CLICK & DOUBLE CLICK: INTERNET OFFERS BOUNTY OF SITES ON THANKSGIVING, TURKEYS, PILGRIMS (COLUMNS 64)

Cybertip: We still have openings for the Dec. 8 and 11 beginning Internet training classes. The Monday class will be held from 7-9 p.m., and the Thursday class will be from 1-3 p.m. in Dempster Hall on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Cost is $10. To register, call Joni or Peggy at 335-6611.

It's that really busy week of Thanksgiving. Everyone is trying to get things done before the holiday and gearing up for shopping.

We kicked off our first-ever online Beanie Baby contest, but the computers weren't cooperating on Day 1. If you had trouble registering, please try again today. If not, e-mail your entry directly to webmaster@semissourian.com. All we need is your name, address and phone number.

Usually we are thankful for computers, at least when they work. Thanksgiving sites abound on the Internet.

Joni: In my household, one of the traditions is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We can find out more about the parade online.

www.macys.com

You can link to information about the parade from their main page. You can find out the parade route and that it will be broadcast live on NBC.

Peggy: Did you know the honor of being in the parade is reserved for Macy's employees and their families? They are clowns, float escorts and balloon handlers. In all, 4,000 Macy's volunteers participate.

Joni: I never realized the huge helium balloons have been around for so long. They made their first appearance in the 1927 parade. Until 1933, the giant balloons were released at the end of the parade and a reward was offered for the return. The public went to great lengths to find the balloons.

Peggy: Four new balloons will debut this year, Arthur the aardvark, a Laplandic cow from Sweden, the first-ever three character balloon in the form of the Rugrats and Ms. Petula Pig. The Rugrats balloon is 60 feet long and 48 feet high. The average height of balloons is five to six stories.

Joni: On the site you learn all 17 giant balloons and their order of appearance. In addition, there are 18 novelty balloons in the parade. They also have Falloons. What are Falloons?

Peggy: It's part float and part helium balloon. They've made up a word for this concoction.

Joni: Does Mr. Webster know about this? For a more traditional look at Thanksgiving, check

www.netstrategy.co.uk/mayflower/index.html

Peggy: Here you can learn more about the Mayflower 2000. This is part of the United Kingdom's celebration for the millennium. They are doing a full-size reconstruction of one of the most famous ships in history. It will take two years to build the Mayflower. In the spring of 1999 it will set sail for the "New World."

Joni: They are going to spend $8 million on this boat. On the site you can learn about the history of the Mayflower. Only two real facts are known: she had a burden of 9 score tons, which is 180 tons. And two, she had top sails.

Peggy: Since no record, drawing or general description of the Mayflower has ever been found, they will construct her in terms of time, type and class.

Joni: For even more information about the Mayflower including passenger lists, document lists, contact addresses are available at

members.aol.com/calebj/mayflower.html

Peggy: If you want to know anything about Pilgrims, this is the place. They have full text of Pilgrim writings, including letters and wills. They also have lists of passengers with descendants living today and U.S. presidents with Mayflower ancestry.

Joni: Seven U.S. presidents have Mayflower ancestry.

Peggy: Did you know Mayflower was a very common ship name? Many other ships named Mayflower made trips to America. You can find more about Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving at

www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/pilgrims.htm

Joni: If you want to read the real story, check here. To learn more about Thanksgiving, check

www/holidays.net/thanksgiving

Peggy: For turkey cooking tips, the two biggest sellers are online, Butterball and Honeysuckle.

www.butterball.com

Joni: Learn how to cook the perfect bird and how to make lump-free gravy. They have the most frequently asked questions, like what is the best way to thaw a turkey. More than 14,000 people asked.

Peggy: They also have a Just for Fun section with turkey trivia, memorable calls from people suffering from turkey traumas and a real audio clip from a gobbling turkey.

Joni: I like the wishbone. Did you know that if you break the wishbone you are following a tradition dating back to Etruscans in 322 BC, but it started with a hen not a turkey.

www.honeysucklewhite.com

Peggy: They have more than 100 recipes, some fun stuff and lots of other stuff. You can get a recipe of the month e-mailed to you.

Joni: You can read "Lonesome Turkey" a story about taking 4,000 turkeys to market by trail drive. Yikes!

Peggy: You can send an animated Thanksgiving card from

www.e-cards.com/occasion/thanksgiving/index.pl

The cards are free and for each one sent, they make a donation to the World Wildlife Fund.

Joni: What's your favorite holiday site on the Internet? E-mail us at click@semissourian.com

See you in Cyberspace.

Joni Adams and Peggy Scott are members of the Southeast Missourian online staff.