The World's Columbian Exposition, held in a newly rebuilt, post-Great Fire
Chicago, celebrated the discoveries and influences of explorer Christopher
Columbus. This magnificent tribute to endeavor and achievement not only
left its social, cultural, and architectural mark on the city of Chicago,
it influenced future fairs, museums, and expositions all over the world.
This site focuses on what the Fair looked like, who was there, what was on
display, and the aftermath of the event. Be sure to take the virtual tour
of the fairgrounds and see what it was like to be entertained at the turn
of the century. <http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA96/WCE/title.html>
"Top-site" Web sites abound, but the Web 100 wants to be tiptop. Rankings
of top sites are based on users' ratings and change automatically on the
fly. On the home page, you'll see a note on the site of the hour such as:
"MOVING UP! Voyager jumped from #58 to #54 in the rankings from 6:00 a.m.
to 7:00 a.m. PDT.") The rankings are nice, but you're more likely to return
for the convenience of organization - sites are organized by general topics
without prizes, but it'll help you find many sites that are as meaty as
they are popular. Hey, wouldn't it be cool if Netsurfer Digest got on
there? Like 100,000 times? <http://www.web100.com/>
In what is perhaps one of the most useful acts of Web creation ever, the
founders of the Learn2.com site have put together a grab bag of the little
details you need to know to take a stumble-free walk across the tapestry of
life. The Learn2.com site has tutorials intended to assist in getting
through events such as changing tires, leasing cars, or the ever-important
"Understanding Baseball". The "2torials" offered by this site represent
some of the best advice (on some very arcane topics) that the Internet has
to offer. Trouble tying that tie? Don't call Mom, click Learn2.Com.
<http://www.learn2.com/>
Designed as a repository for the stupidest questions that plague society,
the StupidQuest Web site does its utmost to obfuscate anything that might
even slightly resemble actual fact. Site caretaker Captain Stupid answers
the really big questions, such as "What animal does naugahide (sic) come
from?" and "What do they wrap around styrofoam when they ship it?"
(Answers: the nauga beast; nothing.) <http://www.stupidquest.com/>
E-mail postcards have gone from novelty to staple of the Internet. To keep
some of the spice, the creators of the Mail a Meal site have cooked up a
storm to try and recapture some of that novelty. Instead of sending a
friend, acquaintance, or loved one a simple postcard, use Mail a Meal to
deliver an entire virtual repast via e-mail to the target glutton. Apart
from simply being a great idea, the Mail a Meal site also features some of
the most mouth-watering and tantalizing images of food we've seen.
<http://www.mailameal.com/>
"Best of Breed Online" is a handy resource for the dog owner and dog lover.
You can look up canines by breed name, breed type (sporting, herding, etc.)
or picture. Breeds are organized alphabetically, with in-depth descriptions
and photos to give you an overview of a great range of dogs from
Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier. If you're not a pure-breed type, that's
OK. This site is great for figuring out what your mutts are made of.
<http://www.mcp.com/mgr/howell/bobpages/>
AN EXHAUSTIVE CYBERSPACE TOUR THROUGH SOCIOLOGY
This rich and heavy site can quickly send the unwary cybertraveler into
information overload. The sociological tour-de-force ranges from
commentaries and essays to data and links covering time, aging, death and
dying, family, mass media, and more. If you find the torrent of content
intimidating or boring, check out the Op-Ed articles at the end of the long
first page. Well worth a visit if you simply ignore the horrid backgrounds
and occasional blinking text. <http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/index.html>
NEED TO ZIP2 ONLINE YELLOW PAGES?
No longer need lost souls lurk on the Internet. They can find all the
directions they need in Zip2. This set of online yellow pages offers
several features. You can search near addresses, get door-to-door
directions, search via map, and more. Zip2 includes more than 16 million
businesses in the USA. One caveat: the site's graphics do slow down the
process, and while 'twould be nice to have a text-only option, none exists.
<http://www.zip2.com/>
CRIME DOESN'T PAY, BUT IT'S SURE COOL TO READ ABOUT
Does the page celebrate crime or analyze psychos? You be the judge as you
view the graves of the Geins whose antics inspired movies like "Psycho" and
"Silence of the Lambs", the mug shot collection, and the images from Nazi
Germany. If you've ever had a hankering to read essays like "Butchering the
Human Carcass for Human Consumption" or "My Life of Molesting Children",
then this is the place to start. Pursue perversion on an intellectual
level. <http://www.ieway.com/~csukbr/>
There's no such thing as overachievement at the Academy of Achievement, a
site designed to inspire young people to great heights through education
and emulation of 20th-century giants. In each "Gallery of Achievers" (halls
of arts, business, public service, sports, etc.), men and women are honored
and exhibited with a biography and interview. The Academy is selective. The
Hall of Sports honors Dr. Tenley Albright, Susan Butcher, Julius Irving,
Willie Mays, Herschel Walker, and John Wooden. "Steps to Success" groups
achievers by qualities - passion, vision, preparation, courage,
perseverance, and integrity - and includes audio clips. Other resources
abound. What's holding you back? Go forth and achieve.
<http://www.achievement.org/>
PLAN A CAREER, CHOOSE A UNIVERSITY, AND GET FINANCIAL AID
Mapping Your Future (MYF) takes an ambitious stab at the guidance counselor
biz. Guided tours explain how to choose a career, select a school, and pay
for an education. The Planning a Career section, for example, includes
information on career goals and planning, occupations, job hunting tips,
interview techniques, and resume writing. A search engine helps you find
specific topics. Not a fly-by-night or marketing site, MYF is sponsored by
state agencies that administer the US Federal Family Education Loan
Program, which provides low-interest loans to students and parents to help
pay for education beyond high school. It's a must-see if there's a high
school kid in the house. <http://mapping-your-future.org/>
History buffs (particularly those fond of l'histoire francaise), rejoice!
One of your favorite generals, little Napoleon, is now being honored
online. That's right, it's the virtual Napoleon! Learn more about his
military campaigns, his life, and - alas - his eventual downfall. The
Napoleon Foundation, which sponsors this site, also presents information on
Napoleonic collections. You might want to don sunglasses before viewing
this site; the exceptionally red background is rather overwhelming. But
that befits a little man who overwhelmed Europe, n'est-ce pas?
<http://www.napoleon.org/>
If you're interested in becoming a home brewer, or you'd just like to know
a bit more about one of the oldest bevrges... beaverhedges... bovorges...
drinks on the planet, drop in - hic! - on All About Beer Online. It'sh
great. We dishcovered that brewpubs have ethics (see the Wynkoop article)
and got some ideas for a - hic! - beer dinner. There'sh plenty here of
interesht to the homebrewer or beer lover in general. Cheersh.
<http://www.allaboutbeer.com/>
Meet the man for whom Ben and Jerry named an ice cream flavor. Wavy Gravy's
other claims to fame are chief of the Please Force at the Woodstock music
festival, being one of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, and his tie-dye
wardrobe. Not happy with being the laugh generator for two generations, Mr.
Gravy has founded several philanthropic organizations. The man, the clown,
the philanthropist can be found standing on his head at:
<http://users.aol.com/wgeneral/wavyhome.html>
Spiral. Shoestring. Waffle-cut. Home-style. Greasy. Salty. And definitely
caloric. French fries, those deep-fried potato treats, come in more shapes,
sizes and standard colors than you probably ever seriously considered. To
see what we mean, simply stop by this enthusiastic fry-filled site.
Highlights include an official color standard chart and an experiment on
poutine, the cheese curd, gravy (not wavy), and french fry dish so popular
in Quebec that even MacDonald's serves it, though not well.
<http://www.select-ware.com/fries/index.html>
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS OFFICIALLY HITS THE WEB
The intersection between the sets of computer weenies and the Dungeons and
Dragons players in the Venn diagram of geeks is so large, you'd think an
official Web site would have arrived years ago, as did officially
unappreciated unofficial sites. It might have, if not for the arguably
technophobic chiefs at TSR, the company that publishes the game. Bending to
equally arguable progress, the TSR site has arrived online with grace and
generosity. The beautiful pages are not quite fully woven, but any and all
information about TSR and its games a person could want is here. TSR has
even promised to upload about two dozen adventures for free download. You
can also get game products previously available only on AOL and a limited
FTP site. It took time, but it was worth it. <http://www.tsrinc.com/>
Two teenaged boys were killed in Arkansas in August 1987. These deaths are
surrounded in controversy, mystery, and allegations of a government
coverup. It's got everything a good mystery needs: death; drugs;
conspiracy; and blackmail. The only thing missing is the sex. The mother of
one of the boys killed in the "train deaths" presents her case, but some
might consider this conspiracy hooey. <http://www.idmedia.com/ttd.htm>
If you enjoy great photographs and learning about other areas of our world,
you'll love this site. This well organized tour of the British Columbia
wilderness features pictures and good descriptions of the native animals,
birds, game fish, trees, and wild flowers. Here you can glimpse a bobcat,
find out how many quills are on a porcupine, look into the eyes of the
great horned owl, and learn to identify the wildflowers and plants of the
area. Ignore the page backgrounds (there's a lot of that going around) and
enjoy the rest. <http://bcadventure.com/adventure/wilderness/>
Columbia Gorge, situated between the states of Washington and Oregon,
slices between the Cascade Mountains en route to the Pacific Ocean. It's
the hot spot du jour for rafting, hiking, mountain biking, and especially
windsurfing. This site provides an extensive history of the Gorge, a
natural perspective, and tips on how to get around. With any luck, the
weather in the Pacific Northwest will soon clear up so everyone can
actually enjoy the great outdoors.
<http://www.europa.com/~kbsadler/ColumbiaGorge.html>
CLASSY CNN TRAVEL GUIDE HITS A FEW POTHOLES
The CNN Travel Guide is on its way to becoming a comprehensive site for
those about to hit the road. "Destinations" lets you select information by
locale (Alsace, say) or topic (art exhibits, for instance, or "Fall
Colors") and offers QuickTime movies. Some of the items in "Travel News"
reflect headlines on the evening news; others provide background (e.g.
"Egypt bans animals [and their mess] at Pyramids" and "Frustrated French
tourists take 'hostages'") you might not find elsewhere. Despite the
quality, one recent Sunday morning we found some pages slow to load across
a residential ISDN line, and some links produced a "Document contains no
data" message. Add CNN Travel Guide to your travel hot list and hope the
navigation becomes in time as quick and easy as the design indicates it
should be. <http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/>
Good sushi is hard to find. Thus the need for a reference like this, which
guides you to good Japanese restaurants outside of Japan. You'll find a
list of establishments neatly arranged by continent, country and city; a
best-of-the-best category; useful expressions and terms (what is kappa maki
anyway?); plus recommended literature for true sushi enthusiasts.
<http://www.sushi.infogate.de/>
For those with a fear of frying and without the kilobucks required to cover
the costs of orbiting your ashes, the Forever Corporation is offering
orbital immortality, digital style, for just $30. The site explains it all,
and delivers an excellent set of space related links and news bits.
<http://194.145.1.135/space/index.html>
The Museum of Dirt features the real thing - the underfoot, underneath your
fingernails kind. Gaze at dirt from Vannah White's backyard, lint from Dave
Barry's dryer, or Mt. St. Helen's ash. It doesn't make a whole lot of
sense, but it is a diversion. You can send in your own dirt, too.
<http://www.planet.com/dirtweb/dirt.html>
Women (presumably) share ideas about careers, sport, health and parenting
in mediated forums and with knowledgable experts. Clear and friendly spaces
exist for lesbians, teenage girls (cheerleading and boyfriends are still
top priority we noticed), business women, and single mothers. Instructive,
welcoming, and invaluable. <http://www.pleiades-net.com/>
INTERNET WORLD AWARD NOMINATIONS
The Internet World awards committee is now accepting nominations. The
awards, which will be presented at Spring Internet World '97, range from
individual achievement to outstanding service to outstanding product.
Winners will be chosen from the nominees by a group of editors from
Internet World magazine. To submit a nomination, visit the site.
<http://www.iworld.com/awards/>
COMMUNICATION ARTS INTERACTIVE DESIGN CALL FOR ENTRIES
The annual design awards given by Communication Arts are considered the
premier showcase for the creative design industry. This year, e-mail
entries will be accepted for the first time. Get your note in by January
16. <http://www.commarts.com/>
In the market for a computer? A peripheral? Some other toy? The Computer
ESP: Ultimate Shopping Guide provides one of the most complete online
shopping Web sites, with over a quarter million different prices on various
computer-oriented goods. <http://www.uvision.com/>
At the Kelley Blue Book site, you can easily check up on the retail or
trade-in value for almost any car or truck model from the past 21 years.
The site is easy to use and quick to respond. <http://www.kbb.com/>
Get a daily dose of financial analysis of Internet stocks, business trends,
and strategy. You can see the morning report, market close, index of
leading Internet stocks, and archives. The site also supports searches of
info on over 4,000 ISPs. <http://netday.iworld.com/stocks/>
CANCEL-IT HELPS CANCEL UNWANTED ONLINE ITEMS
You keep receiving e-mail from the same source, even after asking to be
removed from their list. You can't seem to get a service cancelled after
the free trial period. Check out a new free service that may be able to
help. <http://www.cancel-it.com/>
LIVE MUSIC ON THE NET - PAST AND FUTURE
Foreseeing the possible future of broadcast music, the Live Online web site
contains a host of archived and real-time Internet music. Rock, jazz,
country, and underground acts can be found at the site, along with an
archive of past Webcast concerts. <http://www.live-online.com/>
Apple Computer incorporated 20 years ago January 2. To celebrate, Apple
built a limited-edition monster Mac with a cable-ready TV tuner (and
remote) and a built in stereo sound system. You have a spare $9,000?
<http://www.macworld.com/pages/march.97/twentymac.html>
These two seem to be the final two contenders for the title of Net audio
world standard champion, though Streamworks is still crawling. Each claims
to deliver CD-quality sound across the Internet. Macworld Online invites
you to put them to the test in the Sound Testing Station. Mac not required,
though if you need them, you'll have to bring your own non-Mac RealAudio
and Shockwave. <http://www.macworld.com/netsmart/features/web.audio.1.html>
SOFTWARE VERSION UPDATER FOR WINDOWS USERS FROM CATCH-UP
You can inventory the shareware and freeware used on your Windows computer
and a new free Web service called Catch-UP will generate a customized list
of possible updates, including corresponding download sites. A cool way to
keep up to date. <http://www.manageable.com/>
Adam Sherman (no, not Alan Sherman) offers a similar service for Mac users who want to be kept abreast of version updates. There's no affiliated Web page - it's just a mail list. Send a message to macos_listserver@cyberjunkie.com with "subscribe macos-version" in the subject field.
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