[NTLK] [O.T. sort-of] Star Gazing & Electro Tinkering

OK, so I'm a gadget phreaque, and not from the Upper Midwest where
this may be widely known.
However, and with apologies, there are folks on this list that like
to look at stars and tinker with electronics, and do other time-
sinking things, so here goes:

I got a catalogue the other day from an outfit that only has stores
in the Upper Midwest: American Science Surplus -
http://www.sciplus.com/stores.cfm

What a bizarre, yet often useful, compendium of cheap, cool "stuff"!

for teaching kids the sky:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=12120&cartLogFrom=Search

colored cello sheets (possibly write through? no worse than some
screen protectors, I'd bet...):
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=10293&cartLogFrom=Search

pager vibrators (how's this for a new Newt alarm?):
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=9168&cartLogFrom=Search

replacement transformers (7V/500mA):
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=10299&cartLogFrom=Search

cheap NiCad:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=6224&cartLogFrom=Search

cheap NiMH:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=10600&cartLogFrom=Search
and:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=12463&cartLogFrom=Search

cold "solder":
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=12064&cartLogFrom=Search

honkin' big solar chargers:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=12286&cartLogFrom=Search

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