KNOW YOUR NETSURFERS, WIN A T-SHIRT
We recently received a promo of two T-shirts from Cyberwit, an online Net
paraphernalia shop. While we always wish to share the wealth, we couldn't
figure a way to divide two T-shirts equally among all of you. So here's our
contest: Using the extremely limited and outdated info at the NSD staff
page and the names in the credits below, see if you can guess who wrote
which articles in this issue. The greatest number of correct answers wins
the two T-shirts. In case of a tie, the winners get one T-shirt apiece; if
more than two people tie, the entries received earlier will win. Mail your
answers to mailto:editor@netsurf.com if you think you have the insight to
succeed. Entries must be received by May 1, 1997.
Cyberwit: <http://www.cyberwit.com/>
Staff: <http://www.netsurf.com/nsd/credits.html>
Last week, the media devoted press and airtime to the story of a stalker
who haunted the Tamai family in Emeryville, Ontario. The electronic
stalker, who called himself Sommy, basically behaved like a 15-year-old boy
TV, turning lights on and off - through supposed taps into the house's
wiring. Things got so bad, and so publicized, that the Ontario Provincial
Police, local utility companies, and CSIS (Canada's CIA) all conducted
investigations of the house, but came up with nothing. Last Friday, we
learned that besides the bedeviled couple, the house is also home to their
15-year-old son. Our suspicions were confirmed Saturday when the son
confessed.
Story: <http://www.canoe.ca/CyberTech/apr09_hell.html>
Confession:
<http://www.boston.com/dailynews/wirehtml/111/15_year_old_son_responsible_for_hig>
.htm
Back in NSD 3.05, we reported on a Swedish firm offering 10,000 kronor to
the first person to hack their Mac server and alter their Web page. After
raising the reward to 100,000 kronor, Infinit Information AB's challenge
has ended. No one succeeded. Noteworthy visitors to the contest pages
included surfers from the US Army, NASA, and Microsoft. Ever confident of
their Mac solution, Infinit promises more to challenges to come.
<http://hacke.infinit.se/resumeng.html>
MEANWHILE, ANOTHER NT SECURITY FLAW SURFACES
Midwestern Commerce (a.k.a. NTsecurity.com) recently discovered a security
flaw in Microsoft Windows NT. The problem affects the majority of NT-based
networks and allows hackers to get a copy of the users' passwords. Of
course, the process is more complex. See the RedButton page for the
process, and to learn that there's absolute fix. Who was it that first
called irony delicious? <http://www.ntsecurity.com/RedButton/>
Many thoughtlessly self-revelatory sites take up space on the Net but this
isn't one of them. Maggy Donea is a Chicago Web designer whose startlingly
personal site is also a business card - a stunning exemplar of her skills,
her literacy, and her intelligence. She's a brave designer and writer,
taking risks that could alienate visitors in lesser hands. Her
introspection skirts self-absorption; instead it's intimate. Her elegant
design avoids self-conscious artiness; it's arresting and atmospheric. Curl
up with this site and a glass of wine. You'll want to spend time with
Maggy. <http://pinky.interaccess.com/maggy/index.html>
See Nick. Say hi to Nick. See Nick say hi back. Ask Nick to make a funny
face. See Nick make a funny face. Ask Nick to pat his belly and rub his
head. See Nick pat his belly and rub his head (if he's sober, not that he
wouldn't be). See Nick's bosses ask him to get back to work any day now, we
suspect. <http://www.cyclix.com/scripts/nick.dll>
VIRTUAL BANK LAUNCHES VIRTUAL CURRENCY
The Global Village Bank, a volunteer-based non-profit organization, is
providing a new way for netizens to pay for and be paid for cyber-products
and services. Rather than dealing with old-fashioned paper currency, checks
or credit cards, GVB gives you the nella, a non-convertible currency only
for use on the Net. One nella is currently worth approximately one US
dollar. Eventually, the site's Nella Pages will list businesses and
individuals with whom you can conduct online commerce - everyone from Web
designers and CGI programmers to online service providers. This or
something like it could very well be the economic wave of the future.
<http://www.gvb.org/>
Here's someone who gives Net nerds a bad name. Just enter any address, give
it a moment, and you can see your favorite site in reverse. Yes, all the
text, end to start, desrever si. It seems like a bit of harmless and novel
fun. After all, there's no evidence of satanic spells or messages that say
Kurt Cobain is still dead. Note how we artfully avoid the larger question:
Why? By the way, fun it may be, but should any NSD page suffer the
ignominy, we may be forced to roll out our palindromic site.
<http://www.smeg.com/backwards/>
You do know how to play Pooh sticks, right? From a bridge, you toss a stick
upstream in a river and watch your twig race other sticks to the other
side. At this site, we chose a long gnarled stick to compete with Little
Ralph, Kax, Fish, and Tabby. Once you register, you can choose whatever
you'd like to toss over the bridge, (stick, pine cone, hunnypot...), how
you'll throw it, and where you'll stand on the bridge. You'll then almost
immediately be sent an ID number and, as long as others are waiting, you
can play. Information on A. A. Milne and the game helps "embrace the spirit
of friendship that Pooh brings out in each of us."
<http://pooh.muscat.co.uk/pooh-sticks/>
What happens when your theme cafe - say, one that serves 25 toppings on
toast made in many old models of toaster - closes? Eric and Kelly Norcross,
in this enviable position, are attempting to start a real-life Toaster
museum. Working on the theory that everyday items are a reflection of
society, they aim to collect every toaster ever made, and have listed ones
they still need, such as the Perc-O-Toaster that doubled as a percolator in
the 1920s, and the 3-Slicer from the '50s. The site details a surprisingly
interesting history of bread and toast and aims to provide scholarships for
students of industrial design. <http://www.spiritone.com/~ericn/>
This'd be offensive if it weren't so clever. Special Agent Thursday and her
partner Francine clean up the streets every week by taking photos of
fashion disasters and booking them with their individual offenses. Color
Blind is a $20 fine, Tight Squeeze is $60, Indecent Exposure is $90, and so
it goes. Sadly, we sometimes couldn't pick up on the offence, but watch
out! Next time it could be you!
<http://www.culturezone.com/current/rags/police/>
When our writer's little brother was in a bad mood, her mother always
warned, "Watch out! Mr. Cranky has come to visit!" Mr. Cranky now has his
own home on the Web, specializing in nasty movie reviews. Since crankiness
is contagious, you can post your own snide reviews in the forums provided.
The Cranky ratings are updated weekly, so you can renew that cranky spirit
at regular intervals. Be sure to check this site before you dare to venture
into the movie theatre. You'll want to make sure that you see one of the
few movies that Mr. Cranky rates as "almost tolerable" and avoid those with
rankings such as "consistently annoying", "will require therapy after
viewing", or "as good as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick".
<http://internet-plaza.net/zone/mrcranky/>
It just goes to show you - nobody's perfect. This site features film
editing bloopers that probably only the most astute movie goers would
notice, but all will be amused to see. While most directors strive for
continuity (making sure the beer can in the actor's right hand when they
stopped shooting yesterday is not in the left hand today), many do not
succeed. See a variety of blunders that have been spotted in movies like
"Eraser", "Speed" and "Dragonheart", just to name a few. Late note: the
site is under renovation, but should be up again soon.
<http://www2.aros.net/~davej/welcome2.htm>
Bear with us. There are only so many words in one of these reviews and
we've just wasted 21 of them. Chuck and Ray, the Cirino boys, have a Web
site with a lotta cool stuff. Chuck's best is either Weird America, which
features Horace Long and his mystical bus/ark, or Mr. Vacation and its -
well, its vacation photos. Ray's best, and the best of site, is Water
Woman, a photographic series taken during a descent in a hot-air balloon to
the Burning Man festival. <http://www.cirino.com/beyond/>
There's no shortage of wildlife photos here, but the Virtual Zoo isn't
trying to trade on merely spectacular images. To-the-point text places the
zoo's virtual inhabitants in context with the rest of the animal kingdom,
and leads to a host of carefully chosen detailed and specialized links.
It's a good place to start for grade schoolers. The text is likely over the
heads of the very youngest, but they'll enjoy the special section on baby
animals and the coloring book. <http://207.71.29.70/zoo/>
Investigative reporters and conspiracy sleuths can take advantage of
NameBase's cumulative index of individuals, corporations, and groups
compiled from 550 investigative books published since 1962. Searching a
name will return a list of books that mention the subject. You can find
further information on listed books and, when available, links to
booksellers stocking the tome. A proximity search takes things one step
further, listing individuals mentioned on the same pages as your subject.
Bells and whistles like phonetic searches, country searches and the like
are enough to keep even the most trusting glued to the screen in search of
further shady connections. NameBase can also be accessed via Telnet or the
truly paranoid can purchase the entire database for their own CPUs, just to
keep those searches private. <http://www.pir.org/>
Besides the usual bouquets, brickbats, and banalities, this issue's
installment of Letters to the Editor includes a germane rebuttal by
Microsoft's Sam Felton to Scott McNealy's comments at JavaOne (see NSD
3.12). In the interest of fairness, take a look.
<http://www.netsurf.com/nsd/letters/letter.03.13.html>
Adjacent to the Yucatan peninsula but part of Belize, Ambergris Caye is a
25-mile long sliver of island bounded on the east by the longest barrier
reef in the western hemisphere and on the west by a lagoon. With a
cacophony of birds in the air, fish innumerable in the sea, a constant
water temperature of 82 degrees, and loads of sun, the island sounds like a
great escape. The Ambergris Caye Commons can help, with loads of
information on the island, its sights and sounds, travel tips, and just
about anything else a traveler could ask for. Occasionally, the
background/text combinations might make you want to dive for cover, but
aside from that, a visit to the site will have you longing for a visit to
the real thing. <http://ambergriscaye.com/>
We hardly know what to make of this site. In April's Hungary Report Monthly
Digest we found: a factual (we think) account of a run on a Hungarian bank;
a recipe for goulash (honest); a photo essay on a Puszt peasant; a poem
best described as, um, florid; and two convulsingly funny columns on
creating generic news and why Hungarians hope to become Europeans. The
blurb on bean gas leads to the bank story and the cryptic "Because Arnold
the Pig Spoke Hungarian" leads nowhere. We hardly know what to think, but
we love it. <http://www.isys.hu/hrep/>
GENGHIS KHAN: MAKING THE MOST OF A BAD REP
National Geographic does it again... and again... and again. This time, the
subject is Genghis Khan and his legacy in today's Mongolia. Contemporary
graphics are lacking, but there's a handful of hallmark photos contrasting
the vigor of the people with the starkness of their land. Aside from the
subject at hand, the interview with photographer Jim Stanfield offers some
surprising insights into how important lighting is in National Geographic's
photographs and the lengths to which its people will go to get the picture.
<http://nationalgeographic.com/genghis/>
Browse this compilation of Minnesota pics for sheer pleasure or to find
beautiful and inexpensive downloadable photos for your own use. Minnesotan
Dennis O'Hara's one-man show takes advantage of the state at its wildest,
its most refined, and, surprisingly, its most industrialized. His unerring
eye roves from ice caves and ship locks, through lightning and fireworks,
to lighthouses and roses. Even better, there's no charge to download images
for personal or noncommercial use. The cost of commercial use is a
$25/image donation to your local food bank or Salvation Army.
<http://www.northernimages.com/>
Emilie, a webmaster and an award-winning photographer, has combined her
talents in the Snapshots of San Francisco Web site. Every Friday, she posts
a new photo essay that details one usually obscure corner of the City or
the surrounding area. We like the simple presentation and the documentary
feel of the black-and-white images. If there's a particular San Francisco
feature you want to look at, check the archive to see if it's there.
<http://www.spcom.com/snap/>
This month's feature was Dr. Fellowbug, but we went straight to Bud Uglly,
a satirical Web design company with some seriously crappy ideas. Lots of
blinks, animated GIFs, and annoying advertising and links. Log on each
month for more of the same. <http://subnet.virtual-pc.com/du416394/>
"WGBH Online" sounds like a TV sitcom but this Web site is more classy than
funny. Boston's famous PBS station's site is updated weekly with links to
upcoming events on television and radio and info on their nationally
broadcast shows like "NOVA", "Mystery", and "Frontline".
<http://www.boston.com/wgbh/>
SPEAKING OF THAT CATCHY ADDRESS...
If you found yourself humming along to the headline of that last article,
check out this hidden gem from WGBH. The ZOOM site rekindles memories of
that show, and features a where-are-they-now page. It's amazing how many
ZOOMers are still in the performing arts.
<http://www.boston.com/wgbh/pages/zoom/zoomhome.html>
SOMETHING FISHY THIS WAY COMES
FishTalk with Uncle Bill is an approachable, weekly Web magazine for
tropical a-fish-ionados. Stop by for tips on equipment, learn more about
your favorite species, or try some of Uncle Bill's non-fish recipes.
<http://www.fishtalk.com/>
From the Beat Poets of the early 20th century to the emerging talent of
today, this site illuminates the whole genre with interviews and links. Of
course, there's a tribute to the late Allen Ginsberg.
<http://www.levity.com/corduroy/index.htm>
If you've got a love for honey or gotten bitten by the bee-keeping bug,
you'll want to visit this New Zealand Beekeeping page. There's a chat area,
missives on the wonders of honey, and enough description of the trade and
practice of the beekeeping craft for any wannabee.
<http://www.wave.co.nz/pages/nickw/nzbkpg.htm>
CAPSULE REVIEWS OF CUTTING EDGE SITES
Comoflow wants to feature eclectic, unique, content-rich sites. The pithy,
one-line reviews offer a fine place to start some adventurous surfing.
<http://www.comoflow.com/>
The HotSyte Web site seeks to encourage the advancement of JavaScript by
providing a mechanism for exchanging concepts, research, scripts, and
resources. Site administrators ask visitors to share their knowledge.
<http://www.serve.com/hotsyte/>
CELEBRATING PHOTOGRAPHY AND WRITING
Let's Celebrate features an eclectic variety of stories, photos and
critiques. Send in your favorite story or photo for the whole world to see.
Or just stop by to browse. <http://www.letscelebrate.com/>
If you're into all things bright and virtual, you'll want to check out this
VRML-focused site. Silicon Graphics hosts the page, and what that gracious
host offers is up-to-date information, news, and software for VRML fans.
The VRML 2.0 gallery is an impressive archive that should provide almost
everything you ever wanted to know about virtual reality modeling, 3-D
authoring tools and characters, plug-ins, and the like. It's virtually
entertaining, for both novices and professional developers. And, for you
studious types, there are course notes on authoring VRML 2.0.
<http://vrml.sgi.com/>
ImageDisk's PhotoVue Plus is a useful tool for Windows image and movie
manipulation whose shareware roots show up in a mild bugginess. The neatest
feature is the ability to turn a pic's desktop icon into a tiny thumbnail
of itself, if you have 16-bit color. Another handy feature is the ability
to read obscure file types specific to digital cameras and photo scanning
services, like Seattle Filmworks' SFW format. Other software out there can
do all or almost all that this one does, but probably none for less.
PhotoVue goes for only $26.95 US, definitely a bargain.
<http://www.imagedisk.com/>
On our latest 12 Sites of Christmas page, our opening volley was
Interholics Anonymous, an eclectic collection of humor and Net advice. The
site has moved, not that you'd notice, but it's worth letting you know in
case you missed it in December. <http://www.apc.net/ia/index.htm>
A rapier wit, a well lubed mouse-click finger, and some writing experience can lead you to an exciting career as a Netsurfer. Oh, yeah - a reliable capability to deliver five to ten digest articles per week for the rest of your natural life (or until you get sick of it) wouldn't hurt. Our e-zine line is expanding so other opportunities beyond NSD loom ominously on the horizon. Not a full time job, this'll buy you some pizza and beer every now and again. Or tea and crumpets. Or more mouse-click finger lubrication. Or whatever. Send a plain ASCII text resume outlining your previous writing or journalism experience (yep, it's a test) to mailto:writers@netsurf.com. Writers interested in online technical matters are also welcome to work on an upcoming e-zine.
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