DAVE’S COOL TOYS UPDATE
January 2010

What's white and goes up?
A stupid snowflake.

OK. I know that's a dumb joke, but it's one of my favorites and if you've read my newsletter much, you know that I like stupid jokes. Read on for some interesting information on snow, info on new toys, a discount, and more!

WINTER FACTS

Snow flakes are always hexagonal.

Snow can be classified into six basic patterns: Needles, columns, plates, columns capped with plates, dendrites, and stars. Each type is the result of different atmospheric and temperature conditions within the cloud.

Most snowflakes are not perfect due to uneven temperatures, dirt, and other factors. They are usually a bit lopsided.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists the largest snowflake at 38cm wide and 20cm thick. It was observed at Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887 and described by witnesses as "larger than a milk pan". (I don't know what a milk pan is.)

The most snow in one season was in the winter of 1998-1999 when 1,140 inches of snow fell on Mount Baker, Wash. That's 95 feet! Yikes!

The most snow produced in a single snowstorm is 15.75 feet at Mt. Shasta Ski Bowl, California between February 13th and 19th, 1959.

The most snowfall in one day happened in 1913, in Georgetown, Colorado when a record 63 inches fell in a 24 hour span.

The largest snowfall in Phoenix, Arizona was one inch. It happened twice. The first time was January 20, 1933, then again four years later on the exact same date.

A single snowstorm can drop 40 million tons of snow.

Each year an average of 105 snow-producing storms affect the continental United States.

Almost every location in the U.S. has had snowfall, even Hawaii and Florida.

The average snowflake falls at a speed of 3 feet per second.

About 12 per cent of the Earth's land surface is covered in permanent snow and ice. 80% of the Earth's fresh water is locked up in that snow.

Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the only permanent snowcap within sight of the equator.

Japanese scientists have developed a snow-eating robot, which shovels snow and compacts it into ice bricks. (Sounds suspiciously like Wall-E.) It should be available in the future for purchase at a cost of around $9,000.00.

What color is snow? Believe it or not, snow is clear. Snow appears white because the crystals act as prisms, breaking up the light of the sun into the entire spectrum of color, which we see as white or, sometimes blue. The color of snow can depend on where you live. Some snowflakes look like they are pink due to the color of the dust that they form around.

If it gets too cold, it can't snow. When the temperature drops too far, there aren't enough water droplets in the air to produce snow.

Viewing snow flakes:
To really appreciate snowflakes, you need to observe them up-close. You will need a viewing platform (black velvet, dark cloth, or black construction paper) and a magnifying glass.
First, you need to freeze your viewing surface right up until you want to use it. Keep it in the freezer or outside in a cold, dry place.
When snow is falling, hold your frozen platform out in the snow and catch a few flakes.
Now you can view them with your magnifying glass, just be careful not to breathe on them, or the warmth of your breath may melt them before you can appreciate their fine crystalline shape.

WHAT'S NEW?
New stuff at Dave’s Cool Toys

Last month's newsletter featured The Dress Your Own Snowman Kit. Well, it was so popular, that they will probably be out-of-stock by the time you receive this newsletter. Our supplier will have more to ship us toward the end of this month, so if you wanted to get one and were not able to, check back then.

Just added this week at Dave's Cool Toys is the Make Your Own Flipbook Kits. I love these kits. I'm not very artistic, but I'll be trying my hand at one in the near future and posting the results on my Blog. Be sure to watch for it. It just may be a while until I get up the nerve to try it and let the world see my handiwork. But if anything can help, these kits can! They make it about as easy as it's possible to create your own flipbook including perforated, numbered sheets to make it simple to assemble your book.

There are three Flipbook Kits to choose from, but I must be honest and tell you that the only real difference is the pre-printed flipbooks.




FEATURED TOY

Wooden Baby Rattle
This month's featured toy is a new Wooden Baby Rattle. I really love this rattle. I don’t know how to tell you how great this rattle feels in your hands. It’s very smooth and tactile and I just can’t stop holding it. The rattle is concealed inside so it appears as one single block of wood. It is handcrafted in the USA from all-natural materials by our supplier (no mass-produced overseas stuff here) and is sanded smooth with all rounded edges and a natural oil finish, making it very safe. It would make a great heirloom gift for a new baby.

SPECIAL

To ease the pain of the recent price increase on our loyal readers we have decided to offer a 10% discount on all big-bang cannons purchased in the month of January.
Just place your order before January 31, and enter the code DCTNEWS110 in the discount box during checkout for your discount.



DAVE'S COOL TOYS ON EBAY
Dave's Cool Toys is also on eBay. There you'll find overstocked items, returned items, one-of-a-kind samples, and specially ordered items. Unless otherwise noted on each listing (it will be very clearly noted) all the items are new and in new condition. The only difference is they are available at a steal. In the next few weeks we'll be cleaning off the shelves and getting ready for Toy Fair and ordering new toys for Spring, so you should be able to find some great deals.