Issue # 311

Driving Vacations Through the Ages - Tracks the evolution of "The Great American Road Trip".

Calories Per Hour - Useful, down-to-earth website that dispels many of the myths and fads about diet and weight-loss currently being marketed in the United States.

Lost On Mulholland Drive - Offers itself as an unpretentious introduction to this mysterious work of cinematic art.

SHORT TAKES:

Slice: Pizza Weblogs - Lovers of "New York-Style" pizza eat only at the Slice Pizza Club.

The Premiere Issue Project - Scroll through this private collection of "Premiere Issues", filled with over a hundred covers from the coolest fashion and street culture magazines around.

Miles of Mules - Showcasing the artwork and social messages of local artists, schools and non-profit organizations on each individual donkey.

<><><><><><><><>

The Birds of America - This beautiful work, depicting a variety of native birds such as the Peregrine Falcon, Wild Turkey, Purple Finch and Water Pipet, is now available for online viewing.

FactCheck.org - This much needed website helps "we the people" hold politicians accountable for what they say in their campaign ads, political speeches, press releases, interviews and debates.

History of Sanitary Sewers - The history and evolution of these remarkable systems that thankfully carry our waste far away from us.

The Penland Experience - Traces the history of 'object-making' as it has evolved over the past one hundred years.

Transportation Futuristics - Contain visionary designs in the field of transportation engineering that failed because at the time of their creation they were not sufficiently supported by economics and/or technology.

Issue # 312

Legends of America - If you're a Ghost Towner, History Buff, Mountaineer or Treasure Hunter, you're going to love this site.

Weird Foods from Around the World - Food categories discussed include bugs, drinks, vegetables, fish, reptiles,.amphibians, birds and more.

Photo Stamps - A new form of postage that allows customers to include their favorite digital photographs, designs or images on valid US Postal Service postage.

SHORT TAKES:

Fly Guy - If only we could just get away from all the stress and problems of life, close our eyes and fly away. Now it is just a click away.

Spamusement - Takes a lighter look at SPAM with poorly drawn cartoons inspired by actual SPAM subject lines.

The Illustrated Smiths - Created by a devoted fan of the rock group The Smiths, this site hosts a 'wee project to add a picture to a lyric from a song'.

<><><><><><><><>

The Stained Apron - Read how waiters can avenge themselves against diners who are rude, fail to control bratty kids and obnoxious boyfriends, or who don't tip enough.

Vintage 78 - Country Classic radio DJ Joe Bussard has spent a lifetime compiling a private archive of more than 25,000 obscure recordings from the golden age of old-time music.

The Fin, Fur and Feather Bureau of Investigation - This clever site combines humor with some unusual storytelling to help kids learn about places and cultures around the world.

Cool Flame the Game - Interactive flash game called 'Cool Flame' which takes visitors into the world of Harvey Flame, a reporter who always enjoys a good mystery.

BBC Interviews - Divided into such categories as actors, painters, religious thinkers, and others, visitors will find fascinating interviews on everyone from Ansel Adams to Bob Marley.

Issue # 313

Words Without Borders - An online magazine that promotes international communication and understanding through the translation of the world's best literature.

The Science of Optical Illusions - A series of interactive movies based on a paper by Edward H. Adelson of M.I.T. Each Macromedia Flash film demonstrates a different optical phenomenon or illusion.

Real GM - Takes users beyond the simple scores and highlights, and provides in depth news, analysis, and stats that an actual general manager of an NBA team would use.

SHORT TAKES:

Woodstock revisited - Read an up-close account of how the legendary Woodstock concert was born and came to pass.

IPod vs. the Cassette - Don't miss this hysterical slideshow that pits the two against each other in a battle of size, durability and value.

WEBoggle - dictionary optional, but highly recommended - WEBoggle is a simple 5x5 field which contains scrambled letters, and visitors are challenged to find as many words of three letters or more as they can in the allotted time.

<><><><><><><><>

OR Live - Providing live broadcasts of a number of different surgeries, from gastric bypasses to neurosurgery, this site takes visitors live, into the OR, where they can witness operations from start to finish.

The Natural Arch and Bridge Society - A non-profit organization aimed at supporting the study, appreciation, and preservation of these natural wonders.

See What You Share on P2P - When it comes to P2P file sharing, what was once thought to have been free may have come with a price.

Coming for Dinner - Contains refined recipes such as Petrale Sole as well as more down-home dishes like Dirty Rice and even the infamous Southern concoction known as "Turducken".

Homestar Runner - Paradise for fans of the Internet cartoon hit by the same name.

Issue # 314

Living Edens: Costa Rica - A PBS series that takes a deeper look into this pristine and diverse land.

The American Highway Project - Vanishing Americana - the motels, billboards, service stations, signs, tourist attractions, drive-in theatres and diners - is being documented and preserved.

Edible Journey Through China - What does the phrase "Chinese cleaver" sound like in Mandarin? You can hear that and other cooking terms spoken aloud on this charming site.

SHORT TAKES:

Weird Road Signs - "It was the best of signs, it was the worst of signs" is the apt theme for this personal web site that collects and displays dozens of photos of odd, amusing and just bizarre road signs.

Airport Nap Guide - Where the best and worst airports for sleepers are recommended, along with tips on sleeping safe and comfy when you're grounded.

State of the Beach - Surfrider.org has done extensive research into the topic, using a Geographical Information System to create maps of local beaches across the country.

<><><><><><><><>

The Great Outdoors - Wilderness is about sight and sound, and the content here relies on video and audio to let city dwellers coast-to-coast experience the nation's animals, ecosystems, plants and more.

An American's Guide to Canada - An American emigrant shares her view of the country as an endearing, civilized and charming place.

Weird New Jersey - Two New Jerseyans deliver a travel guide to the weird, odd and unique back roads of the Garden State to unearth its historical and modern lore.

Mercury Rising - Visitors can join a 10-day photo-documentary trip with an eco-photographer and a journalist as they explore the Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica to discover what global warming is doing to plants and animals.

Postcard Tour - Captures such old-time vistas as Hollywood Boulevard in the 20s, Colorado's Pikes Peak Highway in 1939, and 1908 Baton Rouge.

Issue # 315

The Living Room Candidate - A retrospective of Presidential Election Ads from 1952-2004.

Mind Bluff - The arsenal of mind puzzles, mental tests, optical illusions, puzzles and adventure games is sure to provide endless hours of cerebral entertainment.

Golden Age Cartoons - Revisit some of your closest childhood friends such as Felix the Cat, Sylvester and Tweety, Woody Woodpecker and many other characters from the Golden Age of Hollywood Cartoons.

SHORT TAKES:

Can't Find on Google - Check out this cool site that logs all of the information that exists outside the reach of the mother of all search engines.

Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing - This collection of queries and advice for soon-to-be mothers and fathers is hilarious proof that parents just don't understand.

Astronomy Picture of the Day - Everyday receive a different image or photograph of the infinite cosmos along with a fascinating explanation written by professional astronomer.

<><><><><><><><>

Derelict London - Amateur photographer Paul Talling exposes London's dark underbelly with over 750 images captured over the course of a year he spent "wandering" the city.

That was Spinal Tap - For years the film "Spinal Tap" has entertained and inspired its countless cult following. Now, thanks to one dedicated "Taphead", there is a website where the many fans fueled by "Tapmania" can come together.

Stick Figure Ninja - An extremely talented graphic artist, Flash programmer and animator, Gareth Forman is the creator of the popular "Stick Figure Ninja" series.

Cheap Cooking - This useful website will help you trim down your grocery bill while providing starving students and frugal food lovers with great recipes and cooking tips.

Voices of Civil Rights - This website was built as a living memorial to those who walked, shouted, struggled and fought tirelessly for equality during the Civil Rights Movement.

Issue # 316

Earth From Above - Thanks to this amazing site, you can get a "bird's eye view" of some of the most stunning sites on Earth.

Frogs: A Chorus of Colors - Thanks to this website by the American Museum of Natural History, you can see and learn about virtually all of these astonishingly diverse and beautiful creatures.

The Face of Tomorrow - Photographs the first one hundred willing participants. Pictures are ombined to create one female and one male 'individual', which are meant to serve as a clairvoyant glimpse into the possible appearance of those cities' future citizens.

SHORT TAKES:

Luggage Concierge - For a small fee, this cool new service picks up bags at your home or hotel and ensures that they arrive safely at your next destination.

Gmail Is Too Creepy - Despite its generous gift of 1 gig of memory to its users, according to this site Gmail may fall a bit short when it comes to personal privacy.

HackerWatch.org - A free service that can test your firewall by doing a Simple Probe and/or a Port Scan.

<><><><><><><><>

The Video Game Revolution - Avid gamers will love this complete history of the video game industry, courtesy of PBS.

Asian Pacific American Toy Chest - This homemade hobby site pays tribute to toys that represent or are connected to people from Asia and/or the South Pacific.

The Chronicles of George - Created out of a mix of utter astonishment and workplace frustration, and catalogues one employee's shockingly incapable skills.

alt.nerd.obsessive - "Simpsons" fans will love this website dedicated to the always hilarious Comic Book Guy.

The Poetry of Henry Reed - Learn about and pay tribute to the life and work of this highly-regarded poet and radio dramatist, who authored the critically-acclaimed "Naming of Parts" and other works.

Issue # 317

Best of Still Photojournalism 2004 - Scroll through these award-winning shots, both heartbreaking and inspiring images from the world of Politics, War, Sport, Culture and Entertainment in 2004.

Superhero Trailer Without a Movie - True fans of the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader will enjoy this movie trailer entitled "World's Finest", an exciting adventure preview starring both Batman and Superman!

Visions of Enlightenment: Understanding the Art of Buddhism - Buddhists and interested people of all religious faiths can learn, through story and artwork, the history of the Buddha and the journey his image has taken as it evolved over the years from Nepal through India, Indonesia, China, Korea and the rest of Asia.

SHORT TAKES:

"Tron" Guy Turns Reporter - Follow one dedicated man's mission to build the perfect TRON costume and showcase it at a local masquerade.

The Windows Sound Symphony - Watch in amazement as the most popular Operating System in the world transforms into a virtual philharmonic.

Diagrammatical Information - View a series of cool "Trees" that show a variety of relationships such as "How the Countries of the World are Connected", a "Timeline of Hebrew Bible Sources" and other interesting maps.

<><><><><><><><>

Atari Age - Nostalgic gamers can relive their childhood memories at AtariAge.com. The website aims to keep the Atari community alive and active.

Veterans of Atomic Testing - Now, thanks to the declassification of government documents and the personal accounts of many of those who witnessed the decades of nuclear testing, we can learn about this fascinating if not frightening era in history.

The Parlor of Janet Klein - With her band, The Parlor Boys, Janet both records and performs live the long forgotten musical hits from the 1910's, 1920's and 1930's.

Chromasia: Photographers Blog - Welcome to Chromasia, where words and images combine into an interactive Photoblog.

escape: route - This jaw-dropping website re-defines the nexus at which photography and travel meet. Click on a city and watch as the world transforms from a 3-D futuristic globe into a linear photo journal.

Issue # 318

Forces of Nature - Learn more about the causes of these natural disasters at the National Geographic Website.

Demonstrations of Artificial Intelligence - A fascinating personal site that explores and explains the world of AI in a manner that we mere mortals can understand.

Millionaire Playboy - Avid fans of comic books, video games, and role-playing games will love this online community geared toward bachelors.

SHORT TAKES:

"Tron" Guy Turns Reporter - Follow one dedicated man's mission to build the perfect TRON costume and showcase it at a local masquerade.

The Windows Sound Symphony - Watch in amazement as the most popular Operating System in the world transforms into a virtual philharmonic.

Diagrammatical Information - View a series of cool "Trees" that show a variety of relationships such as "How the Countries of the World are Connected", a "Timeline of Hebrew Bible Sources" and other interesting maps.

<><><><><><><><>

Radio Lovers - All long lost radio greats such as Abbott and Costello, Amos and Andy, Buck Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy and many more have an online home at Radio Lovers.com.

Omaha Indian Music - Learn about and listen to traditional tribal music, which includes 44 original wax recordings rescued from the late nineteenth century.

Beijing Architecture - A simple sight that is easy to enjoy, though be it at the expense of some seriously unattractive buildings.

Found Photos - A relatively new, cool website born out of serendipity. It contains selected digital photos that were found and 'shared' accidentally while the site's editor was swapping music online.

Information Please - Allows you to access the resources of an entire reference information center, all for free and all from the comfort of your own keyboard.

Issue # 319

PBS: Extreme Oil - Offers insight into the technology, history, processes and current challenges of the oil industry.

Cut the Clutter on your PC - Clean up the chronic clutter on your computer with this useful list of 50 tips to 'Keep It Simple', courtesy of PC World.com.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - BBC has created a magical online home for the legendary book/radio series/TV program "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy".

SHORT TAKES:

The Simpsons Teach Math - These two hip teachers make learning fun by using mathematical examples made in the hit show as teaching tools in the classroom.

Who's a Rat? - This website, geared more toward lawyers than those seeking revenge, lists the names of all informants whose identities have at one time been publicized.

Register to Vote - With perhaps the most polarizing presidential election in decades just over a month away, it has never been more important to exercise your right to vote.

<><><><><><><><>

Stadiums of the NFL - Pigskin fans will get a kick out of this website, which is an online memorial to the many arenas of American Football.

Steamboats - All aboard this historic, non-profit website that functions as a community for those interested in the history and preservation of the Paddlewheel Steamboat.

Presidential Trivia - Gain some historical perspective and knowledge on those who once held the highest office in all the land at this cool site.

1911 Encyclopedia - Thanks to this non-profit site, it has been almost entirely transferred to the World Wide Web.

Ig Nobel Prize - An annual ceremony that takes place at Harvard and recognizes achievements that "First makes people LAUGH, then makes them THINK".

Issue # 320

Herbal Safety -  This site performs two invaluable tasks; to scientifically clarify the therapeutic benefits attributed to specific herbs, and to warn of any possible dangers linked with the use of those herbs.

Dilbert Ultimate House (DUH) - DUH, as it has been humorously abbreviated, is a virtual, web-based home for the one and only Dilbert, a cubicle-dwelling king of convenience many of us have grown to love.

Virgin Galactic - Begin planning your first trip to the final frontier at the website behind Virgin's ambitious commercial space program.

SHORT TAKES:

Japanese Ice Cream - Scroll through the gallery to see how they have adopted ice cream and made it their own. Anyone care for an Octopus ice cream cone?

Disco Squirrels sing 'Disco Sauna' - urn up the volume and get ready to laugh as these cute squirrels dress up and perform the unforgettable "Disco Sauna".

Jalopnik - Jalopnik will keep you racing with a constant flow of great articles and car-related news and tips, as well as up to speed on new technology and designs being developed in the car industry.

<><><><><><><><>

Golden Age of Cartoons - Golden Age Cartoons brings back the best of the animation oldies, including Casper the Friendly Ghost, Woody Woodpecker, Felix the Cat and many others.

Cell Biology and Cancer - The goal of "Cell Biology and Cancer" is to act as a creative tool in both educating and inspiring student's interest in important medical topics.

The Man Who Made Modern America - Alexander Hamilton is the subject of a new exhibition at the New York Historical Society entitled "The Man Who Made Modern America".

Phonecam Art - Art imitates Technology at SENT, the first ever Phonecam art show.

The Old Corral - The Old Corral stays true to its purpose, which is to celebrate and honor only the good 'ol "B Westerns" and their many cowboy "heroes, heroines, sidekicks, heavies and henchmen".