NETSURFER DIGEST

Sunday, November 26, 1995 - Volume 01, Issue 37
"More Signal, Less Noise"

OUR SPONSORS: Netsurfer Marketplace

SURFING SITES

The Anarchist Web Page
Letters from Jesus
Actor, Singer, Dancer, Model, Canadian
Take Two Valium and Shriek Loudly in the Morning
MSConspiracy or MSParanoia?
More MSFollies
Five's Company
Ian Ellison's Long Strange Trip
Mon Cherie, Mistress of Atlanta
Old Kentucky Home Page
Chip's Home Page of Harmless Fun
The Eclectic Land of Oz
Plow through Solid Space
The Strunk & White for Business Web Pages

ONLINE TRAVEL

Out of Africa
Born on the Bayou
HotWired to the Rough Guide
Feel the Spray in Your Virtual Face
London Calling, with an Insider's View of the City
French Beds and Benedictines
L.L. Bean National Park Directory

FLOTSAM & JETSAM

Rush Redux
Automatic Wedding Speech Writer
Got a Cool Signature?
Yet Another Web Index
All Bat, No Fat
Good for Grief
Half a Million Companies

SOFTWARE

Roll Your Own Web Page

CORRECTIONS

Scottish Climbing Page Climbs Aboard Another Server

CONTACT INFORMATION

CREDITS

SURFING SITES


The best places to netsurf this week

THE ANARCHIST WEB PAGE

Sex on the Net isn't the only thing upsetting certain politicians. Come to Candyman to explore all aspects of anarchy and illegal activities. There isn't much more than straight text here, much of it culled from Usenet and individual rants, but you'll discover a huge treasure trove of underground information. Articles include data on bomb-making, radar-jamming, credit card fraud, drug recipes, lockpicking, phone-phreaking, and counterfeiting. There are also links to other hacker and drug pages. This is the kind of site that is likely to close as censorship paranoia rises amongst Internet providers. If you need any of this information, not that we endorse such activity, get it while you can. "http://www.mcs.com/~candyman/home.html"

LETTERS FROM JESUS

We might all go straight to Hell - do not pass Purgatory; do not collect 200 souls - just for reading this page, but we'll laugh all the way to the Pit. Keep up with Jesus's daily happenings (usually a quest for mortal flesh of the female variety) as he pens the Messiah Log, or take comfort in the list of future Hellmates, quite reassuring to the cynical among us. Those moved by the spirit can even join Jesus's latest religion, the Church of Monty Christo. "http://www.unc.edu/~sca4807/"

ACTOR, SINGER, DANCER, MODEL, CANADIAN

Everybody knows Scott Thompson, right? (No, we don't mean the congressman.) Scott, a Kid in the Hall, is now appearing on "The Larry Sanders Show". The funniest queen on TV has now become the funniest queen on the Web - Queen of ScottLand, that is. Scott finally has what he wanted. No, not pink lame, peekaboo-nipple softball uniforms, but his own country. Call it a democracy with excellent graphics. Registered citizens are encouraged to vote for prime minister (go, Fran!), contribute suggestions for future projects, and can get together in the Bottoms Up Cafe (tee-hee) to chat. "http://www.scottland.com/"

TAKE TWO VALIUM AND SHRIEK LOUDLY IN THE MORNING

Does life make you hyperventilate? Feel like letting loose a deafening primal scream or curling up in a fetal ball but don't know why? This might be the spot for you. The Panic Encyclopedia claims to be "the definitive guide to the postmodern scene", and it explains panic, the key psychological mood of postmodern culture. Read about Panic Elvis, Panic Sex, Panic Lips, Panic Lovers, and more. Discover why Xanax appears to be the drug of choice. It's understandable when all is "a floating reality, with the actual as a dream world, where we live on the edge of ecstasy and dread." Whatever. Panic attacks and tracts are, of course, welcome. "http://www.freedonia.com/panic/"

MSCONSPIRACY OR MSPARANOIA?

Once glance at Joan Grove's home page will tell you that she doesn't exactly rank as Microsoft's greatest fan. Joan, a former Microsoft employee, displays proof of what she considers to be crucial Microsoft math bugs, a report on how "Microsoft Destroyed My Family", and accusations of sexual harassment and thuggery. This WWW site won't make Bill Gates' day. She claims Microsoft's legal department warns all potential employers of her, as well any who try either to work with or help her. For good measure, she acuses her ex-husband of molesting her children and includes a photo of him naked. There's lots of other stuff, too, but is it fact or fiction? Either option's truly scary. "http://www.halcyon.com/redrose/joan.html"

MORE MSFOLLIES

Interested in a site recognized as Geek Site of the Day and included on the Anti-Windows homepage? Then check out the "Microsoft Conspiracy Interpretation of American Pi" page. This quirky site deconstructs the lyrics to the Don McLean song "American Pie". McLean was a classmate of Bill Gates's at Harvard, and this page make the case that he prophetically wrote the song, really called "American Pi", about Gates and his evil empire-building future. Apparently, the chord progression spells out "William Gates III Is Satan Kill Your Parents." Cool. "http://www.datasync.com/~booda/mcap.html"

FIVE'S COMPANY

Slap together five college students, four digital video cameras, and a networked computer. Add a corporate sponsor and what do you get? No, not a new sitcom, but the Virtual Dorm, a site that allows you to peep into the students' world. The cameras, running 24 hours a day, offer live video over CuSeeME and still shots for the video impaired. QuickTime tours map the residence for you; video profiles introduce the participants. You can communicate with the residents over CuSeeME or send e-mail, which is posted on the page. There isn't much info about the project itself or any answers to obvious questions, such as why anyone would volunteer for this. Still, if you're one of those folks who enjoy Netscape's Amazing Fish Cam, you may have fun here too. "http://www.taponline.com/tap/v-dorm.html"

IAN ELLISON'S LONG STRANGE TRIP

Ian Ellison has set up Loki Express, he says, "to see what happens next". He is a Generation Xer, and he's filled his pages with stories that reflect that. It is as strange as it is appealing, with Xer-style autobiographical stories about such topics as his convoluted reasons for not having a car, how he filled his rent-a-car for free, things he hasn't been to jail for yet, and his innumerable screwups. Bits of personal anecdotal background should be perused before twisting through this engaging page: Ian's a good story teller, but it sure helps to know where he's coming from. "http://www.umich.edu/~ian/index.html"

MON CHERIE, MISTRESS OF ATLANTA

Mon Cherie, a child of Atlanta's clubland, is a fetish performer. Her fetish Web page presents hot and rubbery fashions as seen in Fantasy Fashion Digest and other such non-heatwave-wear mags. Information about fetish clubs with cheap admission certainly seem to offer good, useful entertainment value. The awesome links page is stuffed with heaps of stuff like Virus Fanzine and PeachWeb. Lighthearted and sticky, but she really ought to improve her French. "http://www.mindspring.com/~moncheri/"

OLD KENTUCKY HOME PAGE

On the other hand, there's Life As It Used to Be. Well, not really. Duane and Eva's Old Kentucky Home Page combines high-tech art with homespun humor. The result is an amusing, unusually creative site with links varying from "Our Farm Photos" to "Computer Art" and SimCity 2000 city files. If you're in a rustic mood, you can check out the Forest Management Workshop Manual and Woodland Stream links. Techies will prefer to delve into Duane's descriptions of the more than 80 computer programs he's written. "http://www.webcom.com/duane/welcome.html"

CHIP'S HOME PAGE OF HARMLESS FUN

Chip Rowe's easy and friendly home page contains pics, trivia, and stories about such things as the laundry room episode (the Rat Fink link). Use the luxury of objective hindsight to pass judgement on his apartment block crisis. Well designed for feedback, the page has some dodgy enough Best Web Sites such as Babes on the Web and Web Voyeur, which sports the old handy cam at a bus stop in Beverly hills, but what do you expect? Chip works for Playboy. Harmless jock stuff. "http://virtumall.com/zines/chip/main.html"

THE ECLECTIC LAND OF OZ

This is another personal page, but it looks better and has more depth than many corporate sites. Somewhat eclectic, the emphasis here is on fantasy, stories, and mysticism. Adorned with beautiful backgrounds and pretty graphics, there are links to paganism, witchcraft, and new age religions. Other areas cover science fiction, fantasy, and horror. A form permits easy submission of a Santagram, to which an answer is promised. Read the HTML version of the first sequel to "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" along with many other stories suitable for children. After entertaining the kids, jump to the index of Web search engines and pointers to collections of internet tools, shareware, and games. "http://members.gnn.com/shickman/index.htm"

PLOW THROUGH SOLID SPACE

If you've ever wondered how Mr.T compares to a giant redwood, Solid Space is for you. Share Fabio's deepest thoughts, in his own voice. This is where we learned of the dark side of Pez, featured in our Halloween issue, but there is much more worthwhile crap than just that here. Check out the Optigan (a disk-reading organ), View-Masters, and some really Awful Music. "http://redwood.northcoast.com/~shojo/Solid.html"

THE STRUNK & WHITE FOR BUSINESS WEB PAGES

Accept the premise that Web pages are roughly equivalent to printed brochures and you get the concept behind Jim Heath's "Pointers To Creating Successful Business Web Pages". This no-nonsense page, put together by a group of professional copywriters, links to sites with features that work and others that don't, with commentary on the why and how of it. Obviously, much thought has gone into this topic and there's even intelligent discussion about items the writers disagreed on, like whether bright colors attract or detract from the business message. We suspect that this site will prove invaluable to anyone thinking about launching a profitable location on the Web. "http://www.iinet.net.au/~heath/"

ONLINE TRAVEL


Click your mouse and see the world

OUT OF AFRICA

We weren't sure what to expect from a site called the Alchemy of Africa. With links titled "energy", "matter", "sprit", and "love", and a cosmic background, we thought we might have landed at a cyber-rave. But when we saw the Mystical Launchpad button with the rhinoceros (albeit green), we knew this was the right URL. This is actually a pretty informative site with facts and photos on bushmen, witch doctors, etc., as well six African tunes authored by Steven Lifschitz. And if you're feeling a little down and have a lot of time for the graphic to dither on, check out the Love Pages for a "positive interruption". "http://www.aztec.co.za/biz/africa/"

BORN ON THE BAYOU

If you're more swamp rat than Net-head, you'll feel right at home at these two sites. Glen Pitre's Louisiana Catalog is part catalogue hustle, part folklore lesson, and will have you wishing you were born on the bayou. The catalogue stocks folk art, strange souvenirs, foods and fire-breathing spices, books, music, and a slew of other items that any Louisiana culture vulture would find hard to pass up. If bar-hopping the Big Easy is more your style, swing by the Louisiana Home Page for a listing of clubs, events, eateries, music festivals, shopping stops, and Louisiana sights. The site covers the state, but, almost by necessity, there's a strong focus on New Orleans and its environs. Laissez les bons temps roulez. Catalogue: "http://www.bayoufolk.com/lacat/" Louisiana: "http://www.wisdom.com/la/la1.htm"

HOTWIRED TO THE ROUGH GUIDE

Rough Guides have been hauled around in backpacks and back pockets by intrepid tourists for years. They're now on the Web, courtesy of HotWired. The 900+ slick pages of travel information offer valuable travel tips on local eateries, clubs, sights, and other haunts across the United States. HotWired promises it will have the entire Rough Guide library online in due time, giving ergonomically correct armchair travelers the world at their fingertips. Of course, what works great in a backpack loses some utility when tied to a terminal. The online Rough Guides make up for that with Vox, where readers and visitors may comment on spots covered in the Guides. Bored in Boston or mugged in New York, leave your own tales for HotWired's tripping travelers. "http://www.hotwired.com/rough/"

FEEL THE SPRAY IN YOUR VIRTUAL FACE

In the mood for a little vicarious adventure? Check out this multimedia raft trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Really nice maps, good comments on the geology you're sliding past, and better-than-average photos from some knowledgable afficionados, nicely punctuated with QuickTime movies. Sit back and enjoy the ride. "http://river.ihs.gov/GrandCanyon/GCrt.html"

LONDON CALLING, WITH AN INSIDER'S VIEW OF THE CITY

If you're tired of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and London's other popular tourist attractions, perhaps you'll want to familiarize yourself with the _real_ London, which is precisely what you'll find at the London Calling Internet site. This "interactive entertainment magazine" allows you to visit such places as the Surrey Docks Farm, the Notting Hill Carnival, and our favorite, the Portobello Market. If you have an affinity toward reggae, hip-hop, Rasta, and/or street culture, you might avail yourself of the opportunity to sample the sights and sounds. "http://www.demon.co.uk/london-calling/index.html"

FRENCH BEDS AND BENEDICTINES

The following site offers two avenues of exploration: quaint and refined hotels in France's Normandy region and Benedictine monasteries all over the country. Perfect for planning your next vacances en France. And if you ne parles pas la langue, don't worry; it's been written in English. "http://www.imaginet.fr/apollonia/"

L.L. BEAN NATIONAL PARK DIRECTORY

Leave it to the makers of duck shoes, flannel shirts, and outdoor wear galore to bring you a fabulous guide to America's national parks. You can perform a search of particular parks by name, state or activity. The nice photos will make planning your trip almost as pleasant as being there. Oh, yeah - you can buy stuff here too. "http://www.llbean.com/parksearch/"

FLOTSAM & JETSAM


Random acts of online reality

RUSH REDUX

Dittoheads around the Net were upset with our coverage of FAIR's assessment of Rush Limbaugh in issue #35. To make things all square, here is Rush's rebuttal, also put on the Web by FAIR. "http://www.fair.org/fair/limbaugh-response.html"

AUTOMATIC WEDDING SPEECH WRITER

Brides, grooms, and wedding toastmasters: check out the "Automatic Wedding Speech Writer". An interactive form walks you through all those confessions, thank-yous, and promises you're too nervous or excited to remember. Who'll know the difference? Other speechy stuff here, too. "http://www.iconz.co.nz/commercial/speech_writer/"

GOT A COOL SIGNATURE?

If Arwen Elys Dayton manages to get lots of funny (or highly cynical) signatures, she'll put them on a page called "Best of the Usenet Signatures" or something like that. We just like her name. It's cool. "http://www.earthlink.net/~aed/ahp.html" E-mail: arwen@revisited.com

YET ANOTHER WEB INDEX

The more Web search engines the better, right? Excite is excellent; its database contains 1.5 million Web pages, all of which it has visited and indexed. It also lets you search the last two weeks of Usenet. "http://www.excite.com/"

ALL BAT, NO FAT

WAIS Inc, renowned for its Net search engine, hits a grand slam with The Sports Network, which covers ten pro sports in a sleek format that's a model of simplicity and impact. Scores, previews, news, and schedules are all current and up-front. "http://www.sportsnetwork.com/"

GOOD FOR GRIEF

Grief is part of life. Whether you're dealing with the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or something else entirely, Tom Golden offers a friendly shoulder to lean on, as well as an interesting perspective on sex differences in healing. "http://www.dgsys.com/~tgolden/1grief.html"

HALF A MILLION COMPANIES

With everyone doing business on the Web, how do you find the company you're looking for? ComFind has an easily searchable directory of 500,000 businesses located throughout the world. Free to search and possibly worth the $75 to be listed. "http://comfind.com/"

SOFTWARE


Online related software notices and mini-reviews

ROLL YOUR OWN WEB PAGE

The-Inter.net has an assortment of varied services ranging from sports stats to virtual reality, but most of the site's features relate to computers. The learning center provides tutorials for an assortment of Web services, including the popular mail client, Eudora. Beyond the giant collection of info on creating a Web page, the site features a tool that automatically creates one for you. The results are offered in either zip (MSDOS) or tar (UNIX) format. A similar utility customizes your own HTML form and delivers both it and the CGI script. HTML ignorance is no longer a valid excuse for not having your own page. "http://the-inter.net/www/future21/"

CORRECTIONS


What can we say? We goofed...

SCOTTISH CLIMBING PAGE CLIMBS ABOARD ANOTHER SERVER

Way back in March, we brought you the Scottish Climbing Page. It has moved to the following URL: "http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~mikedlr/climbing/"

CONTACT INFORMATION


Netsurfer Digest Home Page: http://www.netsurf.com/nsd/index.html
Netsurfer Digest FTP Site: ftp://ftp.netsurf.com/pub/nsd/

Subscribe WWW form: http://www.netsurf.com/nsd/subscribe.html
Subscribe E-mail: nsdigest-request@netsurf.com
Include one of the following commands in the BODY of the message:
HTML Format version: subscribe nsdigest-html
Plain ASCII version: subscribe nsdigest-text

Submission of Newsworthy Items: pressrm@netsurf.com
Letters to the Editor: editor@netsurf.com
Advertiser and Sponsor inquiries to: sales@netsurf.com

Netsurfer Communications: http://www.netsurf.com/
General Information: info@netsurf.com

CREDITS


Publisher

Editor

Production Manager

Writers and Netsurfers

Netsurfer Communications, Inc.


NETSURFER DIGEST © 1995 Netsurfer Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
NETSURFER DIGEST is a trademark of Netsurfer Communications, Inc.