NETSURFER DIGEST

Tuesday, April 01, 1997 - Volume 03, Issue 11


"More Signal, Less Noise"

BREAKING SURF

First Sheep, Now Humans
Cult Pages
Oklahoma City Bombing Trial

SURFING SITES

Famous Dead Animal Graves
Das Boot
What Was Your First Concert Like?
Blender
Honey, What's on TV Tonight?
Find the Fish
iRACE Motor Sports
Drive Safer, America
Planet Out and the Gay '90s
Hold on to Your Follicles!
Terrorists in the Boardroom?

ONLINE TRAVEL

Broadway Reviews
Biking in Wales
For Snowbirds and Sun Worshippers
Go Jamaican with the Jamaica Gleaner Online

FLOTSAM & JETSAM

Exploring Caves of the US
Are You Game?
All the News (and We Mean That) That's Fit to Link
JoJo Was a Man Who La-la-la-la-la-la, but He La-la-la-la-la
Baseball America
Cash for Opinions
Canadian Stats
Shop 'Til You Drop in the Comfort of Your Home
The Vinyl Revival

SOFTWARE

Digital Bindery Provides Automatic Update Service
Fingering for Net Illiterates
Software for a Beta Tomorrow

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Calling Net Newbies

CORRECTIONS

Top Ten Winsock Apps Expands to Top 50

CONTACT INFORMATION

CREDITS


BREAKING SURF


Latest news from the online frontier

FIRST SHEEP, NOW HUMANS

Even we're astounded by the pace at which research science goes mainstream. Already, several human cloning firms have set up shop and DreamTech International (DTI), the undisputed leader of the pack, even offers clones based on DNA licensed from celebrities. Prices range from $95,000 for quarterback Troy Aikman to $5,300 for a li'l Michael Jackson (plastic surgery not included). You'll also need a surrogate mother (if not yourself). Although the US and some other countries have banned human cloning, DTI gets around this limitation with labs in Costa Rica, Liberia, and Vanuatu. <http://www.d-b.net/dti/>

CULT PAGES

By now, you've heard of the San Diego area cult suicide that claimed 39 lives. You may have even tried to claw through the Net traffic jam to get to the Heaven's Gate cult's Web pages, but in case you haven't, here ya go belief page. We also came across a page spoofing the cult and the deaths. While in questionable taste, the spoof page has grown into a forum for discussion of the media, the Net, and the story. Business: <http://www.highersource.com/>
Belief: <http://www.heavensgate.com/>
Spoof: <http://www.highersource.org/>

OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING TRIAL

The trial of Timothy McVeigh, accused of murder and conspiracy in blowing up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla., almost two years ago, is about to get underway in Denver with jury selection. Connect Oklahoma will make transcripts of the trial available on the Web and promises to update the record twice daily. <http://www.connectok.com/opub/bombing/>

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SURFING SITES


The best places to netsurf this week

FAMOUS DEAD ANIMAL GRAVES

Burnt or buried, the best of the celebrity animal world are pushing up the daisies while some stuffed ones catch dust. These detailed histories revive their careers while they lie still, scattered around the US (except for RinTinTin, "America's Silent Shame", who sits in France). Follow brief biographies of your favorite creatures, such as Andy the Footless Goose, who was born with stumps, wore special shoes, and became a hero to disabled children. His horrible murderer has never been found. <http://www.roadsideamerica.com/pet/>

DAS BOOT

Some of the great battles of World War II took place not on land or in the skies, but under the seas. U-Web offers a truly astonishing amount of information on the German U-boat war during WWII. The site features profiles of all 1,154 U-boats produced; extensive biographies of more than 40 U-boat commanders; information on boat builders; extensive U-boat bibliographies (in German and English)... you get the idea. If you want some specific information on U-boats, more than likely you'll find it within the 700+ well-designed pages of information here. The subject might be limited, but the resources offered seem limitless. A great site. <http://rvik.ismennt.is/~gummihe/uboats/>

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONCERT LIKE?

Follow Suzanne's chaperoned Genesis gig at the Dodger Stadium in 1986, or find out what Thomas Murphy was on when he said "all the 'straights' doing their homework were losers", or at what gig Andy Taylor had groovy silver pants on, or where Andy Shaw heard the words "right on" for the first time. Post your own tragic experience and see if you can spot the Netsurfer teenybopper's contribution. <http://www.california.com/~wookie/>

BLENDER

Sorry, all you aspiring Julia Child-types out there. But the Blender Web site won't give you any helpful hints on making Baked Alaska or on pulverizing prunes. Instead, its ornate and colorful Web pages contain features such as "Never Mind the Sex Pistols", "Advice for Image-Conscious Extraterrestrials", and "Madonna and Child and Me". Wild, wacky, and a lot of fun, this tasty Web site features bits from Blender's CD-ROM Magazine. <http://www.blender.com/>

HONEY, WHAT'S ON TV TONIGHT?

WatchIt Entertainment's Web site lets couch potatoes create and view customized TV listings. With a database that covers over 400 different channels and categorized listings that include news, sports, movies, and soap operas, the WatchIt site is a formidable replacement for the TV supplements in the weekend newspaper. The customization feature allows users to select their geographical area or channel provider, and currently covers the continental United States and Ontario. Netsurfing and channel surfing - now there's a match made in heaven. <http://www.watchit.com/>

FIND THE FISH

Fish Link Central is reportedly "the Internet's Largest Collection of Fish Web Sites" - and we don't doubt it. If it's about fish, you'll find it here ponds? Chiclids giving you a hard time? Stop by and find out more about your fin-adorned friends and their habitats. You'll also find a discussion forum, a trading post, and a bookstore. <http://www.fishlinkcentral.com/>

IRACE MOTOR SPORTS

This attractive must-visit site for automobile racing enthusiasts serves up a wide variety of racing news. You'll find in-depth coverage of the world's major racing circuits including NASCAR, Formula 1, CART, Indy Car, NHRA, and IMSA. Along with the news and first-hand reports, you can try your hand at racing games and message boards. Listen to several RealAudio clips from pit stops and press conferences, and soon, perhaps, live audio broadcasts from race events. <http://www.irace.com/>

DRIVE SAFER, AMERICA

Scenes of highway havoc on local newscasts attest to the need for sites such as Drive Safer America! If your livelihood rides on wheels, you need common sense, and that's here in abundance. Many drivers are familiar with auto maintenance, but a visit to Safety Checklist will help others, especially new drivers. A glance at US Driving Stats may make you think twice about taking that scenic route on a country road. This site is part of "a national education awareness campaign to help drivers better understand proper techniques for safer driving", but techniques more advanced than "drive slowly through water, snow or slush" and "all passengers should be belted" would prove more interesting. Also, the news section is almost empty, but there's a good selection of weather links and the designer's heart is in the right place. <http://www.ittautomotive.com/drivesafer/>

PLANET OUT AND THE GAY '90S

Check out Boystown or the Lesbian page and share your experiences of love, sex, and finding Mr./Ms. Right. Learn the best queer filmmakers' top ten films (John Waters likes "The Wizard of Oz" and "Faster Pussycat, Kill Kill") and wonder why Andy Warhol's "Chelsea Girls" keeps cropping up. View daily news and features, NetQueery (queer stuff on line), and meet like-minded friends. And don't forget, "whether you're pre-op, post op, or no-op, you're bound to have a trans-cendental experience" in Transland. <http://www.planetout.com/>

HOLD ON TO YOUR FOLLICLES!

Hair loss gets interactive at the Hair Today Web site, an e-zine-like entity dedicated to helping men and women select the best option for restoring their hairlines. There are some interesting articles and interviews regarding baldness and thinning of hair, a live chat room, and best of all, the "Do It Yourself Transplant" game. What a fun and friendly way to approach what can be a sensitive topic. <http://www.hairtoday.com/>

TERRORISTS IN THE BOARDROOM?

The Executive Survival Guide was designed to provide international corporate executives with the tools they need to conduct operations safely in unfamiliar territory. An overview of information is available on violent personalities, telephone threats, bomb detection, and more. There's just a taste here - if you'd like more information, you must pay for the complete program. <http://www.survivalguide.com/>

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ONLINE TRAVEL


Click your mouse and see the world

BROADWAY REVIEWS

Curtain Up offers intelligent, chatty reviews of a slew of on- and off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York. Publisher and reviewer Elyse Sommer, an obvious fan and student of New York theater, writes with authority and isn't afraid to allow that her opinions may not always be shared by Broadway audiences. Curtain Up also offers critiques of theater books and musical events, and proffers some wise advice on enjoying New York theater on a budget. Only Curtain Up's puzzling organization threatens to bring the curtain down. Reviews don't tell you where a play is currently running. For that, you have to go to an "annotated address book" which links to reviews, but on occasion only indirectly. Aside from this needed bit of blocking, Curtain Up shines nearly as brightly as the Great White Way itself. <http://www.geocities.com/~curtainup/>

BIKING IN WALES

Get on your bike and see the Welsh delights through sweat-stung eyes. Tips like "put your Listerine bottle in your boots", and "your modem cables in your shoes" will help you keep your sweet breath, your WWW connection, and your pack a manageable size. Along with stacks of information on traveling around the rest of the UK and the world, you get personal descriptions of nifty places to visit and tips on how to stay healthy. <http://www.kc3.co.uk/~bicycle/sideways/index.html>

FOR SNOWBIRDS AND SUN WORSHIPPERS

Don't you hate it when you find a Web site devoted to a subject so naturally attractive that you wonder what the heck you're doing with your life and what it's all about? Meet the "Surf and Sun Worldwide Beach Guide", where you can get information on beaches around the world, including recreation, travel and vacation guides, marine reports, and small but tempting photos. You can submit your own beach photos for the Photo Album. This gateway has a few games and hundreds of links - just the thing to seek out when you're at school or work and have a moment to surf. Bums and bunnies lucky enough to live near a beach may find this trove a yawner, but only because they have so much else to do and enjoy. <http://www.surf-sun.com/>

GO JAMAICAN WITH THE JAMAICA GLEANER ONLINE

The Jamaica Gleaner newspaper's site follows the news format. You will find well designed navigation, beautiful photographs, tourist information, and general news about Jamaica. The site provides in-depth information on the culture, history, geography, and society to help visitors decide upon destinations and things to see. There is also business news, investor information, and a special section for returning residents. Even if you cannot travel to the island, you can experience a little of Jamaica. <http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/>

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FLOTSAM & JETSAM


Random acts of online reality

EXPLORING CAVES OF THE US

The National Caves Association recently launched a state-by-state guide to American caves and caverns with info phone numbers. Post any specific caving questions or comments in a discussion area. Several caves are spotlighted each month with photos. <http://www.cavern.com/>

ARE YOU GAME?

The Gameshows Web site currently features a word-matching game called Strike a Match. (Real catchy title, huh?) You get to play in real-time, which is fun for competitive souls. Not exactly on the order of Jeopardy, but fairly amusing. <http://www.gameshows.com/>

ALL THE NEWS (AND WE MEAN THAT) THAT'S FIT TO LINK

News Central offers links to more than 2,700 newspapers, the largest such index on the Web, or so its publishers tell us. Search for a specific newspaper or browse through a geographical list. You'll find everything from the New York Times to the Haveeru Daily (the newspaper of record for the Maldives). <http://www.everest.simplenet.com/newscentral/>

JOJO WAS A MAN WHO LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA, BUT HE LA-LA-LA-LA-LA

This lyrics database comes with a simple but flexible search feature. If you can't find the answer one way, try another; it took us two tries to confirm that JoJo thought he was a loner. We'll never mumble through karaoke night again. <http://www.lyrics.ch/search.html>

BASEBALL AMERICA

Every roto geek's fave pub is online at FanLink with a smattering of articles, but no stats. FanLink also specializes in official minor league baseball pages. See you at Waste Oil Container Night, April 21 in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. <http://www.fanlink.com/>

CASH FOR OPINIONS

This Web-based survey site offers entries in a $1000 monthly sweepstakes and prize purchase points for your opinions. It takes just a few minutes to register and a few more to answer the personality survey. The graphics are pretty ugly, though. <http://www.questions.net>

CANADIAN STATS

Statistics Canada is the governmental body responsible for maintaining the whos, wheres and whats on the Great White North. Besides selling reports, their site has some freebie info. Did you realize more Canadian kids either swim or play baseball than play hockey? <http://www.statcan.ca/>

SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME

NotifyMe offers free e-mail detailing the latest consumer product offerings. Provide your shopping profile, and real humans sift through new products and services to compile a personalized and private listing just for you. <http://www.notifyme.com/>

THE VINYL REVIVAL

This site's mission is to improve the quality of sound you get from your turntable. That's right, turntable. Go ask your mom or dad. A variety of products is available for your listening pleasure. <http://www.vinylrevival.com/>

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SOFTWARE


Online related software notices and mini-reviews

DIGITAL BINDERY PROVIDES AUTOMATIC UPDATE SERVICE

Using this free service, you surf the Net and select the Web pages that are important to you. Digital Bindery records your picks and delivers them to you in a compressed attachment via e-mail each time they are updated. This cool service is relatively easy to set up and use. You can choose to receive updated pages with or without the associated images, but watch out if you select to have the images included and you have several Web pages in your subscription list. You could receive some large e-mail. <http://www.bindery.com/>

FINGERING FOR NET ILLITERATES

ICQ ("I seek you", get it?) can determine when your registered friends or associates sign online. Based on the ICQ server, this can be a convenience in setting up Net phone or video calls, or for meeting in pre-determined chat rooms. It's free, and right now for Windows 95/NT only. <http://www.mirabilis.com/index.html>

SOFTWARE FOR A BETA TOMORROW

The "A Beta Tomorrow" Web site offers Windows 95 beta software for users to download - and it's almost all free. In addition to downloading software, users can request e-mail updates on new software in their specific area of interest. However, you do need to sign up for the beta program and agree to complete a full sign-up process when the site is fully open (it's in pre-registration mode right now) and you agree to receive e-mail updates. You also have to wait a few days after sending your initial registration before you can start getting the goods. <http://www.igoldrush.com/beta/>

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COMMUNITY SUPPORT


Help your fellow netsurfers

CALLING NET NEWBIES

Lynne Roberts is a psychology grad student at Curtin University of Technology in Perth who wants to study the relationship between personality characteristics and Internet use. As part of her PhD research, she will follow new Internet users for their first six months online. She wants to sign up people who have been online for one month or less. If you're interested, check out the info at the following URL. <http://psych.curtin.edu.au/people/robertsl/newbiein.htm>

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CORRECTIONS


What can we say? We goofed...

TOP TEN WINSOCK APPS EXPANDS TO TOP 50

A few months ago, we wrote a blurb about a page with the top ten Winsock applications. The site has expanded to become the Top 50 Winsock Apps, with the five best apps in ten different categories. <http://www.deerfield.net/top50/>

CONTACT INFORMATION


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CREDITS


Publisher: Arthur Bebak
Editor: Lawrence Nyveen
Production Manager: Bill Woodcock
Copy Editor: Elvi Dalgaard

Writers and Netsurfers

Netsurfer Communications, Inc.

NETSURFER DIGEST © 1997 Netsurfer Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
NETSURFER DIGEST is a trademark of Netsurfer Communications, Inc.