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(000401) Tom Petty Is Dead
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stage/4890/

Jesse Lavery
Disraeli Productions
Pennsylvania, USA

_________________________________

Why Tom Petty is Dead
http://www.redrival.com/whytomisdead/

Gregory Kline
Pennsylvania, USA

I've always wondered why Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers records started to get suckier and suckier from about the time that Southern Accents was released in 1985. It has been a gradual deterioration, not one listeners would notice from album to album. Now the truth is told, Tom Petty is dead.

Before the 1980s were over, me and Buffy J. saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the Sun Dome at the University of South Florida in Tampa. We should have known that something was not right when we got by the old guy who was the only member of event security left after the show. Right after we made it past the geriatric guard we met Paul Westerberg, the singer for the Replacements. The Replacements opened the show that night. Paul Westerberg was really drunk and that was a big surprise to both Buffy J. and me. Paul Westerberg must have been overwhelmed by the secret he was keeping on that tour. The secret that Tom Petty was slowly slipping away from life.

We did get a chance to see Tom Petty while backstage that night. He was greeting fans who had passes. Since we had no business being there in the first place we did not push the issue after waiting in a line for almost an hour only to see Tom Petty and the rest of the band escorted out of the room when the pass holders were done. In retrospect, they were probably all actors anyway.

These two related sites tell the whole story — from the bright beginning to the almost tearful end. Research, images and analysis all point to one conclusion. Tom Petty is dead. The record labels would be foolish to come forward with information at this point but may be forced to in the end. See why by looking at the unique content of both sites. This could prove to be one of the biggest conspiracies of our time.  (Back to top of page)


(000402) The Canadian Literature Archive
http://canlit.st-john.umanitoba.ca/Canlitx/Canlit_homepage.html

St. John's College
The English Department of the University of Manitoba
The Archives at the Dafoe Library at the University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

The Canadian Literature Archive is an ongoing project centered around writers, literary organizations, publications, and library archives in and of Canada. Since October 1994, The Canadian Literature Archive has assembled the biographical information and bibliographies of a number of Canadian writers with additional listings added regularly. An ideal resource for students and educators, The Canadian Literature Archive continues its evolution filling a much needed gap in the field of Canadian literature. Of particular note here are announcements for literary conferences being held in Canada and other parts of the world, and pointers to other sites including the Prairie Culture Index.  (Back to top of page)


(000403) Dr. Mango's Nude Celebrity Thumbnails
http://www.drmango.com/nct/

Vision Communications
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA

Back in February, a Site du Jour of the Day episode looked at the site for Landover Baptist: America's Favorite Church (http://www.landoverbaptist.org/) (SdJotD 000203) and a couple of readers wrote to express their opinions on the nature of the site. One reader expressed concern about the existence of sites which make up the underbelly of the Internet, stating that up to that time when the episode went out they were not aware of sites with dubious taste and or content.

As Socialist singer-songwriter Billy Bragg once said, "Sometimes you gotta take the crunchy with the smooth". I see a lot of sites while scouting for Site du Jour of the Day episodes and have seen a few which are simply not suited for all audiences. Popular Culture and the Internet have turned celebrity status into an invitation for fanaticism, leaving the minutiae of a star's life fair game. Modeling shots that were taken before a big movie deal can sometimes prove to have a positive or negative effect on a career. When they are released on the Internet all sorts of things can happen.

If you have never seen such sites you are not missing much but you should have a look at Dr. Mango's Nude Celebrity Thumbnails. Tastefully designed, I would probably even show my own mother this site. In the sake of fairness though, all of the celebrities currently featured at Dr. Mango's Nude Celebrity Thumbnails are female, if you count Janet Reno. The gender bias is a little heavy handed but that's just an observation. Before you cancel your Site du Jour of the Day subscription have a look — I would not have suggested this site if it was offensive to even the most conservative tastes. Heck, this stuff is art!  (Back to top of page)


(000404) Oz - Everything about Australia, from Aerial Pingpong to Zambucks
http://www.effect.net.au/lukastan/oz/Mainmenu.htm

Lucas Tan
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Oz is a wonderful set of pages devoted to the people and cultures of Australia. Clever illustrations and well written copy help visitors explore the country and perhaps gain a little insight on what it means to be Australian. Particularly impressive is the fact that Lucas Tan has made the text of this site available as a single file download for students and others who might be interested. For full effect, visit the System Requirements page (http://www.effect.net.au/lukastan/oz/Sysreq.htm) for font information and like that. Oz has continued to improve over time and should prove to be an excellent reference for anyone interested in things Australian.  (Back to top of page)


(000405) Hubble Space Telescope 10th Anniversary
http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/spacesci/hst10/hst_main.htm

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Homepage
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

On April 25th the Hubble Space Telescope will celebrate an important milestone, one many critics of the project thought it would never see. Celebrating ten years in orbit gathering data never imagined sixty years ago when ideas about "The Large Space Telescope" started to form. Named for astronomer Edwin Hubble the telescope is capturing light from distances so great, it is possible that we are witnessing the beginning of time. On April 10, 2000, the U.S. Postal Service (http://new.usps.com/) will issue five new postage stamps featuring images of the Eagle Nebula, the Ring Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, the Egg Nebula and Galaxy NGC 1316, all taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/) site has images and history of the Hubble Space Telescope along with pointers to related sites. One such site, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.'s Space Telescope Science Institute/Hubble Space Telescope Public Information (http://oposite.stsci.edu/) (SdJotD 991107) has beautiful images captured during the past ten years.

Other interesting features at the Goddard Space Flight Center currently include the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Television Infrared Observation Satellite, the world's first weather satellite which started transmitting shortly after launch on April 1, 1960. The upcoming launch of the latest in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system, GOES I-M will add to the tools available to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and weather forecasters everywhere.  (Back to top of page)


(000406) Experience California
http://digilib.cwru.edu/dkh2/Californ.htm

Keith Higgs
Cleveland, Ohio, USA

See it here!
https://members.tripod.com/~SdJotD/2000/expca.htm

Not really a whole site but instead a novel page worth seeing. Written by Keith Higgs, who is a Digital Services Specialist at Case Western Reserve University (http://www.cwru.edu/) in Cleveland, this page is only scheduled to stay up through April 14, 2000. Saving it to a local server or drive is recommended for future enjoyment. Unless objected to by the author, the Experience California page will be modified to include a source credit and become viewable at the Site du Jour of the Day Archive site in conjunction with this episode after the 14th. Thanks to Judy Dickson for suggesting this one.  (Back to top of page)


(000407) Classical 102.1 KDFC
http://kdfc.com/

KDFC
Bonneville International Corporation
San Francisco, California, USA

Streaming audio has been a pleasant addition to the experience of looking at sites for a few years now, and with improvements in the technologies used can offer audio quality matching regular broadcast methods. Popular music can often be too distracting especially when sites being viewed are heavy with text. Classical music is a nice solution and the programming coming out of Classical 102.1 KDFC is just about right. Rather than playing an entire piece lasting half an hour or more, an overture or individual movement is aired. Purists may not approve, and the practice is not unique to this station but what stands out here is that Classical 102.1 KDFC was the top music station in the Bay Area's fall 1999 ratings book. A Classical station taking the number one spot is almost unheard of in any market. The streaming audio content from this site is perfect for individuals wishing to expand their knowledge of Classical music through exposure to the form. The rest of the site looks at news and music history with a number of different sections including Great Composers, Beginners Pages, and ClassicNotes. For visitors and listeners who wish to purchase the selections played on Classical 102.1 KDFC, an Affiliate account has been established with CDNOW and proceeds help support the non-profit Music Matters program (http://kdfc.com/onair/musicmatters.html). Music Matters brings Classical music to children in the San Francisco area who might not otherwise have a chance to hear it. Classical 102.1 KDFC is also home to the San Francisco Symphony every Tuesday evening from 8:00 to 10:00.  (Back to top of page)


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(000408) VisualRoute Server
http://visualroute.datametrics.com/

Datametrics Systems Corporation
Fairfax, Virginia, USA

Without going into the details, every time you connect to a site that is not on a local server, a signal is being passed through at least one additional machine. On occasion your connection has crossed an entire continent even if the site being looked at is on the other side of town. The VisualRoute Server allows users to enter a URL and see in textural and graphic data where the signal has been routed, how long it takes to get an answer, and ultimately where the site is. Technical information about how it all works is available at this site but the real fun lies in watching the VisualRoute Server do its thing. The routes are traced from user selected servers in Fairfax, Surrey, Barrie, Rotterdam, Fremont, and Tampa and each is worth poking around with. If you have ever wondered how the World Wide Web got its name here's a chance to find out and see it in action.  (Back to top of page)


(000409) Dialpad.com
http://dialpad.com

Dialpad.com, Inc.
Santa Clara, California, USA

Long distance carriers may very well be fuming mad over this little gem. A 100+ MHz machine running Windows, a full or half-duplex sound card, a 33.6 kbps or faster Internet connection, speakers and a microphone, or combination headphone/microphone are all you need to make free phone calls to any phone in the United States. A full-duplex sound card allows for two way conversations which is a plus.

Quality of the signal is great for the price and Dialpad.com, Inc. is working on the system to improve quality before adding international features. Perfect for calling hotlines in other cities to hear recorded messages, talking to folks who live far away, or maybe just saving toll charges when calling the They Might Be Giants Dial-A-Song line — (718) 387-6962 (http://www.dialasong.com/) (SdJotD 990626). There are other service which allow computer to computer conversations, but dialpad.com is so cool in that the party placing the call is the only one who needs to be on a machine. Ideal for making local calls without losing a single line connection too.  (Back to top of page)


(000410) The Ad Critic - All Ads, All The Time
http://www.adcritic.com/

The Ad Critic, LLC
Falls Church, Virginia, USA

Sometimes the best part of watching commercial television is not the programs, it's the announcements networks air to pay for the programs. Particularly during special events, a corporation will unveil the latest and greatest, hoping to make a catch phrase out of some element of the commercial. Generating enough word of mouth publicity that viewers will wait to see the ad again and again.

The Ad Critic - All Ads, All The Time is a site that has streaming and downloadable versions of 15, 30, and 60 second commercials, full length movie trailers, and more — beware that some files are quite large. A nice feature of The Ad Critic - All Ads, All The Time is the Music In Advertising page which lists the product, name of the commercial, song and artist featured in those memorable ads with soundtracks that'll interest viewers enough to buy the record and maybe even the product. New Ads This Week, Top 10 Commercials, and News help round out the content here. If you are in the ad game, look for information about submitting your latest project. Should the world of advertising be of interest to you, the trade publication Advertising Age (http://adage.com/) (SdJotD 000212) has a site that commands attention when you are done with The Ad Critic - All Ads, All The Time. A special thank you goes out to Michael deCamp for scouting out this site.  (Back to top of page)


(000411) Remembering Tiny Tim
http://www.tinytim.org

Sue Khaury
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Turning a tune from the 1920s and a ukulele into an amazing if not odd career, Tiny Tim entertained the world. If you remember him, have a look at this site. If for some reason you have never heard of Tiny Tim or his signature number Tiptoe Thru' the Tulips, this will be a good introduction. Maintained by the artists widow and family, Remembering Tiny Tim has photographs and news clippings, pointers to related sites, Tiny Tim memorabilia and a lot more. Compiled by Ernie Clark, The Tiny Tim Treasury Of Popular Song is mirrored here and is the only updated and official Tiny Tim Discography. You'll want to read the essay Tip Toe Thru The Tulips --being A History (With Digression) Of This Classic Song-- (http://www.tinytim.org/articles/essay.html) by Doran Wittelsbach. Recording and performing right up to his death in 1996, Tiny Tim was unique. A very nice site honoring an American original. Thanks to Stephen Meigs for the suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000412) Reyn's - World Famous Makers of the Authentic Hawaiian Aloha Shirt
http://www.reyns.com/

Reyn Spooner, Inc.
Kamuela, Hawaii, USA

_________________________________

Rayon: The Multi-Faceted Fiber
HYG-5538-93
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/hyg-fact/5000/5538.html

Joyce A. Smith and Norma Pitts
Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet
College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, USA

Never having gone out of style, Hawaiian Shirts have seen a resurgence of popularity the past season or two and in my opinion that's a wonderful thing. Officially known as Aloha Shirts only if manufactured in Hawaii, the bold print garments have a wide range of themes. Floral prints seem to be the most prevalent although sea shells and abstract designs have made a good showing in certain parts of the country. Originally manufactured using muumuu fabrics, the commercial success of retailers like Reyn's came about due to Hawaii's statehood and increased tourism to the islands. Reyn's took it a little further by introducing consistent quality to the market and in part, by toning down the prints and reputation of Aloha Shirts. The Reyn's site explores the history of the form and displays the current product line created and sold by the company. Made primarily from one of two fabrics, Aloha Shirts can be out of traditional cotton or of rayon. I personally prefer rayon and for that reason have included the URL for a page at The Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet site (http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/) from the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences. This page looks at the history, uses, and composition of rayon. For more things Hawaiian, check out Mo'o and Lolo's Hawaiian Dictionary Online (http://www.hisurf.com/cgi-bin/DM/dictionary.cgi) and Find Your Hawaiian Name (http://www.hisurf.com/cgi-bin/DM/hawaiian_name.cgi) (SdJotD 970812) from Adtrix Internet Group in Honolulu.  (Back to top of page)


(000413) The United States Mint
http://www.usmint.gov/

The United States Mint
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

It's an exciting time for collectors of US coins, The United States Mint, perhaps taking a cue from the Post Office has introduced coinage made to be hoarded. The annual production of 18-20 billion circulating coins has been greatly amped up to include the 50 State Quarters Program and the manganese brass coated Golden Dollars new in 2000. The 50 State Quarters have been a huge success with adults and children. For upcoming designs and information about the selection process involved in determining the five new Quarter Dollars each year, approved coins, and more see the special section at this site. Contrary to press releases and other propaganda, the Golden Dollars may be a hard sell for the Mint. Even though the new coin is Goldenly Delicious, the Dollar coin has never really been accepted by the people who could be using them. As more vending machines contain higher priced goods this will change. Sacagawea and Jean Baptiste are on the obverse, the reverse has an American bald eagle encircled by 17 stars — one for each state in the Union at the time of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition. These new coins are just a few of the items visitors to the The United States Mint site can learn about and/or purchase. If you have never seen this site it's well worth the time spent.  (Back to top of page)


(000414) Y2K.com
http://www.y2k.com

Y2K L.L.C.
Vienna, Virginia, USA

_________________________________

Y2K.org
http://www.y2k.org

Landmark Solutions, Inc
Westwood, Massachusettes, USA

_________________________________

Y2K.net
http://www.y2k.net

First Step Research
Moscow, Idaho, USA

A year ago these domains were untouchable properties. Half a month into the second quarter of 2000, well, see for yourself…  (Back to top of page)


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(000415) American Cultural History: The Twentieth Century
http://www.nhmccd.edu/contracts/lrc/kc/decades.html

Kingwood College Library
Kingwood, Texas, USA

Like talking to a grandparent, this site is rich in detail and substance. The expanse of information available here is difficult to describe — every decade of the twentieth century has a page and common elements between the pages help to paint a picture of a changing society. Pointers galore help illustrate points, period photographs of regular people help to punctuate the text and since this material comes from the Kingwood College Library, book listings are provided for further reference. Contributors to this project include Bettye Sutton, Sue Goodwin, Becky Bradley, Charles Gillis, and Peggy Whitley. These people have created an excellent resource for students of all ages. Spend as much time as possible here and bookmark it for future use. Thanks to Site-Scout Bob Cox for this great suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000416) Mah-Jong on GoTennessee
http://www.gotennessee.com/games/mahjong/

Associated Corporate Consultants, Inc.
Lenoir City, Tennessee, USA

In addition to having this simple, yet engrossing version of the classic tile game Mah-Jong, GoTennessee offers additional games and information for people visiting the state. Not a Department of Tourism site, Associated Corporate Consultants, Inc. bill GoTennessee as a publication with articles on the history of Tennessee, and a nice city by city listing of points of interest and places to stay. An interesting draw for such a site, this version of Mah-Jong uses simple number and color combinations for the tiles and can pull you in quicker than you can say Tennesseeing is Tennebelieving.

For more on Mah-Jong, including rules see the Mah Jong Cyber Museum (http://members.aol.com/mahjongmuseum/) (SdJotD 990606).  (Back to top of page)


(000417) International Belt Sander Drag Race Association
http://www.beltsander-races.com/

International Belt Sander Drag Race Association
Point Roberts, Washington, USA

Complete with wheelie bars and everything, these machines are made to bring the competition to a grinding halt. From a mere idea in 1987 at Kiniski's Reef Tavern in Point Robert, Washington to the almost larger than life World Championships at IBDA World Headquarters every year, this sport seems to be taking off. Lumber yards and hardware stores across North America hold area and regional races, sponsoring the best of the best at the Finals. The International Belt Sander Drag Race Association site has rules, tips for bringing your machine up to speed in both stock and modified divisions, complete rules, and even Quicktime movies of the races. Information about International Belt Sander Drag Race Association individual memberships and sponsorship opportunities can be found here along with official IBDA merchandise. This sure looks like fun.  (Back to top of page)


(000418) Probabilities in the Game of Monopoly®
http://www.tkcs-collins.com/truman/monopoly/monopoly.shtml

Truman Collins
Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA

One of the pleasures of Site du Jour of the Day is in finding sites one has never imagined. Site-Scout Basil Stetson wrote to tell me about a vacation he just returned from with his son. One part of the trip in particular actually, about how after giving in after repeated requests to play Monopoly on his son's Nintendo Game Boy he finally gave in. Like many of us, Basil thought of Monopoly as a board game not suited for electronic play. In his message Basil wrote, "…financial transactions which often slow the game when done by a human, are handled by the processor in seconds. The game doesn't bog down and pace of play is more enjoyable". After the Stetsons arrived home they looked for Monopoly sites and found Probabilities in the Game of Monopoly, which like the electronic banker in the Game Boy version could easily change the way you think about the game Monopoly. Basil added that this site "…is heavy on the probability statistics. If someone is not into statistics, the written conclusions at the end are pretty good. Anyone serious about winning at Monopoly ought to check this out". Few of have probably ever given the statistics of Monopoly this much thought, certainly not as much as Truman Collins has. An amazing site and one you may have never thought about existing, I certainly didn't. A big tip of the little metal top-hat to Basil for this useful and interesting suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000419) Origin of the Rocket Car-In-The-Cliff Legend
http://cardhouse.com/rocketcar/

Cardhouse
Palo Alto, California, USA

_________________________________

Rocket Car
http://www.wagoneers.com/pages/RocketCar/

Edited and mirrored by John Meister
Snohomish, Washington, USA

The story goes like this, some crazy straps a Jet Assisted Take Off rocket to a fine GM product out in the desert. Seconds later the JATO bottle is giving the driver the ride of a lifetime. Said lifetime is cut abruptly short by the mountain that jumped out of nowhere right in front of the 900 mph car.

The story has been around for years and is a favorite at a number of sites including The Charles Darwin Award (http://www.skyhawk.org/darwin.htm) (SdJotD 990617) (SdJotD Readers Choice MM 000225). The dubious nature of the Rocket Car story makes it all the more interesting. The content at Origin of the Rocket Car-In-The-Cliff Legend and the edited version, Rocket Car, may solve the mystery once and for all. Loads better and miles longer than the widely circulated story, Rocket Car-In-The-Cliff Legend is mandatory reading for anyone who has every enjoyed this urban legend. Probably as close to the truth we'll ever get with this one kids. Thanks to Soopafresh for the site suggestion.  (Back to top of page)


(000420) Highway 50 Association Wagon Train
http://www.wagontrain.innercite.com/

Highway 50 Association
Pollock Pines, California, USA

A far cry from the Rocket Car sites (http://cardhouse.com/rocketcar/) (http://www.wagoneers.com/pages/RocketCar/) (SdJotD 000419) featured yesterday. The Highway 50 Association Wagon Train begins in Dayton, Nevada on June 1st, crosses the High Sierra and ends in El Dorado Hills, California on the 14th. In its 51st year, the Highway 50 Association Wagon Train celebrates and recreates a less than glamorous period in North American history when thousands of people slowly moved west to new lives and the promise of gold. As an official California "Gold Discovery to Statehood" Sesquicentennial Celebration (http://commerce.ca.gov/sesqui/calendar.htm) event, the history lesson and experience should prove to be something else. Especially with the period dress and wagon requirements. The Highway 50 Association Wagon Train site has information about the event, complete with an itinerary and schedule. It would be nice to see pointers to related sites here and if the officials were to allow it, daily photographs or diary entries from the ride once underway. This would allow people unable to participate an opportunity to experience the trip in a way that could have only been imagined 150 years ago.  (Back to top of page)


(000421) Old North State Apiaries and Beeguys.com
http://www.beeguys.com/

Old North State Apiaries
Monroe, North Carolina, USA

In an effort to beat the costs involved in beekeeping, Jeff Knight and Larry Thompson (the Beeguys) combined their separate operations last year. In the five years since they both started, their honey has won numerous awards in North Carolina, and through this site they share honey recipes, bee lore — "It takes 2 million flower visits and 55,000 miles of flying for the bees to make just 1 pound of honey!" and more. Visitors will find a nice line of products which includes Tulip Poplar honey, Honey Vinegar, even live Honey Bees and beekeeping supplies including Woodenware (hive parts). Pointers to other sites and a good clean look help in making this site look as professional as possible. The Beeguys are advanced hobbyists. A pretty cool hobby at that. For additional information on bees and beekeeping, be sure to see Nick Wallingford's huge Beekeeping in New Zealand site (http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/) (SdJotD 990519).  (Back to top of page)


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(000422) The Love Police
http://www.lovepolice.com/index.htm

B. Robert Welton
The Love Police
San Luis Obispo, California, USA

"When your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, or significant other, does something really annoying, or starts acting like a jerk, you can now email them a Love Police Citation to Arrest Their Attention. You also have the option of selecting their Bail and making a sentencing recommendation. The Offender is also able to respond with a Plea, and Post Bail in the Department of Corrections".

Come to think of it, maybe they are irritated with you. Sure, that auction at ebay of all things Menudo (http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/recipe.htm) (http://members.aol.com/Menudo77/) is important… but really folks, if it comes to this it either wasn't meant to be or the entire eighth grade class is going to know about it by Monday. Thanks to Betty who suggested this site and wrote "It's a hoot!" It sure is.  (Back to top of page)


(000423) Granma Internacional Digital, Cuba
http://www.granma.cu/

Granma International
Havana, Cuba

_________________________________

The Miami Herald Online
http://www.herald.com/

The Miami Herald
Miami, Florida, USA

The story of six year-old Elián González is far from over. After leaving Cardenas, Cuba on November 21, 1999, suffering the loss of his mother and other members of the party, and being rescued off the Florida coast on Thanksgiving Day an international custody battle began. On the morning of April 22, 2000 agents from the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/index.htm) (http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/ElianG.htm) staged a surprise(?) raid on the house where Elián was staying with his great-uncle and other family members. By noon the Little Havana community in Miami was very active with protesters angry about Elián González being taken to see his Cuban father, Juan Miguel González who was at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C. Riot Police had to use tear gas throughout the day to disperse protestors who set fire to garbage dumpsters, debris and tires in the streets. A CNN (http://cnn.com/) story quotes social worker and friend of the Miami family, Ralph Anrrich as saying "This is like crucifying the Messiah all over again. This is a slap in the face to the Cuban-American community and the Christian community". One is left to wonder how sad Jesus might be if Miami burned to the ground the day before Easter.

Granma Internacional Digital, Cuba and The Miami Herald Online offer two slightly different views of the events surrounding the battle over who gets to keep little Elián González. Polls conducted by various news agencies in the US since this story started in November show a majority of respondents believe that the boy should be with his father in Cuba. Now that they have been reunited, there are a number of details to be worked out and doubtless a couple of fresh lawsuits to boot. Both sites should have excellent coverage as events unfold. By the time this is all over perhaps relations between the United States and Cuba will improve, and maybe Fathers Rights groups will benefit as well.  (Back to top of page)


(000424) Department of State: The U. S. and Cuba
http://www.state.gov/www/regions/wha/cuba/

United States Department of State
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

_________________________________

U.S. Interests Section, Havana
http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/cu1/wwwhmain.html

U.S. Interests Section
The Embassy of Switzerland
Havana, Cuba

These two sites are government sites dealing with the relationship between the United States and Cuba. With no official diplomatic relations with the Cuban Government, the U.S. Interests Section of the Embassy of Switzerland has been an interesting work-around for the United States Department of State. As media attention turns to Cuba, an understanding of the delicate nature of the relationship of two countries is crucial. Barely 150 miles apart, many Cubans left the island nation for Miami, Florida in the 1950s. Recent agreements between the two governments promote "safe, legal, and orderly" migration to the United States. The the 1994 Migration Accords allow 20,000 Cubans to immigrate every year, contacting the U.S. Interests Section, Havana is usually the first step in entering the US for many Cubans.  (Back to top of page)


(000425) Meyercom's Internet Web Channel
http://www.meyercom.com/public/main/totoc.htm

Meyercom, Inc.
New York, New York, USA

Meyercom's Internet Web Channel contains hundreds of pointers to sites that are just a little bit off. While I have never really liked sites that forgo describing what's on the other side of a pointer, Meyercom's Internet Web Channel at least breaks them down into a few different categories. The listings under headings such as Art, Asian Stuff, Film & TV, Meyercom Cool, Trippy Content, and What The? all have a certain quality to them. The Meyercom Cool sites are the property of Meyercom, Inc. but equal space is given to sites like… well, you'll see. Some of the sites listed have been featured as Site du Jour of the Day, some may be in the future, and others don't stand a chance. Most are worth a peek either way. Not every site included at Meyercom's Internet Web Channel is suitable for all visitors, just like not every program on the cable TV is intended for the whole family. The selection here is good though, and there is something for everyone. They also take suggestions, but hey — send 'em here first OK?  (Back to top of page)


(000426) Ketzel Levine's Talking Plants
http://www.talkingplants.com/

Ketzel Levine and Public Interactive
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

With gardening season again upon the northern hemisphere, having someone to turn to who knows more about plants than you do is always a plus. Ketzel Levine is just the person to turn to, and through Talking Plants visitors can find plant profiles and a whole lot more. Listen to Talking Plants in the Radio section, there's streaming audio from "the Talking Plants pilot, a radio show on the verge of existence". A well written and informative site, heck for a gardening site it's almost exciting. While you are here be sure to take the survey for a chance to win a prize and help shape the contents of the site. If you like Ketzel Levine's Talking Plants, be sure to visit Diana Pederson's The Enabling Garden (http://www.suite101.com/topics/page.cfm/262) (SdJotD 971106) for additional gardening ideas. Thanks to Site-Scout Bob Cox for digging up Ketzel Levine's Talking Plants and sending it in.  (Back to top of page)


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Copyright 2000, Edward J. Pelegrino. All rights reserved.
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Updated April 29, 2000

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