Second Hand News
Vicious gossip, idle chatter, nasty palaver and outright slander; they're more than just the stuff of great rock albums. They're also the grist of history. Witness Red Scare, an image database covering the years 1918 through 1920, during which our fair nation experienced a strike wave of unparalleled proportions, a deadly flu epidemic, race riots, hyper-inflation, anti-immigrant hysteria, an incapacitated president, and no booze. Who was to blame? The reds, or Mick Fleetwood?
Dreams
Thunder only happens when it's raining,
Players only love you when they're playing.
Truer words were never spoken by the lithesome, twirling Stevie Nicks. However, we recently came across a major player who loves you every single day and twice on Sundays. That's right, we're talking about Pope John Paul II, whose new album, Abba Pater, is climbing the charts. Some sources even claim that Pontiff Daddy may be on the verge of announcing a big summer tour. Of course, if you can't wait that long, check the site for lyrics, photos, and a (yes) music video.
Never Going Back Again
Lindsey Buckingham supposedly wrote this piece after his breakup with a longtime girlfriend. Wrong! It was written shortly after the young rock star visited Uganda, which apparently "got him really down." Lucky for us, that isn't the case with travel writer Simon Bone, who gleefully traipses across the globe's shifting political landscapes, and documents his findings in Life After Tyranny. You'll find lively writing about life in Belarus, North Korea, Buenos Aires, and the Balkans, just to name a few. What you won't find is the unmistakable driving backbeat of a Fleetwood-McVie rhythm section. Pity, that.
Don't Stop
The tragic death of a 20-year-old college student has been linked to this classic Fleetwood Mac single. The incident apparently occurred when Jasper Williams and his Indian exchange student roommate, Farid Tejal, were preparing Sri Lankan Chicken Curry. Authorities believe Tejal became confused and mistakenly interpreted Williams off-key warbling of "Don't Stop" as a signal to add more and more or the pungent spice, ultimately leading to Williams' painful death by curry.
Go Your Own Way
It's April and new romances are blossoming faster than Britney Spears fan sites. Of course, the majority of these flings will wither and perish like the ficus plant in your breakfast nook. Don't despair if you're one of the losers who got dumped, here's some advice: Just Smile and Act Nice. If that doesn't work, check out the indie-chick web zine of the same name. Their motto is "In Girls We Trust" and with that kind of optimism, plus saucy columns like the "Negligee Gourmet," they must be on to something. Go your own way, baby.
Songbird
For you, there'll be no more crying. For you, the sun will be shining. Assuming, of course, you visit Pop History Now, a whimsical jumble of rediscovered pop artifacts. Relive all of those glorious radio hits, box-office smashes, and delightful foreign conflicts of yore. You may be familiar with the "This Week in History" info-nugget format, but Pop History Now really tears the roof off the sucka. You'll feel nostalgic for things that happened before you were born. Creepy.
The Chain
Y2K, they claim, is going to kick the world's collective butt. But what chain of events has brought us to the eve of our imminent annihilation? Do the words lanetesimal accretion, deuterium ignition, reionization and glaciation ring a bell? When the The Annals of Improbable Research explains the history of the universe in 200 words or less, those are just a few of the phrases used. Other key terms include "You Make Loving Fun," "I Don't Want to Know," "Oh, Daddy" and "Gold Dust Woman." Rock on.
If you know of any timely, informative, or wacky web sites, please drop us a note. Also, feel free to send any general thoughts or comments about Picks.