Progress!!

THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE GENERATED BY THE D&B D-U-N-S REQUEST PORTAL.

Your D-U-N-S Number Record at D&B has been modified.

For those businesses already registered in CCR, this new data will be available for you to accept at CCR's Update/Renew link within 1-3 business days.

For those businesses that have not yet registered in CCR, any changes to entity name and address will become available to CCR within 24 to 48 hours.

For questions about the CCR registration process, contact the CCR Help Desk in the U.S. at 269-961-5757. For questions about your D-U-N-S Number, contact D&B in the U.S. at 1-866-705-5711 or email govt@dnb.com

Now, for the next 1-3 business days...
-rw

Jumbo Lemon, 1925

 

Hot Dog!

 

Still no progress...

...Just re-checked the DUNS number site - no update.

Dun & Bradstreet site, so I don't have to keep searching for it every few days...

-rw

Just checked DUNS update progress...

...and the changes to the World's Largest Things info is still not updated on their site, so we remain stuck in Federal Grant world limbo.

We'll keep you posted!

EN & RW

Amazon links

New to the Books Page, some Amazon links for direct purchasing of items featuring the WLCoWSVoWLT. We get a percentage of purchases for directing traffic, so shop often!

Dontcha just love our interconnected world?
-RW

Backyard Visitors on a Fine Saturday Afternoon

Had a great set of people through the backyard, both of which (I believe) called first...

Two sets of couples, and three kids total, with some additional pass-throughs were caught looking in the windows... Which is completely OK! That's where the colleciton is kept, making the Mobile Museum Always Open when Parked.

Thanks, WLT Fans!
-EN

Thought for the day...

In his essay, The Empire of the Ugly, the great Belgian Sinologist and literary essayist Simon Leys recounts the story of how, writing one day in a café, a small incident gave him an insight into the real nature of philistinism.

A radio was playing in the background, a mixture of banal and miscellaneous chatter and equally banal popular music. No one in the café paid any attention to this stream of tepid drivel until suddenly, unexpectedly and inexplicably, the first bars of Mozart's clarinet quintet were played. "Mozart," Leys says, "took possession of our little space with a serene authority, transforming the café into an antechamber of Paradise."

The other people in the café, who until then were chatting, playing cards, or reading the newspaper, were not deaf to the radio after all. The music silenced them, they looked at each other, disconcerted. "Their disarray lasted only a few seconds: to the relief of all, one of them stood up, changed the radio station and re-established the flow of noise that was more familiar and comforting, which everyone could then properly ignore."

Here is the conclusion that Leys draws:

At that moment, I was struck by an obvious fact that has never left me since: that the real philistines are not those people incapable of recognizing beauty—they recognize it only too well, with a flair as infallible as that of the subtlest aesthete, but only to pounce on it and smother it before it can take root in their universal empire of ugliness.

Backyard MEMBER Visitors!

Two W.L. Things MEMBERS stopped by the Mobile Museum late this afternoon, and got a first look at the new displays being produced. To top it all off, one was even wearing the Official World's Largest Things Tee Shirt!

Thanks for stopping by, and Keep on Living Large!
-Erika Nelson, Director, WLT Inc.

IMLS Grant Completed!

Whew - that was a big one to cross off the list. I've been listening to our Web Maven, Rachel, about stopping the whining. The thought was, if you're spending time stressing over it, or using "Just One More Re-Write", you won't go anywhere. In short, the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf program provides references for small museums and libraries in Collections Care. Since WLT Inc. is in just that type of business, but in the start-up phase, we thought it'd be a great idea to start things out using best practices in the formative stages, instead of realizing 5 years down the road we need to implement collections policy. So, we've applied for their resource help.

Are you a library or museum? You can apply, too, for this great set of resources. Deadline has been extended to April 30, but, as Rachel would tell you, "Stop your whining and DO IT!"

Apply at the American Association for State and Local History.

Re: Gov't Biz Results

Subject: Gov't Biz Results


Good Afternoon Ms. Nelson,

I received the comments regarding the Government Biz Results header.

After reviewing your CCR registration, I can explain the reason for your rejection. It is due to a lack of a physical address in your D&B file. Central Contractor Registration requires a physical address for registration.

Please feel free to contact the D&B Government Customer Response Center toll free at 866 705-5711. An analyst will be happy to assist with your update; however, please be aware D&B must be able to verify a physical address via third party unbiased sources. I researched your corporate charter with KS Secretary of State and noticed a p.o.box of 101 as your registered address. While a p.o. box cannot be used as a physical address on your DUNS, the physical address for the registered agent, could be used.

If I may be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. Our goal is to assist all businesses needing to register at CCR.gov for Gov't grants/contracts as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Best Regards,
Anna




Thank you! My issue was in the time delay regarding the application. I appreciate the notification that there needed to be more information, and have (hopefully) corrected the error. I do post what we're doing on the corporate blog to keep our board and members informed of progress, and will re-post with the positive actions your department have taken.

Thank you again,
Erika Nelson, Director
World's Largest Things, Inc.

Government Biz Results

Got an email today from one of the many layers of government tape you have to slog through to start applying for federal grants...

After applying for a DUNS number, you have to wait for your pin. It's typically 3-5 business days. WLT Inc. applied in May 2007, and we just got a "application incomplete" notice (one more box needed to be checked) today, a mere 10 months later. After correcting the error, I got another message saying "Check back in 3 - 5 business days...".

At this rate, we may be able to start applying for Federal grants in 2010!

Yours in Frustration,
EN and RW

Makin' Models!

Got a bit more done in the World of World's Smallest... Painted up the WS Version of the WL Van Gogh in Goodland KS, the official WS Version of the WL Souvenir Travel Plate, and the orange sections of the WS Version of the WL Pelican.

Also, eagerly awaiting the delivery of bases for the new musuem displays - genuine marble!

Yay. Progress As Promised.

Display Development

2/3 of the WLT Inc. board met for a hands-on brainstorming session, developing the WS Versions of Kansas display for the upcoming Kansas Sampler Foundation Sampler Festival, May 3-4, Concordia Kansas.

We've got the boxes, most of the hardward for the legs, and image and model production is on track.

Check out the booth in Central Kansas, just a month and a bit away!

From the Email Inbox: Mystery bird Argentavis Magnificens

Real? Hoax? If anyone has information, please, pass it on!

Here are some entries I found:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentavis - although Wikipedia isn't much of an 'authority', take these with a grain of salt...

Here's where the image came from: http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/bodhidharma/giantbirds3.html

And, here's a long history of giant birds: http://sped2work.tripod.com/evidence.html

Whew! Busy WLT Visitor day...

What a great day in Lucas! Started off with a van full of high-school kids, about 15 or so, then a group of ladies from Courtland Kansas getting ideas for their Funky Art Festival on June 7th. Follow that up with another van full of college spring break guys seeking out World's Largest Things (they knew the World's Largest Things Theme Song!!!) for their vacation plans, and you end up with a whole slew of World's Largest and Outsider Art Environment lovers.

Thanks for visiting! The Mobile Museum is Always Open When Parked.

-EN, Director, WLT Inc.

From the Email Inbox: WLT Stories

Hello large-list compiler
I'm interested in producing my own story about large things. Please send me information about submissions. I noticed that although your website is "World's Largest Things," your "list" is limited to large things in the U.S.A. Are you also interested in large things outside the U.S.A.?

Big thanks— J. L.

Hi there, J. L. - No, we're not exclusive about USA World's Largest, that's just where we've started - I need to add a Canada and Australia set of pages, as they are the other two young countries with lots of World's Largest, we just haven't gotten there yet...

If you have stories and stats about World's Largest Things, regardless of where they are, we'd be happy to make pages for them! Text and images emailed are fine, if you'd like them included on the big site, or we can also link to stories you post on an external site either on the Blog or on the Big List of Whats Large Where.

What did you have in mind? Thanks for getting in touch, and hope to hear from you soon...

Erika Nelson, Director, WLT Inc.

Member Packets and Thank-Yous

Going out in the post today, a New Member member packet, a Renewing Member packet, a Thank You for your Generous Donation packet, and a request for DSL Sponsorship for World's Largest Things, Inc.

From the Email Inbox: Your Blackduck Article

Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 7:50 PM

Subject: Your Blackduck Article

I actually goto Blackduck very often.  I found it very neat that we had the largest black duck!  I just want to thank you for writing about it!

 

Your WebPasser-By,

Anonymous

WLT Visitors

Had a group of four exploring guys from Massachusettes through the Art Car yard and (non) Mobile Museum, on their way to Carhenge and on to the Badlands. They got an extra-special peek into the home base of World's Largest Things, too, as part of the WLCoWSVoWLT is being re-made and re-formatted for a new home. Thanks, guys, for stopping by...

From the Email Inbox: Thanks I like this information

Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 10:28 AM

Subject:  Thanks I like this information

 

Thanks for your web site, I know it takes a lot of work to find all this information.  Here one you might like to check out the cross in St. Augustine, Florida claims a height of 208 feet it can be seen from over 30 miles on land and over 50 miles from the sea. 

 

Thanks again, J.

 

 

Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 9:19 PM

Subject: Re: Thanks I like this information

 

Thanks for the tip!  It's hard to keep up with all the giant crosses dotting the American landscape - there are also ones in Groom, Texas and Effingham, Illinois.  I didn't know about the St. Augustine, Florida one - Thank you!

 

-Erika Nelson, Director

World's Largest Things, Inc.

New World's Largest Snowman!

BETHEL, MAINE – The good people of Bethel have officially broken the world record for the largest snowman, previously held by them, by 9 feet. Angus, King of the Mountain was replaced in the record books by a woman named Olympia SnowWoman who weighs in at 13,000,000 lbs. of snow. 5 foot wreaths were used for eyes, 16 skis for eyelashes, 130 ft. scarf, 30 ft. spruce trees for arms and 2,000 ft. of rope for hair.

It was a whole community effort with even the local kids pitching in. Elementary school children made the "carrot" nose made of muslin, chicken wire & wood frame. The Mt. Valley Middle School in Mexico (Mexico, Maine, that is) students painted a 48 ft. circumference fleece hat. And the Mahoosuc Kids Association painted 5 red auto tires that are used for lips.

Congratulations to the town of Bethel, the new world record holder and the first entry in the March Snowman Contest, submitted by Robin Tupper. Special thanks to Robin Zinchuk at the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce for the beautiful photos and their blessing in this month's competition.

Originally posted by Todays Snowman @ History of the Snowman

Spanish site linking to World's Largest Things...

It's always fun to see who's linking to our pages - here's a good one, as it also has the translation of the whole title, as well as W.L. Souvenir Travel Plate and W.L. Ball of Video Tape mentioned!

http://www.sofoca.cl/pebre/2007/10/16/las-cosas-mas-grandes-del-mundo/#comments

Las cosas más grandes del mundo - Pebre:

El sitio World's Largest Things reúne una lista de las cosas más grandes del mundo, desde el plato de souvenir más grande del mundo, la escultura de un maní más grande del mundo y la pelota armada con cinta de VHS más grande del mundo. Incluso tiene la colección más grande del mundo de las versiones más pequeñas del mundo de las cosas más grandes del mundo. Link al sitio, su Flickr, su MySpace, su blog.

Spudmaster Colossal Chips

Call these guys!  See their factory in a small town, thinking big!  Buy their product! 

 

They sent a sample of their chips, in two giant boxes.  I'm talking them down to a License Tag Tree event in Partridge, to share with other people who care about small towns doing amazing things for an official taste and evaluation, which we'll send back to Toni. 

 

What a great idea, and some darn good lookin' chips - it's hard to resist opening the bags immediately.  Until then, see their story on their site: 

 

www.rublove.com

 

They're HUGE!

Spudmaster Colossal Chips

These arrived in the mail Monday, and I just can't WAIT to tear 'em open... As the bucket says:

 

The World's Largest, Most Unique, Gourmet Potato Chips!

Giant Potato Chip from Spudmaster

...here's the end result - a 10" chip!!!  Wow...

Potato! Big, big potato...

From the photos Spudmaster sent with their wonderful potato chips...  Here's a pre-chipped spud.

Kansas City Library

 

Liberal Kansas library in 1988

 

Liberal Kansas Library, 1955 - 1959