What's New - Web Launch - Net Events - Weekly Survey - Weekly Picks
What's New - Web Launch - Net Events - Weekly Survey - Weekly Picks
Welcome to this week's selection of Picks, where all this web surfing has given us the old wanderlust. But since management docks us one dollar for every self-indulgent, superfluous, and unnecessary word that we write, we'll probably have to travel on the cheap. That's what brought us to Europe Through the Back Door. We like it because there's travel news, including a list of European events and updates; helpful back-door travel tips, with words of wisdom on such matters as telephoning home, driving, eating, sleeping, and theft; and specific country information and lists of the latest EBTD tours. Also, don't miss the featured Back Door destination. Point is, next time you go to Europe, check here first.
Speaking of travel, the National Geographic Society recently launched another of its informative online explorations, this one an Andes expedition titled Searching for Inca Secrets. Five centuries ago a teenage girl was killed and buried by Inca priests on Mount Ampato in Peru. Her body lay undisturbed until 1995, when it was found by anthropologist Johan Reinhard and his assistant, Miguel Zarate. The ice maiden's body was "stunningly preserved," and you can view a virtual autopsy of it at this site. Among other things, scientists have determined that: the girl died a violent death, apparently killed by a club blow to the head; she was otherwise in good health, with well-defined muscles and good teeth; her last meal consisted of vegetables; her DNA proves she was related to other Native Americans, though "she also shared genetic patterns found in people from Taiwan and Korea." Complete with three-dimensional x-rays, CT scans, and clear text, it's a fascinating read that brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, "I want my mummy."
From the icy peaks of the Andes and the depths of bad puns, we travel to the stifling heat of Indonesia. Dwarfing the fog of San Francisco and even the smog of Los Angeles is the Southeast Asian Haze. A by-product of forest fires caused by slash-and-burn agriculture in Indonesia, the Haze, as it is dubbed, is causing severe environmental and ecological disasters. Throughout the region, air quality is poor and visibility worse, with cases of asthma increasing by 65%. Responding to these very real dangers, the Haze Online Report tracks current air pollution levels and conditions, including details about the daily pollution index, and features satellite pictures of the region, government responses, and safety tips. If you want to see the situation clearly, take a deep breath and peer into this site.
Of course, some situations require greater clarity than others. If you're tired of getting your information on complex, important issues from vague soundbites, try Megastories. Taking you beyond the latest wire reports, Megastories provides background and inside information on stories many of us have only a vague notion about. For example, the Northern Ireland section includes a clickable map highlighting important events in the area's centuries-old conflict, as well as a history going back to 1614. A section on Islam explores the rise of this social, political, and religious force in countries such as Iran, Algeria, and the U.S. You can listen to RealAudio interviews with members of such controversial groups as Hamas and the Algerian Islamic Salvation Front or hear what a Red Cross worker in North Korea has to say about that country's great famine. So tune out those stories on celebrity romance and tune into some Mega stories.
On a related note, we ask: Is it hot in here, or is it just us? According to the Environmental Protection Agency's online guide to Global Warming, it definitely is hot in here. And it's getting hotter. The EPA predicts a rise in the temperature of 1.8 to 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century. Of course, this is going to mean more than just higher air-conditioning bills. The site examines many of the predicted impacts of global warming, including increased human mortality rates, diminishing water supplies, and state-by-state agricultural repercussions. Learn about changing climate systems, browse the EPA bibliography of environmental publications, or research local environmental activism opportunities. The nine warmest years of the century have occurred in the last 14 years -- are we sensing a pattern here? Next time you reach for the thermostat, think about checking this very extended forecast...
Again, we ask: Is it hot in here? We speak, of course, about the heated Senate hearings on Campaign Finance Reform and the to-do about White House fund-raising. Sure, everyone knows that big money is involved in federal elections. But where the heck is it coming from? Wonder no more; the folks at the non-profit, non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics have created Open Secrets, a close look at who is giving money to your Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill. With a click of the mouse, get the skinny on just who is funding whom. For instance, we found that Senator Al D'Amato received 73% of his funds from individuals giving over $200, 15% from PACs, 11% from individuals giving under $200, and the rest from "other." Donations are broken down further by industry, geography, and top contributors. Also available is each member's email address, election schedule, and committee assignments. If you're doing research on the correlation between money and politics, try canvassing this database.
True statement: you or someone you know has recently paid money to tie a piece of elastic around their feet, jump off a bridge, and dangle. Some might ask, "Has it all come to this? Two hundred thousand years of evolutionary development...to dangle?" Well, British bungee enthusiast Al Knowles says "Yes," and his Bungee.Jump.Com features equipment guidelines, picture galleries, fan links, and a worldwide club listing. Find a club near you, brush up on the latest techniques (inverse crane pull, anyone?), or learn more about BERSA, the British Elastic Ropes Sports Association. "Bungee Disasters," the site's most popular attraction, documents unique fatalities like the Jumping Jumpmaster, the Crane Collision, and the Over Extended Cage. (Don't ask.) Have a gander, get your affairs in order, then go jump off a bridge.
Finally, vent some frustrations with the Media Dunk Tank, a cathartic little Shockwave number that invites you to drop overexposed celebrities into a vat of hydrochloric acid. Or you might, completely unrelated of course, have some fun with Bill Gates. It's up to you. Take your pick(s).
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