(020301) Protz On Beer - Welsh pubs for St. David's Day
http://www.protzonbeer.com/documents/27660-001259.html

Roger Protz
Real Beer Inc.
Staines, England

A page at Protz On Beer (http://www.protzonbeer.com/), Protz On Beer - Welsh pubs for St. David's Day offers up a set of five reviews. Reviewed for more than just their particular version of St. David's Day cawl, a leek broth enjoyed on this day, traditional specialties of each establishment are celebrated. And Roger Protz also writes about beer and even mentions the "biggest single-hinged door in Britain". (Back to top of page)

(020302) Molecular Expressions: The Beershots Photo Gallery
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/beershots/index.html

Michael W. Davidson
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
The Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida , USA

Everyone who has ever worked with an optical microscope has looked at something that they knew was unrelated to what they were studying. Maybe a hair or possibly saliva in the form of spit. Molecular Expressions: Images from the Microscope (http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/) is full of galleries containing just such images. Following the Site du Jour of the Day episode featuring Protz On Beer - Welsh pubs for St. David's Day (http://www.protzonbeer.com/documents/27660-001259.html) (SdJotD 020301), Molecular Expressions: The Beershots Photo Gallery seems like a logical choice. Have microscope, will look at beer! Be sure to read the technical information — this is science after all. Other galleries include cocktails, birthstones, phytochemicals, secret images etched on microchips, and images made using the readily available Intel QX3 microscope. There are a lot of fun items at Molecular Expressions: Images from the Microscope. (Back to top of page)

(020303) PIntel^® Play™ QX3™ Plus Computer Microscope
http://www.intelplay.com/products/qx3/

Intel Corporation
Santa Clara, California, USA

_________________________________

Using the Intel Play QX3 Microscope
by Jim Harper, S. Carolina, USA
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjan00/jhqx3.html

Jim Harper
Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA

Microscopy UK
Onview.net Ltd
Wallington, England

The Intel^® Play™ QX3™ Plus Computer Microscope, as the name implies, is a toy. It's certainly a very cool toy though. Connected to a computer, the Intel^® Play™ QX3™ Plus Computer Microscope and related software allows for an all-day adventure. Time lapse images, magnification up to 200X, and other functions make this a useful diversion. The Intel site, Intel^® Play™ QX3™ Plus Computer Microscope is more or less an advertisement and support page for the product. Jim Harper's Using the Intel Play QX3 Microscope is a mirror site of sorts, and is hosted by Microscopy UK (http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/). The article explains the process of using the Intel^® Play™ QX3™ Plus Computer Microscope for its intended purpose, and for use with minor modifications. (Back to top of page)

(020304) Tom's Hardware Guide
http://www4.tomshardware.com/

Tom's Guides Publishing LLC
Carpinteria, California, USA

Founded in 1996 by Thomas Pabst, Tom's Hardware Guide is a round-up of fact and opinion on the subject of computers. Finding information on the latest and greatest can is easy with Tom's Hardware Guide. Editors from the field of information technology give relatively clear views on peripherals and consumer electronics, audio and video devices, mainboards, CPUs, mobiles, and more. If you are comfortable adding devices to your computer, Tom's Hardware Guide is ideal for discovering new options.

Also, a visit to The Driver Guides (http://www.driverguide.com) (SdJotD 971031) can lead to better machine performance. Updating software instead of hardware can often do the trick. When it comes to changing hardware and/or software, always remember to read the instructions, perform a backup, write down settings, read the instructions, and then have at it. (Back to top of page)

(020305) towboat
http://koti.mbnet.fi/~soldier/towboat.htm

Kim Ihalainen
Finland

Suggested by Charlie Lester, who with good reason sent just the URL. Visitors to towboat will find a photo essay on the marvels of operating hardware outside of design parameters.

For details after viewing, and a complete description of what you have seen. (http://www.steamradio.com/pipermail/multihulls/2002-February/008817.html). (Back to top of page)

(020306) Tugboat Jerry's Web Site
http://www.tugboatjerry.com/

Jerry Businelle
Patterson, Louisiana, USA

Combine a childhood influenced by the music of Jimmie Rodgers and Ernest Tubb, a Boat Captain license by the age of 17, and a regional following with that guitar, and you've got yourself Tugboat Jerry.

Later, a woodcarving out of a toothpick of Dolly Parton will garner national media attention — he sings, he dances, he carves famous Country singers out of wood! It's Tugboat Jerry!

A cool story here at Tugboat Jerry's Web Site. Read the story so far, look for concert dates, and listen to audio samples from Tugboat Jerry's CD, Remembering Ernest Tubb. (Back to top of page)

(020307) The Louisiana and Cajun Website Directory
http://www.louisianacajun.com/

Robert Keith Gaudet
Bayou Vista, Texas, USA

The Louisiana and Cajun Website Directory is an extensive portal. The main concern of The Louisiana and Cajun Website Directory are sites pertaining to region surrounding the Mississippi River Delta — the state of Louisiana and beyond. Original content makes The Louisiana and Cajun Website Directory that much nicer to use. Food, music, and tourism are only a few of the subjects visitors will find. (Back to top of page)

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(020308) The Mirror Project
http://www.mirrorproject.com/

Heather Champ
Aaron Straup Cope
San Francisco, California, USA

There was this hilarious auction photograph circulating as a JPEG recently. At first it seemed to be nothing more than a teakettle. A very shiny teakettle — with a reflection of the necked fella who was taking the picture. The reflection was distorted to the point where specific features were not to be seen, but it was more than obvious that the fella was necked.

Making a photograph of oneself can be a magical experience, especially if it's something that is intended. Accidental self-portraits can certainly be amusing, but when an effort is made to incorporate things like lighting and composition the images usually turn out better.

The Mirror Project is a collection of thousands of visitor submitted self-portraits, all involving at least one reflective surface outside of the camera. This is a wonderful project suitable for viewing by all audiences. (Back to top of page)

(020309) Taking Photos of Reflective Objects
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/reflect.htm

Charles Lewton-Brain
Brain Press Publications
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The Ganoksin Project
Ganoksin Jewelry Co., Ltd
Bangkok, Thailand

Reflections as an intentional part of the photograph was the focus of The Mirror Project (http://www.mirrorproject.com/) (SdJotD 020308) but this page at The Ganoksin Project - The Gem and Jewelry World's foremost Resource on The Internet (http://www.ganoksin.com/), takes on the subject of photographing shiny stuff. Taking Photos of Reflective Objects is an illustrated article written by Charles Lewton-Brain that looks at how pictures are made of reflective objects. A visit to the small gallery of images of Charles Lewton-Brain's jewelry designs (http://www.ganoksin.com/brain/gallery.htm) will show how well the photography techniques work. (Back to top of page)

(020310) Identifont - identify fonts and typefaces
http://www.identifont.com/

Human-Computer Interface Limited
Cambridge, England

Occasionally there's nothing quite like the adventure of trying to identify a particular font or typeface. If you have ever burned off half an hour leafing through printed font samples or changing the attributes of a line of type to find something in particular, then Identifont - identify fonts and typefaces will probably become one of your all-time favorite utility sites. Identifying a face or family by visual clues is the aspect of Identifont - identify fonts and typefaces I have found the most useful — locating a font by name can come in handy as well. There are a lot of features at Identifont - identify fonts and typefaces and the database contains fonts from the likes of Adobe, Agfa-Monotype, Berthold, Bitstream, FontFont, ITC, Letraset, Linotype, P22, and URW++. Thanks to Hoagy Melodic for the suggestion. (Back to top of page)

(020311) Chank Fonts!
http://chank.com/

Chank Diesel
The Chank Company
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

While on the subject of type (Identifont - identify fonts and typefaces (http://www.identifont.com/) (SdJotD 020310)), Chank Fonts! certainly deserves another mention. Originally Site du Jour of the Day back on October 10, 1998 (SdJotD 981010), the fonts from The Chank Company still ring fresh, and are well worth looking at. Here is the episode of Site du Jour of the Day that first featured what was then known as The Chank Company Alphabet Store.

In the old days of graphic design it wasn't uncommon for an artist to define the image of a product or company with nothing more than letterforms. A logotype or advertising headline would be hand drawn, reflecting the talent of that particular artist. If the individual moved on or was otherwise unable to create new designs, the company would try and find another to emulate the previous style. Failure would be the result more often than not and a new look was quickly developed. Typography is not a simple art, it's more than simply drawing letters and numbers. A font or type family need to work as a whole piece, conveying a specific feel or message, never getting in the way of the words it creates. Computers have taken a lot of the art out of font creation and by the sheer volume of poorly designed and incomplete sets available the future looks dim. There are CD-ROMs on the market today holding thousands of fonts, some not too bad and others just plain ugly. These seem to be the most popular from what I've seen. While I make no claim at expert status when it comes to typography, let me cut this short by simply stating that type is meant to be invisible and that only on rare occasions does bold text in all capitals look "professional."

The Chank Company Alphabet Store is almost one of those places one would like to keep a secret. Chank Diesel and other talented designers have assembled a wonderful line of display fonts with attitude. Hand drawn and professionally rendered, a Chank font is an amazing thing. Most contain the whole character set, which in itself avoids so many printing problems and can come in handy whenever you need a cent sign (¢) or paragraph mark (¶), for example. As an introduction to the fine work available cheap here, a large selection of free fonts can be downloaded and installed for Mac and Windows machines. This is where the keep-it-a-secret part comes in. It would be a crying shame to see some of these unique fonts abused to the point of becoming commonplace or even perceived as ugly. If you take a few, please use them with care and consider sending Chank the ten dollars if you are selling whatever you make with a Chank font. New fonts are constantly being created and are available for sale or subscription. A lot of quality work has been created using these fonts and never being afraid of shameless self-promotion, Chank Diesel has assembled a nice gallery of examples from real life — a rather impressive line-up so far that includes food product packaging and best-selling album covers. (Back to top of page)

(020312) TotallyStupid.com
You are now part of the problem
http://www.totallystupid.com/

Robert Zimmerman
Asheville, North Carolina, USA

If you have ever been interested in totally stupid stuff, TotallyStupid.com is going to be fun for you. Imagine one site with pointers to hundreds of completely wacky sites, those sites that only a place called TotallyStupid.com could get away with listing. More than just a portal, TotallyStupid.com allows visitors to participate in a number of ways. Just when you started to thinking that you've wasted enough time on the Internet. (Back to top of page)

(020313) Exploring The Planets - Uranus
http://www.nasm.si.edu/ceps/etp/uranus/

Exploring The Planets - Pluto
http://www.nasm.si.edu/ceps/etp/pluto/

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

_________________________________

Ask the Space Scientist about : Solar System - Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/ask/aurnepl.html

Sten Odenwald
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

On March 13, 1781, William Hershel discovered Uranus. Long the butt of many jokes, the planet was originally called Georgius Sidus for George III, coincidentally, the butt of many jokes.

On March 13, 1930, Clyde Tombaugh announced on the 75th anniversary of the birth of Percy Lowell, the discovery of Pluto. Percy Lowell had predicted the existence of the planet Pluto and Clyde Tombaugh was on staff at the Lowell Observatory. Talk about giving propers.

Part of Exploring The Planets (http://www.nasm.si.edu/ceps/etp/etp.htm) from the National Air and Space Museum, Exploring The Planets - Uranus and Exploring The Planets - Pluto help visitors explore the two planets even though they are billions of miles away from Earth.

Part of Poetry Space Science Education: Ask The Space Scientist (http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/ask/askmag.html), Ask the Space Scientist about : Solar System - Uranus, Neptune, Pluto allows visitors to read answers to 13 questions about Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. The main site has quite a few additional topics related to space and science. Sten Odenwald's answers are right on the mark and should serve as a nice basic reference. (Back to top of page)

(020314) LawSmart: Free Legal Documents, Free Legal Forms
http://www.lawsmart.com/

LawInfo Legal Resource Center
San Marcos, California, USA

Suggested by TheREALJoeyP, LawSmart: Free Legal Documents, Free Legal Forms rounds up hundreds of letters and forms that could be used in one form of legal action or another. Searchable by state and practice, the forms are easily the highlight of LawSmart: Free Legal Documents, Free Legal Forms. Other features include Frequently Asked Questions about legal topics, Legal and Practice Area Dictionary, Fill & Print Letters & Forms, and the general interest Audio Guides. As the disclaimer states, "The Legal Resource Center Forms and documents are for educational purposes. Due to the intense personal nature of any legal issue, it is suggested that you consult with appropriate legal counsel to ensure your issues are effectively resolved." A good idea.

A similar resource is FindLaw: Internet Legal Resources (http://www.findlaw.com/) (SdJotD 980212). Categories include Law Schools, Legal Organizations, Law Firms & Lawyers, Laws: Cases & Codes, State Laws and Constitutions, U.S. Federal Government Resources, Foreign & International Resources, News & Reference, and a particularly interesting section titled FindLaw: Supreme Court Opinions (http://www.findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html). (Back to top of page)

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(020315) A Beginner's Guide to Effective Email
http://www.webfoot.com/advice/email.top.html

Kaitlin Duck Sherwood
Palo Alto, California, USA

Kaitlin Duck Sherwood knows more than most people do about e-mail. A lot more in fact. A Beginner's Guide to Effective Email is an extended article on the subject of using electronic mail as a communication tool. A great resource for anyone who uses e-mail on a regular basis, and ultimately, even better for those who do not. (Back to top of page)

(020316) Eels Official Site
http://EELStheband.com

The Eels Partnership
ARTISTdirect, Inc.
Los Angeles, California, USA

You enjoyed the albums Beautiful Freak, Electro-Shock Blues, and Daisies Of The Galaxy. Possibly even marveled over the Oh What A Beautiful Morning live set. If so, Eels' brand-new (in the US) record, SOULJACKER is going to be a treat. Samples from many places including Eels, combined with clever lyrics and the same brand of Pop mischief that makes acts like Beck, Ben Folds, or Robyn Hitchcock so very entertaining — it all comes together with SOULJACKER. Radio might test a few tracks, Bus Stop Boxer; Woman Driving, Man Sleeping; and Jungle Telegraph are stand outs for my money. Radio might also run like scared children, Eels with John Parish and Kool G Murder have made a really great record. A couple of years ago, Novocaine For The Soul made chart progress and if the magic that allowed that particular single to grab the attention it did. With any luck this new album will have a similar fortune. It's not a normal record and leader Mark Oliver Everett, also known as E explores a few areas not often heard about in Popular Music. Adult themes and adult language and some of the best Pop lines to come around in ages. There's a bonus disc included with the US release, the Rotten World Blues EP and it contains mostly B-Side stuff.

Eels Official Site has tour dates, pictures, news, audio and video samples. Not for everyone, a visit to Eels Official Site may help you decide if SOULJACKER is for you. I certainly do like it.

You little punks think you own this town. (Back to top of page)

(020317) Dublin's FM104
Dublin's Most Music Radio Station
http://www.fm104.ie/

FM104
Dublin, Ireland

What better a way to celebrate the anniversary of Saint Patrick tricking all of the rats out Dublin with his flute than some hit radio from Dublin's 104 - Dublin's Most Music Radio Station. Top of the heap with Dublin radio listeners between 15 and 34 years-old, the Dublin Top 40 is a mixed bag for sure. Listen to the RealAudio Stream of the live broadcast, have a look at the top singles and albums, learn about some of the 65 people on staff, and see other radio station stuff. Dig the 15% Bonus Airtime for Irish Language Advertising offer on the Advertising Rates page in the Business section. (Back to top of page)

(020318) SpinnWebe: The Sign Prank
http://www.spinnwebe.com/stories/sign/

SpinnWebe: Quiz: Industrial Solvent
http://www.spinnwebe.com/quiztaker/solvent.php

SpinnWebe
Chicago, Illinois, USA

These two sections of the SpinnWebe site (http://www.spinnwebe.com/) are entertaining. That's not to say that the remainder of the site is not entertaining, just that these sections alone are worth visiting. The rest of SpinnWebe could be considered a bonus.

SpinnWebe: The Sign Prank tells the tale of a mission to change the wisdom on an inspirational sign back in 1995. The results of a contest turn into something almost unbelievable — make certain to read about "The Oddness" down almost at the end of the page.

SpinnWebe: Quiz: Industrial Solvent is a simple exercise in self-discovery. Answer a short series of questions about yourself and the machine lets you know which industrial solvent you would be if you were an industrial solvent.

All of this and more at SpinnWebe. (Back to top of page)

(020319) Volcano Live
http://www.volcanolive.com/

John Seach
Volcano Live Pty Ltd
Chatsworth Island, New South Wales, Australia

A volcano portal, Volcano Live provides a lot of original content on active and inactive volcanoes around the world. With over 3,000 pages of information on volcanoes, Volcano Live is ideal for educators, students, and anyone else interested in this beautiful and often deadly aspect of nature. Volcanologist John Seach shares knowledge and enthusiasm on the subject through this site with text, photographs, and pointers to additional resources. Thanks to Reddog for the suggestion. (Back to top of page)

(020320) The Asteroid Impact vs. Volcano–Greenhouse Dinosaur Extinction Debate
http://filebox.vt.edu/artsci/geology/mclean/Dinosaur_Volcano_Extinction/

Dewey M. McLean
Department of Geological Sciences
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

There has been a lot of debate on the topic of exactly what killed off the dinosaurs. Earth threatening asteroids are a definite reality. Volcanoes belching out all sorts of nasty stuff have been the source of destruction as well. Some would argue that the dinosaurs all died off because of a pandemic of some sort. Some argue that there still are/never really were dinosaurs. This paper by Dewey M. McLean looks at a few possibilities in the debate. As with any scientific debate, there are always new ideas being tested and old ones being retired. Truth of this whole subject lies in the fact that nobody knows exactly what happened 65 million years ago to cause such a mess on Earth. (Back to top of page)

(020321) Asteroid Comet Impact Hazards
http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/

SYMTECH Corporation
Arlington, Virginia, USA

NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, California, USA

The discovery of asteroids and comets coming in close to the Earth has seen a lot of news coverage during the past couple of days. The "sky is falling" mentality is understandable to a point, a visit to the Asteroid Comet Impact Hazards site from the SYMTECH Corporation and the NASA Ames Research Center will either be disturbing or informative. Possibly both. Near Earth Objects range in size from dust particles to the size of ice cream trucks and battleships. Learn what is being discovered about these cosmic neighbors and how they impact life on Earth. Happy Equinox. (Back to top of page)

_

For a wide selection of Music, Movies, and More

(020322) North American Meteor Network Home Page
http://www.namnmeteors.org/

North American Meteor Network
Medford, Massachusetts, USA

Sometimes there might be one event the whole night long, other times, like during the last Leonids storm, there are thousands of brilliant fireballs in the sky. With sections as rich as the North American Meteor Network's Guide to Meteor Showers and Their Observation, the North American Meteor Network Home Page is one that should be seen by even those with a minor interest in the night sky. Everyone enjoys seeing a meteor, especially members of the North American Meteor Network — and membership is free for the registration. Be sure to have a look at the NAMN 2002 Meteor Shower Calendar for upcoming shows. Pointers to outside resources can help visitors to locate additional information. Those outside of North America may wish to see The International Meteor Organization (http://www.imo.net/) site in addition to the North American Meteor Network Home Page. (Back to top of page)

(020323) Fleurieu Artificial Reef Project - SATC
http://www.dive-southaustralia.com/

Fleurieu Artificial Reef Society Inc.
South Australian Tourism Commission
Government of South Australia
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Imagine taking a decommissioned Charles F. Adams class guided missile destroyer from the Royal Australia Navy, and intentionally sinking it. That's exactly what is going to happen to the ex-HMAS Hobart. The goal of the Fleurieu Artificial Reef Project is to start an artificial reef system to encourage tourism. The environmental aspect of the story is interesting, but with an extensive reef system competing for tourist dollars on the other side of the country, the Fleurieu Artificial Reef Society Inc. and the South Australian Tourism Commission have found a novel solution. Read about the project, see what you can do to help, or just look at the pretty pictures. Thanks to Joanne Traeger for the suggestion. (Back to top of page)

(020324) Migratory Birds Conservation Division - Canadian Wildlife Service - Environment Canada
http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/birds/trends/

National Wildlife Research Centre
Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

_________________________________

North American Breeding Bird Survey
http://www.mp2-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/

United States Department of the Interior
United States Geological Survey
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Laurel, Maryland, USA

If you live in an area in North America that is visited by migratory birds, these two sites should prove interesting. In an ongoing project, the governments of Canada and the United States are taking an estimated census of migratory bird populations. The process of the survey has been in practice for decades, but this study is on a very large scale. The Canadian site pertains only to Canada, but the US site covers both countries. Like other large-scale surveys, the information presented is intended to show general trends. There is a lot going on at these two sites. (Back to top of page)

(020325) Canadian Snowbird Association
http://www.snowbirds.org/

Canadian Snowbird Association
Medipac International Inc.
North York, Ontario, Canada

Not as prevalent here in Southwest Florida this year, the Canadian Snowbird does fairly well if s/he does it right. Also known as Icebacks in the days before NAFTA, the Canadian Snowbird helps to support the Florida economy all the while staying warm. This site is a wonderful portal for the Canadian Snowbird no matter if the destination is in Arizona, California, Florida, or Texas. It looks as though the sale of insurance policies is a major factor in the existence of the Canadian Snowbird Association site, but the site also contains a hill of free and useful information. Wade through the sales pitches and you should be in a good way. (Back to top of page)

(020326) ANHL^® 2002 - Barenaked Ladies Get In The Game
http://nhl2002.ea.com/en/barenakedladies.html

Electronic Arts Inc.
Redwood City, California, USA

Imagine if the members of the phenomenal Canadian musical act Barenaked Ladies (http://www.bnlmusic.com/) played professional hockey. NHL^® 2002 from Electronic Arts Inc. allows for just such a thing, Jim Creeggan, Tyler Stewart, Steven Page, Ed Robertson, and Kevin Hearn can all be added to the lineup of any team in the National Hockey League (http://nhl.com/). There is a functioning demonstration version available as a fairly large download here at the Electronic Arts Inc. site, and at the BNL site in the Multimedia section. This is almost as cool as the time members of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra toured with the Harlem Globetrotters. (Back to top of page)

(020327) Saturday Night Live Transcripts Musical Guests
http://snltranscripts.jt.org/music/

Saturday Night Live - Information & Biography Center
San Francisco, California, USA

A section of the unofficial Saturday Night Live - Information & Biography Center (http://snlibc.jt.org/), Saturday Night Live Transcripts Musical Guests is a pleasant look back at what has been the most consistent part of US television on Saturday nights for decades — the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Set up in chronological order, a small video capture, the name of the artists, the title of the number performed, and the date of the original broadcast are listed. What is probably the most interesting about this whole deal is that it's easy to forget just how many outstanding acts have appeared on this television show over the years. Well done. (Back to top of page)

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Updated March 27, 2002