Art Cars
URL: http://www.artcars.com/home.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
Art Cars. You¹ve probably seen one or two; a VW bug done up to resemble a giant pumpkin, an old Dodge Dart covered with buttons and lights and whirligigs, an unidentified chassis supporting a giant plastic shark. Anyway, this is the fan zine for them. Tons of pictures, info on specific cars, events and more. Trés Cool.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 18
CraftWeb Project
URL: http://www.craftweb.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
The ultimate arts and craft site on the Web, it¹s fast, filled with resources, and there¹s a ton of stuff to see and buy. For artisans themselves, there are lots of links to resources, books, help, etc, as well as chance (for a fee) to display your own work. If you¹re a craftsperson looking for a cheap way to get your wares on the web, this is probably it. They get upwards of 6,000 visitors a day, which is awesome for such a specialty site. A little commercial, but overall, great.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 18
The WWW Arts and Crafts Connection
URL: http://www.craft.com/craft.nbr_frnd/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
Colorful buttons that look like hand-stitched samplers help you around this massive storehouse of arts and crafts information. Categories include books, craft malls, supplies and services, articles and news. It¹s a snap to find what your looking for, or, in the rare case this site comes up short, find links to somewhere else. If you¹re not yet an artisan or craftsperson, this site may inspire you begin.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 18
The Magical World of Fisher-Price Toys
URL: http://www2.best.com/~elusive/fisher_price/index.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Patrick Joseph
You¹re probably thinking, ³this is a site for kids.² Well, not so fast. While kids may have an interest, this is primarily a site for collectors. Seems that some of us took our toys more seriously than others. Who knew? Of course, now you may be thinking it would fit better in the Œbizarre¹ category. Well, don¹t think I didn¹t consider it. But wait til you see this site: the obvious devotion and simple sincerity at work in these pages, not to mention the elegant presentation of the subject simply precluded such a slight. No matter what, whether you¹re a serious collector or just an idle browser in search of the next curiosity, go here; you won¹t be sorry. This is Web design at it¹s unpretentious best.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 18
Michael Jackson's Beer Hunter Online
URL: http://www.beerhunter.com
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1296
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
The nectar we know as beer is a big topic online, probably because those who love and brew the stuff have always been an international community ready to exchange tips on hops, malts, yeast, and the like. This site is primarily a compendium of recipes, reviews, and a plug for Michael Johnson's CD-ROM. Not ready at time of writing were links to other cool brew sites and a BBS. Beer is best tasted fresh and locally, so Mike gets around, with reports from Europe and around North America. He's got previous articles archived, which is always a nice feature.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 18
Cat Fanciers
URL: http://www.fanciers.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
Cats love me. Every time I come into the room, they purr and rub up against me. Of course, I hate cats. But I liked this site. Since 1993, this page has been providing ailurophiles (cat lovers) with an exhaustive amount of information on every aspect of feline-fancying, from breed descriptions, to general info (a big section with about 200 entries), cat shows, info on shelters, veterinary medicine and tons more. If you like cats, come here; it¹s that simple.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
R/C Pilot¹s Lounge
URL: http://www.ntrnet.net/~dwright/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
This site is well maintained, or at least it was before the web master got married, (the site is in stasis during the honeymoon). Geared for radio-controlled plane fanatics, it has a guest book, plenty of pictures of models (some with specs) as well as a wealth of other R/C links.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Grand Central Railway Station of Cyberspace
URL: http://tucson.com/concor/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
This is nirvana for the hopelessly train-obsessed. Everything anyone could possibly need or want to know about trains is here, including hundreds of links to pages covering myriad topics about real and model railroads. There are listings of manufacturers and suppliers, clubs, magazines, shows, historical societies, e-mail lists, chat sites, and forums. The word ³exhaustive² comes to mind. Arguably the best feature: You can have your own Web page within the Grand Central Station. And, should you extricate yourself from this site, you can make your real-life train reservations from the link to Amtrak¹s site.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Pegasus Home Page
URL: http://www.pegasusor.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
This is an extensive gallery of designs for stitchers, needlepointers, quilters, soft sculpture makers, and other hobbyists who work with needle and thread. You¹ll find dozens of easy-to-search categories including cats, cottages, continents, and, my favorite, Federal Duck Stamps. The friendly folks at Pegasus don¹t sell products over the Internet, but they will send special orders to a nearby store if you e-mail a request. Rumor has it that the conceptual landscape artist Christo started his career with a needlepoint kit, so get stitching.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Juggling Information Service
URL: http://www.hal.com.services/juggle/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
I used to juggle, and can tell you that jugglers are a fixated and focused bunch of humans. This site reflects this obsession, claiming it is ³connecting all juggling related resources.² I believe it. Colorful ball and club icons shoot you to areas such as festival listings, meetings, a shopping mall from which to order equipment, movie clips and worldwide juggling magazines such as New Zealand¹s *Flying Kiwi*. If it has to do with throwing objects without dropping them, it¹s here.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Take Down
URL: http://www.takedown.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jon Phillips
When renowned computer hacker Kevin Mitnick was arrested in a Raleigh, North Carolina apartment early last year, the event marked not the daring capture of a sociopath, but the easy picking of a frustrated UNIX nerd who was begging to be caught. Mitnick, a ³career hacker² if you will, had allowed a potentially harmless pastime to grow into a debilitating obsession. His hacks had become cries for help, the electronic pleas of a loner, an underachiever, the product of a broken home. His capture by the FBI was thus a humanitarian gesture. Marlon Perkins couldn¹t have tranquilized wounded animals with more noble intentions.
This is the Mitnick melodrama as presented by Tsutomu Shimomura, a senior fellow at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. Shimomura helped authorities track Mitnick after the hacker invaded and ransacked Shimomura¹s computers in December 1994. Mitnick was snagged some two month later, implicated in a variety of computer break-ins, and charged with ³illegal use of a telephone access device.² The entire story can be found on Takedown, a site that details Shimomura¹s role in the man hunt, and delves into Mitnick¹s personal history and psychology.
The site brims with fascinating minutiae, including replays of some of Mitnick¹s key Telnet sessions. Sure, you could read the print version of ³Takedown,² co-authored by Shimomura and *New York Times* reporter John Markoff. And, yes, you can visit the book¹s official Hyperion promo site. But Shimomura¹s own Takedown site provides RealAudio samples of John Woo-like phone messages left on his personal answering machine during the height of Mitnick¹s mischief. Were the messages from Mitnick himself? This has yet to be determined. They are, however, patently bizarre:
³Damn you. My technique is the best. My boss is the best. Damn you. I know rdist technique, I know sendmail technique, and my style is much better. Damn you, don¹t you know who I am? Me and my friends, we¹ll kill you.²
A second voice speaks: ³Hey boss, your kung fu¹s really good.²
Back to the first voice: ³That¹s right, my style is the best.²
While neither voice may be Mitnick¹s, the crank call does reflect the playful hacking spirit shared by Mitnick and his brethren. In other words, hacking isn¹t about stealing money or intellectual property. It¹s about demonstrating one¹s own power in a faceless, post-modern society. While Shimomura arrogantly paints himself as a white knight to Mitnick¹s ugly Quasimodo, he does sketch an accurate and compelling picture of hacking as a pastime-cum-obsession.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Virtual Garden
URL: http://pathfinder.com/@@EucPNeG6gAAAQISI/vg/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Let¹s face it: You either have a green thumb, or you prefer plastic plants. I¹m the latter kind of person. But still, the Virtual Garden offers a wealth of information I wish I could put to use. The searchable plants encyclopedia is really amazing ‹ learn to identify the three forms of lettuce and discover if the Adiantum plant really has the power to thicken and curl hair. For the more diehard dirt dweller, the site has numerous online gardening books and magazines to peruse and even a directory of the finest botanical gardens in the world. Couldn¹t find any Cannabis Sativa growing tips on the site, though.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
World of Coasters
URL: http://www.rollercoaster.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: Yes
Author: Wayne Cunningham
There are two types of people in the world, those that like roller coasters, and those that don¹t. The latter will get a touch of dread at the mere mention of roller coasters; show them a real one and their knees will go weak. The roller coaster fanatic, on the other hand, will get a wild look in the eyes at the sound of a train racing along steel tracks. A certain monomania overcomes the fanatic at the sight of tracks reaching skyward; all they want to know is: Where¹s the line start?
Roller coasters, with their immediate, motion-driven thrills don¹t seem like a great fit on the Web. After all, what could be more dissimilar than the programmer, stationary, crunching code and the screaming, maniacal thrill junkie riding out the spectacular drops and sharp, banking turns of a classic coaster track? World of Coasters, however, proves that the Internet is for everyone.
While the site is generally maintained by one person, various sections are edited by volunteers, demonstrating the enthusiasm for coasting online. The coaster reviews comprise a good part of the site, with entries organized by ride, park, and author. The site takes reviews from anybody who wants to relate an experience, while some are submitted by regular contributors that have been on coasters all over the U.S. But this is a big site, and most of the content has been contributed by fans.
There¹s also a section devoted to news, such as the construction of new and innovative coasters. Fanatics reading these items probably drool on their keyboards in anticipation of a ride¹s opening date. Some of the text gets a little bit technical as when coaster manufacturers are discussed. (Apparently ³Morgan² is somewhat questionable, while ³B&M² is good.) Another section, devoted to stats, details the fastest, steepest, and highest coasters in two categories, wood and steel.
The site is a great example of an active, community-driven home page, and has close ties to the newsgroup rec.roller-coaster. The design isn¹t great, but fits; the logo has a certain amusement park gaudiness. Technically, however, it¹s great, boasting a search engine, a survey form, and a message board.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
As-Sayf Oriental Dance
URL: http://www.ivo.se/as-sayf/englishindex.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Diedra Ramsey
As-Sayf sets out to prove that Oriental dance is more than pretty smiles, shaking bellies and swaying hips. This site focuses on a five-member troupe of Swedish women, led by Kay Artle, who have studied dance in Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, England and the U.S. As-Sayf, a word meaning sword in Arabic, introduces various dance styles and music from the region, with original content and links to other Oriental dance sites on the net. You can also check out the many pictures of the As-Sayf dancers.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
GardenNet
URL: http://trine.com/GardenNet/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Diedra Ramsey
So, you don't know when to properly propagate your geraniums? No problem. Cheryl Trine's web site, GardenNet, offers gardening tips, book reviews, a garden e-zine, and an on-line garden shop for avid gardeners and beginners. Trine plans to implement a search engine for the more than 1,000 entries in the question-and-answer area of her Web site. Even if you don't have a green thumb, you might enjoy reading some of the on-line essays in GardenNet magazine, which has more than 200 issues. The current issue and the first 20 issues are available for visitors to the site.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Ride!
URL: http://www.ridemag.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Blue Grrrl
Well, if you have a 17² monitor (or bigger!) this page looks great. If you have a T1 connection, it loads in only a minute. But egads, talk about overdone for the wee bitty consumer with a 28.8bps modem! Count on cooking and eating a full bag of microwave popcorn before this puppy loads. Content-wise it¹s huge too, with all sorts of useful info, regularly updated. Chats, software to download, job postings and horse industry news, all at your beck and call. The history of the Equestrian series in the feature section was super interesting too. GiddyUp.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Gourmet Connection
URL: http://www.norwich.net/gourmet/link1.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
The name of this Web site doesn't tell the whole story. Yes, it's devoted to
gourmet food, but more interesting is its focus on healthy gourmet food.
Check out healthy recipes, nutrition information, and even a section called
The Diabetic Gourmet. There's also plenty of useful culinary tidbits. Do
you know how to prevent an apple's skin from wrinkling during baking? Find
out in "Kitchen Tips and Healthful Hints." The feature article titles are
great too! Examples: "Mad Cow Disease: A Sobering Wake Up Call" and
"Parsley Isn't Just A Garnish." I'm hungry!
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
MysteryDate
URL: http://www.mystery-date.loomisgroup.com/mysterydate/md.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1096
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Unknown
Mystery Date is a 'zine (paper and online) about one
Lynn Peril's obsession with used books and informative relics (mostly from
the 1950s) about dating, sex, home economics, and other important issues of
the day. I love this stuff! The Teen Guide to Homemaking, the Thresholds to
Adult Living book, sex ed records--life was so much simpler back then! Chic is kitsch spelled backwards, don¹t forget, and I'd love to have Lynn's collection.
She should be an advice columnist. Or my home ec teacher.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 17
Santa Cruz Vampires Motorcycle & Scooter Club
URL: http://www.tower.org/vamp/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
Originally founded in the 1940s, the Vampires was a motorcycle-only club, but now includes ³rugged hard-riding scooter enthusiasts.² Its site, still under construction when I visited, promises to be one swank stop for anyone into riding. It features great pictures of bikes, plus sections devoted to various manufacturers and their models. Interested in purchasing a vintage bike? You can link up to Christie¹s to see what¹s on the auction block. Check the site for information on joining the group for a ride. But, as they caution, ³be prepared for a sore butt. ³
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Washington DC Swing Dance Server
URL: http://catalog.com.meyer/swing.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
Here we have an extensive list of swing dance classes, clubs, instructors, weekly events and more, accompanied by photos of happy residents of our nation¹s capitol cutting a rug. Information should appeal to everyone from beginners to ³Strictly Ballroom² types into serious competition. I can¹t imagine that anything to do with swing dancing in the DC area has been left out. Obviously, the usefulness of this page decreases the further away you are from DC, but if geography is on your side, it¹s definitely a useful resource.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Thee Joker's Funhouse
URL: http://www.escape.com/~joker/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
First of all, hacking was not just an 80s teen fetish that ended when the Legion of Doom went to jail and Shimomura nailed Mitnick. It¹s alive and well in many basements and high school computer labs, which still follow the maxim that ³information wants to be free.² This site is a basic guide to phone phreaking and hacking resources on the Web. Although a bit young, and riddled with an annoying amount of slang, Thee Joker¹s Funhouse is a fine starting point if you want an introduction to the questionable activities of those lurking on the lines. Remember, though: If the phone company calls, deny owning one.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Puppetry
URL: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~rosesage/puppetry/puppetry.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Puppetry is one of the worlds most venerable art forms, yet it is usually not considered ³serious² in this country ‹ an impression this site goes to great lengths to change. Whether you are a serious puppeteer, or totally new to the art, there is an extensive amount of well-organized information to capture your interest. The site is arranged by types of puppetry, and includes famous puppets and puppeteers, current puppet exhibits and touring companies, online resources, mail order supply houses, and much more!
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Sniper Country
URL: http://www.net-connect.net/~daveed/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Diedra Ramsey
Sniper Country, managed by military trained snipers, highlights the qualities of a good sharp-shooter and provides an area for these sure-shots to assemble and share their expertise. Sniper Country examines the history of such "hall of shame" snipers as John F. Kennedy assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, and "hall of fame" sure-shot, Carlos Hathcock, who won the Wimbledon Cup for high-powered rifle marksmanship. The site explains the appropriate mental attitude, equipment, and physical well-being of a military trained sniper. It even includes poetry submissions by snipers. Hmmm...
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Sea Magazine
URL: http://www.gsn.com/sea.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Patrick Joseph
Sea Magazine is a publication devoted to powerboating in the western states. As such, the potential audience knows just who they are. They should come here. No fancy multimedia elements, but good clean graphics and an adherence the print paradigm. Nothing new about it, but it works, as the content¹s not half bad and is presented in such a way that reading it online doesn¹t seem like such a task. Articles range from product reviews to travelogues to opinion pieces on topics such as the future of Alaskan fisheries. A pretty serviceable zine, all in all.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Juggler¹s World
URL: http://www.hal.com/services/juggle/jw/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Blue Grrrl
At first I didn¹t get it. What are all these squares for and what is Juggler¹s World? As it turns, Juggler¹s World is a magazine that the staff has decided to archive fully on the Web. And, after popping through the extensive content that¹s there already (15 issues fully hypertexted and more to come soon), I decided it was actually a very clever way to organize that much data. Bonus: as big as the images are, the download is relatively quick. So if you are among the fans of all things that spin from the juggler¹s hands, check this one out.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Internet Card Central
URL: http://members.tripod.com/~MargaretC/cards.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Karen Wickre
An Internet card is a virtual postcard you send via email. A certain Margaret has thoughtfully collected a huge batch of sites offering cards. Bookmark this if you like sending your friends messages along with images; you¹re bound to find one you like from the scores listed. Pick your favorite holiday, vacation or destination spot (tourist bureaus have evidently caught on to the marketing value of Internet cards), dogs, cats, flowers, cartoons. Then there are classic Ferraris, Japanese kimonos, Megadeth Christmas wishes, animated and audio cards. You can even seal a card with a virtual kiss.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Ulom PBEM Home Page
URL: http://www.vivanet.com/~coenep/ulom.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Karen Wickre
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons aficionados will want to check out the Black Heart of Ulom, a D&D story module. Serious fan Paul Coene has built a page for a ³Played By E-Mail² (PBEM) game based on an elaborate story line with lots of photos and graphics. As a devotee would, he has borrowed a few elements from another D&D campaign called Greyhawk, but assures us that the rest is all original. You can link to detailed sketches of several characters and additional backstory, and of course send e-mail to further the plot.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Family Photo Historian
URL: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2878/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1096
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
I've never been into shooting snapshots. I'm the type that would just
end up with stacks of envelopes from the photo lab piled into untidy,
disorganized heaps never to be viewed coherently again. But if you want to
learn how to preserve and organize family photos, this is a fine place to
begin the task. After all, this site's creator, Pam Motown, does this for a
living as a professional photo historian. Look here each week for a tip on
how to preserve and maintain your collection. By the way, photo albums
aren't the end-all answer--acid in the pages will gradually disintegrate
your pictures.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
WorldwideCheerleader
URL: http://www.telepath.com/gdj1146/jenn/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1096
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Unknown
Sis boom bah!
This site... hoorah!
Jenn's views on cheerleading,
you'll spend your time reading.
By the way, she's a sophomore!
Jumps, chants, and cheers galore!
Yeaaa... Jenn!
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Matt's Guide to Cheap Wine
URL: http://http.bsd.uchicago.edu/~m-winitzer/wine/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
Here's to Matt for his unpretentious, yet full-bodied and downright bacchanalian site. Any suggestion of snobbery is mollified by our steward's self-imposed restriction to the reasonably economical limit of ten dollars a bottle. His list amounts to a just a handful of favorites in a couple of categories (reds and whites, no rose please), so there's no presumption to encompass the subject. Scans of bottle labels lend a colorful texture to each review, and as Matt might say, we get enough bite to keep it interesting; not too refined, but with a nice range of flavors.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
The Tea Man
URL: http://www.teatalk.com/index.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1296
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Wayne Cunningham
The cynic will doubtless see The Tea Man as nothing but an extensive and clever sales pitch, a whole encyclopedia of tea published for the sole purpose of getting people to click on the link to The Tea Shop (http://www.teashop.com) conveniently placed at the bottom of almost every page. But in the same way that the culture of tea transcends the leaf, the writing in The Tea Man evinces a love for the product beyond the base desire to sell. The pages are simply and nicely designed, presenting a succinct history of tea the world round, espousing the health benefits of a good infusion, and a look at the finer points of sipping.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 16
Staceyjoy¹s Knitting
URL: http://www.tiac.net/users/stacey/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
What better place to look for knitting patterns than on the web, right? Where else could you find patterns co-mingling with quotes from Wired? Anyway, this good natured, net-savvy, semi-folksy site has plenty of modern and antique patterns (including one for socks and another for a chihuahua sweater), some stuff on cables, and a few words on technique. Its a fun, well written site. The personal info is almost as exciting -- to me, anyway -- as the knitting stuff.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Barbies: The Dolls, the Dish and the Dollars
URL: http://www.servtech.com/public/pippa/barbie
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
Wow, tons of Barbie stuff, with lists of which Barbie¹s the web master owns, links to other Barbie pages, Barbie news and a complete Barbie price guide. If you like Barbie -- especially if you like your Barbie with a touch of camp -- you¹ll probably dig this. For me, this was like a trip to a precious, pink, plastic hell. To me Barbie is evil incarnate, responsible for giving young girls image complexes, as well as reinforcing wretched gender stereotypes. To each his own, I guess.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Airship
URL: http://spot.colorado.edu/~dziadeck/airship.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
This site, and it¹s sister, Zeppelin, are dedicated to blimps, balloons, derigibles, and zeppelins. Largely, the site contains lists -- either pointers to other sites or extensive bibliographies. There is also some news on new developments, some photos, a modicum of background info on specific subjects, like the posters used to advertise transatlantic zeppelin flights. A good place to start learning about these wonderful aircraft.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
FireWalking
URL: http://heartfire.com/firewalk/homefire.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
I knew firewalking was surrounded by weird, new age hocus-pocus, but I never realized to what extent. If you view firewalking as the way to change the world, though, or at least redefine yourself, check it out. If you think firewalking could be kind of cool, but aren¹t sure, go here first. To the site¹s credit, they print the skeptic¹s view as well as the enthusiasts. You can judge for yourself.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Bearly a Page
URL: http://www.aa.net/~urizen/bears2.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0796
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Chris Charla
I¹ll say. Teddy Bears. Sweet, cloying, cute teddy bears. Pictures of Teddy Bears. Pictures of paintings of Teddy Bears. Links to other Teddy Bear sites. Quotes relating to Teddy Bears. Stories about Teddy bears. It¹s Teddy Bear mania, an experience sort of like sticking your head in a giant vat filled with honey. Frightening, but still somehow kinda cool.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Home Fashion Information Network
URL: http://www.thehome.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
Homeowners will want to visit the Home Fashion Information Network for lots of useful information about, umm, fashion and your home. There¹s a lot of depth to this site. Topics include everything from decorative accessories to window and wall coverings. But be warned: You have to wade through tons of bad writing that includes scary phrases like ³the versatility of solids² and ³creating a cozy haven.² Don¹t let that keep you away, though, as the section called ³Wood You Like To Know² (ugh) contains a great chart that imakes the visit worthwhile.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Antiques
URL: http://www.ic.mankato.mn.us/antiques/Antiques.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
Enjoy this course in Antiques 101 with nary a sales pitch in sight. This good-looking site offers basic information with pictures on various categories of antiques and collectibles: advertising items, toys, etc. A page of guidelines for choosing and negotiating with a dealer provides great advice even for experienced collectors such as your¹s truly. The site is sponsored by Antiques Oronoco, but it doesn¹t trumpet its presence.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Paper Airplane of the Month
URL: http://pchelp.inc.net/paper_ac.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Long after the last cootie catcher of your grade school years has been recycled, paper airplanes are still guaranteed to amaze. Especially if you live on the third story. This cute site offers a new plane template every month to print, fold and let fly. But given the infinite possibilities of a sheet of paper (and maybe a paperclip or two), the maintainers of this page could certainly do better than monthly updates. You can always take the matter into your own hands though ‹ hacking your own dead tree dirigible is always more fun than recreating that same old flying wing.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Illini Juggling and Unicycle Club
URL: http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/juggling
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Diedra Ramsey
The Illini Juggling and Unicycle Club favors Sun Microsystem's HotJava Web Browser. So, be advised: if you don't have it, you won't be able to see any of the juggling animation. Illini offers step-by-step instructions for beginning jugglers, both able-bodied and disabled, of all ages. The group meets in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, on a weekly basis to practice everything from basic juggling skills, with three balls, to advanced skills, with 5 flaming, poisoned chainsaws. Just kidding. The site also provides links to other juggling sites and festivals.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
The Old Bus Page
URL: http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/70-deluxe.JPG
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Patrick Joseph
The people who drive Volkswagen buses are an odd lot, from funhogging gearhounds to dedicated Deadheads, and suckers for the open road, everyone of `em; that is, if they can keep the damned things running. Buy a bus and the next thing you know, you¹re a shade tree mechanic. The Old Bus Page, ³dedicated to the preservation of the VW Transporter,² is a meta-page with links to everything from procedure pages, like the ³Rustoration FAQ² to vanity sites, like Dan Lundgren¹s excellent Volkswagen Saga. There are links to late model bus sites and other air-cooled VW pages as well, most of them very good.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Bob's Rock Shop
URL: http://www.rtd.com/~bkeller/rockshop/rockshop.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Lapidary hobbyists take note: Bob's Rock Shop claims to be the
first online magazines for rockhounds. Browse through a collecting site
catalog for the US, mineralogical articles and essays, and upcoming show
dates--if you're really lucky, you might find someone willing to part with
that Cubic Galena Crystal you need for your collection. But Bob's real draw
is the more than 150 beautiful mineral specimens displayed in the online
gallery. From now on, I'm keeping an eye on the ground.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Flyfishing.com
URL: http://flyfishing.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Karen Wickre
Flyfishing.com claims to be ³*the* place to be when you¹re not on the water!² Portions of the site really are helpful to any fly-fisher. There are several message boards to browse, query and respond to; listings for lodges, guides, equipment manufacturers and retailers, conservation groups, books, and more. Some of these (e.g. lodges and guides) sport only a few listings. But there is a huge database of articles from 13 different flyfishing magazines dating from 1959, and scores of classifieds listing gear and services with respect to virtually every aspect of saltwater and freshwater flyfishing.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Flying Circle Graphics,Inc.
URL: http://www2.eos.net/speed/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1096
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Flying Circle Graphics, "Dedicated to WWI Aeroplane Exotica," is the story of one man's
fascination with the instruments of war that flew during the early part of
this century. Read a brief account of how the webmaster fell in love with
the subject as a child, his observations about the design of certain
aircraft (linked to photos), and a few bits about the character of specific pilots. Fairly well-written, but content-lite.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
The RabbitWeb
URL: http://www.cland.net/~tonyholt/rabbits.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1096
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
The Rabbit Web is a fine place for serious rabbit fans to sniff around.
Angora information from Nepal, rabbitry suppliers, classifieds, and both
private and commercial links, will please any bunny breeder. And if you're
into a specific kind of rabbit, find others by joining or setting up a
specialty club through Rabbit Web. For example, the American Fuzzy Lop
Rabbit Club is already showing off its prize winning rabbits on the site!
And damn if the bunny pictures aren't adorable!
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
The Purple Martin House
URL: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PurpleMartins/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
The purple martin is a bird, one of the swifts, and apparently in some danger of being displaced by more prolific sparrows and starlings. It's a handsome bird with an enchanting song (.wav file included at the site), and will nest in anything clean and hollow, preferably high and out of the way. The authors would like you to consider helping preserve this bird's domestic presence, and to that end offer you the opportunity to send away for any of a number of fine birdhouse designs for your yard. I would have liked to learn a bit more about the habits of these feathered bipeds, and must say I remain perplexed by the authors' chauvinistic attitude toward the martin vis-a-vis its avian competitiors (the site is brought to you by Dead Sparrow Productions, sporting a suitably macabre logo). Can¹t we all just get along?
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Rob Mac's Falconry
URL: http://www.cs.loyola.edu/~rmcilhar/falconry/falconry.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
I admit to a longstanding fascination with raptors and apparently I'm in the company of kings. It seems falconry was practiced by royalty across Eurasia for centuries, and still has a devoted world following, now with a decidedly conservationist bent. This is the place for enthusiasts to find information about how and where to practice the husbandry of birds of prey. It may also interest the voyeur who wonders whether there's a demonstration of falconry nearby, or those who would like a peregrine's image for the desktop. It¹s a mark of distinction, ya know.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Ikebana
URL: http://www.meshnet.or.jp/ikebana/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jose Alvear
For those who don¹t know, Ikebana is Japanese flower arrangement. But it isn't just throwing a bunch of flowers together. It is meant to be a relaxing and spiritual experience. Even big, tough Samurais do it. This site is brought to you by Ikebana International, a group which promotes Ikebana and boasts 10,000 members worldwide. Their motto is "friendship through flowers". You can learn how to join the club here (it only costs you 5,000 yen a year) and look up upcoming conventions or events from all over the world. For those who want to read more about it, there¹s a list some recommended
books. It¹s just too bad there aren¹t more pictures of actual arrangements.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
The Girl Scouting Resource Center
URL: http://www.cais.net/cwelch/gsrc/index.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Patrick Joseph
The Girl Scouts are working with a pretty drab palette at this page, which is default gray throughout. But they¹ve implemented Frames, darn it all, so that¹s a start. For anyone involved in scouting of the girlish variety, this online forum is sure to be a fine resource, filled as it is with ideas on perfectly useless crafts and diversions, like covered pencils and SWAPS, which acronym I¹m informed stands for Special Whatamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere (?!?). There are also mailing lists, ³chat boards,² and some solid tips on pushing those cookies.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
Sail Net
URL: http://www.Sailnet.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1296
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Rachel Saidman
Sail Net is for serious sailors and sailing aficionados only. A
nicely done home page describing their sailing school put up by Sam
and Cheryl Boyle of Ft. Myers, Florida, Sail Net has some extra
features that set it apart from the usual small business home page.
BoatCheck, an alphabetical listing of over 300 types of boats, allows you to contact their owners for firsthand information on the
particular vessel. Boat owners can also sign up to serve as a
resource to others who are considering a boat purchase. Nice work.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
50 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time
URL: http://www.webcom.com:80/~conspire/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1296
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
This site was put together by the authors of a book by the same name, and shamelessly plugs the book throughout. Fortunately, they've got a decent sense of humor about it, and enough content to tease the reader into really considering a book purchase. There are several enticing categories‹Your Tax Dollars at Work, From Beyond, They Died Alone, Mondo Politics, Blood 'N' Guts, Unified Field Theories, Conspiracy, Inc., Twilight of the Idols, etc. I'm happy they included my favorite conspiracy: the Secret Team of para-official gun- and drug-runners who publicly surfaced during the Iran-Contra affair. Not such a novelty site after all.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 15
JON ZIMMERS HOME PAGE
URL: http://www.teleport.com/~jonz/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
Tools. That¹s what Jon¹s into. He buys, sells, studies, touts. These aren¹t your usual tools, though. No, Jon¹s partial to beautiful Œn¹ rare tools, like unusual cast iron levels , machinist¹s tools, and parts. Although the site isn¹t super-attractive, he includes lots of photos and plenty of text/links to give you a good understanding of his obsession. Should you be interested in dropping some serious cash, Jon¹s selling. Take a look at the super-glam Stanley No.1. At just 5-3/4 inches long, this is the smallest bench plane made. A steal at just $1,295.00.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
Bob's Origami Page
URL: http://www.netaxs.com/~rshuster/origami.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
People who are seriously into origami don¹t fold paper airplanes, they fold space shuttles. You can see a photo of this and other equally impressive creations, such as an arrow-pierced heart, in a small gallery. Unfortunately, this site is not as inspired as its subject matter, and Bob's best contribution is linking up to other origami sites. Bob outlines his plans for what he intends to do in the future, so in a couple of months, this space may be worth a gander.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
interBirdNet
URL: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/gf09/index.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
Ask me how England¹s auks are doing, and I can tell you, ³It¹s been a good month for Little Auks along Britain¹s North East Coast.² I know because I checked out interBirdNet, a resource for bird sightings in the United Kingdom. All sorts of nifty avian info is here: a Red-Neck Grebe was sighted at Cavendish Dock Barrow in Furness. Splendid, just splendid. Technically and aesthetically, this site comes up short, but if you scope birds on the Isles, this is your hangout.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
Longriders Biker Mall
URL: http://www.longriders.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jon Phillips
Visit the Biker Mall for motorcycle photos, support... and a whole lotta trouble. We¹re talking browser trouble. Netscape 2.0¹s Frames feature may be a few thousand BPSes ahead of its time ‹ it¹s nice to have all those independent windows on a single screen, but if the content chokes your bandwidth, the gimmick isn¹t worth the download struggle. Even on a T1 line, the site hobbled in like Tim Conway¹s old man character from ³The Carol Burnett Show.² An audio file of a roaring Harley sounded like white noise, and ³slides shows² of various motorcycles and bikini babes failed to slide as promised.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
Chris James¹s Ham Radio Page
URL: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/3685
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Blue Grrrl
Sometimes reviewing is just plain hard. Here we have a page that¹s the product of some obvious effort. The guy likes ham radios, has enough techno-smarts to employ some javascript, and can even manipulate images. The page¹s *content*, however, consists of ten or so links to ham radio stuff, some search engines (that we know about already, if we¹ve managed to find this obscure little site), and urghhhhh (!!!) blinking text. Well, I suppose if you are morally opposed to search engines or something, this might be a nice place to look up *other* ham radio sites. Other than that, ...
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
San Francisco Aquarium Society
URL: http://members.aol.com/sfas/index.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
The San Francisco Aquarium Society is a group of hardcore aquarists that
hosts meetings, shows, and publishes a monthly newsletter. If you can
barely keep one goldfish alive, it probably would be a good idea to check
out one of their meetings before you empty your wallet on a 50 gallon salt
water outfit. Meeting schedules and membership information is available on
the site, but there is a definite lack of informational resources for the
aquarist here. And that's pretty fishy. (I couldn't resist.) If you're not
into aquariums already, this site won't pique your interest.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
Musclecars and More!
URL: http://www.wavefront.com/~jcecil
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Karen Wickre
Auto-fanatics will have fun at Musclecars and More, a loving fan¹s homage to souped-up 60¹s and 70¹s-era American sedans. There are some Quicktime movies, GIFs of cars, and lots of links to other classic car, drag racing, and motor sports sites. If you like watching ³ground-pounding musclecars go head to head at a dragstrip,² Musclecars and More promises a good time. You can even order videos of ³streetcar shootouts² here for an offline fix.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
International Bonsai Guide
URL: http://www.idiscover.co.uk/bonsai
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1096
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
According to the Bonsai FAQ on this site, a Bonsai is simply "a
dwarfed tree growing in a try or a pot." The tree is clipped and groomed at
the hands of a dedicated and careful owner. Here, you can find a Bonsai
society in your area and meet friends for tips and clipping company.
There's also link to related sites and source information for new Bonsai
suppliers. Good information for the bonsai enthusiast, but the site is
graphically uninteresting. If you don't already know the beauty of the
Bonsai, you won't find it here.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
Anglers Online
URL: http://www.streamside.com/index.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Excellent
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
Why is it that the sites that carry all the accolades seem to disappoint so frequently? It may be top 5% in someone¹s book, but I¹d say that the folks behind this site need to make some time for a little organizing; the home page looks a lot like my tackle box -- a lot of tangled lines. You'll have to wade through a lot of garish ads to get to the meat of these pages, which are fairly comprehensive if you're looking for an outfitter, or want to have a chat with others about gear or technique, but I suspect true aficionados will spend more time in one of many dedicated newsgroups or magazines which are linked from this site.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
The Recumbent Bicycle Page
URL: http://carol.wins.uva.nl/~wijkstra/Fiets/bike.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1296
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Wayne Cunningham
Recumbent bicycles have been around for a while now, mostly in the hands of bearded fools traveling the country pontificating how superior the recumbent bicycle is to regular bicycles. You won¹t escape that self-righteous attitude on The Recumbent Bicycle Page, but you will get to see a lot of pictures of the various production models that are now being sold. I guess all that preaching finally worked. The page itself is a very raw HTML effort, with one long page and a few linked graphics, but there is painstaking detail in chronicling the various bikes being made.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 14
Italian Motor Scooters
URL: http://www.vespa.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Kirk Rahlman
All about Italian motor scooters. Well, not everything. Content is thin, and considering you must have at least a *minor* jones for Vespas to create something like this, pretty tepid as well. A page of vehicle identification numbers is a baffling jumble of data. There¹s the requisite links to other scooter sites, but overall navigation is clunky. If you saw ³Quadraphenia² more than twice, you may find something to get your motor running.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 13
AeroCrafter Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook
URL: http://www.hooked.net/baicorp/aerocrafter/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Good
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Getting tired of billboards on the Web? Me, too. Especially when they are as mundane as this one. If you happen to own a copy of ³The Aircraft Sourcebook,² you will definitely want to check out the table of corrections to the text found at this site. Short of that, this page only tries to convince you to buy a copy of your field guide to the exciting world of airplane construction. If you do feel the urge to buy the book, I suggest you check out a copy in your local bookstore; you won¹t find much information about it here.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 13
Classic Radio Gallery
URL: http://cpu.net/classicradio
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1296
Content Quality: Good
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Rachel Saidman
Classic Radio buffs now have somewhere to hang out on Saturday night when everyone else is listening to their CD players and digital video discs. Merrill Mabbs is serious about his classic radio hobby and has collected dozens of models, all of which are pictured at this site. Also of interest to classic radio aficionados is his collection of schematic design drawings of nearly every U.S.-made radio, available for only $6.00 each. Enthusiasts will want to
tune in, for sure.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 13
Welcome to HomeArts
URL: http://homearts.com/depts/fresh/newhome.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
The Hearst Corporation delivers an on-line magazine created by excerpting some of it¹s most popular magazines: Redbook, Country Living, Popular Mechanics, and more. The zine features attractive, in-depth sections on food, health, relationships, and home and garden. Some of the highlights include a searchable recipe index, diet and exercise tips, a nationwide database of properties for sale, and of course the mandatory ³is it love or lust² relationship quiz. An excellent site for anyone who feels the compulsion to reach for that copy of ³Better Homes & Garden² in the checkout isle.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 12
MOTORCYCLE ONLINE
URL: http://www.motorcycle.com/motorcycle.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jon Phillips
Consider this site your premiere online motorcycle authority. Layouts are so sharp, they compare to print magazines before the advent of desktop publishing. Tables display tech specs of various bikes. Ads are benignly sequestered in ³Manufacturer¹s Row.² Loaded with extensive photography and all the trappings of a modern hobbyist¹s magazine (feature stories, product reviews, classified, etc.), you¹d be hard-pressed to find a more well-written, well-designed source of motorcycle information.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 12
HomeArts
URL: http://homearts.com/depts/fresh/newhome.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
The Hearst Corporation delivers an on-line magazine created by excerpting some of it¹s most popular magazines: Redbook, Country Living, Popular Mechanics, and more. The zine features attractive, in-depth sections on food, health, relationships, and home and garden. Some of the highlights include a searchable recipe index, diet and exercise tips, a nationwide database of properties for sale, and of course the mandatory ³is it love or lust² relationship quiz. An excellent site for anyone who feels the compulsion to reach for that copy of ³Better Homes & Garden² in the checkout isle.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 12
All the Secrets of Magic Revealed
URL: http://www.loginius.com/magic/test.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0896
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Patrick Joseph
Never trust a magician, kids. That goes double for this site, which is all just hocus-pocus. The whole site is really just a pitch for a book by the same name, which, if the Web site is any indication, isn¹t worth the paper it was written on. The Frames here are useless and the graphics in the bottom frame are all squashed beyond recognition. Navigation is impossible; clicking on the HTML tag, ³David Copperfield¹s Secret² sent me to a sales pitch for a special deck of cards. (Funny, I thought there¹d be more too it.) Someone should make this site disappear.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 12
Muroc Model Masters
URL: http://www.ptw.com/~wuertzer
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0996
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Karen Wickre
Model aircraft and radio-controlled model planes are popular with kids and grown-ups alike; this is a site for both: a certified chapter of the Academy of Model Aeronautics near Edwards Air Force Base, California. Here you¹ll find the Propwash newsletter, the chapter¹s bylaws, flying safety rules, info on local hobby shops, and directions to the designated for flying area. If you want to learn more, you can link from here to the home page for the Academy itself.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 12
KOA
URL: http://www.loci.com/HO/village/koa/koatitle.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 1196
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
From the folks who put the "K" in kamping, here's the unassuming KOA site, a throwback to the heyday of family teepee vacations. Hard to figure why they felt that they needed to have a presence on the Web, given their low-tech tradition. A mere three quaint pages: one points you to the campground nearest your holiday destination, another reminds you what every good camper has in her knapsack, and the third proffers a set of campfire recipes. Somehow I can't see getting online to plan my idyllic road tour, but that's just stodgy old me; I'd rather just stumble onto the campground.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 12
Over the Coffee
URL: http://www.cappuccino.com
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0197
Content Quality: Poor
Aesthetic Quality: Poor
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Steve LeVine
I left this site not quite clear on where I'd just been. It seems to do with coffee, the bean and beverage, but beyond that, no se. If you're a coffee consumer looking for a kilo of kona, or a vendor seeking an espresso maker, you can run a little search here. Amd there are a slew of links to other coffee sites, all right. Maybe you should browse those first and see if there's any reason to slide back "over the coffee." This brew doesn¹t make the grade.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 12
Martin's magic curiosities
URL: http://www.deltanet.com/users/mlewis/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
We need more magicians in this world. I¹m not talking Wiccans or Crowley devotees, but real magicians--top hat, magic wand, maybe even a bunny rabbit. This site, maintained by Martin Lewis, a San Francisco-based magician with ³with long tapered fingers ideal for the performance of his art,² is keeping the classical tradition alive! True prestidigitators will appreciate his 24 rules of magic to improve presentation and should closely follow his ³Top Ten Ways To Prevent Exposure² of magical secrets to those not in the fold. Adding to Lewis¹ cred is his balding, tuxedoed image--much more than intriguing than Copperfield¹s leather jacket/glistening motorcycle shtick.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 11
Unofficial Martha Stewart Home Page
URL: http://tear.cybercash.com/kerry/martha.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Upon first click, this page seems like an exercise in irony... But laugh not. We¹re talking true Martha Stewart fandom here. In fact, the phrase ³goddess of the home² can be found in the opening paragraph. Then again, maybe Martha isn¹t such a bad icon for the hyperreal American home of beautiful flowers, tidy living rooms, and exquisite odors wafting from the kitchen. By exploring this site, you too can learn the secrets of being Martha! Start with the Martha Mega-FAQ, indulge yourself with a few ³Ask Martha² columns posted here, and then grab your wire whisk and follow a link to the coveted oatmeal cranberry cookie recipe. Yum!
Overall Rating (out of 18): 11
The CraftWeb Home Page
URL: http://www.craftweb.com
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
It claims to be "The Premier On-Line Community for Professional Craft Arts," and it lives up to the boast. A stained-glass window links artisans, groups, FTP files, a bookstore, resources, and more. The people behind the page will also promote your work, for a price ‹ $250 gets you membership, an attractive site to display photos of wares with a bio (they'll assist in designing), plus other
promotional benefits. A hundred bucks yields lesser services, and no money will still easily provide you with a wealth of information, whether you're a wood turner, basket weaver, or gourd artist.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 11
Tiles on the Web
URL: http://users.aimnet.com:8000/`tcolson/webtiles.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
Your one-stop site for everything in Tileland. Look at tiles, discover where to get training, check out the bookshelf, critique the featured tile artist. This attractive site is a labor of love for host Tom Colson and his knowledgeable contributors. It¹s strictly non-commercial, which doesn't mean he won't
mention a worthy business, but it does mean Tom's endorsement can't be bought. It's a complete service for those who, in his words, "are into tile." If you are, too, you need this page.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 11
Martin's Magic Curiosities
URL: http://www.deltanet.com/users/mlewis/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
We need more magicians in this world. I¹m not talking Wiccans or Crowley devotees, but real magicians--top hat, magic wand, maybe even a bunny rabbit. This site, maintained by Martin Lewis, a San Francisco-based magician with ³with long tapered fingers ideal for the performance of his art,² is keeping the classical tradition alive! True prestidigitators will appreciate his 24 rules of magic to improve presentation and should closely follow his ³Top Ten Ways To Prevent Exposure² of magical secrets to those not in the fold. Adding to Lewis¹ credability is his balding, tuxedoed image ‹ much more than intriguing than Copperfield¹s leather jacket/glistening motorcycle shtick.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 11
Unofficial Martha Stewart Home Page
URL: http://tear.cybercash.com/kerry/martha.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Upon first click, this page seems like an exercise in irony... But laugh not. We¹re talking true Martha Stewart fandom here. In fact, the phrase ³goddess of the home² can be found in the opening paragraph. By exploring this site, you too can learn the secrets of being Martha ‹ icon for the hyperreal American home of beautiful flowers and tidy living rooms! Start with the Martha Mega-FAQ, indulge yourself with a few ³Ask Martha² columns posted here, and then grab your wire whisk and follow a link to the coveted oatmeal cranberry cookie recipe. Yum!
Overall Rating (out of 18): 11
Stahl's Pottery
URL: http://www.ot.com/ht/stahls/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Excellent
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
This site is visually impressive, but lacks depth. If you poke around at length, you¹ll find your mind starting to wander. A brief history of the Stahl family line of pottery leaves you with more questions than answers. So does the rest of the page, with its mysterious links to seemingly unrelated topics ‹ shops that don¹t feature Stahl pottery, for example. All in all, this is an example of failed online communication.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 10
Welcome to the Virtual Garden
URL: http://pathfinder.com/@@EucPNeG6gAAAQISI/vg/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Excellent
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Let¹s face it: you either have a green thumb, or you prefer plastic plants. I¹m the latter. But still, the Virtual Garden is a wealth of information I wish I could put to use. The searchable plants encyclopedia is really amazing--learn to identify the three forms of lettuce, understand why sunflowers are often considered weeds, and discover if the Adiantum plant really has the power to thicken and curl hair. For the more diehard dirt dweller, the site has numerous online gardening books and magazines to peruse and even a directory of the finest botanical gardens in the world. Couldn¹t find any Cannabis Sativa growing tips on the site though.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 8
Thee Joker's Funhouse
URL: http://www.escape.com/~joker/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
First of all, hacking was not just an 80s teen fetish that ended when the Legion of Doom went to jail and Shimomura nailed Mitnick. It¹s alive and well in many basements and high school computer labs still following the maxim that ³information wants to be free.² This site is a basic guide to phone phreaking and hacking resources on the Web--2600, Phrack and other goldmines of technical information. Alhtough a bit young with an annoying amount slang, Thee Joker¹s Funhouse is a fine starting point if you want an introduction to the questionable activities of those lurking on the lines. Remember though: If the phone company calls, deny owning one.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 7
GardenWeb
URL: http://www.gardenweb.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Warning! Serious gardeners should stay away from this site: Once you visit you may become hooked, running up your ISP bills, and neglecting your garden. This excellent resource for the accomplished gardener includes such features as a seed exchange, interactive classified ads, and many well designed, and fairly active, forums covering a wide variety of plant types and gardening topics. The site is rounded off with great tips, a business directory, and a calendar of upcoming gardening events. It could be better organized, and may be a little advanced for the novice, but green thumbs will return again and again.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 7
Inline Online Overview
URL: http://bird.taponline.com/inline/overview.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
The old four wheeled dinosaurs of our youth have long since been replaced by the modern adventure sport of inline skating. Browsing this site, you can feel the enthusiasm of the diehard fans that created it, packing it full of exciting, useful, and well organized pages for the inline enthusiast. Pictures galore, tips for all styles of skating, editorials, and gear info, all combine to hold your interest as you cruise the site. Kudos to the authors for a great job of making the site a forum, encouraging all to send in their tips, letters, and ideas to be included.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 7
GardenWeb
URL: http://www.gardenweb.com/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Warning! Serious gardeners should stay away from this site: Once you visit you may become hooked, running up your ISP bills, and neglecting your garden. This excellent resource for the accomplished gardener includes such features as a seed exchange, interactive classified ads, and many well designed, and fairly active, forums covering a wide variety of plant types and gardening topics. The site is rounded off with great tips, a business directory, and a calendar of upcoming gardening events. It could be better organized, and may be a little advanced for the novice, but green thumbs will return again and again.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 7
Inline Online Overview
URL: http://bird.taponline.com/inline/overview.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
The old four wheeled dinosaurs of our youth have long since been replaced by the modern adventure sport of inline skating. Browsing this site, you can feel the enthusiasm of the diehard fans that created it, packing it full of exciting, useful, and well organized pages for the inline enthusiast. Pictures galore, tips for all styles of skating, editorials, and gear info, all combine to hold your interest as you cruise the site. Kudos to the authors for a great job of making the site a forum, encouraging all to send in their tips, letters, and ideas to be included.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 7
Paper Airplane of the Month
URL: http://pchelp.inc.net/paper_ac.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: David Pescovitz
Long after the last cootie catcher of your grade school years has been recycled, paper airplanes are still guaranteed to amaze. Especially if you live on the third story. This cute site offers a new plane template every month to print, fold and let fly. The May 1995 design has always been my favorite--it comes back when you throw it. But given the infinite possibilities of a sheet of paper (and maybe a paperclip or two), the maintainers of this page could certainly do better than monthly updates. You can always take the matter into your own hands though-- hacking your own dead tree dirigible is always more fun than recreating that same old flying wing.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
The Puppetry Home Page
URL: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~rosesage/puppetry/puppetry.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Puppetry is one of the worlds most venerable art forms, yet it is usually not considered Œserious¹ in this country‹an impression this site goes to great lengths to change. Whether you are a serious puppeteer, or totally new to the art, there is an extensive amount of information on this well organized site to capture your interest. The site is arranged by types of puppetry and includes famous puppets and puppeteers, current puppet exhibits and touring companies, on-line resources, mail order supply houses, and much more to keep you interested. A must for any puppet fan!
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
Introduction to Linn's Stamp News
URL: http://www.best.com/~linns/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Wow. I never would have guessed how deep some people can get into stamps; $16,675 for a Richard Nixon invert from 1995! Find exciting tales like this in Linn¹s Stamp News, a weekly magazine for the SERIOUS collector, and now a web site with some current news and resources of interest to avid collectors. The casual collector will probably be disappointed by the lack of a broad overview of stamp collecting. The site is attractive and well organized, but it seems more designed to lure you into buying their books or subscribing to their magazine than to inform about stamp collecting.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
Atlas Model Railway Company
URL: http://www.atlasrr.com/atlasrr
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
This mostly commercial site begins by stating that model railroading is ³the fastest-growing hobby in America.² Funny, I thought Web page creation had this distinction. This page reminded me of grammar school film strips: There¹s some good information, yes, but a lot of product placement, too. (Perhaps you also saw the film on basketball basics that had the team drinking Coke at half time. But I digress.) Atlas products are all over the place. And why not? This is the Atlas site. Overall, an attractive layout.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
Airheads Beemer Club
URL: http://www.vni.net/~mcl/ahs/airheads.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jon Phillips
Airheads are folksy BMW motorcycle enthusiasts who despise their chi-chi yuppie counterparts, and ‹ now this is key ‹ ride Beemers with air-cooled heads. A photo gallery introduces you to all the fellas. Sure, we¹re talking guys who most likely attended the Skynyrd reunion tour, but goddamn if they couldn¹t clean serious BMW house with a few pony kegs of Pabst down their gullets. All in all, this page rocks with invaluable technical data on how to tangle with a real man¹s bike.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
Team.Net Vintage Race Web
URL: http://www.team.net/www/vintage-race/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
Endure the staid checkered flags that limply wave you into each page at the Team.Net Vintage Race Web Œcause you¹re in for a great meat-and-potatoes site. Gobs of dense (and useful) text is packed onto every page ‹ enough to impress even the most hardened vintage racing fanatic. Although it¹s just a step above the Team.Net FTP server itself, as it humbly claims to be a ³shared resource for vintage racers on the net,² you can¹t fault the site for pretense. The word ³expansive² came to mind as I flipped through page after page of club lists, parts sources, and technical articles.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
The Original Motor Scooter Home Page
URL: http://weber.u.washington.edu/~shortwav/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
This decidedly high-brow scooter site is chock-full of exceptional vintage images of June Cleaveresque babes draped over Vespas, Lambrettas, Cushmans, and NSUs. Scooterists hip to the politics of pedigree will groove on the electronic exploration of a two-wheeled culture that took off some 50 years ago when Enrico Piaggio sold his first Vespa. Whether you¹re looking to join the Festering OktoberScoot Rally, or interested in tips and hints to restore your own machine, this is a good site for connoisseurs of these unique Œn¹ glam machines.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
Linn's Stamp News
URL: http://www.best.com/~linns/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Wow. I never would have guessed how deep some people can get into stamps; $16,675 for a Richard Nixon invert from 1995! Find exciting tales like this in Linn¹s Stamp News, a weekly magazine for the SERIOUS collector, and now a web site with some current news and resources of interest to avid collectors. The casual collector will probably be disappointed by the lack of a broad overview of stamp collecting. The site is attractive and well organized, but it seems more designed to lure you into buying their books or subscribing to their magazine than to inform about stamp collecting.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 6
Maine Sportsman's Guide Canoeing Kayaking
URL: http://www.maineguide.com/sportsmen/canoeing.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Few visions bring to mind relaxation like canoeing through the still lakes of Maine, listening to the loons as the sun appears over the horizon. If you have decided to pursue this vision, or it¹s white-water cousin, and would like to contact a professional guide service, this site could save you a mint on phone calls. If you are looking for general information on Canoeing or Kayaking in Maine you will be disappointed by it¹s general lack on this site‹limited to some very appealing pictures and sketchy information on a few popular waterways.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Hiking and Walking Homepage
URL: http://www.teleport.com/~walking/hiking.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Walking seems to have become Americans favorite pastime, and this is a great place to get in on the excitement. Whether you are just starting to walk for exercise, or are a serious hiker, you will be intrigued by this site. It feels a little thrown together, but it is loaded with great information on regional and national walking clubs, hiking publications and events, articles on many aspects of walking and nature philosophy, and excellent sources for self-propelled vacations. If you your idea of relaxation and fitness is miles of open trail, don¹t miss this site.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Model Railroad Information
URL: http://www-cse.ucsd.edu/user/bowdidge/railroad/rail-model.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
This is the mother of all model railroad sites (and there are a boxcar full). Not real pretty, but it¹s stuffed with information and it¹s easy to get around in. General info, sites by scale and gauge, FAQ, organizations, electronics, building models, exchange tips, etc. If it's small and train-related, it's here. If it isn't, let them know and I'll bet they'll add it pronto.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Pottery: The Potter's Page
URL: http://www.aztec.co.za/users/theo/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
An argument could be made that the page name is redundant, but why pick nits? Bountiful and accessible resources include a mailing list, software, exhibitions, and events, plus connection to potters all over cyberworld. Very basic layout with a minimum of colors, but so what? You want information or glitz? If you work with clay, you want to be here. And if you cover your mouse and keyboard with plastic, you don't have to wash your hands first.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
HOn2 1/2 Page
URL: http://www.shore.net/~jdf/ho3o.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
If I glean what hosts Dave Frary and Bob Hayden say, HOn2-1/2 is a slightly obscure scale for trainsters who shun conventional HO or N sizes. This is akin to intellectuals who never read anything even remotely popular and get snotty if you ask why, except that Dave and Bob sound like nice guys and model trains are lots more fun than books by sullen junkie writers. Anyway, if you're
interested in HOn2-1/2 or think you might be, Bob and Dave have all the information you need, and they want to hear from you. They're thinking of writing a book.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Iron Butt Association Main Menu
URL: http://world.std.com/~ironbutt/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jon Phillips
Your butt would be iron, too, if you covered more than 1,000 miles of continuous earth in a 24-hour period. Welcome to the Iron Butt Association, a group ³dedicated to safe, long-distance, endurance motorcycle riding.² Twenty-five long-distance tips provide valuable information for group members, as well as riders of weaker resolve. Information on annual rides like the ³Saddle Sore 1,000² and the ³Bun Burner 1,500² lend identity to a rather obscure ‹ and cheeky ‹ movement. No art, but more information about sore asses than most of us would care to know.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
The Mini-Tugboat Homepage
URL: http://www.halcyon.com/aslocke/welcome.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jon Phillips
Would you like to learn more about mini-tugboats? Would you like to build a mini-tugboat? You might if it helped you gain access to the Gulf Coast Nudist Yacht Club! That¹s right, friends, you¹ll find naked seamen and seawomen if you delve deeply enough into this otherwise unspectacular homage to mini-tugboating. How-to articles are well-written, but most of the accompanying photos are too low-res to be of any help. While the site seems to be a comprehensive resource for tugboating info, its organization is labored.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Mike Sullivan's WOODWORKING WEB PAGE 6 17 95
URL: http://access.digex.com/~mds/woodwork.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Jon Phillips
When you¹re talking about woodworking, you¹re talking about a real hobby ‹ traditional, folksy, and just plain Rockwellian. This site is tireless in its exploration of a subject that requires meticulous attention to detail. With links to FAQs, bibliographies, and subjects headers like ³All you need to know about scrapers,² you¹ll be well on your way to building that birdhouse for the front porch. Just one drawback: Where¹s the art?
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Cook's Corner
URL: http://wchat.on.ca/merlene/cook.htm
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
The brainchild of a self-confessed online addict named Merlene, Cook¹s Corner is a charmless misadventure in Web page execution and maintenance. The idea is fine: a resource list of links to tasty sites like the Virtual Campsite Cookbook, The Ottawa Coffee Co., and Virtual Vineyards ‹ good links, all of Œem. The ones that *aren¹t* out of date, that is. Still, you¹ve gotta appreciate Merlene¹s chutzpah or, more accurately, quaint lack of self-awareness. As she proudly declares of this aesthetic mishap, ³the background and ALL images on this page are the original designs of Merlene.²
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Maine Sportsman's Guide Canoeing Kayaking
URL: http://www.maineguide.com/sportsmen/canoeing.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Few visions bring to mind relaxation like canoeing through the still lakes of Maine, listening to the loons as the sun appears over the horizon. If you have decided to pursue this vision, or it¹s white-water cousin, and would like to contact a professional guide service, this site could save you a mint on phone calls. If you are looking for general information on Canoeing or Kayaking in Maine you will be disappointed by it¹s general lack on this site‹limited to some very appealing pictures and sketchy information on a few popular waterways.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Hiking and Walking Homepage
URL: http://www.teleport.com/~walking/hiking.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
Walking seems to have become Americans favorite pastime, and this is a great place to get in on the excitement. Whether you are just starting to walk for exercise, or are a serious hiker, you¹ll be intrigued. It feels a little thrown together at first, but it is loaded with great information on regional and national walking clubs, hiking publications and events, articles on many aspects of walking and nature philosophy, and excellent sources for self-propelled vacations. If you your idea of relaxation and fitness is miles of open trail, don¹t miss this site.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 5
Minnesota Clay Co. USA
URL: http://www.mm.com/mnclayus/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
"It can be surprising when a glaze described as a matt taupe fires out as a glassy emerald!" Indeed. I have no idea why this is so, but I believe these people. They talk about glazes, cones, and kilns like it was their first language. Aside from a catalog of Minnesota Clay products, this page has interesting links to discussion groups, which often include topics such as left-handed throwing and the best books on tape to break the workroom monotony.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 4
The Toy Train Company & Reference Value Guides
URL: http://mountain.net/ttc/index.html
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0496
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Reed Rahlman
Lenny the Lion, dressed in an engineer¹s outfit, greets surfers at the top of the page. American Flyer, Ives, K-Line, Lionel, and Marx products are listed in detail (Lionel sponsors the page, and thoughtfully provides a company history). This is strictly a pricing reference for model train stuff, so there are no handy tips on how to get that Styrofoam rock to stay in place. A good site if you need product info; provides limited interest if you¹re not in the market.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 4
Welcome to the LA Biker home page
URL: http://www.labiker.org/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0396
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Good
Site of the Month: No
Author: Lauren Guzak
Insipid, inane, incomprehensible that anyone would want to go to this site. My dog could create a better biker page ‹ and he doesn¹t know HTML or ride a motorcycle. A disparate collection of vanity pages, this site is mediocre in every respect: kinda sexist, kinda vain, kinda into machines. I either want good old testosteronic, beer-guzzling, and hard-core, or something totally unexpected like progressive, enlightened, and free-thinking. The only reason to visit this site: the Fredo page by Praka. If this man is single, someone must pick him up ‹ he¹s into Italian, opera, and Perl. What¹s he doing with this crowd?
Overall Rating (out of 18): 4
AeroCrafter Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook
URL: http://www.hooked.net/baicorp/aerocrafter/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
I am beginning to get tired of billboards on the Web, especially when they are as mundane as this one. If you happen to own a copy of ŒThe Aircraft Sourcebook¹ you will definitely want to check out the table of corrections to the text found at this site. Short of that the site only tries to convince you to buy a copy of your field guide to the exciting world of airplane construction. If you do feel the urge to buy the book, I suggest you check out a copy in your local bookstore; you will not find much information about it on this site.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 3
The House Boating Page
URL: http://www.inforamp.net/~morris/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0596
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
I always have to wonder whether sites like this are a crackpot scheme to make money, or if someone out there really is that obsessed with propagating the houseboat as the great American recreational vehicle. Call me a cynic, but I suspect the former. If you are planning a house boating vacation you may want to check out the houseboat rental locator, and the avid houseboat enthusiast may find the small collection of links interesting, otherwise there is not anything on this site to warrant a visit.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 3
The House Boating Page
URL: http://www.inforamp.net/~morris/
Category: Pasttimes
Issue: 0696
Content Quality: Not Rated
Aesthetic Quality: Not Rated
TechnoSmart Quality: Poor
Site of the Month: No
Author: Brian Bearden
I always have to wonder whether sites like this are a crackpot scheme to make money, or if someone out there really is that obsessed with propagating the houseboat as the great American recreational vehicle. Call me a cynic, but I suspect the former. If you are planning a house boating vacation you may want to check out the houseboat rental locator, and the avid houseboat enthusiast may find the small collection of links interesting, otherwise there is not anything on this site to warrant a visit.
Overall Rating (out of 18): 3