Did you know? The Internet was originally developed by DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, as a means to share information on defense research between involved universities and defense research facilities. Originally it was just email and FTP sites as well as the Usenet where scientists could question and answer each other. It was originally called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency NETwork). The concept was developed starting in 1964, and the first messages passed were between UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute in 1969. Leonard Kleinrock of MIT had published the first paper on packet switching theory in 1961. Since networking computers was new to begin with, standards were being developed on the fly. Once the concept was proven, the organizations involved started to lay out some ground rules for standardization. One of the most important was the communications protocol, TCP/IP, developed by Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn in 1974. In the 1980's, the Internet started getting released for commercial use. Did you know? The first internet award program was Award Sites!  In 1997 from being the first web / Internet award rating service to a mother of independent niche sites that all had their start as a feature within AS!  And while its reaching goes well beyond its role as the premiere rating service . . . it has never lost its focus on "Bettering The Net By Striving For Excellence".  We are proud to belong to Award Sites and the other very fine rating programs which we belong.                   Below are some of the  Individuals and sites within the Internet community that have worked  for the common good for all of us. They have been awarded Either The Dove Award or nominated and recieved A Life that made a difference award. All the winners are located within our award halls [winners] in this site. NEW for 2008  Screen shots placed with each listing of those who have been honored with our awards.    Latest Honoree of "A Life that made a difference" Award Award Sites/Ethics Pledge/Firestarter/Talking Hands/ Just a few that have made the difference. In the site of the month award the award graphic is created just for that site. The Dove Award offers two graphics for you to select from.  "A life that made a difference" and the Dove Award Programam are rated and certified award that can not be applied for it is given in honor of a fallen soldier and must be nominated along with a essay. See program for details. It is a separate award from the Dove Award. Most Recent Honoree is Native Word's Native Warriors The January Winner of A Life that made a difference monthly award. This site will now be posted in March for our Annual Web site of the year award. If you know of a outstanding site, please go and nominate them with your essay on why you think this site has made such a difference.  Upon a visit to New Mexico I got 'detoured'. It was one of the most undescrible experinces of my lifetime. It led me to a small Chapel in Santa Fe. Here was a place that I sat and the very room was filled with the spirit of God.  The Loretto Chapel. The Loretto Chapel was completed in 1898, there was no way to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above. Carpenters were called in to address the problem but they all concluded access to the loft would have to be via ladder as a staircase would interfere with the interior space of the small Chapel. Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, who came in answer to the sisters' prayers.  The Miraculous Staircase, which legend says was constructed or inspired by St. Joseph the Carpenter, was built sometime between 1877 and 1881. It took at least six months to build, and has two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support. The stairway's carpenter, whoever he was, built a magnificent structure. The design was innovative for the time and some of the design considerations still perplex experts today.The staircase has two 360 degree turns and has no visible means of support. Also, it is said that the staircase was built without nails�only wooden pegs. Questions also surround the number of stair risers compared to the height of the choir loft and about the types of wood and other materials used in the stairway's construction. The types of wood can not be found upon this planet today.  Sometimes in life a detour makes a difference. I just sat in awe.......a detour that lifted me up. So sometimes a small detour can change your life. DETOUR AHEAD Again let us remind you that there are many pages which all lead you to our application. They help you to better understand what the "real difference" is. In life we must take detours and sometimes those detours open our eyes to new and exciting things. Our detours are by choice.                de�tour n. 1. A roundabout way or course, especially a road used temporarily instead of a main route. 2. A deviation from a direct course of action. The Journey       page 2 [Purpose] page 3[Past Winners] page 4[ Icons and symbols] page 5[ Mandatory page 1] page 6 [ Mandatory page 2] page 7 [ Mandatory page3] page 8  About the number 7 and our award panel] page 9 [ If your site is placed on hold we want to help] page 10 [ Disqualifying page 1] page 11 [ Disqualifying page 2] page 12[ Disqualifying page 3] page 13 [ Worksheet for points] page 14[ A time to reflect] page 15 [ Award graphics] page 16 [ Thank you ]  Page 17[  Final instructions application pre page] Application          page 4 [Icons]    Did you know? the average age of an Internet user at 37.6 years old. shalomtoyou321@aol.com               Web site of the Year awards for 2007 go to Mr. David Bancroft of AS Award Sites and  The Celebration of a Passoniate life. We thank our panel and those who nominated these sites. Both sites truly are those who can say " A life that made a difference".  Click here . To visit this page To return to this page click on [Award main] from that page.   translate this page or this entire website. Just type in the http keyboardsforchrist.com/Enter.html and select the language.(Babel Fish