And A Special Thanks Goes To

...all my readers who share their expertise, provide great suggestions, and give the "heads up" on any inaccuracies. This week I would like to thank the following people:

• Myself, for finding out that the process to make sandpaper was first patented by Isaac Fischer of Springfield, Vermont on June 14, 1834. However, the first known sandpaper originated in 13th century China. The Chinese crushed shells, seeds, and sand together and bonded the mixture to parchment using natural gum. Sandpaper is a piece of heavy paper coated on one side with sand or other abrasive material and used for smoothing surfaces.(Left photo: sandpaper sheets)
• Dave Shenton for letting me know (weeks ago, sorry Dave) that Noel Pemberton Billing was a typical British "Boffin" and prolific inventor. Who patented the caravan, as the brits call them, the long playing record, the flying boat (his company was Supermarine, remember the spitfire!), and most intriguingly a spy camera outfit. Thanks Dave I'll update my History of Mobile Homes when I get a chance.
• Thanks goes to Marilyn Haddrill our About.Com Vision guide for letting me know that she wrote a beautiful article on Sir Harold Ridley the inventor of modern cataract surgery.