| December 14, 2007 |
The Handlebar Club
Just any scraggly covering of the upper lip won't gain you full entry into London's Handlebar Club. The moustache in question must be "a hirsute appendage of the upper lip, with graspable extremities." Sprout such clutch-worthy growth, though, and you will be welcomed into this fellow hood of facial fuzz. (Good news for ZZ Top: Beardos are welcomed as "friends," just not official members.)
Even those unwilling, or unable, to cultivate exuberant whiskers or make it to the U.K. for the monthly meetings can still enjoy the mustachioed charms of the group's website. Wander through the gallery and say howdy to present and past club members. Peruse the FAQ page and uncover the answers to questions like "will a handlebar moustache suit me?" (yes) and "should I use a moustache curler?" (sure, but with caution).
Finally, delve into the picture archive, which goes back to the group's beginnings in 1947. Here, you will find such amusing lines as: "Passers-by stared in surprise at Brighton Station yesterday when five men with large moustaches stepped into a battered sports car and whirled away with their moustaches fluttering in the breeze."
With annual championships and a growing presence on photo-sharing sites like Flickr, the legion of magnificent moustaches appears to be on the rise. We reviewed the site back in 2002 for Picks. Recently, we emailed Steve Parsons, secretary of The Handlebar Club, to find out more about the group, its webpage, and life with a glorious 'stache... Read the full profile...
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| December 12, 2007 |
Online and Subversive
About a month after September 11, many people were delighted, some shocked, and not a few offended to find someone had forwarded them the latest exponentially spreading Web phenomenon: an online comic strip starring a handful of savagely sarcastic office workers engaged in flippant and profane discussions about the current events of the time.
The first panels featured a clip art representation of a Dan Quayle-ish business executive intoning over the phone, "Oh yeah! Operation Enduring Freedom is in the house!" The response from his clip-art compatriot, an equally dapper African American on the other end of the line, repeats the line and adds some extra punch better not repeated here. Thus the tone was set for "Get Your War On," a comic strip the New York Times has called "a textbook illustration of the viral reach of the Web." The vaunted paper titled the article, "Like Dilbert, but Subversive and Online." And in case you haven't already gotten the idea, we'd like to warn you: If you're uncomfortable with subversive and online, don't venture further.
"Get You War On" has since spawned two book collections, a regular run in "Rolling Stone," and a theatrical play. The satirist behind this Internet success story is 35-year old David Rees, a former temp worker who had created a pair of absurdist comic strips before September 11th jolted him into more controversial—and politically relevant—territory. David recently answered some questions for us over email. Read the full profile...
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| December 10, 2007 |
French Laundry at Home
There are many reasons why we love French Laundry at Home. The blog is bold in its endeavor (to make every recipe in "The French Laundry Cookbook"). It's enamored of its subject (cuisine, cooking, and chowing down). And it vividly translates the joie de vivre of the kitchen to the webpage.
Carol, the tour de force behind the site, also has the humor and the moxie to respond to stove-side emergencies with flair. Check out this line from a January entry where things threaten to go awry: "I felt the presence of MacGyver enter my soul, and I flung (flang? flinged?) open the door of the corner cabinet in my dining room to see what I might be able to use." Naturally, the culinary secret-agent saves the day. We leave it to you to find out how.
Why did this passionate home cook (and full-time business woman) start the site—and has she heard yet from Thomas Keller, the legendary chef/owner of The French Laundry? We wrote her to find out...
Hey Carol! You have several great posts explaining why you embarked on this project. Was the blog always a part of your idea of the endeavor? Have you blogged before?
I'd helped clients and others set up blogs but hadn't really done one of my own. I knew if I did a blog, it would have to be interesting not only for readers, but for me. I didn't want to start something I couldn't keep doing, or would lose interest in. I think blogging is a great way to tell the "story" of what I'm doing with "The French Laundry Cookbook." I love the interactivity and the feedback. It's so much fun to hear from readers who've tried some of these dishes, and it's heart-warming to hear from people who are now buying the book and making the food because they've seen that someone out there is doing it and they want to be more adventurous in the kitchen, too. That's freakin' awesome. Read the full profile...
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| December 07, 2007 |
The National UFO Reporting Center
 The National UFO Reporting Center has been investigating accounts of unexplained aerial phenomena since 1974. Online since the earliest days of the Web, the group's site was among the first to be added to the Yahoo! Directory, back in 1995.
Today, the webpage brims over with an impressive amount of information, including the latest sightings, historical accounts, case briefs, and a run-down of some of the most notable cases in the history of unknown objects spotted overhead.
We asked Peter Davenport, the center's director, a few questions about the effect the last decade has had on UFO reporting and UFOs in general.
How has the Web changed UFO reporting?
Generally, the Web has vastly improved UFO reporting. When NUFORC was first founded in 1974, the only effective means of receiving and disseminating data were 1) the telephone, and 2) the postal system. With the Internet, we can handle vastly more detailed information than a telephone conversation permits, and do it more quickly. It has, however, vastly increased the amount of data he/she has to handle.
On the negative side, the Web, as well as cell phones, may have lowered the quality of reports, and increased the number of hoaxes. Witnesses used to prepare formal written statements, but with the advent of the Web, the reports are written more hastily. Read the full profile...
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| December 05, 2007 |
Little People
Bring up "street art" and most people imagine the sides of buildings treated artfully—or hurriedly—with graffiti, stencils, or stickers. Thanks to the artist Slinkachu, some people may also think: "little hand painted people, left in London to fend for themselves."
For a year and a half, the photographer and artist Slinkachu—no other name needed, thanks—has posed diminutive human figures around the U.K.'s capital in positions of longing, trouble, repose, or despair.
His blog documenting the poses, appropriately titled "Little People: A Tiny Street Art Project," quickly caught on with the Web's art and whimsy-minded citizenry. It has since garnered praise both online and off. Slinkachu now has a deal with a press to print and sell selected Little People shots. In September, he participated in a street and urban art show in Norway.
We wrote about Little People last September. Recently, we emailed the mysterious Slinkachu to see what he'd be willing to divulge about his activities since then...
Hey, Slinkachu. We had so much fun writing about Little People. Is coming up with the shots and posing the tiny figures as enjoyable as we imagine it to be?
It can be fun, especially seeing the final piece in place. A few weeks back, I was setting up an installation around a dog poo, though, and that wasn't so much fun. Read the full profile...
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| About Yahoo! Picks Profiles |
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Who is the person behind that marvelous domain? We profile and interview the
creators of some of our favorite sites.
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Nov 30, 2007
Ecorazzi - Rebecca Carter and her crack team of bloggers bring us the latest in green gossip.
Nov 28, 2007
The Antique Christmas Lights Museum - George Nelson illuminates the Web with history of electric Christmas lighting in the U.S.
Nov 26, 2007
The McFly 2015 Project - Remember Marty McFly's Nike high-tops in 'Back to the Future 2'? Mickey Maloof does. And he's pushing to get them made again.
Nov 21, 2007
Straight Cash Homey - Amir and Ethan are documenting unfortunate jersey choices coast-to-coast.
Nov 19, 2007
Crossovers & Spin Offs Master Page - From 'All in the Family' spin offs to the 'Star Trek' franchise, Thom Holbrook is the TV crossover czar.
Nov 16, 2007
Border Film Project - In 2005, three friends created a project that brings photos by Mexican migrants and American Minutemen together on the Web.
Nov 14, 2007
TV Barn - Critic Aaron Barnhart has been writing about television on the Web since 1994.
Nov 12, 2007
A Few Questions for David Byrne - The original Talking Head answers a few questions about the state of music online.
Nov 09, 2007
Emdashes - It's simple. Emily Gordon loves The New Yorker.
Nov 07, 2007
Aquarium Drunkard - Justin Gage wallows in his love of tunes in this diverse music blog.
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