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Last updated January 3, 2001 |
| big
meadows and beyond |
The late Henry Heatwole's classic Guide to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive is out of print, but it lives again online. This masterpiece of informative, witty writing is indispensable to Shenandoah visitors (especially hikers) and a fascinating read for just about anyone else. |
| Is Big Brother in your shopping cart? So asks the home page of Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN). If you object when grocery stores force you to choose between applying for an i.d. card and paying extra, here are resources you may find helpful. | 1984
at the store |
| merry men | Fable, fact or fabrication? Here is a wealth of information on the legend of Robin Hood, from scholarly findings to photos to sound files. Grab your cudgel, string your bow, and go. |
| Sometimes an hour's worth of web surfing seems like an actual journey. One site that facilitates that, Enchanted Gardens of the Renaissance, leads you with breathtaking photos and somewhat breathless (but always relevant) text through three masterpieces of mid-millennium design. | tivoli
and beyond |
| a
page right out of history |
Whether you're a longtime fan of the Great Gazoo or are just really bored, you should drop by The Unofficial Flintstones and Hanna-Barbera Home Page. Lots of info on Fred, Barney, Wilma, Betty, Pebbles, Bam-Bam, and all your other favorites. Yabba dabba doo! |
| The Adobe Type Library is the ultimate resource for anyone personally or professionally interested in typography. Here are samples of thousands of fonts, well organized and with historical information. | abcdef |
| airliners | A great site if you're interested in commercial aviation. Database with thousands of pictures. Search by aircraft model, airline or keyword. The most comprehensive aviation site on the web. |
| Lions, tigers
and bears are only the beginning. Travel to the National Zoo
in Washington, D.C., and never leave your crummy computer. Then get up and go for a walk. |
. . . oh my! |
| call letters | Ever wonder how
some radio station got its freaky handle? No? Fine, be that way
. . . click somewhere else then! |
| You'd better not throw hay bales out a second-story window in Baltimore! Most of these archaic laws are real; some seem made up. They're all entertaining. | still on the books |
| think
globally, eat locally |
Bernatello's is unquestionably the best frozen pizza in the western hemisphere. Unfortunately, they don't have hemisphere-wide distribution. If you're in the Midwest, run--don't walk--to the store and get one now. |
| View current images of Earth and Moon. You enter the coordinates and the field of view. A decent computer and browser are required to really get the full effect. | satellite photos |
| solar system | Magnificent thumbnail photos and lots of basic information on the nine planets circling the sun. "Awesome" is not too strong a word to apply to this site. |
| Headed for the video store? Check out the Internet Movie Database, far and away the best movie site on the web. Over 180,000 films are catalogued here. Just browse . . . or search by title, actor or director. | flicks |
| be true to your ghoul |
If you remember the days of local TV horror movie hosts, then E-Gor's Chamber of TV Horror Hosts is a fantastic site to visit. Look up your favorite host and relive those eerie nights in front of the flickering screen. |
| If you ever find yourself repeating fantastic stories you've heard, then wondered whether they're true, you should consult the Urban Legends Reference Pages. From the petty to the profound, there are oodles of fascinating tidbits here. Don't miss the humor section. | accurate
or apocryphal? |
| who done it? | If you're newly into mystery fiction, MysteryGuide.com is an informative site to browse. And if you're a longtime fan of the genre, it's an unbeatable reference. No, it's not all-inclusive, but it does come close. |
| Visit the highest point in every U.S. state, and never leave the comfort of your computer. You won't get sore muscles and AMS in the process, but if you click your mouse fast enough you may be a candidate for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. An excellent web site, easily navigable, with lots of photos and supporting data. | climb
ev'ry mountain |
| let there be darkness |
Whether you're a professional astronomer or a humble stargazer, light pollution gets in your way. Enter the International Dark Sky Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to--you guessed it!--dark skies. |
| For years, noted linguist Noam Chomsky's take on current events and politics has been hugely insightful and immensely controversial. Here, online, are archives containing many of the writings and lectures of one of the great thinkers of our time. | chomsky! |
| your
eyes may water |
It's almost embarrassing to include in a list of links anymore, since just about everyone has heard of The Onion. For those who've been zoning for several years, The Onion is a humor magazine that satirizes current events. No one and nothing are sacred. |
| Visit the web site of St. Mary's College of Maryland, a place of screaming peacocks, bioluminescent waters, and the best poetry community in the galaxy. Oh, and unbelievably bad cafeteria food. | the best little college in maryland |
| the tiger's touch | If you came here looking for lynxes instead of truly pathetic puns, click on the lynxes. You'll be taken to Tiger Touch, a feline advocacy group with a somewhat unusual twist (I don't necessarily subscribe to their mission but they do have great wildcat photos on their site). |
| Warning! OBSCENITY! This is the site your mother, father, godaunt, chiropractor, faith healer, annoying neighbor, obnoxious boss, and maitre d' warned you about. If you're prudish, squeamish, faint easily or watch the 700 Club more than twice a day, better not follow this link! | do
not click here |
Caution: Any lynx you encounter
beyond this point may not be completely random.
| loudspeaker lynx | Here are the web sites of some of the best stereo (yes, okay, and home theater) speakers on the planet. No trendy, overpriced duds, and no cheap junk. |
| ANTHONY
GALLO -- I haven't heard these tiny orbs
yet, but the gossip is good . . . and they're so cute! Gee, duh,
think they might sound better'n Bose? KLIPSCH -- The Heritage Series, including the mighty Klipschorn, are still handmade in Hope, Arkansas, as they have been for more than half a century. MAGNEPAN -- The latest in a long line of planar-magnetic speakers from this Minnesota firm are unsurpassed for openness and three-dimensionality. M&K-- Moderately priced subwoofers and satellites from a well-reputed California company. Their sealed-box subs are among the best in the world. PARADIGM -- A wide range of affordable, excellent sounding speakers made in Canada. In the under-$1000 price bracket, you can't do better. SHAHINIAN -- Innovative omnidirectional speakers with Finnish birch cabinets, hand-crafted in New York State. Unusual design and awesome sound. VANDERSTEEN -- "Boxless" enclosures provide clarity and superb soundstaging. No fancy cabinets, just quality parts and great performance. VMPS -- A full lineup of well-regarded speakers, large and small, including subwoofers. VMPS has a reputation for quality and quantity of sound. |
| Something's gotta drive those speakers! You can't go wrong with any of these. | electronics lynx |
| AUDIO
RESEARCH -- High-end equipment that actually
may be worth it. Extremely well-made, magnificent-sounding
tube and solid-state components. BRYSTON -- Awesome gear made in Canada to exacting standards. Can you think of another manufacturer that offers a 20-year transferable warranty? CREEK-- Bare-bones boxes with no frills, Creek electronics are made in Great Britain, where minimalism is apparently appreciated. Clever folks, those Brits! McINTOSH -- Still the "Rolls-Royce of home audio," McIntosh electronics are better than ever. Timeless elegance, rugged construction, and great sound. NAKAMICHI -- After all these years, still the best cassette decks in the world. Nak also makes CD and DVD players and receivers. ONKYO -- Among mass-market equipment, Onkyo stands above the rest. It's better constructed and better-sounding. A definite step up from Technics et al. PARASOUND -- They've gone a bit upscale lately, but Parasound still makes superb affordable gear. Their upscale stuff isn't too shabby, either! ROTEL -- This Japanese company's British-designed components are unsurpassed at their price level. The clear choice for paupers with golden ears. |
| streaming media lynx | You need the RealAudio player for these sites to work. Download it here. |
| YUKON,
I CON . . .
Listen in live to CBC Radio from Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon Territory.
Earmuffs may be required. THE CROWDED SKIES:Listen in live to tower control at New York's JFK International Airport. RADIO DOWN UNDER: Live feed from ABC Radio Australia. NOT QUITE THE NORTH POLE: Check out Radio Uutiset from Finland. If you don't speak Finnish, this may get boring in a hurry. BEFORE THERE WAS "FARGO," THERE WAS RADIO NORWAY!: Except for the occasional "ya," there's actually not much resemblance. |
| Here are some alternatives to running software sold by Microsoft, a company with more money and power than some nations on this planet--but strangely inferior technology. | computer lynx |
|
SMASH
YOUR WINDOWS!
Yes,
Virginia, there is a better platform. Kiss the Gates Grinch and
all his Y2K misery goodbye and get yourself a real computer for
Christmas. CATCH A REAL WAVE: If you're using Microsoft's Outlook Express--especially with Windows--you're at risk of infecting your computer with dangerous viruses. Two alternatives, reportedly more secure and at least as functional: Netscape Messenger, which integrates well with the entire Netscape Communicator suite (including the Navigator web browser and the Composer web page design application), and Eudora, a stand alone email program. NOT ALL WORDS ARE CREATED EQUAL: If you're stuck using a recent version of Microsoft Word, you have my sympathy. If you're running Linux or (grrr) Windows, try WordPerfect and see what you've been missing. (WordPerfect's maker, Corel, is no longer updating the Mac version; read about that here.) Other alternatives include Sun's StarOffice (free download for Linux or Windows; Mac version slated for Summer 2001). For other Mac alternatives, click here and scroll down to the Options section. THE FEW (?) AND THE PROUD (!): Okay, actually I could do without the military metaphors, but this is a highly informative site for and by Mac users. In addition to lots of links to online resources, you'll find the Ammo Dump section chock full of useful Mac propaganda. So spit-shine your shoes, practice your salute, but don't ask or tell! CONFUSED BY COMPUTERS?: This web site has a wide array of up-to-date articles by David K. Every dealing with Windows vs. Mac issues, including detailed reviews of user interfaces. This is a thoughtful, balanced site with information valuable to novices and pros alike. Be sure to check out the section on Myths. |
| web design lynx | If you want to put together a simple web site in a hurry and don't have all the image-creation and -editing software you'd like, these online services can help. |
|
THE
COOLEST OF TEXTS:
Need
a free, professional-looking logo or heading? Need it quick?
Cooltext.com lets you set your parameters, choosing from many
fonts, textures, and backgrounds. This site is a pleasure to
visit and oh-so-easy to use. EDIT YOUR GIFs ONLINE: This free service allows you to create simple graphics for your web site. Better yet, you can also upload existing gif or jpeg files and tweak them to your satisfaction. I have experienced technical problems with this site recently; when it works, it works well. MORE FREEBIES!Cool Archive has a plethora of free resources for webmasters, including fonts, graphics, and an online logo generator. This is a great jumping-off place for beginners . . . and semi-pros. |
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and suggestions are welcome. Send me email
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