Most rational-minded folks will agree that pinball machines are far superior to video games. You're simply not going to impress anyone with a high score on Galaga. Catch a triple power ball on Black Knight 2000, however, and you're styling. Thus, we urge you to peruse the rec.games.pinball page. Andy Oakland, your humble host, offers advice on how to purchase and maintain your very own pinball game, as well as a multitude of links to fan pages, cheat sheets, and design exhibits. Don't miss the photo of the four primo machines in Andy's living room. And don't tilt.
Fact: you have eaten over a pound of insects in your lifetime. That's right. From the weevils that wound up in your morning muffin, to the tiny grubs that garnished your chef's salad, you've inadvertently consumed several thousand wee critters. If you're interested in continuing this gastronomic pursuit, take a gander at Edible Insects. With detailed instructions on how to raise, cook, and consume mealworms and crickets, this handy cuisine resource adds a much-needed protein boost to your diet. Or maybe it'll just make your face itch.
The World Cup is finally here, and Londoner Al Needham is a changed man. As the foreign correspondent for Denizine, an online humor mag, he has made it his personal mission to capture the power and drama of this global phenomenon in a blistering series of online dispatches. Don't come looking for dry statistics or routine play-by-play. Needham embarks on a savage journey into the dark underbelly of football addiction: sleep deprivation, substance abuse, epithets screamed at vacuum tubes. It's going to be a long, hard month, but Al is prepared to go the distance. Are you?
Combining great images, beautiful locales, and offbeat creativity, Kite Aerial Photography is perhaps the quintessential web site--it's not gonna be a major motion picture anytime soon, but it's fascinating nonetheless. The idea is this: attach a radio-controlled camera rig to a sturdy kite, find an interesting landscape, and create images that are unlike anything you've every seen before. You'll feel like you're taking a ride in the lowest-flying spyplane in history. As if the photos themselves weren't enough, the site also includes background information, equipment tips, and a discussion area, all in a well-designed HTML package.
"Where's the beef?" you ask. Well, it's certainly not among Ad Age's 50 Best Commercials. Nope, you'll find nothing there except fluff and bluster, polished to a golden sheen by the best minds of the past three generations. You'll find scenes from 50 years of abject consumerism--everything that we absolutely, positively do not need: burgers, cigarettes, booze, disposable razor blades. Of course, as you wander amongst the aisles of advertising history, if you realize that each of these commercials is deeply ingrained into your consciousness, as opposed to, say, the great works of literature, which you promptly forgot after college, well, drink up pardner, you're not alone. Here, let us buy you a Coke...
The Washington Post opens its archives to share 50 years of coverage on The Cult Controversy. Among the articles and photos, you'll find stories on the Unification Church, fundamentalist movements, "deprogramming," the Branch Davidians, and the Heaven's Gate group. Whether or not you agree with the rights of fringe groups to engage in unusual behavior, this collection of news articles will give you a fuller context to view the events and people that often emerge from the corners of society and take center stage.
Top ten reasons to participate in the Late Show with Dave Letterman Top 10 Contest: 10. It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, 9. You are funnier than Dave's writers, 8. The Top 10 archives are fully searchable, 7. You're getting paid to do actual work, 6. You're dying to make fun of Roger Ebert, 5. You're done testifying, 4. Three words: redneck jokes work, 3. You are possessed by thousands of demons, 2. Everyone says you're "funny," and the number-one reason to participate in the Top 10 Contest: chicks dig guys who enter silly online contests!
Well, that's it for this week. Now we return you to the Dragnet marathon, where you'll be instructed that you have the right to remain silent, the right to hire an attorney, and, as always, the right to take your pick(s).
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.