Do you love words? We mean really, absolutely, positively, fantabulously love them, in that Scrabble, Boggle, Wheel of Fortune kind of way? If so, then Funster's What's in a Name is for you. The game is a kind of free-for-all real-time Jumble match. When play begins, you and your Web-surfing opponents are given three minutes to form words from the letters of a specific proper name. Every time you enter a valid word (one that can be found in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary), you receive points--anywhere from five for a two-letter word to 110 for an eight-letter one. There are five levels of play, and a new game begins every three minutes. Want some practice before you log in? Okay, how many words can you make out of Weekly Picks? So far, we've got, uh, Weekly, and um, Picks, and uh, did we say Weekly? Well, maybe you'll have better luck.
Speaking of words, are you comfortable using "Barry Manilow" and "brilliant" in the same sentence? Have you ever read Dynamite Magazine? Or, are you overcome with nostalgia at the mere mention of TV shows such as Charlie's Angels, Kojak, or Space 1999? Then, fire up the lava lamp and shed those bell-bottom blues, it's time to get mellow with The Polyester Network, a groovy shrine to that rhinestone-studded decade of spectacularly good taste, the Seventies. Apparently the "result of a bad taco," the site offers a fondue of facts and figures about the "hip-hugger" era. Among other things, you can trip the light fantastic with the 70s Charts, a look at what was hot in the worlds of music and movies. Here we were reminded that in January of '74, Jim Croce's Time in a Bottle hit #1. There's a timeline, too, a look at Polyester Television, and the beginnings of a retro yard sale. More than cool, this baby's outta sight. Be sure to tell 'em Leo Sayer sent you.
While some people are stuck in the past, the folks at Topher's Breakfast Cereal Character Guide seem to be stuck at the breakfast table. They've compiled a veritable smorgasbord of cereal mascots, including Tony the Tiger, the Quaker Oats Man, and the Trix Rabbit. Characters are divided by manufacturer and include graphics and brief histories. If you're like us, you have trouble distinguishing Snap! from Crackle!, and you occasionally forget just what Dig'Em Frog thinks you should eat to start your day. With the discovery of this site, we can stop hanging out in the cereal aisle (the store began to call it "loitering") whenever we're plagued with such questions. We can now relax knowing that Snap! is the one in the baker's hat, although we admit to being somewhat concerned that a character named "Robo-Squirrel" has joined Sugar Bear, Cap'n Crunch, and the gang in the cereal business.
What do you get when you cross a microprocessor, a big apple, and 400 rock `n' roll bands? Easy. It's either the Granny-Smith/Grunge-Rock Laptop or The Intel New York Music Festival. And while the former might appear in Apple's next product line, the latter is here today. Or, more specifically, here from July 16th to 19th. To catch gigs from bands like Better Than Ezra, Jill Sobule, Cracker, and Ween, you won't need to fight Manhattan traffic, just network traffic. The website will broadcast live cybercasts from each of the twenty participating nightclubs. So, if you're into the tunes, but not in the area, check the schedule, make sure your RealAudio software is up to date, and turn your soundcard up to 11.
For photo hounds, we humbly offer the Presidential Portrait Collection from our pals at the Library of Congress. Here you'll find 156 famous images of Presidents and First Ladies, each available in both thumbnail and hi-res versions. The pictures are alternately familiar and fanciful. You'll recognize the lovable mug of our current top exec as well as the steady gaze of Honest Abe. On the flip side, most of us are unfamiliar with images like Harding and his dog or Teddy and his cool threads. We heartily suggest that you take some time to acquaint yourself with all the ex-Presidents and their ensembles. As with all Library of Congress collections, you can search by keyword or simply browse by subject. All you have to supply is your own copy of "Hail to the Chief."
From the Commander-in-Chief to the Chairman of the Board, we present our all-time favorite shooby-dooby-doer. We're talkin' Frankie Legend. Sinatra, baby. Thumbing through the Sinatra Family Album, you can get your fill of Frank, Nancy, Tina, and Frank, Jr. (along with assorted grandchildren) through photos and life updates. Did you know that Frank, Jr. is currently on tour, or that Nancy is working on two screenplays? Probably not. (We did, but only because we don't have much to do.) So if you're sick of that whole Mars BathMinder thing, or whatever it's called, take a little time to pay your respects to Ol' Blue Eyes.
Although we never admit to having style "issues" (we're lookin' sharp in our plaid and polka dots, and the unfortunate hair-dying episode is behind us), we understand that there are people who have assorted questions about hair, make-up, accessories, and fashion in general. Not a problem. At Style Experts, professionals such as Todd Oldham, Niki Taylor, and Vera Wang will answer fashion questions submitted to the site. So, if your hair is too curly, or if you don't quite know how to dress your bridesmaids, or if you still can't figure out more than one way to tie a scarf, sashay on over to the experts.
Hey, it's either that or read an online story at Disney Books. Besides the obligatory information about Disney's vast catalog, the site also offers a handful of serialized storybooks available online in their entirety. Just click on "Come Read a Story" in the right-hand frame for a list of choices. Included in the selection: Aladdin, Bambi, The Lion King, Toy Story, 101 Dalmations, and others. So. What to read? You know the answer. You'll have to weigh the options and--why, yes--take your pick(s).
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