I did get a couple of boat related Christmas gifts. Got a set of 12
guage flares and my wife gave me a Craftsman Work Center, basically a
roll-around tool box for working on my boat building ( I dont think she
yet knows how much the latest project has cost or she wouldnt be so
supportive). This in spite of her complaining that I have filled our
new carport with boatbuilding stuff.
Another intetresting non-boat related gift I got for the kids on a
reccomendation from IEEE spectrum and from Instapundit is the
electronic 20Questions game (Radica Games). You think of something and
the hand held gadget asks questions to guess what it is. For physical
objects, it is right over 80% of the time although it often has to go
to 27 questions. For "concepts" such as "love", "language" or
"wisdom", it can come sorta close and sometimes get it exactly right.
In spite of its programmed cocky personality, you find yourself wanting
it to win just so you can be amazed. It was less than $10.00. I bet
that next years version can deal well with concepts and have a "not
applicable" button for some questions.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Another intetresting non-boat related gift I got for the kids...
...is the electronic 20Questions game (Radica Games).

I got one of these too. Always fun to get some "games" no matter
how old you are. Man, that thing is amazing. The first thing I thought
of was, of course, "boat". As it asked questions I thought, no way is
it even getting close. But after question #20 it guesses boat. My jaw
did drop.

You can play a slightly different version online at www.20q.net

gary

wrote in message
ups.com...
I did get a couple of boat related Christmas gifts. Got a set of 12
guage flares and my wife gave me a Craftsman Work Center, basically a
roll-around tool box for working on my boat building ( I dont think she
yet knows how much the latest project has cost or she wouldnt be so
supportive). This in spite of her complaining that I have filled our
new carport with boatbuilding stuff.
Another intetresting non-boat related gift I got for the kids on a
reccomendation from IEEE spectrum and from Instapundit is the
electronic 20Questions game (Radica Games). You think of something and
the hand held gadget asks questions to guess what it is. For physical
objects, it is right over 80% of the time although it often has to go
to 27 questions. For "concepts" such as "love", "language" or
"wisdom", it can come sorta close and sometimes get it exactly right.
In spite of its programmed cocky personality, you find yourself wanting
it to win just so you can be amazed. It was less than $10.00. I bet
that next years version can deal well with concepts and have a "not
applicable" button for some questions.


Got a SOSpendors and a copy of the original Herbi, the Love Bug. Me and my
race car are in it for about 10 seconds. And a lifetime fishing license
with tags.