| The Atomic Bomb |
| It's Frank's World, and We're Just Living in It |
| News.com Editor's Simplistic Approach to Search Engines |
| John Berns's Excellent Adventures |
| Gaijin Scientists in Japan |
| San Francisco in Pictures |
| Your Name in Kanji |
| Marco Rullkotter's Shockwaved Graphics and Font Palace |
| The Letterman Hall of Haircuts |
| Killer Sheep Rampant! |
| Web Development Resources |
| Consumers Car Club |
| Rupert Murdoch Is an American |
| BOOK REVIEWS |
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
| Contact and Subscription Information |
| Credits |
BREAKING SURF
In the wake of last week's Indian bomb tests, we ask the obvious question: "Can you learn to build an atom bomb on the Net?" Using the High Energy Weapons Archive (HEWA), the Nuclear Weapons FAQ, and a search engine, any reasonably intelligent physics student can figure out how to design the bomb. There is no atomic "secret" - the physics are well known and the original engineers, don't forget, used 50-year-old technology. The challenges lie in getting enough fissile material - uranium and plutonium - and turning an explosive device into a weapon system. To understand the magnitude of the task, and for a cracklingly good story, read the Pulitzer-winning "The Making of the Atomic Bomb", by Richard Rhodes. This superb book has no better companion than a summer vacation at one of the sites recommended by the Bureau of Atomic Tourism.HEWA: http://www.fas.org/nuke/hew/index.html
FAQ: http://www.milnet.com/milnet/nukeweap/
Book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0684813785/o/002-3683467-5300412
Atomic Tourism: http://www.oz.net/~chrisp/atomic.html
It's Frank's World, and We're Just Living in It
We won't bother with superlatives; there are plenty elsewhere following Frank Sinatra's death last week. William Denton's exhaustive compendium of online Sinatra resources should satisfy most of your curiasity about the man and his work. Indeed, the online universe has adopted and morphed Sinatra's music, as it does with so much, for its own purposes. The Midi Music tribute site contains a large collection of MIDI renditions of his works. For a titillating glimpse of Sinatra the man, visit the always germane Smoking Gun site for peeks at amusing FBI documents concerning Frank the Mafia asset, Frank the commie, Frank and JFK, and Frank and the call girls.Denton: http://www.vex.net/~buff/sinatra/
MIDI Music: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/4261/TRIBUTE.htm
Smoking Gun: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/frank/frank.html
News.com Editor's Simplistic Approach to Search Engines
To support his position in a minor dispute with Apple Vice President Phil Schiller over whether or not Apple should still be called "beleaguered", News.com editor Jai Singh turned to Web search engines for evidence. Singh asked Alta Visa, Excite, and Inktomi how many pages contain the phrase "beleaguered Apple" in a variation of the "they do it, so why can't I?" defence. Alta Vista supplied the most hits: over 1.2 million. Experienced netsurfers - which Singh presumably should be - will recognize the fallacy of this rationalization, one clearly and sarcastically spelled out by MacWorld's Philip Dyer, who discovers that only 69 Web documents actually refer to a "beleaguered" Apple. Regardless, we still want to ask Singh, "If all the other reporters jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?"http://macworld.zdnet.com/beleaguered.html
SURFING SITES
QTVR is an underappreciated and underutilized image format. Over 100 of the world's best QTVR photographers agreed to take a panoramic images at three identical moments in time, relative and exact. The first shoot occured at the moment of the the vernal equinox, regardless of local time. The other two photographic events record happenings at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time on March 20. Each artist was free to shoot whatever they felt was important to depict. The brilliant results illustrate the breadth of activity in which fellow humans participate. The site only enhances the quality of the panograms (?) with good navigation, image files well prepared for loading, and interesting text and audio. This a "must see" site, but go get QuickTime first. It's free from Apple, and for Windows, too.Images: http://www.wrinkle2.lava.net/
QuickTime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/
Donna Kossy has a fondness for the kooks of the world, especially those who've found a cybersoapbox in their virtual Hyde Park. All the usual suspects are there - fringe religions, UFOlogists, psychics, mad scientists, rambling philosophers. Most of the them are harmless, although we find the energy expended in paranoid schizophrenia exhausting. The hatemongers, too, are utterly charmless; if they weren't so stupidly lethal, the inability to recognize their own impotence would be far more amusing. However, the collection amassed by Kossy provides a chance to find under one museum roof J.C. Brainbeau's plan to save the world through classified ads, the real reason that dinosaurs - spawn of Satan - disappeared, the Richard Nixon/Stephen King conspiracy that killed John Lennon, and an accounting of how many people it takes to stage seemingly normal - even sinisterly mundane - events in George Dahl's life.
http://www.teleport.com/~dkossy/
We Could Do a Whole Issue on this Site... Maybe
Cyberbohemia explores a range of issues, from Web site design and image manipulation (The Bridge) to photography (The Golden Alley) to writing (The Castle). You can read excerpts from the author's manuscript "The Sword of Heaven" as well as info from the out-of-print "Sweat", a look at saunas around the world. One of the most vivid pages features a photographic collection of county fairs in the late '70s, with subject and atmosphere stunningly well documented.http://www.cyberbohemia.com/
An Intriguing Personal Account of Growing Up between the Wars
Rob Sharp has put his family history, as told by his mother, onto the Web, and while you may sigh wearily over such indulgence, the skill of the storytelling and the detailed look at the particular lifestyle and time make this story an engrossing read. Rob's mother tells of her father, the Regimental Sergeant Major in the King's Own Scottish Borderers regiment, fighting in WW I. The bravery of his wife, who once after a row shaved off half his moustache while he slept, and the intimate stories of life during the war and afterward keep the story vivid and original.http://www.zen.co.uk/home/page/rob.sharp/rtframe.htm
>From the clever use of OnMouseOver on the front screen to the virtual journey through the Night Safari, the Singapore Zoological Adventure site is not to be missed. It's filled with photos, interviews, and details about what is available at the Singapore Zoo. It has quizzes and games for the kids, plus all the important information adults need, like hours of operation and ticket prices. The design sense is flawless and employs some of the latest technologies, and, all in all, it's hard to believe it's the product of three sixteen-year-old boys. Keep an eye out to see what this dynamic trio is doing in ten years. Oh, and Bill Gates? Hire them now, before they become competition.
http://cyberfair.gsn.org/tchs98/
Remember when Fonzie jumped over the shark on "Happy Days"? The creators of the Jumping the Shark site have adopted that image as the holotype of the instant at which a TV show peaks and begins an inexorable descent into craphood. The site obsesses over TV shows that have bit the big one and tells the sad, sharky saga of shows that have indeed jumped that shark. You can submit your own feedback on programs that you think definitely qualify for this dubious honor.
http://www.jumptheshark.com/
With its saltwater-taffyesque design, Families United on the Net really is a F.U.N. place, as they claim. Although they have bulletin boards in their Over the Fence section and chats scheduled most weekdays, the most useful and entertaining section is Around the House. It has tips on all sorts of things from removing rust to combating a stuffy nose. There's the timely "How to Choose a Summer Camp" and the irreplaceable "Things To Do the Night Before Your Vacation" (besides, we assume, visiting this site to get the list). As an added bonus, you can find out what happens when you play Sim LA with brine shrimp. We'll give you a hint: it involves Sea Monkey night clubs.
http://www.thefunplace.com/
Parents and Babies and Babies to Be
Stork Site, as implied by the name, covers the earlier years of parenting. They have the idea of community nailed, as it were, right to the white picket fence. When you sign up to become a member of Stork Site, you pick an avatar to represent your cyberpresence. You have the option to add other users to a list of friends whose handles will pop up each time they visit the site. If you're expecting, you can also sign up to receive BabyGrams, snippets of description of what you and your baby are going through at each stage, so that you realize, hard as it is to believe, what you're going through is normal. The site employs the latest technologies with a customizable due date ticker and cookies. Not the type that go with milk.http://www.storksite.com/index.html
The CIA Kids Page - Yes, the CIA Kids Page
Oh, boy! This is the perfect place to send your tykes who seem to have a nose for dirt: the CIA Kids Page. Yup, that's right: a special Web site on the CIA for the wee ones. They can learn about intelligence information, how the organization works, and how politicians oversee (or try not to see) the CIA snoops. Just remember from now on to check the stuffed animals for hidden devices.http://www.odci.gov/cia/ciakids/index.html
Global Intelligence Conspiracy?
Ever wonder whether conspiracy theories of government eavesdropping are merely the stuff of Mel Gibson movies? According to this site, the governments of several countries have established a sophisticated system of phone, e-mail, and fax surveillance to indiscriminately record the presence of phrases contained in the Echelon Dictionary, a list of words that governments deem trackworthy. The site exposes the claims of staff involved in the interception project in the late '80s and the information is so extensive and detailed, it deserves a look. Spooks or kooks? Your call.http://www.dis.org/erehwon/echelon.html
The Orwellian Nightmare Known as the Teletubbies
The Teletubbies - new to North America - are four things that look like hyperneotenous humanoids in diapers and coveralls. But after rigorous testing, we can safely conclude that they hold incredible fascination for toddlers. Mommies and Daddies, on the other hand, may want to take an anti-nausea pill before visiting this page to ward off the effects of the oh-so-adorable antics of these fuzzy, warm, too, too sweet creatures. Yet adults might notice something else about the show - about the idyllic setting, about the doors that cater Star Trek-like to the whims of those who use them, and about the hypnotic, static-emitting periscope speakers. Yes, that's it - the Teletubbies are an Orwellian experiment in eugenics, living - lobotomized - in a controlled environment (albeit one with a rabbit infestation), unaware of an outside world. Read all the latest about Po, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa, and their fellow prisoners at this site. Eerie.http://www.pbs.org/teletubbies/
Has It Been 40 Years Since the Bums Left Brooklyn?
Yes, it has. In 1958, the mediocre Dodgers began their season in LA. Forty years later, the mediocre LA Dodgers are on the verge of trading away one of the best offensive catchers of all time in the hope of jump-starting their season. If you're a baseball fan, you'll want to follow the Dodgers' LA history, from the initial year to the quick rise to prominence the next year to the sale of the team to Rupert Murdoch in March. As an extra treat, you can listen to lots of Vin Scully, in the form of RealAudio files.http://www.dodgers40.com/
Renaissance and Medieval Weddings
As if planning a wedding isn't headache enough! It seems that plighting troth to the one you love just doesn't suffice for some. A goodly number of us apparently want to troll the Dark Ages for those extra special touches that will really help us remember the day. Links and a lengthy essay at this site describe the origins of familiar traditions and send researcher-maidens down the bridal path to the wedding of their dreams. And on the wedding night, one newlywed can be the fair Maid Roxanne, and the other can save her with the sword.http://paul.spu.edu/~kst/bib/bib.html
Animations of Questionable Taste
Honkworm offers custom-designed animations for corporate webs, in RealPlayer or Shockwave. They use the technology brilliantly and their animations suit the Internet environment with careful use of fixed but striking backgrounds and minimal movement, resulting in a lightning fast download without loss of style. The subjects of the samples will either entertain you or leave you cold. We've had both reactions here at NSD HQ. All sides agree that Monty Python heavily influences the animations, but the success of the attempts remains open to question. Regardless, Honkworm certainly knows design, and they show they understand the Net medium.http://www.honkworm.com/
ONLINE TRAVEL
John Berns's Excellent Adventures
Follow John Berns around the world as he posts a travelogue and excellent photography. While he doesn't explain why he stayed in Southeast Asia for an unplanned year instead of initiating his journey immediately, he has belatedly begun to travel to those obscure destinations that always hold enough adventure to fill a Web site. The drama of Easter in San Fernando Pampanga, Philippines provides an excellent example of his attitude and sense of humour (not to mention his spelling): "I figured they where headed to the crucifixions. Where else would flagellants go?"http://www.travelog.net/
To Westerners, life in Japan can seem strange. Scientists, researchers, engineers, and technologists assigned by the home office to work in the island nation will appreciate advice from colleagues with experience to impart. Enter Gaijin Scientist, a book first published in 1990 and now a framed Web site. Each chapter was written by visiting scientists who put in time at universities, institutes, and corporations in Japan. Travel details, working and living conditions, Japanese views of foreign scientists, customs to observe, mutual attitudes and expectations, technical issues - there is so much background here that many readers who need this information will probably buy the book or whack the site. Many practical suggestions, such as "bring a laptop with you!" help prepare the uninitaited. Don't wait to read the book or surf the page until you're 35,000 feet over the Pacific.
http://japan.co.jp/stag/gaisci/
If you tire of news, stock quotes, news, and more news on the Web, treat your eyes to a photographic magazine such as the Shooters Gallery, a digital exhibit by Stevem. (Yep, Stevem.) It consists of several sections that at first impression seem collections of postcard material. Shot in the City is both a tribute to San Francisco and a testament to Stevem's eye for striking aspects of the mundane. He seems to prefer objects and cityscapes, especially at twilight or at night; only The Portland Episode features people, and these are posed. Stevem has the kind of roving eye for isolated beauty that many professional photographers have abandoned for more lucrative, utilitarian gloss. The beauty inside all, from grasshopper to skyscraper, shows through here.
http://www.shooter.net/
FLOTSAM & JETSAM
This site transliterates an English name into Kanji characters. The result is provided as a graphic. Note that the translation is based on the pronunciation, so if your name comes out differently depending on who's saying it, you might not be getting the right set of characters.http://www.teglet.co.jp/
Marco Rullkotter's Shockwaved Graphics and Font Palace
Marco shows off his masterful Shockwave skills at this site he designed to display his computer graphics and to distribute some fascinating free and shareware fonts. Your browser may barf, but try it.http://www.graphic-home.iok.net/
The Letterman Hall of Haircuts
"Some look upon it, and see a punctuation mark. 'Nonsense,' others argue. 'It's the Gulf of Mexico.'" So begins a lengthy photo essay of the Letterman hair in flux. Fans, only, may want to check this out.http://macworld.zdnet.com/andyi/haircuts.html
If you want to see a sharp-toothed sheep with an attitude, visit Sonke Behrens' detailed and blood-curdling site about rampant killer sheep. Netsurfer is glad to see this insidious menace finally brought to the attention of the public.
http://www.arrowweb.com/sbehrens/kilsheep/
The mass of Web development information threatens to inundate Web developers. To help, this site has combined a huge index of links with a fast, accurate search engine. The description of each link even details the page's number of hits.
http://nordstrand.hypermart.net/webhoo/
The Consumers Car Club contains a wealth of knowledge about buying or selling a car. With help on everything from checking a car's real mechanical history to local vehicle inspection services, as well as pricing, loans, insurance, and more, this is the place to start.
http://www.carclub.com/
CORRECTIONS
In the mid-1980s, Rupert Murdoch renounced his Australian birthright to become an American citizen - so he could own TV stations. So, technically, we were in error last issue ("Columbia Journalism Review") when we said he wasn't American. The question now, as reader Ivano Pinneri pointed out, is why an American owns so many Australian newspapers?