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February 1997

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(970220) The Museum of Advertising Icons

CreatAbiliToys  http://www.toymuseum.com

The nostalgia is galore at this shrine housing images of over 650 advertising icons from the past and present. This is the electronic version of the physical museum which has on display toys ranging from Mr. Bubble dolls to that thing from Zebra Stripe Gum. Well worth a visit to shock the kid in you into going out and buying a new set of tires or to simply ponder why Mrs. Butterworth looked so good through your tired little eyes every morning on pancake day.  (Back to top of page)


(970221) Livestock World

Livestock World Magazine http://www.pitchfork.com/

One thing that the whole computer age has done is kept us indoors a little too much for our own good. We bring plants and animals into our homes to remind us that we used to live under the sky. I found this site most interesting because of my (sub)urban upbringing. There are children living in our cities who have never seen chickens hatch (see http://www.msichicago.org), and only know what horses look like because peace officers ride them. In high school a group of us brought a cow into the school on the last day and looking back on it now, had we known what a new cow costs we might never have done it.

Be sure to look for the albino camel!  (Back to top of page)


(970222) ELVIS is still #1

Big Bad Bob http://www.KarenDerr.com/elvis

Among the sites dedicated to the late Elvis Presley this is a gem. Big Bad Bob is the self-proclaimed "... More Than Awesome Digitographer to the Stars" and in spite of that, isn't a bad photographer either. Unlike most sites with heavy graphic content, Bob's is set up so as not to overload you or your browser. His Elvis related images are the nicest I've ever seen, and even if the legend of the King is lost on you a visit to this site is worth the time.

Big Bad Bob is actually Robert Derr from Houston, Texas, USA. His home page (http://www.neosoft.com/~kcderr/home/) should be visited if you like the Elvis stuff you see. The Gallery of Galleries has the same efficient set-up as the ELVIS is #1 pages. The "Texas Black Bra" image was brilliant.  (Back to top of page)


(970223) How a Corn Plant Grows

Iowa State University of Science and Technology Cooperative Extension Service Ames, Iowa http://www.ag.iastate.edu/departments/agronomy/corngrows.html

This past week a middle school teacher was arrested locally for having child pornography on his home computer. All of the evening newscasts have been running sensational stories about how easy it is to find pornography on the Internet. One such story had two guys sitting down in front of a computer, logged on to AOL and although they didn't show much beyond the Warning You Must Be 18 splash screens, you know they must have gone further like a pair of giggling 12 year olds. With the "expert" they hired they should have provided simple instructions for setting preferences as a "public service" to parents but they didn't. Many parents are unaware of the resources available to screen what their children can and cannot see, and they need to use them if concerned.

Most adolescents have a natural interest in the reproductive sciences, so what I propose is setting up a macro that would kick in whenever your kid typed in "porn". The macro would make the first letter change to a "C" and all the search engine would show is corn related sites. It might work, and boy would it ever be funny. By the time you stopped laughing and regained your composure you could come into the room and start talking "birds & bees" with the child, and this Site du Jour of the Day might just help.   (Back to top of page)


(970224) The Drive Train Page

Ken Bachellerie http://www.quiknet.com/~celery/

If you've ever wondered how the transmission in your vehicle works this is the site. If you are in the process of rebuilding a transmission this is also the site. While not pretty (and when is auto repair ever pretty?) the information contained here more than makes up for any lack of flash. Ken Bachellerie has been adding to this site for some time now, and if you don't learn at least one thing from his work that tiara might just be on your head a little too tight.

Do not expect to be able to go out and fix the Riviera after visiting The Drive Train Page. But next time you start her up you might just be a little kinder with that shifter.   (Back to top of page)


(970225) Café Herpé

SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals http://www.cafeherpe.com/

While STD's are not a laughing matter you've got to wonder just what they were thinking here. Mixing a coffee house metaphor with information about a viral infection just seems wrong to me. The "mixture of viral facts buffet style" is only outdone by the gallery of romantic art(?!).

The disclaimer states that this site is for U.S. residents only and to seek the advice of a health professional which is a much better plan than seeking advice from an ointment peddler.

Besides, your doctor is less likely to ask "Do you want that with one lump or two?".   (Back to top of page)


(970226) The Alaska Fishing Guide

Alaska Internet Marketing, Inc. http://www.alaska-vacations.com/Fish

The Alaska Fishing Guide is not only a perfect example of a visually appealing site, but it also contains a wealth of information. Where to go, what to wear, where to stay and of course places to buy it all. There's even detailed information on licensing and regulations here. You won't just find fishing information either, included are rafting trips for all abilities and even a link to taxidermists should you catch that big one.

The Alaska Fishing Guide is part of a larger site that includes The Alaska Hunting Guide and The Alaska Travel Guide but of the three I personally preferred The Fishing Guide. The fishin' part is easy, it's the catchin' part that requires the effort and Alaska certainly would be a great place to do it.   (Back to top of page)


(970227) The Bowler's Web! (formerly The Cyberspace Bowling Hall of Fame)

Don Lawrence http://members.aol.com/bowlerweb/index.htm

Bowling is one of those sports that people either really like or they don't. Before dismissing that broad generalization ask yourself "When was the last time I bowled?".

If you enjoy the sport enough to know exactly when you last bowled (and how well you did) this site and its links will probably end up as bookmarks in your browser.

If a vague recollection of your last bowling excursion comes to mind, you should visit this site but only if you remember having fun that night over at "Tuxedo Lanes".

If you can't stand the thought of bowling you should lighten up and try it again, but this time as an adult (they serve beer there you know).

The Bowler's Web! is maintained by Don Lawrence who enjoys the game and it shows through and through. Along with other things, he has put up the probabilities of knocking down certain pin combinations (that may surprise you) and scoring accomplishments for some of the greatest individuals the sport has ever seen. This site has many links and pages and there's even bowling trivia (in two parts) that will keep you entertained for hours, because after all, bowling is fun!  (Back to top of page)


(970228) Bullwnkl's Arcade Classic C-64 Fan Page

Bullwnkl http://home.ptd.net/~faethor/c64class/c64class.htm

Video games have come a very long way in the past fifteen years haven't they? Today it's a simple as going out to the Wal-Mart or Target, plunking down a couple of bucks and bringing home one of those fancy new Intendo 64 consoles that all the kids are so keen on these days. A few years ago you would have gone out and bought an IBM compatible only to hear a Macintosh user comment about how nice it was that you wanted a "game machine." Sure, you bought MYST and got a copy of DOOM but doesn't it feel like something is missing?

Harken back a little further, to the days when 64 meant something completely different. It meant three things:

  1. How much memory your machine had, not in megabytes but kilobytes
  2. How many minutes you'd have to wait for a game to load onto your computer (from a cassette tape!)
  3. How many years we thought it would take to get a machine that would be able to run those really cool games from the amusement arcade

Yes indeed, the Commodore 64 was quite a computer and sure enough things changed quickly during its relatively short life-span. Popular arcade games such as Asteroids, Centipede, Defender, Dig Dug, Frogger, Joust, Omega Race, Space Invaders, and Xevious eventually all became available in versions for the C=64. Loading times were cut drastically with plug-in cartridges and the introduction of the 1541 5.25 inch floppy disk drive. In most cases the games were the same versions as those you would chunk quarter after quarter in the coin slot to play.

So why a site dedicated to these obsolete machines and the old games that they used to run? Because they were fun! That thing you may be missing while playing "Super Speedy Almost Real Looking Chase the Fake Things Around Part IX" games of today might be your imagination. The graphics were simpler then, you had to walk to school in the snow with no shoes because it was your brother's turn to wear them, and in spite of it all we were entertained by the little sprites dancing across a low(er) resolution screen.

Emulators have been written for IBM machines and the programs have been ported over so you can once again play these games. Sometimes the games may not work as well as they did and a refresher course in the operation of our old friend might be handy, but the games are here and with links to various sites with shareware emulators you should be on your way.

If you never owned a C=64 and instead spent every spare quarter at the arcade you should still visit Bullwnkl's Arcade Classic C-64 Fan Page. Be prepared for a blast from the past.  (Back to top of page)


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Copyright 1997 Edward J. Pelegrino. All rights reserved.
Trade and Service Marks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

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