The

Site du Jour of the Day

Archive for

June 2000

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

<

>

Search the Site du Jour of the Day Archives


Back to Main Archive Page

2001  January  |  February  |  March |  April

2000  January  |  February  |  March  |  April  |  May  |  June  |  July
August  |  September  |  October  |  November  |  December 

1999  January   |  February  |  March  |  April  |  May  |  June  |  July
August  |  September  |  October  |  November  |  December

1998  January  |  February  |  March  |  April  |  May  |  June  |  July 
August  |  September  |  October  |  November  |  December

1997  February  |  March  |  April/May  |  June  |  July  |  August
September |  October  |  November  |  December 

Sign up to receive Site du Jour of the Day episodes by e-mail!


(000601) Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
http://www.krispykreme.com/

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

Last week I was talking about regional favorites with a couple of people — the conversation started with different varieties of pizza pie. It became clear that Chicago style pizza was the least favorite type for the three of us. Talk then turned to the observation that it doesn't really matter where you go, the _____ made there is the best there is. That is until you start talking doughnuts. Transplants all, one each from Washington, New York and Michigan agreed the only doughnut that matters is the original Krispy Kreme. Easy enough to dismiss as a regionalism perhaps, but bear in mind that until quite recently Krispy Kreme Doughnuts were not available this far south on the west coast of Florida. One would have to be north of Tampa to savor the sweet deliciousness of a Krispy Kreme. Good news for us here in Fort Myers though, the Lakeland, Florida based Publix Super Markets (http://www.publix.com/) are now stocking Krispy Kreme Doughnuts as I discovered over the weekend.

Started in 1933 by Vernon Rudolph who in Paducah, Kentucky purchased an operating doughnut shop and a secret yeast-raised doughnut recipe. After moving to Nashville, Tennessee, family members opened shops in Charleston, West Virginia, and Atlanta, Georgia. Leaving Nashville in 1937 for Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Vernon Rudolph took the name and secret recipe and established the firm we now know as Krispy Kreme. Grocery store delivery was the main concern for Krispy Kreme but people would stop at the shop asking to purchase hot doughnuts. Cutting a hole in the wall led to Krispy Kreme's modern-day window service. A fun site for all and it sure is a good thing that they haven't forgotten about grocery stores. Thanks for another great suggestion goes out to John Hoh. John's pages at Suite101 on Lutheranism (http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/lutheranism) are almost as good as his taste in snack food.  (Back to top of page)


(000602) This to That (Glue Advice)
http://www.thistothat.com/

David Mckellar
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

As a theater prop builder, David Mckellar has amassed a wealth of experience when it comes to adhesives. Through This to That, such information is shared and spread around. Complete with reviews and suggestions for gluing different surfaces together, the pages at This to That rate glue on toxicity, cost, drying time, and have pointers to related sites as well as a decent description of how different adhesives work. A shared knowledge site and not a glue store, This to That (Glue Advice) could be a handy reference.  (Back to top of page)


(000603) Billboard - Hits Of The Web
http://www.billboard.com/hotweb/

Billboard Online
BPI Communications Inc.
New York, New York, USA

Updated every Friday afternoon, Hits Of The Web sorts out the charts and rankings from various sites on the Internet that deal in music — sites that sell music, stream concerts and other programming, make tracks available for download, facilitate searches and more. Submitted to Billboard Online (http://www.billboard.com/) (SdJotD 980912) by the respective sites, this set of charts presents a view that differs from the charts of days past. New avenues for distribution and sales have changed the music business and the way people listen to and buy music. For a closer look at what people are listening to around the world, see The BEYOND RADIO™ Personal Chart Zine (http://beyondradio.com) (SdJotD 971209). Tim Harris and his Beyond Radio Music Research Company collect surveys from listeners and sites then compile the results into a somewhat more comprehensive view. Product sales and numbers shipped are not such a crucial element with The BEYOND RADIO™ Personal Chart Zine but combined with the information at Billboard - Hits Of The Web, visitors to both sites can get a good idea of what's popular.  (Back to top of page)


(000604) Ydkdy's Palauan Proverbs......you never know!
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Palms/6757/proverbs.html

Alexander Azuma
Palau

Not nearly as well versed in Palauan proverbs as the Rubaks (old men), Alexander Azuma is making an effort to keep this part of Palauan history alive. Located west of the Micronesian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the islands of Palau have a fascinating marine culture as evidenced by the subject matter in the proverbs sampled below. The first of each is the proverb in the native Palauan language followed by a literal translation and then a rough English language equivalent.

"Lak bom ua chad era Ngerchemai el miltom ra uel el metom ra mlai."
Don't be like the man from Ngerchemai who lost both the turtle and the canoe.
Don't bite off more than you can chew…don't be selfish.

"Kekora rubak era Ngerchelong el omtab era bngel era eabed."
You're like the man from Ngerchelong who uses clouds to mark locations of his fishtraps.
You depend too much on people who are unreliable.

"Ke mnga llel a kesuk."
It's like eating the leaves of the kesuk plant…nonsense.
You're a grown-up who keeps talking nonsense…stupid things.

A pronunciation guide would be a nice addition to 35 proverbs listed, even better would be sound recordings, but the collection stands up well without. Other pages connected to this site are geared toward college students from Palau who are in other parts of the world but keep in contact with home. Additional information about the island nation can be found by following the pointers here. The Palau Visitors Authority site (http://www.visit-palau.com/) is just one such site, the Connected Palauans page (http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Palms/6757/otherpalauans.html) has more.  (Back to top of page)


(000605) OurTimeLines.com
http://www.ourtimelines.com/

Charles Benjamin Blish
Glasgow, Montana, USA

Timelines always make for an interesting look at history, understanding how one event ties in with the next is crucial and the element of discovery fascinating. OurTimeLines.com is an off-shoot of a family Genealogy site and allows visitors not only to generate timelines for a specific lifetime, but with a credit and a pointer back to OurTimeLines.com that timeline can be used as a page on one's own site. Pointers within the timelines generated here provide additional information about an event in history and new articles and suggestions for historic occurrences are accepted. A relatively new site and one that should only improve with age.

OurTimeLines.com was a suggestion sent in by Phil Konstantin. Phil's On This Date In North American Indian History (https://members.tripod.com/~PHILKON/index.html) (SdJotD 970728) was originally Site du Jour of the Day back in July 1997, and was more recently selected as one of the five Languages & Culture sites in the Site du Jour of the Day Readers Choice 2000 event (SdJotD 000223).

Also of interest will be Ken Polsson's Timelines of History (http://www3.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/) (SdJotD 981104) which looks at "Chronology of Events in the History of…" Chevrolet Corvettes, Microcomputers, World War II, Canadian Coins, Walt Disney, and A&W Root Beer. The list of pointers to other timeline sites is extensive and includes The songs of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Timeline of Events in Modern Women's History - 1840 to date, and Annotated Chronology of Military Events.  (Back to top of page)


(000606) William M. Brinton's Online History Books
http://www.us-history.com/

William M. Brinton
San Francisco, California, USA

Just over three years ago, the name of this site was An Abridged History of The United States (SdJotD 970603). The Site du Jour of the Day episode featuring it read:

Before looking at this site I was expecting little more than a fancy time-line. An Abridged History of The United States must be experienced to be believed, it is simply remarkable.

Since that time, the content has grown to include An Abridged History of Central Asia and An Abridged History of Europe. With additions to An Abridged History of The United States and three separate pieces of current affairs commentary dating from 1998-2000, there is quite a bit to read, learn and see here.

Another site worth revisiting is one featured two years ago. Edited by Sebastian Good and Ian Quigley, History House: Books, Stories, and Historical Trivia (http://www.historyhouse.com/) (SdJotD 980609) continues to offer a weekly look at the past. In a fashion similar to William M. Brinton's Online History Books, History House might change everything you know about discovering history. The staid conventions of historical study are chucked out the window, especially when it comes to stuff nobody really knows about but dead people. Even if you don't much care for history, give these two sites a chance — they both come highly recommended.  (Back to top of page)


(000607) Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie Homepage
An Effective, Low-Cost Solution To Combating Mind-Control
http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html

Lyle Zapato
Zapato Productions Intradimensional
Gig Harbor, Washington, USA

Perhaps as a public service or even as a result of excessive psychotronic radiation exposure, Lyle Zapato has assembled a rather complex page complete with instructions for making Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanies. The subject of psychotronic radiation and mind-control is a serious one and should not be ignored. With the use of lead greatly reduced in many products which once contained large amounts of the element, aluminum has been discovered to have many of the same jamming and filtering properties. The positive and negative aspects of inexpensive personal protection devices are also examined here. One of many pages at Zapato Productions Intradimensional (http://www.zapatopi.net/), the Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie Homepage could soon be shut down at any time so have a look soon. As Lyle Zapato points out, "Now Even the Poor Can Be Sane!". Thanks to Site-Scout Bob Cox for suggesting this very important site.  (Back to top of page)


Sign up to receive Site du Jour of the Day episodes by e-mail!


(000608) Space Weather Bureau
Science news and information about the Sun-Earth environment.
http://www.spaceweather.com/

Tony Phillips
Bishop Web Works
Bishop, California, USA

The eruption of heavy solar flares this week have made it to Earth's neighborhood and the effects of the ionized gas and magnetic fields associated with these events are showing up. The magnetic field surrounding the Earth protects us from these storms, but in extreme cases, satellites and electric power transmission may suffer from the geomagnetic activity as the magnetosphere is bombarded. The upside of this radiation is often beautiful examples of aurora borealis in extended parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

Space Weather Bureau combines information from various sources such as Space Environment Center (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/) (SdJotD 980418) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and includes interpretation and commentary from Tony Phillips. The fact that the data from more scientific sites are boiled down for non-scientists is helpful. Illustrations, forecasts, and pointers galore help to make Space Weather Bureau a solid source for the Sun-Earth information that mainstream media doesn't bother with until the events are so big that they announce themselves to the unaware.  (Back to top of page)


(000609) Joe Cartoon Co.
Home of the Frog in a Blender, Gerbil in the Microwave, Joefish, Nanna Hooter and more humor for the twisted.
http://www.joecartoon.com/

Joe Cartoon Co.
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

If you can remember the first time you laughed so hard that the Orange Crush made it out through your nose, or took pleasure in understanding elements of Cartoon Physics (http://www.servtech.com/~wkimler/humor/cartoon/cartoon.html) then Joe Cartoon Co. is going to be a treat. Flash animations created using a graphics tablet and one of those fancy new Macintosh G3s break almost every rule of good taste and behavior. Trouble is, this stuff is really funny. Mature humor, cartoon blood and the occasional (barely) bleeped out swear word may offend some, but that's part of the reason these things are so much fun. Joe's work is too good to be ignored. Thanks to John Nollar for the suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000610) SPIDER
Pakistan's Internet Magazine
http://www.spider.tm/

SPIDER magazine
Pakistan Herald Publications Ltd.
Karachi, Pakistan

As most sites for print publications go, SPIDER is a somewhat light on content exclusive to the site itself. Pointers and reviews at the SPIDER site do manage to cover a fair amount of ground though, especially in the Check 'Em Out section. The most interesting thing, and perhaps at the same time the most disappointing aspect, is that the content is all in English. While this is a plus for those of us who consider English to be out first language, it tends to make the pages at SPIDER come across as being commonplace and without any local flavor. English is a common second language to the speakers of nearly sixty other languages and dialects in the region — see Ethnologue: Pakistan (http://www.sil.org/ethnologue/countries/Pakn.html) at the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. site. Local sites of interest and content, not to mention language would make SPIDER stand out but from the looks of the site it is relatively new. Hopefully it will only improve and at the same time establish a more localized tone.  (Back to top of page)


(000611) Audiotreasure.com
The Bible in MP3 audio - download free or listen online.
http://www.audiotreasure.com/

David Williams
Poquoson, Virginia, USA

Computer programs design to convert text to speech continue to improve as processor speeds increase and get more sophisticated but even with the advances being made there is still no substitute for the recorded human voice. Bell Labs Text-to-Speech Synthesis (http://www.bell-labs.com/project/tts/index.html) (SdJotD 971025) is a good example of what's being done in the field, but converting a Public Domain text like those found at the Official and Original Project Gutenberg Web Site and Home Page (http://www.promo.net/pg/index.html) (SdJotD 970402) can be a tedious project and the results still sound like a machine was used.

Material from books has been recorded in one form or another since the invention of machines used to record sound, Thomas Edison's reading of Mary Had A Little Lamb being the first such case. Most of these recordings have been released commercially and for right good reason. The investment of time, talent, and technology have made selling the new version of a particular work the only way to go. David Williams has released a recording of the World English Bible (http://www.ebible.org/), New Testament and Psalms in MP3 audio. There is a Compact Disc of the material for sale, although the files can be listened to or downloaded free of charge from Audiotreasure.com. There are other sites hosting streaming audio files of religious texts but the approach at Audiotreasure.com — "Reproduction is permitted and encouraged!" is nice to see. An attempt at proselytizing to be sure, but here is a major Public Domain text available in audio format with very few restrictions on using it. Getting texts into a digital form, whether scanned or read, is time consuming to say the least. Once the material is in a digital form though, ease of distribution makes up for the time spent in preparation. This may be the start of a new trend and while the pleasure of reading from a book is missing, there is a lot to be said about the convenience of simply listening. If you are aware of other sites containing Public Domain text available free in audio form and would like to share your findings with other Site du Jour of the Day readers, please let me know what's out there.  (Back to top of page)


(000612) 107.9 Life FM - Spirit Of The City
http://www.life.on.net

Christian Radio Inc.
North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Faster dial-up connections and better software have made listening to streaming audio a more comfortable prospect for many. Once available only to listeners of shortwave radio, stations from around the world were available on a limited basis and usually during night-time hours. Not too long ago, an enthusiastic suggestion came in for 107.9 Life FM - Spirit Of The City from Site du Jour of the Day reader Joanne Traeger. The station's programming mixes upbeat Adult Contemporary numbers at about a 10:1 ratio with contemporary Christian releases and has a RealAudio stream running around the clock from Adelaide. Broadcasting on a full-time basis since 1993, it is Adelaide's only Christian radio station. Run by a board of business people rather than a church, the evangelism normally heard on traditional Christian stations seems almost nonexistent here.

As it happens, Joanne Traeger is on the air with The Jo Show at 107.9 Life FM - Spirit Of The City, during the week from 10am until 2pm (+13:30 GMT). On the Queen's Birthday Public Holiday and while Joanne was almost done with her shift we had this conversation via e-mail about the station, her broadcasting career, and a couple of other things…

SdJotD: Your show blends popular music favorites with more Christian music, how has the radio industry in Australia reacted to your programming choices?

JT: We've had a great response to the music and particularly the positive attitudes of the station. There aren't a lot of stations that are so positive and encouraging. This is reflected not only in the choice of music we play but also in the announcers comments, promotions and the competitions we do. More and more people are switching over all the time.

SdJotD: Other than Adelaide and surrounding areas in South Australia, where are your listeners from?

JT: We have a lot of people who listen in around Australia via the Internet and many from overseas. About 90% of our overseas listeners are from the USA. We regularly receive emails from new listeners all over the world.

SdJotD: What is your radio background?

JT: I used to live and work in the USA for a few years. Went to college at Valparaiso University in Indiana where someone said… "You have a good voice for radio, why not audition at the University radio station?" So I did. From there I also did TV weather and reporting, newsreading and an internship with NBC in St. Louis.

I returned to Australia and discovered Life FM. I have been here now for 6 years!!

I am an announcer also promotions manager and I research and write all the Internet segments and generally respond to most emails as well.

SdJotD: How does commercial radio in Australia differ from that in other parts of the world?

JT: I think that Australian radio is probably a bit more laid back. We tend to be more casual in Australia. We can put together a very professional tight radio program but with a little more easy going attitude. We also like to involve our listeners and have fun on the air.

SdJotD: As a radio professional, how do you see the Internet affecting what you do for a living?

JT: I think that the Internet has enormous potential, to bring people together. We can now tune in to radio stations all over the world. It enables us to listen in to local content and really get a feel for certain region. The term "global village" comes to mind!

SdJotD: Are there any special programs coming up during the week that new listeners might enjoy?

JT: Thursday night 7-9pm we have the "new reviewed" (where we review a whole lot of new music from all over the world)

Saturday: 5pm the "Good news blues "(blues show) — 6pm "Housebeat " (the best of hip-hop and rap music) — 7pm Saturday nightlife (request show)

Sunday: 9am Sounds of Sunday (one hour inspirational show) — 2pm The top twenty (top 20 songs in Contemporary Christian music) — 8pm Sunday night talk (talkback show).

Thanks to Joanne for the suggestion and the interview. If you happen to listen to 107.9 Life FM - Spirit Of The City be sure to drop them a line, I'm sure that they'd like to hear from you.  (Back to top of page)


(000613) Gifts of the Glaciers
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/GreatLakes/GlacialGift/index.html

Images of the Great Lakes Region as Seen from Space
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/GreatLakes/GlacialGift/space.html

University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Established over thirty years ago, the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Program (http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/GreatLakes/) makes up a part of a university-based program funded through the National Sea Grant College Program, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Seven University of Wisconsin campuses participate in basic and applied research, education and technology transfer focusing on the Great Lakes and ocean resources. During the next two years, the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute will be working on issues such as exploring the potential of biotechnology and other advanced technologies for marine and Great Lakes applications; achieving productive and sustainable sport and commercial fisheries; advancing knowledge about Lake Superior's food webs, trout populations, and local economies; and investigating the cycling of toxics, toxins, and pathogens in Great Lakes systems. While only two sections of the large University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute site are featured in this episode of Site du Jour of the Day, the remaining pages are well worth a look. Formed by the retreat of the last glaciers in the region, beginning about ten thousand years ago, the Great Lakes system now stretches from Minnesota to the Atlantic Ocean. The mechanics and sequence of events leading to the current system are explored in the Gifts of the Glaciers section. Holding an estimated six quadrillion gallons of water, the view of these lakes from space is fantastic. Images of the Great Lakes Region as Seen from Space are taken from the NASA Johnson Space Center Digital Image Collection (http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/), and present a view unlike any you could ever get from a map. After viewing these images the scale of this system becomes clearer no matter how well you might know the region.

Other sites worth seeing while on the subject of the Great Lakes are the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel and Conference Centre's Fallsview Cam (http://www.fallsview.com/) (SdJotD 990127) and John A. Harris' Away They Sailed… Dedicated to Great Lakes Shipping (http://Awaytheysailed.tripod.com/) (SdJotD 991011). Thanks to CaptBigRed for the suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000614) Thunder Alley
Sharing Niagara Falls with the World
http://www.iaw.com/~falls/

Rick Berketa
James Brown
Niagara, Ontario, Canada

Thunder Alley looks at Niagara Falls in both geologic and human time scales. Of interest to most visitors to this site and the falls, are the history pages. Subjects such as tourism and tourist attractions, bridges, power plants, accommodations and even daredevils are explored. The pages are often heavy with graphics, so do allow time for them to load. The natural history of the region is not ignored at Thunder Alley, and if no other part of this site is seen, the Origins of Niagara pages (http://www.iaw.com/~falls/origins.html) are worth a look.  (Back to top of page)


Sign up to receive Site du Jour of the Day episodes by e-mail!


(000615) Three Stooges Archive
http://www.arundel.net/stooges/

Dave Kelly
Glen Burnie, Maryland, USA

To celebrate their 100th anniversary, the American Film Institute (http://www.afionline.org/) aired a television special and released a list called 100 Years...100 Laughs. What the AFI considers to be America's 100 funniest movies. Conspicuous in their absence on the list were the Three Stooges. One reason the boys may have missed the cut is because the vast majority of the films they made, especially those for Columbia Pictures, were shorts. Two reelers of no major importance, but perhaps some of the funniest bits and sequences ever performed and captured on film. Unfairly compared to the Marx Brothers — see Stefan Timphus' The Marx Brothers (http://www.marx-brothers.org) (SdJotD 970326), the Three Stooges in their prime never received the chance to spread out and work in the long form. With the advent of television, the popularity of the Three Stooges reached phenomenal heights and it is for the syndicated edits of their shorts the act is probably best known.

There are several Three Stooges sites up and running, and oddly enough, The Official Three Stooges Website! (www.threestooges.com/) run by Comedy3 Productions Inc. is dead in the water as this is written. Of the sites up, the Three Stooges Archive contains a world of information, collectively and individually about Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Shemp Howard, Joe Besser, and Curly Joe DeRita. With a career that spanned from 1922 to 1971, the Three Stooges changed the face of American cinema and comedy in such a way that even to this day when I visit, my mom won't let me watch them on the TV.  (Back to top of page)


(000616) Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk!
The Moe, Larry and Curly school of a timeless social disorder
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/01.16.97/cover/stooges1-9703.html

Richard von Busack
Metro Santa Cruz
Metro Publishing, Inc.
Santa Cruz, California, USA

Published in the January 16-22, 1997 issue of Metro Santa Cruz (http://www.metroactive.com/cruz/), this article written by Richard von Busack takes a good solid look at the Three Stooges. For those who never really gained a true appreciation of the Three Stooges this may clear up a few things for you. If you already enjoy the Three Stooges it could possibly be a little confusing.

On a side note, Comedy3 Productions Inc.'s The Official Three Stooges Website! (http://www.threestooges.com/) seems to be back up and running. It wasn't recently.  (Back to top of page)


(000617) F*&ked Company - the dot-com deadpool
http://www.f*&kedcompany.com/ (replace the *& with uc)

Philip Kaplan
New York, New York, USA

Dot-com and technology companies have been all over the financial news for the past couple of years. These start-ups have been a part of a wild ride for millions of investors in the stock markets for a number of reasons — mainly because the initial offering price goes through the roof during the first day or so of trading and then levels out. There's a lot of hype involved and not too much substance with many of these new firms. And there's an awful lot of money being thrown around. Similar to Stiffs.com - The Home Of The Celebrity Dead Pool (http://stiffs.com/) (SdJotD 970918), F*&ked Company - the dot-com deadpool in that visitors guess which celebrity or in this case, dot-com is about to bite the big one. In the old days it was easy to see on the horizon, when the last hourly employee working for Commodore Business Machines was the person who processed payroll it was more than obvious that the firm was way beyond doomed. With new companies it's much quicker and F*&ked Company - the dot-com deadpool takes that into account by rating the signs and signals and thus awarding points based on the drama involved. The bottom line is that sometimes it's obvious when a technology or dot-com company is hurting, and other times it's not and that's where the fun starts. As long as it's not your money doing a vanishing act. Headlines, rumors, and commentary here utilize liberal and uncensored use of basically only the F*&k word. If such language offends or is blocked by your browser looking at F*&ked Company - the dot-com deadpool might not be a good idea for you.

This is the sort of thing that visitors contribute and get to see:

"The best press release ever

Official press release: 'All of the directors and officers of U.S. Digital Communications, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: USDI) have resigned, effective immediately. Presently the company has no employees, officers, or directors. The corporation has no assets, no revenues, and no money to continue in business. In addition, the corporation does not have the capability to transact business in the future.'

When: 6/16/2000

Company: USDI

Severity: 100 - new hall of fame inductee!

Points: 200"

Thanks to Rick who wrote in and said, "Don't know if you have seen this one yet, but it is appropriate for the dot-com age, especially investors". And how!.  (Back to top of page)


(000618) Marvelicious Happy Father's Day
http://www.marvelicious.com/fathersday.html

Dave and Sonya Marvel
Marvel Creations
Brandon, Florida, USA

One of the Marvelicious Holiday Pages (http://www.marvelicious.com/holiday.html), Marvelicious Happy Father's Day looks at the holiday celebrated on the third Sunday of June here in the United States. With a brief history of Father's Day, poems, recipes, related book reviews, and pointers to other Father's Day sites, Marvelicious Happy Father's Day is a very pleasant page. The tributes Dave and Sonya have created to their own fathers add a nice touch.  (Back to top of page)


(000619) Island Imaging
Jersey's Natural Environment
http://www.islandimaging.co.uk/island.html

Dave Cabeldu
Island Imaging
St Helier, Jersey

As one of the Channel Islands, Jersey (http://www.jersey.com/index.htm) has a colorful history and is influenced by the Gulf Stream in such a manner that year-round tourism to the original "Jersey Shore" is quite common. Island Imaging has put this photo album together to display the natural diversity and history of the island. The work of local photographers, Brian Skelley is featured in a special section. An interesting look at one of those special places on the planet.  (Back to top of page)


(000620) The Internet Fraud Complaint Center
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/

The Internet Fraud Complaint Center
Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

Launched in May 2000 to combat fraud over the Internet, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (http://www.fbi.gov/), the United States Department of Justice (http://www.usdoj.gov/), and the National White Collar Crime Center (http://www.nw3c.org/) have opened the The Internet Fraud Complaint Center. The secure server allows concerned individuals the opportunity to report suspected fraud.

In a recent press release, US Attorney General Janet Reno said, "The Internet Fraud Complaint Center allows consumers who suspect Internet fraud to share that information with law enforcement quickly and efficiently. Our ability to work with private citizens and industry is extremely important to our efforts to fight Internet crime, and the IFCC is a major step forward in that fight".

In that same release, FBI Director Louis J. Freeh said, "The Internet provides a boundless new medium for many traditional frauds investigated by the FBI. That there are real victims suffering significant losses remains unchanged. This center is another positive development as law enforcement responds to yet another facet of cybercrime".

The Internet Fraud Complaint Center site does not clearly define fraud but if you suspect wrong doing it's a good place to make a report. Information provided by visitors is analyzed and sent on to appropriate agencies. A determination is made as to whether the complaint requires investigation by any combination of local, state, federal, or international authorities. One situation may demand the attention of the local Postal Inspector or Chief of Police and the next, the FBI. All of the sites listed in this episode are worth a look but keep the URL for the Internet Fraud Complaint Center just in case it's ever needed.  (Back to top of page)


(000621) Andy McFadden's CD-Recordable FAQ
http://www.fadden.com/cdrfaq/index.htm

Andy McFadden
Sunnyvale, California, USA

I can clearly remember the day back in the winter of 1982 when I first held a Compact Disc. Working for a Detroit based record retailer, it was an interesting time to be selling music — consumers could purchase albums in several formats. Vinyl was still king, Cassette tapes were gaining quickly on vinyl, 8-Track cartridges were still being stocked but labels were phasing out all but top sellers. Then along comes this fancy new digital format. What I remember most about that day was a comment I made to the manager of the store and of course, his reaction. The Recording Industry was still in a panic about home taping and with the introduction of the Compact Disc I wondered aloud how cool it was going to be when the day arrived when we could make our own Compact Discs at home the same way we could record on tape. "That'll never happen," was the response given. Thinking to myself, how a foolish thing that was to say, that never is such a long time, I went on with my work.

Skip forward to present and not only can we make Compact Discs at home, the task is remarkably easy and affordable. If you have a CD-Recordable drive you know just how simple they are to use. If the technology hasn't reached you yet, there has never been a better time to get started — the hardware, software, and blank media keep getting faster and more cost effective. Now at a fraction of their former prices, CD-R and CD-RW drives are relatively easy to install and operate. A blank CD-R costs about a dollar, less if you buy in quantity and don't need the Jewel Case.

Andy McFadden's CD-Recordable FAQ is a fantastic source for learning about the nuts and bolts of burning Compact Discs. Monthly updates, clearly written technical information, opinion, advice, and pointers galore to related sites are in this large document — it ended up being 173 printed pages when I printed it out from the complete HTML file. Translations of Andy McFadden's CD-Recordable FAQ are available in several languages as well. This is a crucial resource for anyone who has a Compact Disc recorder whether it's a component deck sitting on top of your recording 8-Track deck or in the computer.  (Back to top of page)


Sign up to receive Site du Jour of the Day episodes by e-mail!


(000622) Was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon Written As a Secret Soundtrack for The Wizard of Oz?
http://www.seattlesquare.com/pandemonium/featurestext/20HoorayForMe.htm

A Quinn Martin Production
Starring Captain Spaulding
Pandomag.com
Seattle, Washington, USA

_________________________________

The Synchronicity Arkive -- Dark Side of the Rainbow
http://home.xnet.com/~arkiver/synch/dsotr.shtml

Mike Johnston
The Synchronicity Arkive
Naperville, Illinois, USA

I've never been a really big fan of either the band Pink Floyd or the movie The Wizard of Oz. But there's a little bit of magic in the fact that when Pink Floyd's 1973 album Dark Side of The Moon is played as the soundtrack to MGM's 1939 The Wizard of Oz, strange things happen. Touted by some as the inspiration for the album, the movie and music work well together. An urban legend perhaps, but the combination has garnered enough attention that the digital television service DirecTV (http://directtv.com/), Turner Classic Movies (http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com/), and Capitol Records (http://www.hollywoodandvine.com/) are teaming up to air the film on July third. They'll be using the Second Audio Program (SAP) to broadcast the Dark Side of The Moon in synchronization with the picture. One can only hope that Turner doesn't get out his Colorization tool kit just for old-time's sake.

For those who do not subscribe to DirecTV or for those subscribers who cannot wait, The Synchronicity Arkive -- Dark Side of the Rainbow has a detailed set of instructions for putting the two together at home. The site also lists the moments of Synchronicity to watch and listen for. Pointers to related sites and other surprises here and at The Synchronicity Arkive (http://home.xnet.com/~arkiver//synch/synch.shtml) should prove interesting to anyone who has ever experienced audio Synchronicity — whether it's driving under a railroad bridge on the highway with Jethro Tull's (http://www.j-tull.com/) Locomotive Breath playing just as a C&O diesel is passing overhead or hearing an advertisement on the radio for the store which you've just pulled up in front of (two of my favorites).

Was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon Written As a Secret Soundtrack for The Wizard of Oz? at Pandomag.com (http://pandomag.com/) is an article written by Captain Spaulding that explains the whole Dark Side of the Moon - The Wizard of Oz deal with a little more objectivity than other sources on the subject. Part of the Hooray For Me! series, the piece looks at a few of the most common urban legends, objective comparison, and the sheer number of times the album and the film work together. Of the most noted coincidences is that the first side of the album on vinyl ends at a pivotal point in the movie, left unmentioned here for the sake of those who have never experienced The Wizard of Oz. The combinations of action and sound continue, with song titles only adding to the strangeness. Looking at these sites may not be the most important thing you'll do this week but they are certainly thought provoking.  (Back to top of page)


(000623) As Seen On TV and More
http://asseenontvandmore.com/

Smart Systems
Winchester, Virginia, USA

This year for Father's Day variety retailers were pushing a novelty item that amounted to a fake bass that would, in Animatronic-style, sing one of two songs every time the red button was pressed. Butch's (not his real name) tail flaps in time with the music and he turns and faces the button presser and mouths the words to the short recordings in the fake looking plaque he's supposed to be mounted on. The manufacturer's suggested price is in the neighborhood of US$25, but in order to get them the heck out of the store and off the books, the price has dropped like a lead sinker. Novelty items like the singing fish come and go and television advertising plays a huge role in spreading the word that whatever the new item is, it's better than the last. Once a mail-order only business, manufacturers have discovered that As Seen On TV moves products in a retail environment as well as during the Late Movie or during other local programming. As Seen On TV and More has rounded up all those things you see on television, the things that either make you wonder who in their right mind would pay for them or that make you pick up the telephone because the announcer just said that operators are standing by. New items are regularly added to the fare at As Seen On TV and More, and the Closeouts are moving so fast you'll be tempted to act now. I've never done business with As Seen On TV and More or Smart Systems and cannot comment on their service or reliability, but I have seen a lot of these same items being sold at discount and drug stores. Use your best judgement when it comes to ordering anything from a company you've never dealt with, whether it's on the Internet or in person. Strangely enough, they don't have the singing fish available as this is written — they do have plenty of those singing bird clocks and a wide variety of collector's books and maps for the 50 State Quarters (http://www.usmint.gov/) (SdJotD 000413). It's amazing what some people can sell.  (Back to top of page)


(000624) ClassMates.com
http://www.classmates.com/

Randy Conrads
ClassMates Online, Inc.
Kent, Washington, USA

With another school year over, high school seniors are off to experience the world. College bound or not, it's likely that a good number of people will not be living in the same area a few years after graduation. Over time contact is lost with the kids we grew up with — the people who were part of our daily lives for twelve or more years. Class reunions allow adults to regroup and re-establish contacts, but being found can be a difficult task. ClassMates.com is a good solution to that problem. Free registration with the service puts you in a database that now has "over 6.8 million registered alumni" and is "adding about 20,000 new registrants each day!". Registration allows reunion organizers an avenue to get in touch with you and for the members who have paid a modest fee (US$25 for two years if you sign up before July 7, 2000), the opportunity to post a brief biography, photographs, and a URL. Members can also access e-mail addresses of others who have signed up or simply registered. There are additional benefits for members that include e-mail updates and discount programs with sponsors. To locate registered individuals and members names in the database requires the knowledge of where and when they went to high school so security isn't a real issue with ClassMates.com. A simple search of a full name using one of the major search engines or telephone book sites will in a lot of cases give more information than ClassMates.com does and is an option you always have to determine if a former classmate is connected by computer or telephone to the rest of the world. Thanks to Soopafresh for the suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000625) PopEx
Free music trading game
http://www.popex.com/

Paul Clarke
PopEx
London, England

Site-Scout John Dixon wrote in with the following message, "Ed this is excellent fun [PopEx], make me some money & give em a referral! (in fact ask everyone to sign up on this account!) (http://www.popex.com/cgi-bin/popEx.cgi?Mentor=11281)". While I have never used this sort of a referral account someone has sent in (and most likely will not ever again), PopEx was new to me and is indeed excellent fun. Registered visitors can buy and sell pretend stock in popular recording artists and depending on the market, in this case the success of an act and/or ugly rumors floating around, players can gain or lose pretend Pounds. New players start out with a pretend £5,000 and pay a pretend 5% commission on all trades. The money John was referring to is based on the success of players who sign up with him as a "Mentor". Mentors earn a 5% bounty on all trades their referral make and it would appear that it doesn't cost the new player any more than if they signed up without the referral. Have a look at PopEx through the main URL above, John's referral URL or heck… even mine (http://www.popex.com/cgi-bin/popEx.cgi?Mentor=28744). If fantasy league sports or monster whacking war games aren't your thing, try PopEx for a bit of daily excitement especially if you follow the Pop Charts at all. Available in seven languages (http://fr.popex.com/) (http://de.popex.com/) (http://es.popex.com/) (http://it.popex.com/) (http://nl.popex.com/) (http://pt.popex.com/), plus versions for use with WAP mobile phones (mmm.popex.com ) and for Sega Dreamcast machines (http://dc.popex.com/). Pick a URL, a couple of bands, and get ready to rock!.  (Back to top of page)


(000626) Experience Music Project
http://www.emplive.com/

Experience Music Project
Seattle, Washington, USA

As a part of the Experience Music Project, a new music museum in Seattle, Plumb Design (http://www.plumbdesign.com) has developed new tools and exhibitions for kiosks in the physical building and at this site. In the past, Plumb Design innovations have been featured as Site du Jour of the Day and include Smithsonian Institution's Smithsonian Without Walls — Revealing Things (http://web2.si.edu/revealingthings/) (SdJotD 980322) (SdJotD Readers Choice 2000 - Science & Industry 000222), the Plumb Design Visual Thesaurus (http://www.plumbdesign.com/thesaurus/) (SdJotD 990217), and two sites for Sony Music Entertainment Inc. — Sony Music Licensing (http://www.sonymusic.com/licensing/) (SdJotD 990517), and Sony Music Soundtrack For A Century (http://millennium.sonymusic.com/) (SdJotD 000106). Experience Music Project's emplive.com site brings parts of the museum's collection of over 80,000 artifacts to visitors around the globe and shares streaming audio and video as well. The interactive parts of the site are what shine, live guitar lessons are just the beginning. The Guitar and Bass Timeline offers an interactive tour of the instruments that made Rock and Roll possible. The Flash-animated timelines present the history of selected guitars. Comparisons of the acoustics of each guitar, and audio samples from bands such as The Police and Led Zeppelin work to show how the instruments were played in actual recordings.

"During the design process we visited EMP in construction and experienced some of the exhibits. Through our interaction with both the exhibits and the Gehry building, we absorbed the energy that makes EMP unique and memorable. This spirit of improvisation and experimentation became the driving force behind our work. The site, like the building, is an expression of the passion behind the music," said Michael Freedman, Director of Business Development for Plumb Design.

An additional feature to be introduced during the next few months is the EMP Digital Collection. Through yet another unique Plumb Design navigation tool, visitors will be able to uncover relationships between objects and see both close-up and contextual views of music memorabilia. Seeing a museum exhibit from a remote machine in the same way a visitor to the physical will is exciting and should prove to increase the popularity of the Experience Music Project.  (Back to top of page)


(000627) SatireWire | Feature: Interview with the Search Engine
http://www.fnwire.com/features/satire-jeevesinterview.html

SatireWire
FNwire, LLC
Branford, Connecticut, USA

This feature piece from SatireWire | New Satire for the New Economy (http://www.fnwire.com/) takes on Ask Jeeves (http://askjeeves.com/) in an interview and the results are very funny. Similar to working with the classic Artificial Intelligence program called Eliza (see the Eden-Comp Company's ECC-Eliza V3.86 (http://ecceliza.cjb.net/)), the conversation with Jeeves goes really odd occasionally. One of the answers from Jeeves which shows up in the screen capture interview is "Beekeeping in New Zealand". Beekeeping in New Zealand (http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/) (SdJotD 990519) is a site run by Nick Wallingford in Wellington, New Zealand. This is the sort of thing that happens when you interview a search engine. SatireWire is a humor site intended for visitors over the age of 18 because it is funny. Thanks to johnnyp for the suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000628) sodaplay
http://sodaplay.com/

Soda Creative Technologies
London, England

This is a really important site for burning off those dreadfully long hours at work. Start by building a wire-form contraption of masses and springs or use an existing model. Change parameters such as gravity, friction, or spring strength and watch as your day just burns right off. A very popular site lately and for good reason, the folks at Soda Creative Technologies (http://www.soda.co.uk) have come up with a wonderful thing here. If you have ever enjoyed playing with construction toys be sure to explore the sodaconstructor. The breakingwave model should not be missed either.  (Back to top of page)


Listen to Site du Jour of the Day Radio at Live365.com!_


 

Sign up to receive Site du Jour of the Day episodes by e-mail!

If Harpo Marx could type he might just sign up! What are you waiting for?

Fill out this short form which gives you the option to provide information about your interests

- or -

Fill out this even shorter form:

Your e-mail address:
How did you find out about Site du Jour of the Day?

- or -

Send your request as an e-mail message to sdjotd@email.com


Copyright 2000, Edward J. Pelegrino. All rights reserved.
Harpo, Trade and Service Marks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

https://members.tripod.com/~SdJotD/2000/0006.htm

Updated June 28, 2000

   Click Here!

This Archive has been opened counter times since June 7, 2000.