With the 437th anniversary of the birth of the great man himself, spring 2001's Astronomy class celebrated with the construction of two Leaning Chocolate Chip Cookie Towers of Pisa. If you are interested in reading about some of Galileo's accomplishments, try this multimedia website hosted by Institute and Museum of History and Science in Florence, Italy.
The class chose two steady handed compadres to represent them. One guy and one girl started to stack Keebler chips deluxe cookies.
	Stacking began slowly, with neither student willing to come out too fast on the draw. After some time and experience and with input from the "peanut gallery" the stacking progressed more rapidly.
This technique, called the "Please don't fall down yet..." touch, was used to pull wayward cookies into a neat pile.
	A wobble here and there took our breaths away. The ladies in the audience called out encouragement to their stacker.
Just shy of 5 cookies, and the guys' tower succumbed to the pull of gravity.
	Notice the shapes of some of the cookies the ladies' team had to contend with. Note the guys in the background coveting that cookie tower!
The ladies' team were able to get their entire package of chips to stack without falling over. The guys were able to get the same thing with a second go at the stack.
	We deconstructed the towers with OJ chasers and finished the class with birthday cards to Galileo.
How does it feel to be 437? If still alive you'd search for heaven. You'd search past the moons of Jupiter, To, through and beyond the Little and Big Dipper. Because of you the telescopes were improved, To gander out and watch while the planets moved. Sorry the church condemned you to hell and from living, But guess what Galileo, you were right and forgiven.