>Monday:
> Today the programs started out with Alice Monroe speaking about the effect of
>ultraviolet light on shells. How some fluoresce and others do not. Alice
>explained what ultraviolet light was and why some shells, which absorb
>impurities, fluoresce. She had some great slides of shells under black light.
>Two of the more spectacular were Angaria vicdani and Cyprea mappa.
>  Helen Kwiat then spoke about her experiences giving shell talks to schools
>and stressed surprise to keep the children interested.
>   After that Harry Lee gave us a program on Nassariidae of the Western
>Atlantic and explained that while protoconchs are an important part of
>identification, opercula are not. He described some taxonomic problems in
>identification and showed some extinct fossil species as well.
>  After lunch,  and let me say the abundance of good eating places is to be
>marveled at, Chris Takahashi  showed us some wonderful slides of live Hawaiian
>shells in their habitat. The slides were really superb, of some rare live
>shells, but Chris left us all worrying about his deep diving. Be careful
>Chris!!!
>   Alan Gettelman started out his program with some shots of different star
>galaxies, and a YOU ARE HERE!!!  shots of the earth. He told us of the
>experiments going on in space and the first mollusk was Mytilus edulus. The
>scientists are studying calcium loss in space for one thing. The first snail
>in space was Biophalaria glabrata. (He had a great video of  the trochophore
>stage of  one of those two, can't remember now) You have to understant, the
>room is very dark and any notes I take are largely unreadable by the time I am
>finished.
>  Dave Green had our business meeting and the election of new officers. Gary
>Rosenberg our Grants Chairman told us the new grant recipients and what they
>were studying. You will read more about all this in American Conchologist.
>  Gene Everson gave us a preview about the 1999 convention in Louisville,
>Kentucky. I don't think we are going to miss going shelling with all that is
>being planned. Although there are field trips planned, there seems to be
>enough to do without shelling. He tells us that a two bed room will cost about
>$79 per night, which is quite reasonable. You will read more about this as
>well.
> The silent auctions are quite competitive, the T-shirts are very nicely done
>and again the fun part is talking to everyone from everywhere.
>  I went on the field trip to the Sleuths Mystery Dinner which was great fun.
>They asked me to be a gypsy who was to come in making noise with a tambourine
>while two little children (not from our group) went around stealing spoons. We
>laughed a lot, it was a spoof, after all, and had a great time.
>   As in many of these conventions, the bar, and restaurants are great for
>making new friends.
 
Carole,
        Thank you so much.  For us that couldn't attend, your reports are
almost like being there.  I hope that you're having a great time in orlando
and that you find the shells in the bourse and silent auctions that fill in
the speces in your collections.  Keep up the good work.  I'll pass your
messages to my non-e-mail shell friends.  Dan Yoshimoto
 
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Dan & Hiromi Yoshimoto
1164 Vista Dr.
Eureka, California
        95503-6018
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