| August 25, 2002 |
Making Sense of Marcel Duchamp
Marcel  Duchamp stretched the boundaries of art further than anyone before him. He practically invented abstract modern art and conceptual art. And he did all this with a hearty sense of humor -- after all, this is the man who drew a mustache on the Mona Lisa and said a urinal could be art! In the early 1900s Duchamp began painting, influenced by Cezanne and the Symbolist movement. He soon turned to Cubism, but he also took the opportunity to mock its pretensions. Around this time, he began to ask "Can one make works of art which are not 'art'?" His "readymades" from 1915-1923 answered the question by combining prefab objects, assemblages, and altered images in ways that provoked the observer to participate and think. This site is as interactive as Duchamp's art -- you can spin the bicycle wheel, twist the standard stoppages, and immerse yourself in art that is unconcerned with imitating reality. (in Arts & Humanities > Artists) |
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| August 24, 2002 |
Once Were Heroes!
This  little walk down memory lane will charm the stovepipe pants off anyone who grew up between 1950 and 1990. Dedicated to British youth culture, the tribute revisits music-inspired fashion trends and lifestyles of 20th-century teens. The styles are all lovingly categorized here -- from the original '50s teddy boys with their mile-high coiffures to the '70s punks and their mohawks to '80s goths and their dyed-black tresses. Trace the entwined development of the mod, scooterist, northern soul, skinhead, and rude boy. Reminisce about the new romantics -- "Great days, whatever Simon LeBon was doing, we copied." Even if you don't fit in with any one crowd (or if your scene isn't covered yet), check out the general comments page for more fun flashbacks. Ah, kids today, they just don't understand. (in Society & Culture) |
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| August 23, 2002 |
Mark's Very Large National Lampoon Site
Some  eras of humor provided so much laughter they deserve to be enshrined. The heyday of National Lampoon, from 1970-75, is one such era. Many of the comedic talents featured in the magazine and radio show during that time went on to Saturday Night Live and SCTV. Mark Simonson presents a catalog of all things Lampoon on this well-detailed and exhaustively researched site. The contents and cover of each issue of the magazine are here along with information on the Radio Hour, albums, and books. If you're a comedy fan out who equates National Lampoon with stale Chevy Chase jokes and vacations in the Family Truckster, we recommend visiting this labor of love dedicated to a unique brand of humor. (in Humor) |
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| August 22, 2002 |
Theban Mapping Project
For  the past year, the staff of the Theban Mapping Project has labored to create this incredible archaeological web site. Their efforts have paid off. The breadth and depth of the site is extraordinary. They've compiled a comprehensive database of information about each tomb in the Valley of the Kings, including nearly 2,000 photographs of tomb walls and 65 narrated tours. And that's just the beginning -- the interactive atlas allows you to view dozens of pictures, watch short movies, and zoom over detailed maps and sections of each tomb. The 3D tour of KV-14 provides an amazingly detailed look at the tomb and is unlike anything we've ever seen on the Web. The site's richness is sure to astound, so dig in and start exploring the Valley of the Kings. (in Anthropology and Archaeology) |
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| August 21, 2002 |
A Collection of Word Oddities and Trivia
Fancy  yourself a wizard with words? Try this quick quiz:1. What's noteworthy about the following sentence: "Quit beer," vows dizzy, puking, Michael J. Fox?
2. If numbers are arranged in alphabetical order, what would be first and last?
3. What word has the longest entry in the Oxford English Dictionary? You can find the answers to these questions on this barebones site -- an incredibly thorough collection of word trivia and information. Click around and uncover facts about palindromes, vowels, and beautiful words. You can even find tips for your next game of Scrabble. (Oh yeah, the answers to the aforementioned questions: 1. The sentence is a pangram, one that uses every letter of the alphabet. 2. Eight would be first, zero would be last. 3. The word "set.") (in Linguistics & Languages) |
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| August 20, 2002 |
Pirated Sites
Ever  find yourself on a web site that looks virtually indistinguishable from another? This site showcases such online indiscretions, making "side-by-side comparisons of web sites that are suspected of borrowing, copying or stealing copyright-protected content, design or code without permission." Many web designers have taken unfathomable liberties with their online filching -- some companies even do it twice. Pirated Sites uses a cool pop-up window script that makes it easy to compare web sites large and small. If you think you've run across a site that has been hit by web-style biters, don't hesitate to submit the URLs of the pirate and the victim. And if the moral isn't clear, we'll repeat it: Do Not Steal Websites. (in Design Arts) |
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| August 19, 2002 |
EphemeraNow.com
An  homage to mid-century American ads and illustrations, this site is more than just a pop art collection, thanks to the vibrant colors and occasional snarky commentary. The cars section brims over with the tail fins and white-wall tires of vintage Edsels, Buicks, DeSotos, Packards, and Cadillacs. But it's the people in these ads that are particularly intriguing. In 1957's A Lady and Her Cadillac, one woman seems romantically aroused by her car. Another ad finds a woman wearing matching hat and gloves in the "futuramic way of driving." Other ads are startlingly modern -- witness the early car phone in the 1960 Imperial. For a look at how much the world has changed, check out the ad depicting a nurse smoking a cigarette and the healthful beer ad. The life section features ads and snide remarks about Freudian symbolism inherent in pajamas and Stetsons with jaunty hatbands. Click around for whiter teeth and fresher breath. (in Collecting) |
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