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I heard from many readers after my recent write-up on the mapping company NAVTEQ, a column that ran while I was on an extended vacation. Based on the many voice mails and e-mails that awaited my return, the readers think I can do something about their street or home being mislocated on a GPS or online map — even ones that don’t use NAVTEQ data. I have no such power.

But NAVTEQ does — for its map databases, at least. If you have an issue, just use the NAVTEQ Map Reporter. The online tool lets you pinpoint exactly where there’s a problem and let’s NAVTEQ know about it. When I interviewed geographic analysts Amy Scherer Honigs and Don Jaenisch (pictured) for my write-up, they noted that many of their mapping missions involve investigating submissions from the Map Reporter. You can also try calling NAVTEQ customer service at 1-866-4NAVTEQ, or 1-866-462-8837.

I will now be contacting all of those off-line readers to share this information.

When it comes to putting the “thrill” in thrill rides, sometimes designers can go too far — like the folks behind the Human Catapult in the United Kingdom. It’s one of five entries on Popular Mechanics’ 5 Theme Park Rides That Pushed the Limits of Common Sense (via Fark).

The craziest has to be the Human Catapult. For $66, it flung a rider 75 feet through the air at 60 mph to a huge net suspended above the ground. Unfortunately, the net wasn’t large enough, resulting in one rider falling off and breaking her pelvis and another rider missing the net altogether and dying. Gulp. Talk about medieval. But see for yourself:

Other crazy rides include a water slide with a highly unsafe perfect-circle loop and an alpine slide, both at the defunct Action Park in New Jersey (which the writer seems obsessed with). I have to say that the alpine slide doesn’t sound much different than the one at Lutsen on the North Shore  (and surely other ones around the world at summer-mode ski resorts). I still have the scar from when my elbow was rubbed raw on the fiberglass track as I tried to keep myself from flipping over while barreling down Eagle Mountain. It was great fun.

The other two entries were/are actually monstrous successes. The original Ferris wheel sounded daunting in its day — be sure to read the description, and even check out The Devil and the White City for more background  – but it turned out to be a classic in the making, despite its unsettling design.

And all I can say about Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure (also in  New Jersey — go figure) is that I can’t wait to ride the world’s tallest, fastest coaster, after watching this incredible video:

But I’ll pass on the fly-by-knight Human Catapult, thank you.

Drum Corps International’s foray into electronics is mostly not a disaster, based on the incredible performances by five World Class corps Saturday night at Drum Beauty in Stillwater.

Four of the elite drum and bugle corps — Phantom Regiment of Rockford, Ill., the Cavaliers (pictured) of Rosemont, Ill., the Madison Scouts of Madison, Wis., and the Blue Stars of LaCrosse, Wis. — just used an amplified front-sideline percussion ensemble (xylophones, marimbas, timpani, etc.), with some adding tastefully played electronic keyboards and sound effects. Only one corps, Spirit of Jacksonville, Ala., went all-out techno, with a loud bass guitar, keyboards, vocals and everything overmiked. Spirit’s show was meant to mimic a rock concert, using the music of Kansas, but it sounded like a front ensemble with drum corps accompaniment. Interestingly, the corps that did the least with electronics and amplification, Phantom and the Cavaliers, also did best in the competition, with the Cavies coming in first and Phantom second. Spirit finished last, tied with the Scouts. Based on Saturday’s results, it’s only drum corps’ restraint that is keeping electronics in check. The more the technology is used, the better the chances that it won’t be successful — until a champion-caliber corps puts on the equivalent of a modern, high-quality Broadway show on the field using electronics. (That’s when DCI changes the rules to allow corps to use spotlights and a chorus line.)

DCI’s electronics experiment continues tonight in Mankato at the Thunder of Drums. Unfortunately, two of the World Class corps from Stillwater, Phantom and Spirit, will not be there. The rest of the lineup will be the same as Stillwater, plus Pioneer of Milwaukee. Show starts at 7 p.m.

When some of the world’s top drum and bugle corps roll into Stillwater on Saturday, things will be a little different at the city’s annual Drum Beauty competition. Actually, they’ll sound different. As I wrote last summer, the elite marching-and-music units that make up Drum Corps International are being allowed to use electronics in an expanded role for the first time this year. So besides the amplification that has been allowed for several years, corps can now play electronic instruments live and use prerecorded sound effects and human voice to augment the music-making of their brass and percussion players. It’s a techno-trend that fans of the traditional marching activity jeer and advocates of change applaud.  

It’s not clear yet what we’ll actually hear this weekend, because the show in Stillwater is part of the national kick-off of DCI’s summer music season, which ends with the world championships in Indianapolis in early August. Drum Beauty will be one of the first opportunities that fans have to see and hear the elite world-class corps in a competitive setting. In fact, there was enough confusion during the off-season over how exactly corps could use electronics that a DCI rules committee had to clarify matters.   

We do know that the closest DCI corps to the Twin Cities, the Blue Stars of LaCrosse, Wis., are planning to use electronically reproduced sound effects to complement their show about a World War II-era factory. “Among the sound effects, audience members will hear steam, an air raid siren and the actual radio announcement that played when Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941,” according to a DCI preview of their show. Blue Stars alumni who saw the preview told DCI “that they thought the electronic sounds enhanced the show.”

I haven’t heard what, if anything, is in store from the world champion Phantom Regiment (pictured) of Rockford, Ill.; the Cavaliers of Rosemont, Ill.; or Spirit of Jacksonville, Ala. I do know that when the Madison Scouts of Madison, Wis., hired a new caption head for their front-ensemble percussion, an understanding of electronics was specifically cited among his qualifications.

I have to admit that even though I’m a techno-geek, I prefer drum and bugle corps in their traditional, in-your-face, LOUD brass-and-percussion configuration — no electronics. But whatever the results of adding electronic instruments, it will be nearly impossible to keep me from being mesmerized by this amazing display of music and motion.

Besides the DCI world-class corps mentioned above, Drum Beauty will also feature Minnesota Brass Inc. of St. Paul, the Govenaires of St. Peter, the Colt Cadets of Dubuque, Iowa, and the Racine Scouts of Racine, Wis. You can buy tickets for Saturday’s show, which starts at 6 p.m. at Stillwater High School stadium, through the Drum Beauty website. Not only will you see some great shows — electronics or not — but you’ll also be supporting an important nonprofit activity. See you there.

TAKE THE TECHNOBABBLE MP3 CHALLENGE!
Can you tell the difference between MP3s and the original CD?

Have some old computers, iPods or other tech gear sitting around? Dealnews has put together a decent roundup of “The Best Trade-In Deals for Your Used Tech.” These are major computer companies — from Apple to Gateway to Dell — that will help you get rid of your unwanted or outdated gear. Deals in return for your techno-scrap include free disposal and pickup/shipping, discounts on new merchandise and cash. HP offers the best deal, paying the most cash for used tech, but Gateway is close behind, Dealnews says.

If you’re interested in trying this out, be sure to check out Dealnews’ Gadget Recycling roundup from last year for other options. Also note that the site inexplicably leaves out some other major tech-recycling programs that offer cash for your gear, including Best Buy and Toshiba.  

Finally, eBay and Craigslist are also an obvious choice to get rid of your stuff at the highest price, but they’re also the biggest hassle because you have to do it all yourself.