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>>> August 16, 2001
Faking it Knowledge: Here's a really useful site: SoYouWanna will give you step-by-step instructions to dozens of activities, from the everyday (So You Wanna manage your hayfever) to the absurd (So You Wanna join the circus). All of the instructions are organized by category, and are very thorough and up to date. So next time you want to fake expert knowledge of wine or indie rock, you'll know where to turn. Be spoonfed at www.soyouwanna.com. Da chronic: Ok, we all know it's fake, but how can anyone dislike a heavily accented Asian man in a teddy-boy pomp warbling out "Nuthin' but a 'G' thang" while bouncing around in a cartoon lowrider. He's "One Loc'd Out Asian" and clearly the creation of some bored Web designer's mind, but if you like g-funk, '61 Impalas and Type-R dumptrucks, this is the site for you. You can sip on some sizurp at www.y2khai.com. Michael Citrome |
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>>> August 9, 2001
Chimp in a dress! Monkeyman: Yes, a chimpanzee in a dress will eventually open a tin can, but it'll take a while. That's what we learn from a series of scratchy '50s-era scientific films. As you watch the cute fuzzy monkey go buckwild with a screwdriver and a hammer, you have to wonder, What if she used it on the poor man's Jane Goodall in the video? Monkey around at epsych.msstate.edu/adaptive/LearningByObservation/. Emotional: The entire idea behind this site is there's Eric, this guy from California, and he conveys emotions by way of facial expressions--and takes requests for said conveyances on his Web site. So basically, he makes funny faces. You'll be skeptical about this site right up until seeing, "Not wearing pants and nobody knows but you." Then you will laugh uncontrollably. Eric conveys an emotion at www.emotioneric.com. Quickie: Have you seen the amazing crooning child? It'll give you nightmares. Visit www.eugenemirman.com. Michael Citrome |
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>>> August 2, 2001
Dude looks like a Kenny Animal cruelty: Ever see those short nature films that describe how animals survive and reproduce despite enormous adversity that in sundry ways eats them, squashes them, or kills them and lays eggs in them? If you find yourself mocking the plight of these poor endangered animals, you'll love The Pygmy Shrew, one of the animated shorts from British comedy group The Pox. Discover the natural enemies of the Pygmy Shrew and it's amazing ability to survive--and be killed in many horrible ways. Get sued by PETA at www.pox.co.uk. Coward of the county: Kenny Rogers, aka The Gambler, is one of our culture's most peculiar landmarks. Kenny's known to everyone, but does anyone really like him? As it happens, the secret behind Kenny's popularity is his army of look-alikes, now outed to everyone on MenWhoLookLikeKennyRogers, a site devoted to user-submitted photos of men, who, well, you get the idea. Know when to hold 'em at www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com. Michael Citrome |
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>>> July 26, 2001
Better read than red Paper of the people: In recent years we've seen first-hand the inadequacies of the information spoon-fed to us by the heavily biased mainstream North American new media. Well, no need for that anymore! Now we can have our information spoon-fed to us by the heavily biased communist Chinese news media. The People's Daily Online is the latest iteration of the venerable party organ. News from China, the roughest Dubya criticism this side of Salon.com, and anti-Falun Gong propaganda await you at english.peopledaily.com.cn. Searching? There's a new generation of search engines out on the web. Teoma is one step ahead of searches like Google by employing a new system of link analysis, bigging up relevant links and filtering out low-quality (but no doubt locally produced) porn. It's still in beta, but Teoma is a great addition to your web search arsenal. Look up your own name (because we all know you do) at www.teoma.com. Michael Citrome |
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>>> July 19, 2001
Coveted concrete Fight the power: The G8 is meeting in Genoa this weekend in a closed rendezvous to decide the future of most of the world. To make their own voices heard, activists from all over the world are holding a parallel conference, the Genoa Social Forum, to discuss public policy and globalization from a social perspective. The forum's Web site has tons of info on positions and ways you can affect change. The site will also be an unbiased source of info on what's going on during the street forum, ahead of CNN--and the gendarmerie. Keep it real at www.genoa-g8.org. Crunchy: Okay, snack freak, let's see how smart you are. While you're scarfing down those candy bars, ever give them a good look? Well, the folks at the Science Museum of Minnesota have: they have a quiz that presents you with a cross-section of candy bars, and you have to identify them. Whatchamacalit at www.sci.mus.mn.us/sln/tf/c/crosssection/namethatbar.html Michael Citrome |