TAKING AIM AT BOREDOM... AND APPLIANCES
Some people knit, some people rollerblade. When Daniel Benton's bored, he takes firearms and shoots home appliances. Not only that, he documents his acts of destruction and shares them with us on his very own Web page. A gas grill, TV, printer, and terminals all bite the dust for our viewing pleasure. You can't possibly be bored by this but if you are, scurry over to the photos of Dan and his brothers. There are educational benefits here as well; learn why you should protect both your ears and eyes before "terminating" your microwave. After examining this page, you'll wonder how much the Web has advanced from the early days when burning strawberry Pop-Tarts were all the rage. "http://www.csn.net/~dcbenton/has.html"
IF ARCHITECTURE FALLS THROUGH, SHE CAN HACK WEB DESIGN
Sung Chang, a graduate architecture student at Columbia University, has produced a tour-de-force of creative and beautiful HTML and typographic design with her personal home page. After passing through the fetching front page, utilize one of the few appropriate uses of Netscape frames to navigate to computer images of some of Chang's designs and QuickTime movies. The current portfolio is portrayed with ten or so animated GIFs that were both cool and impressive until they crashed Netscape 2.02. Don't blame it on Chang; this site is state-of-the-art Web design. In addition to the visual pleasures, there is a rich yet eclectic collection of links. The pages are not yet plastered with the various Web award icons, but they're likely to be forthcoming. "http://www.columbia.edu/~shc15/Main.html"
THE GIFT ECONOMY AND FREE CARTOONS
One of the more unusual features of the Net is its financially gravity-defying gift economy. Give something away for free, reap great financial rewards down the line. This example perfectly illustrates the concept. Seventeen-year-old Gabe Martin creates cartoons in prolific quantity. He posts them on the Web. What's more, he gives them away, complete with a license agreement saying you can use them for any purpose, as long as you include his e-mail address in the attribution. It gets better. He'll even send you a book of cartoons just for the asking, and you send back whatever amount you think it's worth - shareware cartoon publishing. Wait, there's even more. You see, the cartoons are damned funny, in a kind of young Gary Larson way. And because Gabe has talent and gives out his work out for free, someday he'll make a fortune in print syndication. "http://www.the-borderline.com/"
Instant Sports virtually takes you out to the ball game with its new Instant Baseball site. This site is one of the first and best real-time baseball pages. Fans can keep track of ball games with info updated within a minute of the action at the stadium. Updated box scores, play-by-play information, statistics, and standings will satisfy even the most avid baseball fan. The Instant Baseball site also has an Instant Ballpark page, which is a Java applet with VCR-like controls that allow users to navigate their way through or merely watch a graphical representation of their selected game. This site is a peek at the sports broadcasting of the 21st century. Very, very impressive. "http://www.instantsports.com/"
In a move destined to awake other major deities to the potential uses of the Net, the Jesus Home Page has been created (out of nothing, we might add). The messiah has teamed up with a his Web presence provider to give mortal netsurfers the answer to the question that plagues philosophers and clergy: what's in his bookmark file? This hilarious satire contains Jesus's photo album (baby pictures!) as well as a short bio page (hobbies: carpentry, fishing, catering). There's also a subscription area, where you can click to either accept him as your personal savior or condemn your soul and your computer to eternal torment. This is great stuff, but a sense of humor is required. Looks like AOL has scored a coup. Hallelujah! "http://members.aol.com/Jesus316/index.htm"
Clinton. Dole. A big, hairy, peanut-spitting, dancing, naked animal-thing that looks like some kind of horribly mutated horse. Decisions, decisions. It's an election year, and the American candidates are out shaking babies and kissing hands, trying to either desperately hold on to a cushy job or grab one for themselves. The wonderful WWW has brought us a fresh presidential candidate in the person, or rather animal, of the Naked Dancing Llama. Visit the Llama's home page for a surreal tour of his world, with links to the presidential campaign page and a page with the Llama's responses to submitted questions, an effort to bring about "a state of inner llama-like peace." Be sure you can handle the site before you go. Or, in the words of the Grand Master Llama: "don't bite off more than you can chew, or you will look like a silly llama." "http://www.execpc.com/~cfeyrer/ndl.html"
For netizens with a taste for history that borders on the morbid, we recommend the Tyburn Tree: Public Execution in Early Modern England. The site offers information on the hangings and beheadings that until relatively recently characterized the British penal system. The site contains several documents related to public executions, including the final statement of the Duke of Northumberland before his noggin was lopped most unceremoniously off. One of the interesting things about the site is that its creator has kept the documents in the original "Olde English", which makes for an interesting read. The site's a little sparse, but promises to keep adding documents, links, and images until it becomes a repository on the subject of early modern executions. "http://www.columbia.edu/~zll1/tyburn.html"
Don Johnson, the actor who gained almost celestial celebrity in the 1980s as a stubble-faced, pastel-dressed, sockless detective on TV's Miami Vice, is trying desperately to recapture glory with the new show "Nash Bridges". To promote the show on the Internet, a Nash Bridges Web site has been populated with handy graphics, cast background, and bloopers from the show's first season. An interactive "webisode" allows netsurfers to skim through a Nash Bridges plot line written exclusively for the Net and select the outcome. All in all, this is a good site, despite the shameless marketeering that's beginning to permeate the Web. Enough editorializing. "http://www.thenetshow.com/"
This slinky site's loaded with RealAudio, visuals, merchandising, and a supermarket. Shopping was never this easy, especially if your list consists of drugs, software, and intelligence. Go to the motel, visit the suite with Coco, the transsexual performer, or traverse the gallery. The map gives you some clues but they tend to be red herrings. What you get is much better than you could have dreamed. Addled with stuff to (e)toy with, this site got us lost in a state of blissful mindlessness. Shake your booty at the disco, baby. "http://www.etoy.com/"
WHY IS THERE NO HUMAN FLESH IN BEN AND JERRY'S "CHUBBY HUBBY"?
We don't even want to speculate on "Chunky Monkey".... All of the strange and wonderful names for ice cream flavors can be found at the Ben and Jerry's home page. Their adamant if possibly misguided stand against rBGH (bovine growth hormone) is spelled out in detail. Follow the dancing skeleton into the Flavor Graveyard, where you might just find that flavor you've sought for months or years. Downloadable crafts for kids are just a printer stroke away. "http://www.benjerry.com/indexg.html"
Peanut butter and jelly never tasted as good as when it came from a Scooby Doo lunchbox. This page is jammed with Dynomutt, the Jetsons, Fat Albert, and The Archies. Each box is lovingly imaged and you can catch the special rotating box of the week. Our week had Kiss in all their glory. Find out about vinyl lunchboxes, the history and nostalgia of collecting, and the all important accompanying flask! "http://www2.ari.net/home/kholcomb/lunch.html"
A HECK OF A LOT OF RUBBER BANDS
Based on a rapidly evolving rubber-band ball, this site offers explanation, inspiration, and titillation - but lacks a recent look at the subject itself. Weighing in at a hefty 71 lbs, 30% of which were procured from the Net, the ball has an appeal that lone rubber bands could only dream of. None of the ball's components have been purchased and it's all a bit weird, but the page is even bouncier than the subject. "http://www.easttexas.com/pdlg/theball.htm"
If you have patience, you'll enjoy the clever graphics at the Official Mystery Science Theater 3000 Web site. Be warned, however, that this site should win a prize for Most Number of Clicks Required to Navigate. You'll click, click, and click again. If you don't mind exercising your mouse (and index finger), the Mystery Science Theater home page will offer links to an extensive array of information. Arranged like components of a movie, the site contains sections for clips, stills, production notes, electronic press kit, and story boards. There's also a screen saver. "http://www.mst3000.com/"
REPORTS ON RUSSIAN RADIOACTIVITY
The Bellona Foundation, recognized for environmental work in Norway and elsewhere, has made available a variety of spy-and-tell materials about some comrades who aren't being very kind to Mother Earth. Bellona co-worker Alexandr Nikitin was recently arrested by Russian security police for his work on a report entitled "The Russian Northern Fleet, Sources of Radioactive Contamination". Amnesty International is all over this one. Pop star Sting has even written to Boris Yeltsin asking for Nikitin's release. Read all about it, along with news releases, related publications, and more information on Bellona. "http://www.grida.no/ngo/bellona/ehome/index.htm"
MR. ROGERS'S VIRTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD
We consider it newsworthy when the one, the only (be grateful!) Mr. Rogers decides he wants his neighborhood to span the World Wide Web. Yup, it's for real. Your favorite kiddie host is online with his very own Mr. Rogers home page. And Mr. Rogers wants you to read his Internet greeting, check out those "plan and play activities", and memorize Mr. Rogers' booklist. Best of all, you can learn the lyrics to Mr. Rogers' most popular songs! Now, all you parents out there, aren't you glad we warned you? "http://www.pbs.org:80/rogers/mrr_home.html"
The Welsh have always had a way with words. And stones. And when they built castles with names like Dolywyddelan, Ewloe, and Caerphilly, they were most certainly in top form. Well, even if you can't pronounce them, thanks to webmeister Jeff Thomas, you can look at and learn about the many great medieval castles of Wales. This site gathers together a splendidly comprehensive collection of photos and historical perspectives. Also included are castles of the month and a Welsh castle quiz. "http://www.wp.com/castlewales/home.html"
HIGH FUN, HIGH ADVENTURE, HIGH ALTITUDE
If it happens in the mountains, you'll find it on the MountainZone, a cool site with cybercasting of events of interest from classical music to the US Open Snowboarding Championships. The site recently featured biking in the Balkans, mountain climbing in Central Asia, and the World Extreme Skiing Championship in Valdez, Alaska. Their live webcast events include RealAudio, QuickTime movies, animation, and photos along with event updates. "http://www.mountainzone.com/"
Alligators, and flamingos, and seashells, oh my! Destination Florida is an interactive travel magazine dedicated to describing and defining one of America's favorite hot spots. Organized by region, the e-zine features tons of helpful information for travelers and residents alike. "http://www.goflorida.com/"
See France through the eyes of the people who know it best, and vous, too, shall be a true French Connaisseur. This site details the shopping chic, gastronomic delights (including recipes), and tourist appeal of France. We especially like the clever car rally in and about Provence. Let Sylvie and Helene show you the sights. Magnifique! "http://www.connaisseurs.com/"
Fans can access the site between now and June 23 to vote fon the starting lineups for the 67th All-Star Game, to be played July 9 in Philadelphia. Let's give Henry Rodriguez some well earned recognition. "http://www.majorleaguebaseball.com/"
BEN FRANKLIN WEEPS WHILE CASH DRAINS AWAY
The American national debt is high, really high. This site has Ben Franklin crying over the updated amount, updated every five minutes. "http://fly.hiwaay.net/~fbeaver/us-debt.shtml"
I'M SUZY CHAPSTICK, AND I HAVE A PROBLEM
The Lip Balm Anonymous (LBA) pages offer a plethora of resources for those addicted to lip moisturizers. A simple questionnaire measures the depth of your addition. Read the facts about popular lip products and find out exactly why Carmex is so compelling. "http://members.aol.com/LipBalmA/index.html"
SO YOU THINK YOU WANT PROGENY?
Kid in the way? Trying to decide? Completing the tasks here will train you for real parenting situations, from dressing small children (buy an octopus and a loose mesh bag) to supermarket trips (take along a goat). "http://lake.sowashco.k12.mn.us/pk/html/pfp.html"
This bulletin board/e-zine/chat space for parents is a tad less cynical. Parent Soup offers a rich array of information for ones with the wee ones as well as a chance to swap hopes, worries, dreams and the occasional nightmare with other parents. Good gumbo for Web-crawling moms and dads. "http://www.parentsoup.com/"
Talker is a Netscape plug-in that allows Macs to read text aloud, and you'll need it to listen to the heavenly duo of Kathy and Princess as they warble "Angels We Have Heard on High". Songs: "http://www.orst.edu/~dickt/playroom/Songs.html" Talker: "http://www.mvpsolutions.com/PlugInSite/Talker.html"
Like military aircraft? Want some pics? How about some movies? Northrop Grumman is on the cutting edge of military aircraft design and production and offers some nice images. "http://www.northgrum.com/"
Looking for more info on current BBC programmimg? Wondering what will show up on PBS in two years? Or maybe you want some comedy-writing tips. It's all here at this BBC page. "http://www.bbcnc.org.uk/tv/entertainment/"
OLYMPIC COMIC STRIP - HTTP://WWW.COM/BUBBA/BULLMASH.HTML
Bubba Bullmash is a cartoon Georgian dealing with life in Dixie. It's more complicated this year, what with the Olympics and all. The strip ranks somewhere between "Calvin and Hobbes" and "The Lockhorns", but what doesn't? "http://www.com/bubba/bullmash.html"
COPROLITE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION
We bet no one has ever given the man who has everything a bag of gift-wrapped stony turds, so why not be the first? "Endangered Feces" specializes in delivering fossilized dinosaur feces (coprolites). "http://www.poop.com/"
Sean Carton has put together an attractive and fun site that just happens to serve up the cool Internet or computer tool of the day. The past list of tools includes just about everything for the serious addict, from WebPhone and Macromedia Power Applets to Internet Football League Football and Swami Salami. It's fun to visit and you could download a jewel. "http://www.cooltool.com/"
JAVA DIRECTORY WILL KEEP YOUR BROWSER BUSY
The Gamelan site lists over 2,300 Java resources from Web sites to programming resources, from special effects to business and finance, from applets to documents. They even give you a chance to peek at their incoming queue which is quite large. If you're into Java either as a developer or user, you'll want to check out this site. You need a fast link, a browser with frames, and, of course, it's also best with Java. "http://www.gamelan.com/"
MAC EXTENSIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM
If you're at times dazed by the proliferation of icons popping up at the bottom of your Mac's startup screen, pop on over to Jason Haas's Macintosh Extensions Guide. The Guide explains a slew of Mac extensions and control panels. Each has its own alphabetically sorted part within the guide, though you'll probably find yourself looking for familiar but befuddling icons. With the Guide's help, you'll find yourself trashing extensions and control panels with no fear of frying. The Guide also contains helpful info about Apple's Open Transport and Macintosh system enablers. While at the FAQ, bounce over to the Complete Conflict Compendium, a museum of horrors for Mac owners which details a vast array of reported conflicts and their solutions. "http://terracom.net/~jhaas/ext/"
The "3 Country-Internet-Survey" is part of Bernad Batinic's psychology thesis at the University of Giessen, Germany, focusing on opinions of the internet and online services in the US, Japan, and Germany. There's a World War II joke there somewhere, but we can't find it. Anyway, go help Bernad out, but if you're not from one of those countries - hands off! US: "http://www.webcom.com/surveys/" Germany: "http://www.psychol.uni-giessen.de/~Batinic/umfrage/" Japan: "http://www.webcom.com/surveys/jp.html"
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