Site Updates

We are pleased to unveil to the general populace the new and improved Cooler Crew web site. There are some exciting new changes going on around these parts and we're glad you're a part of it.

The first thing you'll notice is the new look. After a decade of static web pages and a pseudo-content management system ares put together over the last few years, the site has implemented Drupal for managing the content. After spending a bit of time trying to work out a theme for it, the testers who provided feedback agreed that the "default" theme looks cool, so we're sticking with it.

One of the benefits of Drupal is that Coolerheads near and far will be able to submit their own news items to appear in the site. The Cooler Crew site has always depended on you to create the content you see here, and with the new software, that task is easier than ever to accomplish. Coming down the pipe, we're expecting to have an online photo gallery for you to submit your treasure hunt pictures to, as well as the ability to create your own blogs.

As always, the content of the site will be freely available. However, in order to create content, you'll have to sign up for an account on the site, but that's free and painless. And for those of you who have contributed material in the past, once you get signed up, we can attribute to you all that should be attributed to you, beyond just having a by-line in the story. Until then, well, let's just say we bring back an old name to be the nom-de-plume of everything not otherwise claimed, one Mr. Joe Medallion.

The Cooler Crew Forum at AbleMinds it is. Kitch allowed his WowBB site to expire, and I've disabled the phpbb site I had here, although the database and all its contents still exist. Who knows if and when it might be necessary again.

Update: 13 June 2005

A forum has been established at PeoplesForum's hosting provider, AbleMinds. This will likely end up being the permanent discussion home of the Cooler Crew

Updated 7 June 2005

According to the notice at http://pf.ableminds.com/, pf is likely going to be down all day. Check out one of the sites linked to below for alternatives.

3 June 2005

Given that peoplesforum.com is on its last legs (for those that don't know, the hosting provider of the site is planning on shutting it down come the end of June), updates will be placed here throughout the month as to where the discussion board will be moved to, and what software will be used for the site. If anyone has any suggestions for discussion board software or hosting sites, by all means, let me know, especially if the discussion board does end up here. Personally, I'm partial to the phpbb software. Kitch has suggested the WowBB software.

Rest assured that I've gone about archiving everything that we had at peoplesforum, and am planning on dumping it all into a database for future reference. (quite possibly, the old archives will be split up on a post by post basis and dumped into this same database). Until that time, THX has gathered everything from shoot the breeze and the medallion hunt threads in their HTML glory that can be used for archival purposes.

If, for some reason peoplesforum goes down unexpectedly, check either on the Cooler Crew web site or at the interim discussion board at http://coolercrew.mywowbb.com/ or at http://www.coolercrew.com/forum/.

Thanks to everyone that is helping with the article archive project. We've accomplished a lot, but there's plenty more to do! A mailing address is the only thing needed to get on the archival bandwagon. Cooler Crew is always looking for folks to help bring our vast library of past medallion lore into the modern era. Basically, we need some good keyboard hands. If you're interested in doing something to help create a wonderful piece of Minnesota history, this is where we need you the most. Please inquire with Greg Sax.

The Cooler Crew site is prominently featured on Pioneer Planet again this year. Adding to the fun, Cooler Crew members are likely to be a component of a documentary titled "No Time for Cold Feet" from New York-based Not Another Hollywood Film (NAHF). See the Medallion Page for further details.

Progress on our Medallion Page is smokin'. All the clues from all the years are now available. They're not currently as perfectly explained as they ought to be, but we'll be able to use them to help our hunting efforts. As time permits, the clue descriptions will be cleaned up and anecdotes will be added to make you laugh and clap.

Progress on our Medallion Page tends to stall through the summer months, but efforts are being made to buck that trend this year. All the clues from all the years will be up as soon as possible. They may not be as pretty as what's up right now, but we'll be able to use them to help our hunting efforts well before the 2001 campaign. As with any architectural effort of this magnitude, construction will always include a little help from our fine friends. Please continue to send whatever medallion stories and images you have on file or feel like including in an e-mail. Together we will make this site a treasure trove of medallion lore.

The list of credits for online and offline dedication to the Cooler Crew continues to grow. Many people have helped get this thing off the ground, which means if you see that a name needs to be added to the list, contact the webmaster. Credit will be given to both those who have inspired and those who continue to aspire to great things for the Cooler Crew Online Community. Those who perspire heavily and for no good reason will likely be left off the list (unless a medical certificate is included with an explanation for all that sweat).