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| We Have Solved the Question of the Millennium |
| Millennial Apocalypse |
| Watching Y2K Cracking While It Happens |
| That Really Bright Moon |
| The Final Hours of Quake III Arena |
| Battle of the "eToys Sucks" Web Sites |
| Off Israel's Beaten Track |
| Let Us Tell You about Our Vacation |
| Netscape Browser Archive |
| BOOK REVIEWS |
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
| Contact and Subscription Information |
| Credits |
BREAKING SURF
We Have Solved the Question of the Millennium
So you're about to shove coal so far up your buddy's stocking, diamonds will come out of his mouth (to borrow a phrase from Futurama) over whether the Millennium begins January 1, 2000 or 2001. We have the answer. Say you have 20 marbles in a cup and you want to count them as you put them into a bowl. You count each marble as you transfer it. On the 20th marble, do you count before you lift it, after you set it down, or during the transfer? What's that you say? It doesn't matter? Right! Now, a millennium is composed of 1,000 years - that we all agree on. Millennia are composed of years, not months and not days. Each of those years is a quantum, a discrete unit like a marble that can't be subdivided. The year-quantum from January 1 to December 31, 2000 is the 2,000th year, just like the hypothetical period of January 1 to December 31, 1 was the first year. The year is the focus of the celebration, not some arbitrary end of it. You don't count the leading edge of a marble, do you? It doesn't matter whether you celebrate this millennium at the beginning of the year-quantum (i.e. in a week and a half), at the end (in a year and a week and a half), or in the middle (sometime next June). Just party like it's 2000. QED.Futurama: http://www.fox.com/frameset.html?content=/futurama/index.html
It'd be cool if we could break the news that the world will end at midnight on December 31, 1999. Alas, we're not that lucky - but we're pleased to bring all you apocalypse fans several links nonetheless. We highly recommend the always provocative and thoughtful PBS Frontline site, which has material related to its "Apocalypse" episode. The episode and Web site trace the evolution of apocalyptic beliefs and how they shaped the Western world. Since many of those beliefs spring from the Book of Revelations, we'd be remiss if we didn't point to that work, a brilliantly hallucinogenic piece of literature in its own right. For a more vernacular version of Revelations, check out Visions of Apocalypse (now with free screensaver!). Meanwhile, while the rest of us quaff champagne on New Year's, apocalypsists will be with the goods they bought at the WizCity Survivalist Emergency and Home Shopping Marketplace. Happy New Year fellow netsurfers!
Frontline: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/apocalypse/
Book of Revelations: http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=Revelation
Visions of Apocalypse: http://www.visions-of-apocalypse.com/
WizCity: http://www.earntoshop.com/shopping/survival/sale.html
Watching Y2K Cracking While It Happens
The SANS institute wants to keep an eye on any hacking and cracking attempts during the Y2K rollover. Based on their efforts in a recent widespread cracking incident, they've been asked by the US government to help coordinate the response to any odd goings-on during New Year's. They put out this call for sysadmin cooperation: "We are asking that you let us know about any intruder-type traffic that you see any time from now through January 5, 2000. Please help by sending suspicious network and log files to mailto:intrusion@sans.org". SANS will attempt to isolate network traffic which represents the attacks and coordinate action to block them. This Web page has more info, and is updated at least every four hours with any detected activity reported to SANS. Pass this item to your sysadmin to get them plugged into the system.http://www.sans.org/y2k.htm
You might have heard rumors that the full moon of December 22 was the brightest in 133 years. Yes, it was a full moon occurring at perigee (the moon's closest approach to Earth) at the winter solstice (when the northern hemisphere of Earth is tilted closer to the moon's orbit), but big freaking deal, says Sky and Telescope. It might be a brighter moon than normal but, says Sky and Telescope, "these are issues only for the astronomical record books. This month's full moon won't look dramatically brighter than normal." Even so, we have to admit that subjectively, even the moon of Dec. 21 seemed pretty powerful to our sensitive eyes.
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/pr_991217brightmoon.html
The Final Hours of Quake III Arena
Gamespot has an article explaining what went on behind the scenes as Id Software got ready to ship arguably the most hyped computer game of the millennium. It briskly covers the history of Quake and the fateful decision to release Quake III as a deathmatch-only game. Good insider information for fans of the game. Incidentally, word is that the game has been banned in Brazil. How do you say "smuggling" in Brazilian? (Hey, we know it's really Spanish. Ha! Gotcha! We know it's Portuguese).http://www.gamespot.com/features/btg-q3/index.html
SURFING SITES
Appropriately presented in glorious black and white, the Why a Duck? site is one man's loving and smart tribute to Minnie Marx's boys - Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo, and Gummo. Besides a few unexpected goodies, the site focuses on their major films with a summary, sound files, photos, and - best of all - transcripts from their most famous moments. There's the rapid-fire contract negotiation from "A Night at the Opera", pitting Alpha-moustache Groucho against the wily Chico. In "Cocoanuts", we see Chico learn the fine art of shilling for Groucho's swampland auction. You say you want to sing all the parts the next time you hear Hooray for Captain Spalding on the radio? We have the words right here. Read them to be amazed by how funny these men were at the height of their mastery of the near-sequitur. There's even a section on rescued material from the brothers' '30s radio program, "Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel", once thought to have been lost forever. Now, say the secret word.http://www.whyaduck.com/
At first, A.J. Weberman's garbage picking and analysis - garbology as he calls it - site seems like fun. Sure, he gives celebrities trashy treatment, and he's had notorious run-ins with Bob Dylan. But, so long as others forage through the actual trash, we'll happily reap the gossipy tidbits. Then, it sneaks up on us: This is a dirty enterprise all 'round. Jim Morrison blinks at us from one frame while in the other we see Jackie O's leavings, most notable for the startling appearance of a banner celebrating John Jr.'s 13th birthday. Mick Jagger gets written offers for sex - it seems. Briefly part of the Lennon/Ono inner circle, Weberman offers his own interpretation of some Lennon/McCartney lyrics, specifically denied by John himself; we don't think he's entirely wrong, but we do think his translation is too literal. In the end, this site's a bit like the tabloids at the supermarket. We couldn't help ourselves, but... brrrr.
http://www.garbology.com/
The graphic warns of sexually explicit material, but don't think that this is just some fool's adolescent fixation. These pages belong to the Commercial Sex Information Service (CSIS), a first-rate resource for workers in sex industries. Online pamphlets present safe sex and the reliability of condoms, excerpts from the criminal code covering prostitution and sex offences, memorials to heroes and heroines of the sex trade, and links to sister sites. And, in case you still think it's a titillating cover-up, there's a select collection of fascinating and impressively scholarly papers on the myths of white slavery, communal moral panic, the history and roles of prostitution, and more. Here you'll find a subtle sense of pride from people wanting to be the best they can in jobs that routinely trample their humanity - and don't we all know something about that?
http://www.walnet.org/csis/index.html
This Just In: Violent Games Didn't Originate with Doom
Here's a site for fans of all those seemingly simple strategy board games. Most of us know that many of the board games we enjoy are variations of far older games played on far older slates, with histories traceable, generally, to the Roman Empire, ancient Greece, China, and to even earlier examples in Egypt. These pages look most closely at Roman games like Latrunculi, Felix Sex, and Tali, but they hark back to similar games played throughout the ancient world. You're bound to recognize the antecedents of backgammon, checkers, chess, and even tic-tac-toe. Not surprisingly, many of the games have military themes, another tradition that seems to survive the millennia.http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/roma/rbgames.html
Feel the Rhythm in Your Gut Bucket
When techno isn't cutting it at your millennium party this week, try an alternative. Dash to the basement and grab your gut bucket. Then, dismantle the weed whacker - preferably the one with the blue cord, 'cause it works better than the white or red. Snap the handle off that old broom in the workshop. Defrost the side of beef you bought on eBay, and slice out the two front ribs. Voila! You have your very own gut bucket bass and percussive bones band. You might be wise, though, to confirm these instructions and your playing guide at Mike and Marian's musical spoons, bones, washboards, washtub basses, and gut buckets site. It's a good-natured guide to serious homemade entertainment, with links to ukulele, slide, kazoo, Jew's harp, and jug band music makers. And, we'll bet there's no problem with the Y2K bug.http://www.homestead.com/oldmusic/MusicalSpoons.html
It's a busy world. The Internet was supposed to make your life simpler. Instead, you find yourself online for hours, looking to pick your needle from the haystack of drivel. Unless, of course, you rely on NSD. That's one of countless things we're great for. But if you want what others think is the best gosh-darn thing on the Web since interlaced GIFs, minus our signature sparkling commentary and wit, try Web Soup. It provides you with links in pure text from all those "cool site of the defined unit of time" sites that spring up on the Web like mushrooms. If you're into that, go several times a day for updates.
http://www.ursus.net/WebSoup/ws.html
Long gone are the days of Jimmy Rockford calling up his pal at the DMV to find out who was responsible for ransacking his mobile home. These days the Internet has become the place for information retrieval. But where to begin? With Deadline Online.com. This site, ostensibly an ad for a book, provides a wonderful list of links for tracking down just about anyone under the sun. Quick tip: They suggest you type in your own phone number to see how reliable a particular search engine might be.
http://www.deadlineonline.com/
Another Page in the Life of MTV Critics
Music videos are as much an art form as the music itself, but they seldom get as much attention. Andrew Hicks, writing with the razor-edged, witty, and incisive skill he has demonstrated in his previous Web incarnations (Years in the Life of a Nerd, in NSDs 2.03 and 3.24), has joined with crony James Wallace to create a music video review site to fill the time. The reviews are worth reading even if you've never heard of the band or seen the video, for the sheer fun of it: "They just created a lot of white noise to scream against." Oh, so true.http://heymtv.usuck.com/
It was bound to happen. The real courts are clogged to the rafters, so why not try cases online, in a virtual court? iCourthouse is such a place. The cases are presented to pre-selected jurors, people who have agreed to serve on that particular case. The verdict can be binding or not and anyone can sign on to be a part of the jury. And we should point out that the site will soon be handling weddings. No word yet on whether or not these will be binding.
http://www.i-courthouse.com/
Riding Duct Tape to the White House
Furniture Guys, enough with the spit coats. We've found a better way to protect Great Grandma's antique dining room set. Resplendent in silver, just barely keeping it together but bound by love of the universal fix-it, Tim and Jim invite you into the wonderful world of duct tape. They offer their own suggestions for re-pointing the pyramids with the stuff, and protecting the White House from acid rain. It's a major plank in their mutual candidacy for the highest office in the land. These guys have actually written books about duct tape - and we'll wager George W. Bush hasn't read those, either. This is a deceptive site; you suspect you've stumbled onto another of those one-joke wonders. But its sophisticated design and good-natured invention just keep surprising you. There's even a teacher's guide, for crying out loud. You'll want to stick around.http://www.octane.com/ducttape/
A Presidential Candidate to Call Your Own
Are you tired of trying to figure out which US presidential candidate best represents your perspective? Fear not. The 2000 Presidential Candidate Matcher asks voters a series of question about various issues such as abortion, the military, health care, and gun control. You mark your stance and the importance of that issue to you. A score sheet will be generated indicating the candidate with a profile that most closely matches your own voting record. You just might be surprised....http://www.thecrayfish.com/presmatch.htm
Non-Partisan, Non-Media-Star Driven Political Coverage
Any site that bills itself as "a Millennium gift to America" better offer something astoundingly valuable to the average citizen of the republic. Freedom Channel does, despite not being a pill that burns fat while you sleep. It's a non-partisan, non-profit political forum which lets you examine and compare candidates, issues, and political factions in a reasoned way. Pull-down menus let you zero in on specific issues in presidential, Senate, and House races. Get breaking political news and campaign updates. This is a good defense against marauding TV campaign ads.http://www.freedomchannel.com/
The British Government doesn't really have the hang of the Internet yet, and tends to create weighty, jargon-filled sites that suffer badly from information overload. PM Tony - significantly trendier than most of his Cabinet - has, however, a Web site for Number 10 which is clean, smart, and easy to use. The visitor can read and download all major speeches, pontificate in the discussion forums, view live interviews (including the first Internet interview with a British PM), and browse well-written histories of past PMs. The virtual tour of No 10 Downing Street is a triumph of web design, it loads fast, has lots of interest and is easy to navigate. The Number 10 site, a real success, does exactly what it is supposed to do with efficiency, speed, and aesthetic appeal. Now if only Tony could do the same for the rest of the government...
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/index.html
It's hard to believe now, but the Vietnam Wall caused a storm of controversy when first unveiled. It went on to become a lasting and quite spiritual memorial, serving as the unifying symbol of a divisive war. This virtual version of the Wall was also created as a monument to the fallen. Online visitors can search the database of names to create a virtual pencil rubbing, just as hundreds of thousands of people have done at the original site. Visitors can also send Virtual Postcards to veterans or friends and read the latest Veteran's News.
http://www.vietnamwall.org/
How to Become Sportingly Correct
You're at a basketball game, and see an incredible move. "Gee, did you see that, uh, er...," you stammer. Or maybe you're biking with an experienced mountain biker. Your energy drops, and you slow down. "You're not bonking, are you?" he asks. Is he referring to your slowing speed, your fanatic gum-chewing, or your private life? If the above descriptions fit you to a tee (and you have no idea what that means, either) and you're completely clued out on sports terminology, it's time to get to this sports glossaries Web site.http://www.firstbasesports.com/glossaries/
A neighbor of ours declared not so long ago, "I've been a typesetter for 20 years. What else is there to learn?" Plenty, if she wants to work on the Web. Typesetters and desktop publishers can upgrade their skills at the Free Web Design Training Course given by Victoria Ring, a design instructor at Ohio State University. After a quick introduction to get neophyte pagebuilders thinking in broad strokes, Ring uses text and screenshots to outline hardware and software requirements, Net access and providers, and page composition. At the end of your first lesson, you can prepare to decorate your site by downloading a banner: "Registered Web Designer for the New Mellinnium." Ring's site will help a lot of people who are intimidated by four-inch-thick paperbacks in the computer sections of brick-and-mortar bookstores, whether or not they can spell.
http://victoriaring.com/business/training/index.html
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Items our staff likes and you might too. Click on the image or title to order at a hefty discount from our affiliates Amazon.com and Beyond.com, and send a few pennies our way as well.
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The Physics of Christmas: From the Aerodynamics of Reindeer to the Thermodynamics of Turkey
Impossibility: The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits
Once Upon a Time in the West: The Original Soundtrack Recording
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? for Win95/98ONLINE CULTURE
Battle of the "eToys Sucks" Web Sites
Wired has an item about the war between the giant eToys corporation and the older etoy.com arts organization. (See NSD 5.40: eToys is using the courts to prevent etoy.com from using its rightful domain name). Consumer boycotts rage while pro and anti-eToys forces battle on another domain name front. As expected, anti-eToys forces have registered the domain etoys-sucks.com. Not to be outdone, eToys itself registered etyossucks.com. Usually when a business locks up a xxxsucks.com domain, they keep it unreachable but, in what may be a first, visitors reaching etoyssucks.com are redirected to the main eToys Web site.Wired: http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,33184,00.html
eToyssucks: http://etoyssucks.com/
eToys-sucks: http://www.etoys-sucks.com/
ONLINE TRAVEL
Israel is a dream destination for many people, a center of religious history and sacred places thousands of years in the making. Most package tours will take you to the usual tourist attractions, the famous ones everyone has heard of. With Gems in Israel, a free e-zine elegantly presented by Yael Zisling Marketing , you can explore the real Israel and find the hidden statues, interesting houses, and incredibly ancient ruins hidden in plain view all over the country. You may never get to Israel, but Gems will bring you a lot closer.http://www.gemsinisrael.com/
Let Us Tell You about Our Vacation
Travelers love travel stories, and at MyVacationPhotos they can share discoveries, gripes, and adventures with fellow amateurs. This site provides "an alternative guide to the traditional travel guides." Unfortunately for the site, there are certainly a lot of traditionalists in the world. We found the forums empty, just waiting for holiday travelers to proffer their recollections, tips, and guidance. You'll find some of the good stuff hiding beyond the "maps" link, though. Once you've created a free account, you can post your own formatted pages and photos or use the site's online editor to create a site in its envisioned community of contributing travelers. We like the idea, but wonder whether MyVacationPhotos will have the marketing clout to draw surfers away from established travel sites with large audiences. Why not give it a go?http://myvacationphotos.com/
FLOTSAM & JETSAM
A Virtual Reality Space Odyssey
This 2001: A Space Odyssey site uses VRML to produce startling images of the space station and Discovery spaceship. The images require a browser plug-in and a hefty download, but the result is worth the wait.http://members.aol.com/Alprojects/2001/
PJ's best friend is large, horny, and called Daisy - and his Web site, which includes breeds of cow, a "cowlendar", books about cows, and posters of cows, reflects that. There is even a Cow of the Month for the discerning admirer.
http://www.lavache.com/
No Y2K pledge beats this hilarious one from Hart Scientific. We especially liked: "We've got a lot of suppliers. We already know some of them are pretty good and some of them are idiots. We don't expect the Y2K problem to change this."
http://www.hartscientific.com/y2k.htm
This Site Was Made for Walkin'
If you're curious about walking as exercise, the American Volkssport Association (AVA) will fulfill your desire. The AVA's network of more than 500 clubs offers more than 3,000 events annually. For a calendar, a tutorial, and more, click on the AVA's Volksmarch and Walking index.http://www.ava.org/
What's Going On around the World
Check out your birthday - or any day - on the Earth Calendar, a giant diary of every event celebrated worldwide. You may find your birthday is also National Picnic Day in Iran or Casinga Day in Namibia, so you can have a double celebration.http://www.earthcalendar.net/
Kozmo's Meals and Movies on Wheels
Order dinner and a movie online and have them delivered to your door in less than an hour. That's what Kozmo.com promises hungry Web surfers in New York, Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Returning the video is the consumer's responsibility but overall it sounds like a good idea.http://www.kozmo.com/
Submit your credit card number at its secure site, and OpenTable.com guarantees reservations you make with its participating restaurants (in eight US cities). You can also send invitations. Of course, you'll probably still have to know someone to get the best table.
http://www.opentable.com/
Are you an apple or a pear? And how many calories is a pound of rutabagas? For the answer to these and other calorie questions, visit the Calorie Control Council's Web site. Features include an online calorie calculator, articles about weight control, and news. There's also an exercise calculator.
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/
SOFTWARE
If you have a hankering for Netscape 2.0, 3.04, 4.06, or even Gecko M11, the developer pre-release, this is the place for you. In fact, you'll find links to just about every Netscape that's ever been released for any OS. Only the 128-bit encryption versions are not listed, because of downloading restrictions outside the US and Canada. Getting a browser here, even the latest one, is a hundredfold easier than doing the same at Netscape's own site.http://sillydog.webhanger.com/narchive/