We've decided to take a scholarly approach to this week's selection. No more bad puns, wackiness or bizarre connections; this time we're strictly academic as we look at one of the enduring questions of our time: who wrote Spamlet?
As it happens we have no idea, but in uncannily similar news, recently PBS's Frontline television show presented an update on an equally interesting question: was Shakespeare really Shakespeare? The accompanying web site, The Shakespeare Mystery, looks at the Stratfordian and Oxfordian sides of the argument, including three recent mock trials and debates between each side. The site also offers tapes and transcripts, a number of Bard-related links, and selections for further reading.
Interesting indeed, but (thanks to Project Bartleby's Shakespeare quote section) we've managed to find a few connections of our own. For example: King Lear had a few daughters. Elvis ("every inch a king") had one daughter. Is it a coincidence that we recently stumbled upon The Strange Case of the Lost Elvis Diaries? Hard to say; you decide. Follow this online mystery by Barry Willis, in which reporter Jeff Parrish is hot on the trail of Michael Jackson's ex-father-in-law's lost diaries. Is it a cruel hoax, or does the mysterious caller with the heavy German accent really have the goods? Find a new chapter each week at this engaging site. The next installment appears on May 3.
While on the subject of online fiction, you may want to stop by Mr. Showbiz, where for three days straight, twelve hours a day, journalist Joe Queenan, armed with only a title and one-line scenario, will compose Serb Heat, a full-length novel. Running from April 30 to May 2, Joe will post his first draft on the Internet as he writes it, yours to read and critique. We hope all's well that ends well.
Speaking of things ending well, the 1996 Tour DuPont international cycling race kicks off on May 1, in Wilmington, Delaware. Follow the race, thanks to Dave Forrest, as it covers 1,225 miles of East Coast country roads, ending twelve days later at Kennesaw State College in Marietta, Georgia. In the words of one small-town spectator: "We ain't had this much excitement in our town since Harry Truman came through." A similar kind of excitement may be found in India later this year when the Hell's Buddhas begin their five month circumnavigation of the region by motorcycle. With t-shirts reading "Hell's Buddhas - Born to be Serene" the group of "primarily twenty-something" spiritual pilgrims will promote "peace, communal harmony, love and understanding" - all from the seats of classic motorcycles. Measure for measure, that's no small task.
Hamlet once said, "Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting." He also said, "Sweets to the sweet; farewell!" Big deal. Bradley Kent took all the sweet and candy bar wrappers he could find and put them on the Web. You can find 'em at his Quasi-Comprehensive Candy Bar Wrapper Image Archive, which is bound to include your favorites. We found Mr. Goodbar, Charleston Chews, Jolly Joes, Paydays, Sugar Babies and Whatchamacallit; thanks, Bradley, for much ado about something. From candy we make the oh so natural leap to movies, and Movie Snapshot, which does everything its title suggests. Look through snapshot reviews and analysis of the latest releases, or search the MovieSnap database by title, movie type, rating, or featured actor(s). The folks at Movie Snapshot offer brief plot summaries and reviews, and their ratings include content warnings about violence, profanity, sex, nudity, or the lack thereof.
On an entirely unrelated note, the National Institute for Science Education has put together a site called The Why? Files, a look at the science behind the news. Here you can read features on the math, engineering and technology of everyday life. Previous issues have included looks at electric cars, Comet Hyakutake, political polling and amber, "nature's flypaper." In their current issue, the Why? Files take on forensics (asking "How can science help solve crimes?") and Mad Cow Disease.
Finally, the question of Spamlet. We still can't tell you who wrote it, but what we can do is point you to the latest from the creators of the ever popular Useless Pages, namely: The Uselessness of Spam. The site is an index of the most useless of spam sites out there, including everything from The Church of Spam to Spamboy, from The Uncaring Goddess of Spam to Spam, Spam, Spam. All nicely collected in one place, just for you. Take your pick(s).