How did Stanley get Flat?

Stanley was named after 'Flat Stanley' a children's book character who is flattened by books but then as he can be put in an envelope travels the world sending back stories of his travels.

School children have adopted the story in what is known as the 'Flat Stanley Project'. The project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a grade three schoolteacher in London, Ontario, Canada. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other as they document what Flat Stanley has done with them. Dale Hubert received the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2001 for the Flat Stanley Project.

But this is not Stanley's best award, he is an Oracle ACE which is held in much higher esteem and a 'lovemark'.

So having taken our vest (see the earlier blog entry) we needed to make sure he was really flat. But a picture doesn't tell the story watch the video, but as our great friend a fellow ACE Mogens says 'this is best viewed with your laptop stood on its side'.

Great video but even funnier story. At ODTUG last year I went on a photographic walk in New Orleans, the photographer said 'if you want to set up a photo, ask otherwise you will regret it', so walking past the steam roller I thought 'why not?' and walked back towards it. The driver stopped the engine and took off his headphones and asked if he could help. How do you explain what I wanted? I asked him if he knew Flat Stanley? and he replied "No ma'am, I am from out of town", so I told him it didn't really matter I had a vest (called Flat Stanley) I was photographing in silly situations and thought could I video him being run over with his steam roller, he replied (confused obviously), 'Yes Ma'am BUT he might get dirty!". I would love to have been at his house when he tried to explain to his family what he did at work!