I've been keeping a fairly close eye on our web site's statistics page where I can view the number of "events" we've had to the system since June 15-16, 2003. This means that we and every visitor we've ever had who stopped by for even a short while have caused this number to keep increasing to this momentous number.

Now approaching 1,250,000 and we'll likely exceed this number by December 1st! WOW, STILL SOME AWESOME NUMBERS!!! bm 112706

Events are recorded every time anyone logs in, or views a separate page, or opens a forum topic, or responds to a poll, EVERY movement or click we make adds up until finally, we passed the 1,000,000 events mark in the past 2-3 days. As I leave here now, it's just past 1,001,500!

This web site came online in mid-June 2003. Before that, our previous web site on Geocities had only received roughly 3,300 "hits" to that site in the previous 3 or 4 years. Those "hits" are (I believe) a record of how many people had actually visited the site at least one time.

Well, we certainly blew that old record out of the water....halfway to the MOON even! We thank everyone who has ever stopped by for even one quick look at the home page, as well as our members and friends who stop by on a regular basis.

Thanks to every visitor, but especially, THANKS to David C. Grosvold, our webmaster extraordinaire and winner of the Astronomical League's Webmaster of the Year 2006 Award for having conceived of, masterfully creating, and perpetually maintaining this now award winning web site!

I mentioned at the meeting Friday we were about 8000 hits away. Then on Thursday I looked and we were about 200 hits away. I went to football and when I came back, I was number 1,000,080. So we hit it somewhere between 5 and 6pm. Then I totally forget to mention it.

Thanks Dave for all that you've done!

I think it's safe to say that the thanks go to Dave for all his hard work at making the site so appealing and easy to navigate. Bravo Dave, and thank you.

I also think it's safe to give a nod to you Bob for your constant contributions to the site, the observatory and the club in general. The fact that you can, and do, take the time to find new and interesting stories to write for the site as well as find ways to make subtle improvements to it's content and appearance are a credit to your contribution to the site and the club.

So to both of you, Dave and Bob I give a hearty congratulations.

Ed Wemmerus ('')