please accept my apologies. Please follow the procedure below to avoid getting it again.
In the future, newsletters will be sent to those who have checked the "Receive e-mail from admins" option in their User Control Panel. Note that even if you choose not to receive these newsletters, you will occasionally get important information but we will keep it to a minimum.
If you have forgotten your password, just request a new one when you are asked to log in.
Otherwise, visit the Control Panel and find the "Messaging & Notification" part in the "Edit options" section.
http://www.hypography.com/scienceforums/usercp.php
With regards,
Tormod
Editor, Hypography
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1 // 2004...YEAR IN REVIEW
As mentioned, 2004 brought many changes to Hypography. One of those changes involved a major upgrade to the Forum software. That upgrade went off without a hitch on November 27. Tormod stayed up all night to make sure that everything went smoothly, and there was only a minimal amount of time that we were not able to post. However, the upgrade brought some added features, and LOTS more smileys, so I think we can all agree that it was worth it!
Along with the upgrade, there were some behind-the-scenes changes as well. Tormod brought in Freethinker, Uncle Martin, and me (IrishEyes) as Moderators, to help out with some of his workload. That lasted a few months until it became apparent to everyone that we needed to shake things up again.
Freethinker became our Resident Atheist, a role he is fulfilling in an incredible way. Uncle Martin has taken some time off for personal reasons, but we are hoping that he will return soon. Tormod gave the two of us new titles (Administrators sounds pretty cool, huh?), and added GAHD to our small group. Tormod also added Moderators for each category, asking Aki, Tim_Lou, Bo, sanctus, and Alexander to help us keep the site running smoothly. Thankfully, they all agreed, and things haven’t slowed down since!
Recently pgrmdave became our first Junior Moderator - this will be the first step for anyone who wants to become a moderator in the future. With all the traffic and new people signing up we really need all the help we can get. Thanks, Dave!
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2 // AVATAR CONTEST
Our Avatar Contest came to an end just before the upgrade, and we had some amazing entries. Thankfully, there were not that many contestants, so it made it much easier to send out the prizes. Alexander won two of the categories, and Beaker also took a few of the categories. So, in the interest of all things fair (and because Tormod is just too cool), they both won Hypography t-shirts. You’ll have to ask them if they ever got them or not.
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3 // WINNER OF THE Computer History Quiz
The winner of the Computer History Quiz was AKI - our Canadian moderator!
Runner-ups were our new Junior Moderator pgrmdave (from New Jersey), and Andrew Fuller from Canada.
Puzzles are on their way. Congratulations!
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4 // CURRENT QUIZ: THE MALAYSIA QUIZ
Did you think the Norway Quiz was easy? Then try your neural network on our new Malaysia Quiz! It is written by TINNY - probably our only Malaysian member. I guarantee that it is one quiz you will NOT manage at the first attempt.
Keep up with our prize quizzes at
http://www.hypography.com/quizfront.cfm
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5 // MEMBER PROFILE: AKI
We decided to profile another of our Moderators this month. Aki has been a member of the Forum for over a year, and was on the top of our “this person HAS to be a Moderator” list, when the time came to add new Mods. Along with her genuine enthusiasm, most members also really appreciate Aki’s willingness to ask (and answer) questions, and her consideration of everyone’s viewpoints.
We’ve been really glad to have her in the Moderator group, and are looking forward to reading even more from her in the future. Check this out and tell me if you don’t agree that she is one of the reasons the site is doing so great!
Tormod: Hi Aki! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Aki: I'm from Canada, eh? There's nothing really special about me. I'm 17 years old. I speak French (I'm in the French immersion program) and Cantonese. My favourite colour is purple and my favourite food is sushi.
Tormod: What sort of education do you have so far?
Aki: I'm in grade 12, the last year of high school. Next year I'll be going to university, in the engineering faculty. Talk about lots of work....
Tormod: What are your goals? What do you want to work with?
Aki: I want to be an aerospace engineer and build rockets and satellites. I want to work for the CSA! [That would be the Canadian Space Agency, then].
Tormod: Do you remember how you found Hypography in the first place? What made you sign up?
Aki: I remember I was doing some googling and I came to this site. I found people at this site nice and helpful, and I felt I could learn here and ask questions.
Tormod: What do you like best at Hypography?
Aki: All the members here. Everyone here are very supportive and likes to give their own opinions. I think this is a very close community. I just like every thing at Hypography[img]images/smilies/smile.gif[/img]
Tormod: What do you like least about Hypography?
Aki: Absolutely nothing.
Tormod: What are your favorite hobbies?
Aki: Well first the most obvious one: surfing at Hypography. I play the piano, so you can probably guess I listen to classical music a lot. Also I am big hockey fan, a Detroit Red Wings fan. They're the best! :P
Tormod: Why are you interested in science?
Aki: I like to know why things are the way they are and how they work. I think it all started when I was a little girl and my dad showed me how the solar system works using balls of different sizes.
Tormod: If you could name a star after someone (not yourself) - who would it be?
Aki: What about my anti-self? I'm not too sure about this...maybe my mom?
Surfing Hypography, listening to music, and interested in the stars? It sounds like Aki is a younger, and much prettier, version of our Fearless Leader, doesn’t it? Seriously though, with her binoculars in hand, maybe she’ll get the chance to SEE some more of those stars, and she’ll even name one of them after us! Thanks to Aki for being our Featured Member this month.
I love reading how people first found us, and why they decided to stay, join and become an active, contributing member. Maybe next month it will be YOUR chance to tell us why you’re here. Of course, if you want to share your own version without waiting to be the Featured Member, please introduce yourself in the “Introductions” Forum, won’t you?
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...splay.php?f=39
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6// BEST OF THE BEST, AND A FEW OF THE REST
This is a new section of the newsletter, that is dedicated to bringing you the favorite threads, topics, quotes, etc. from the previous month, according to our Moderators. If you feel that there are things missing from this list, please feel free to start your own “BOTB” thread in the Watercooler. Maybe we’ll even have a running thread each month, where the members vote on their favorite thread, topic, quote, post, poster, etc.
Alexander liked the poll asking what the best technological advancement of the year 2004 was. The topic sparked some mild debate, but it was the information contained in the article (referenced by Alexander) that made it really interesting stuff.
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...ead.php?t=1106
Sanctus loved reading the heated debates in the Philosophies threads. His favorite one was about stem cell research. Check it out:
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...read.php?t=820
Both of them enjoyed the thread asking if WE are the only life in the universe. Alexander particularly enjoyed Freethinker’s first response to the topic. Read it again here…
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...read.php?t=533
True to form, Aki enjoys wondering what else is out there. Her favorite thread is:
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...read.php?t=151 . Of course, she also enjoyed the stem cell thread, and the thread about black holes.
And what are MY favorites? Well, I think my favorite was the light-hearted banter and cool tunes found in the "Ode to Maverick". Did you not hear the awesome song composed by our very own editor? Check it out:
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...ead.php?t=1180
Anyone else have a favorite? Be sure to let us know in the Watercooler, ok?
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...isplay.php?f=3
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7// HCNA05
A few members have asked what the HCNA05 is. Well, can I ask where you’ve been since August? The First Annual Hypography Convention is going to be held in May, to commemorate FIVE YEARS of Hypography on the web. This Convention will be held in North America, hence the name – Hypography Convention North America 2005.
The Convention will be held in New York City, over the third weekend in May. Tormod and his lovely wife Yvonne will be flying in from Norway to attend. GAHD and Killean will be joining us from Canada. I’ll head north from Virginia. A few of the locals will stop by. Alexander is going to try to pop in from Connecticut. And if you can make it to the area, why don’t you plan on being there as well?!?
We’re planning on catching a Broadway show together, touring a science museum, having a guest lecturer, possibly doing a live-debate, and having a real-time online chat here at Hypography. We’d like to see as many of our members there as possible. And remember, Tormod has promised to buy us all dinner! So come on out and join us, won’t you? Check out the HCNA05 thread for more details…
http://www.hypography.com/sciencefor...ead.php?t=1108
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