| May 25, 2003 |
Spike's Root Beer Ratings and Reviews
Some  may favor a nice Merlot, while others may have a taste for champagne. Spike's beverage of choice is the humble root beer. To beverage snobs, root beer is simply carbonated water with some sugar and additional flavorings. To Spike, it is a drink that must be savored and subjected to a "rigorous process" of taste testing that involves tooth brushing, a sprig of fresh mint, and properly chilled drinking glasses. His reviews pull no punches, and only one root beer is deemed worthy of earning an A grade. You'll find reviews for all your favorites here, including Hires, Mug, and A & W. But the popular labels don't top Spike's list -- he recommends trying the more obscure Bulldog or Goose Island brands. Pop a top and raise a fizzy glass in tribute to this well-brewed site. (in Food and Drink > Soft Drinks) |
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| May 24, 2003 |
Mildred's House of Signage
America's  largest metropolises are filled to the brim with different points of view and various ethnicities, both exemplified by the countless signs begging for our attention. In the Windy City specifically, the old and new blend together to influence the diverse mix of font and style choices depicted here. Tracy Jo Seneca pointed her camera directly at the signs of Chicago and offers a look at the charming, the cryptic, and the strange. Click through the handy menu and discover great sights including a giant man shilling for eye care, a closed diner that offered burritos, tacos and "hat dogs," and little pigs jumping into a sausage grinder. Breeze through this fascinating tour, and you might be prompted to look up, down, and around for unique signs in your town. (in Visual Arts) |
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| May 23, 2003 |
Homewreckers: Home and Garden
This  almanac of spirited DIY projects follows a wrecking crew of more than a dozen bloggers as they garden and spruce up their environs. Whether they're first-time homeowners, renters, or otherwise, they all want a little something more from their personal spaces. Sometimes, the quest ends in confusion, pain, and bouts of trucker-like cursing, as when assembling Ikea furniture. Other times, pansies popping up by accident or a small improvement like a new mailbox bring great joy. Urban gardening has unexpected perils, and everybody has their own ideas about home organization, but if you like to play with big kids' toys, you'll appreciate the combined blogs of these home wreckers. (in Recreation & Sports) |
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| May 22, 2003 |
Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum
Long  before today's Cooper Mini, microcars were all the rage. Born in post-WWII Europe out of the need for small, efficient transportation, former aircraft companies built tiny cars seating one or two people. The inspiration behind microcars predates the war, when companies enclosed bicycles and scooters, turning them into vehicles like the 1935 Velocar Camionette. During WWII, engineers designed tiny cars like the 1942 Peugeot VLV. But it was the 1950s and '60s that saw the bubble-car boom with popular minis like the BMW Isetta 250, BAG Spatz, Messerschmitt Tiger, and Berkeley. More recently, the 2000 MCC Smart Convertible and the 2001 Corbin Sparrow have hit the streets. Although the actual microcar museum in Georgia is temporarily closed, fans can take a virtual tour anytime. And be sure to check out the excellent video of minicars in action. (in Automotive) |
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| May 21, 2003 |
The Dynamic Earth
We  may not always feel it move under our feet, but make no mistake -- our Earth is a restless planet! It rumbles, grumbles, and continually spews its molten insides beyond the horizon. This pattern of birth, destruction, and renewal is Earth's natural metamorphic process -- and the geological record reveals a stunning history book. This presentation by the National Museum of Natural History seeks to tell the stories behind the rocks we walk on and the gems we covet, and ultimately explain how they were made. Deep in Earth's pressure-cooker core, rocks morph into different minerals, depending on temperature. As magma races to the surface, it faces another set of factors. If the outside temperature is cold enough, the magma crystallizes and can harden into gems. Rocks such as marble, slate, granite, and even sandstone all had previous incarnations somewhere beneath Earth's crust. Next time you kick a pebble or skip a stone, consider how far it traveled to cross your path! (in Geology and Geophysics) |
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| May 20, 2003 |
Obsessive Consumption
Consumption,  consumption, what's your function? Unrepentant spender Kate Bingaman is on a mission -- she plans to track and photograph everything she buys during grad school. Kate's look at her consumption habits begs several interesting questions: Are we what we buy? Are we defined by our choice of brands, movies, books, and foods? Why do we buy what we do? What is the history behind each object purchased? Kate doesn't claim to have the answers, but this pet project may help her unravel our culture's obsession with consumption. From her near-daily Qwickick coffees to glossy design magazines to cases of Miller beer, Kate records all purchases (receipts included) and gives each a satisfaction rating. She also invites others to share mini-exhibitions about the history of a purchase. And if all this consumption drives you to consume even more, there's an Obsessive Consumption store with T-shirts, pins, and gift-wrap for sale. (in Visual Arts) |
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| May 19, 2003 |
Johanna's Art Inspired by Stevie Nicks
Artists  find inspiration in any number of ways -- the sun, the stars, a conversation, or maybe, just maybe, Stevie Nicks. Johanna -- the artist who created this "enchanted world of drawings and paintings" featuring the "rock-and-roll ballerina" -- has been a fan of Stevie Nicks since she heard "Edge of Seventeen" at age 16. She's created stationery, bookmarks, and tambourines with Stevie's likeness, as well as prints, both black-and-white and color. But Johanna's prized portraits section has to be considered the most remarkable aspect of this site. For a fee, she will create a piece of artwork that features you and Stevie in a setting of your choice. Fellow fan Amanda chose an angelic theme, while Kim decided to spend a star-kissed night with the "sister of the moon." If you're having a hard time picking a theme for your shared portrait, a few minutes with a Stevie jigsaw puzzle might just be what the rock-and-roll gypsy ordered. (in Thematic Art) |
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