Shiny Things

Web Sites

By BOP Staff

July 26, 2004

He also tastes the cheesy cheesy cheesy creme cheese.

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1) iLL WiLL PreSS

Behold the glory of Foamy! As the voice of the Neurotically Yours Flash-media short films, this foul-mouthed squirrel is the Internet's answer to Beavis and Butthead. The angry little fellow and his goth chick roommate and confidant spend the body of these three or four minute clips bemoaning societal customs. And swearing. Boy howdy, do they ever like to swear. Foamy doesn't think much of the human race. Heck, he even throws head-exploding acorns at them on a frequent basis. He's so funny, though, that you'll be able to happily overlook his homicidal tendencies and the militant right-wing nature of his politics. He's just a harmless little squirrel, right?


2) TiVo Community Forum

Been wondering what all the fuss is about? Want to learn all the insider tips and tricks? Interested in finding out if the rumors about being able to increase your recording capacity are true? Well, this is the place to be. Populated by a variety of folks with a wide range of knowledge, from newbies who just got their TiVo last week to folks who've had them practically since they came out, the people who frequent the TiVo Forum are a very friendly group who are more than willing to help anyone who comes to them with questions, requests for help, or who just want to talk about the joy that is TiVo. You can even get connected to business that will help you get a TiVo, get a TiVo with more recording capacity, and get your hands on the next-generation HDTiVo. You'll be hard-pressed to find a nicer, more helpful bunch of people anywhere on the Web.


3) Kevin Kelly - Cool Tools

A communal blog where folks submit stuff (books, newsletters, services, and various things) that fills a specific need or niche remarkably well. Some of the submissions are extremely narrow in scope, some are clever adaptations of existing products, and others are things that could easily be a huge hit but haven't reached a wide audience. Some representative samples:

  • Headblade
  • iPal
  • Duofold Varitec T-Shirt


    4) Astronomy Picture of the Day

    At the intersection of rocket science and pretty pictures, this site offers up an impressive image every day. In the past months, the site has been a great chronicle of photos from the mars rover and Cassini missions. Backing up each image is a short description of the subject matter, including links that offer a sometimes dizzying amount of background information. So if you want to behold a spectacular bubble nublua or ponder that only atoms make up 4% of the universe, 'tis is a great daily diversion.



    5) Score, Baby!

    Updates at this soundtrack site are likely to run the gamut of musical material that once accompanied the onscreen action of swinging spy movies, sci-fi flicks, psychedelic drug parties and German softcore sex films. Prominent names like Lalo Schifrin, Ennio Morricone, Peter Thomas and John Barry often surface as the site-makers keep up-to-date with the current re-releases to CD of the melodious sounds of the swinging '60s and '70s. You’ve missed your chance to be one of the beautiful people, friend, but you can still strut to the strains of their cocktail tunes via the excellent advice of this indispensable Web site.


    6) Chowhound

    Need recommendations for good food spots in the area where you live? Then go no further than the regional boards on this exceptional site, where authentic reports from the ground by people like you will point in the proper direction. Though at times the overzealous moderators can be irksome in their desire to keep the boards on topic and free of restaurant spam, there’s no doubt that this tendency allows a critical focus that makes Chowhound the top review site around. Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the posters who share your likes and dislikes, and soon enough you’ll be eating in the area joint that serves the best xiao long bao, freshest cannoli, tastiest tapas or finest baklava.


    7) things magazine

    One of the most consistently interesting blogs on the Web is this compendium of….well, just about everything. While the daily links from all over are reflective of some particular interests (modern architecture and photography are two common themes), a visit here is just as likely to uncover some oddity that you’ve never previously heard of. A simple sampling of a few recent updates illustrates the point: there are tips to sites about automatic watch winders, Nevada casino chips, isometric pixel art, a complete scanned first edition of Alice in Wonderland, the Knight Rider dashboard project, stereoscopic viewers, the Millau Viaduct, vintage clothing stores and the steel works of Gary, Indiana. All this and more is yours daily at things magazine.

    8) Television Without Pity

    The folks at TWoP, as it is affectionately known, don't just write about TV; they love TV. In fact, they love it so much that they don't let lame-ass shows get away with being bereft of creativity without being mocked mercilessly. Of course, they also don't let good shows pass by unscathed, either, because the recappers at TWoP are nothing if not snarky. They decry, bemoan and kvetch both the truly awful and the truly inspired, all with tongue slightly in cheek and with humor abounding. At Television Without Pity, you not only get complete descriptions of what went on in an episode, but you also get commentary/critiquing of hair, wardrobe, make-up, sets, writing, direction and acting. You may not always agree with what TWoP has to say about your favorite show or actor, but you will always be entertained.


    9) TV Tome

    There is no joy in the process of archiving. Collating voluminous amounts of data is soulless, mind-numbing work. We should be eternally grateful, then, for the kind people at TV Tome. They have taken the time to catalogue each and every show on broadcast television. If you can't remember the name of an episode you want to TiVo, this is the perfect site. It's easy to navigate and impressively detailed. TV Tome effectively ends the game of "Remember the show that had the guy with the thing?" In 90 seconds, you can remember that the guy was Bruce Greenwood, the show was Nowhere Man and the thing was government conspiracy-induced amnesia. For people who take their television seriously, TV Tome is a must.


    10) Fark

    Best described as CNN meets The Onion, Fark is a Web site that offers nothing but links to other sites along with a discussion area for each of the new stories. Herein lies the proof that a description is oftentimes unable to do justice to the magic of the Internet. A quick glance at Fark's front page (well, only page) reveals its innate charm. Fark is a site that appreciates how ridiculous most new stories are. It manages to keep readers informed about what's going on in the world each day, but it also manages to celebrate the nut jobs and their idiotic, Darwin Awards-level behavior that makes them newsworthy. If you're tired of reading dry news sources that seem to espouse the same recycled dogma every day, Fark is the solution to your troubles.


    11) Nation States

    Everybody wants to rule the world. With Nation States, you won't be able to pull off the Dr. Evil global coup d'etat, but you will be able to run your own country. In fact, you can run your own country into the ground if you are so inclined. The site is a combination of political satire and legislative challenge. You as the dictator of your land are given a pair of issues each day. How you choose to handle each one impacts the way your country develops. Want to build a utopian society? All you have to do is figure out a way to balance all of your social issues with a flagging economy. Do you secretly long for a cold-hearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule you like a king? You can make that happen as well. It's your kingdom, and there is no chance of a rebellion overthrowing your rightful rule. You're just like Eddie Murphy in Coming to America. Enjoy!


    12) Fanball

    It's that time of year again. Fantasy football leagues are finally up and running after an interminable eight month absence. To say that the BOP staff is passionate about the NFL is analogous to saying that Stephen Hawking likes astronomy. And we like fantasy sports even more than that, with football being the granddaddy of them all. There is no more joyous moment for us than when Draft Day arrives, and for BOP, there is but one site to use for our drafting needs. The day Fanball starts accepting sign ups is like Christmas and a birthday all rolled up together. Admittedly, there are some slight navigational issues with the site, but it's the gold standard for fantasy football and well worth the $9.95 charge to play in two leagues.


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