Hits, Speed Traps and Twitter, Oh My!

Image by Kramchang via Flickr

My experiment with signing up for Twitter is limping along. Occasionally I log on and post a few 140-character bits of flotsam. I am sure the experts would tell me that I am using Twitter wrong, despite having a handful of followers from who knows where or why. If I really knew how to use the social media sensation to my utmost advantage, I would be gathering hundreds or thousands of hits per day. Adsense users count on those hits to gain income, although I don’t know anyone making a living with it. And I do not do advertising on my blog, which is probably stupid of me. I have tried doing an affiliate thing with Artella Words & Art, but I keep losing my password to post deals for neat art projects. All this is a lead in for the first website I want to mention this week:

If you have tried to make money from the Internet, you’ve probably been lured to sites selling inside information about “optimizing keywords” and such. There are hundreds of such services, just waiting to sign you up or sell you a book. Well now, you might be very happy to know that CyberScribbles has uncovered what might be the best way to increase your website’s (or blog’s) hits, thus increasing its potential income value. I discovered Internet Famo.us during my weekly surf. Internet Famo.us (http://internetfamo.us/) is a real, bona fide, bricks & mortar course offered at Parson’s New School of Design in New York City. This class offering teaches the “art and science of getting hits” and students are instructed to build from scratch a website that will achieve a viral or cult-like status. The site they build does not have to be “quality.” Most of what’s popular on the internet—and we’re talking general audience, of course– today is not earthshaking. This Parson’s class appears to be way more interesting than learning keyword tips or search engine optimization. I’m not suggesting you drop everything and head to NYC to take this class. Just log on to the site and get a gyst of the coursework. It is sure to be copied by other intsitutions of higher learning very soon. Check out Internet Famo.us. You’ll see that current enrollees are having a blast learning the tricks to become an internet sensation.

While we are on the subject of getting hits and making money, aim your browser toward the Make Money Fast Hall of Humiliation (www.mmfhoh.org/). It will bring you down from your dream cloud real fast, especially if you are about to fall for one of the hundreds of scams waiting to snag the unsuspecting.

Some readers will be taking vacation road trips this summer, so it might be a good thing to know about Speedtrap.org. Use the java menu to plug in a town’s name and in a blink of an eye you’ll see a screen that alerts you to the speed traps planted by local or state police. These days, no one needs the burden of a hefty speeding ticket, so bookmark this site and use it, if possible, on your wifi-enabled smart phone. (www.speedtrap.org).

Trivia, Pop the Question, Cool Work

John Lennon via last.fm

June has turned out to be a disappointment to beachgoers thus far. The cool, cloudy days seem more appropriate for indoor activities, and among them, surfing or playing video games. Most of what I discovered this week is nonessential, so bookmark what you want and leave the rest behind.

I guess if you are at a loss at conversation, memorizing pages full of Unnecessary Knowledge at www.ukno.com will give you an arsenal of silly things to talk about. For example, you can tell friends that John Lennon’s first girlfriend was named Thelma Pickles. It took me two clicks of my mouse to decide to run off in a different direction on the Internet.

All of you who lurk at this column but still refuse to touch a computer must at least have a little bit of curiosity about what’s happening online, right? Will You Marry Me is a spot that shows ordinary people and techies actually, truly, honestly proposing marriage. And why not use the technology to surprise your sweetheart? Will You Marry Me (http://willyoumarrymekc.com) is the project of one young man who is serious about wanting to marry K.C. And the real K.C., whoever she is, has not, after almost 300 days of this online project, responded. The webmaster, whose name I could not find, wants everyone who has found his website to spread the word about his proposal, so that K.C will discover this website. Meanwhile, the site has posted others’ out-of-the-ordinary online proposals. The creative souls wanting to impress their sweethearts have embedded the Big Question in webcams, video games, twitter, and lolcat, among others. As the webmaster/proposer puts it, his site is like a “message in a bottle tossed into the Internet ocean.” Now that is an excellent metaphor.

It’s not too late to find a summer job, according to the folks at Coolworks. This is a site I found at least six years ago, and I’m delighted to see that they are still up and running. However, it appears that there are fewer jobs posted on the site now. Coolworks (www.coolworks.com) focuses mostly on seasonal jobs in state and national parks, outdoor campgrounds, and the like. It’s a place for adventurers and those who don’t want to stay in one place all their lives. And while the summer positions in lodges and resorts may be all filled by the time you read this, there will be listings for fall and winter jobs. Plus, you can bookmark this site and keep checking back for the newest updates.

From Coolworks, I learned about the Backpack Gear Test (www.backpackgeartest.org) where you can become a tester and use the product for six months. And yes, there are other outdoor adventure type products ready for testing. If you are planning a wilderness hike or something similar, and if you are cash-strapped, you can have your cake and eat it, too. Become a tester and write reviews. Charlie and Natalie, are you listening?

TED: Internet Wonderland

Police Sketches, Lucky Mojo, Think Geek

Image via Wikipedia

I became attached to a few new websites this week. One of those sites lets a person create their own police sketches. Although it did not say, I would guess that this same Flash program is used by police departments with decent computers to input descriptions from crime scene witnesses. Since the program is available online free, any of us can use it to play with. Unfortunately, I did not take the time to print my sketchwork. If I go back and waste more time drawing sketches, you will know it. I promise to post one of my masterpieces on the CyberScribbles blog. If you, too, want to waste time drawing creepy sketches, go to http://flashface.ctapt.de.

Another stopping point for me was a lesser-known shopping site for stuff that no one really needs. There must have been more than thirty categories of stuff, and I clicked on more than twenty of those links. I was fascinated with the window-shopping experience. Maybe it was the Yodeling Pickle. Can you think of a time in your life when you would have need of this item? Admit it. If you have ever given a boring presentation to a large group whose communal body language said, “We are sleepy,” then you would find it the perfect opportunity to bring your audience to attention with the Yodeling Pickle. Now multiply that weird shopping item by 300 or more, and voila! You’ll have wasted a good chunk of time (like me) perusing the “I want, but I don’t need” bonanza of products. This web experience is aptly named Perpetual Kid. Find it at www.perpetualkid.com. Yes, bacon lovers. You will find many bacon-related items. Be sure to pick up a supply of bacon bandages while you visit.

Speaking of shopping sites, Think Geek (www.thinkgeek.com) will be happy to sell you a WiFi finder t-shirt, among other goodies. My personal favorite is the Personal Soundtrack t-shirt. It has a scaled-down speaker on its front and the remote control can be programmed with your own tunes and sound effects, or use can use the pre-programmed ones. I want one of these for my son, Brian. Brian is a music lover and worker extraordinaire at Rusty’s Morningstar Ranch for Adults with Autism. I was surprised at the prices of these shirts—more reasonable than I expected. There’s lots more Geek stuff here for you to look at. And perhaps buy.

Okay, here we go with another shopping site, although all it did for me is get my mind stirred up. Lucky Mojo (www.luckymojo.com) is the real deal for those looking to use questionable means to, um, heal from a variety of unhappy situations. I spent a little time in the site’s Amulet Archive, one of many rooms in this darkly magical mansion of mojo. When you log on, you might think you are at another Perpetual Kid-type site. But then you will discover that some folks take this stuff way seriously. But for the rest of us, we can shake our solid and stable Midwestern heads and marvel at the stock of merchandise for sale here.

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Raining Cookbooks on 47th St

Image by bluespf42 via Flickr

You know that summer is just around the corner when we hit Memorial Day. As for those of us who have spent too much of our spare time trolling the Internet or playing video games, the outdoors now beckons. I will continue to scan and write about websites, but remember, the beach is calling. Be sure to add a big dose of natural vitamin D from at least twenty minutes outdoors each day. The computer can wait, unless you are searching for recipes for the holiday weekend’s cookout. If so, keep reading.

Is it Going to Rain? (http://goingtorain.com/). You missed the weather forecast and you have been waiting for a good time to feed your lawn without burning it. Instead of a high water bill, fire up the computer and head to this site. It will tell you, simply and directly, whether to go ahead or to plan a different project.

Hatch a Plot with Hatch’s Plot Bank (www.angelfire.com/nc/tcrpress/). So you want to write a novel or screenplay, but are stuck. This handy website is a writer’s dream, because it lists more than 2000 ideas for plots for your next great American novel. It is just one of many writer’s tools available on the ‘Net. Let this one help you get started.

Food and Recipe Histories (http://adambalic.typepad.com). This British contribution to worthy websites is unlike any I’ve come across. Adam, the creator of this site, fed his curiosity about jumps across cultures of specific recipes. The history researched here is extensive and anything but boring. I applaud the writer’s depth of reporting. Examples include two variations of haggis, plus origins of the Hot Pot and other interesting tidbits. The haggis preparation is broken down step by step, with accompanying photos. After reading about the ingredients and preparation, you might find that your appetite has taken a long, long sabbatical. But if you can get beyond the haggis, you will discover lots of more appetizing recipes that are traditional to Great Britain.

101 Cookbooks (www.101cookbooks.com). One Heidi Swanson delivers her opinions about dozens of cookbooks, and brings to us bunches and bunches of healthy recipes and menu ideas. Unfortunately, Heidi has not discovered Sue Spitler’s many cookbooks. Maybe someone needs to tell Heidi to include them.

Recipe Bridge (www.recipebridge.com).As you prepare for the cookout this holiday weekend, you can search for any recipe by name, ingredients, or meal and be given not one, but sometimes dozens of recipes for the same dish, all from various sources. I searched for “diet cabbage soup” and this nifty search engine found me 15 different recipes. And no, the cabbage soup is not for the holiday cookout.

Everything 47 (www.47.net/47society). Now I have seen just about everything. A website by and for fans of the “quintessential random number, 47.” I did not spend much time looking around. I clicked on, and quickly off, a discussion of Pomona College’s fascination with what some of us see as no more than reminders of middle age.

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Tonic, Sports Tutoring, Swine Flu

Image via Wikipedia

Although we hear less about it these days, the H1N1 flu virus is still spreading. The idea of a potential pandemic made front page news one day before my flight from Arizona back to Chicago. I was on vacation and not fond of the idea of keeping track of updates. I wondered how many people would be wearing masks at Sky Harbor or Midway. Now, with the lightning speed of the Internet, we can keep track of the spread, as well as treatments, for the Swine Flu. This is just one (and the most serious) of the websites I reviewed this week. On a less intense note, check out the resources available online for youth sports—just in time for summer. Have a look at these and a few other notable nooks on the Net.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Information (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/). Whether or not you believe authorities were too hyperbolic about warning the public of a potential pandemic, having reliable information available on the Internet takes some of the scariness away. The Center for Disease Control has posted up-to-date information about the number of outbreaks per state per day. The site also provides information, mostly common sense, on how to treat a case of the flu. Having immediate access to such information via the Internet puts a big damper on rumors that could lead to panic.

Sports Skills and Drills Library (www.weplay.com).Tagged the “Home of Youth Sports,” this site provides hundreds of videos, 3-D simulations, and diagrams organized by skill and skill level. Whether your child is involved in soccer, wrestling, volleyball, baseball or softball, football, bowling, and even lacrosse or cheerleading, there are valuable tips to be learned and practiced. These tips come from the pros, too. Access advice from Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, and a host of others. Best of all, access is 100% free.

Bad at Names? (http://whatsyourname.tumblr.com/). So. You have a pile of fading photos of the gang, but you can’t for the life of you remember so-and-so’s name. This is where “What’s Your Name?” hopes to provide you with an answer. The trick is to get thousands of people to the site to look over the uploaded photos and recognize that guy whose name you have forgotten. This website is new, having been birthed this month, so there are not a lot of photos yet. Nor people accessing the site to help those suffering from memory fade. But now, CyberScribbles readers know about the site, so help them out. I learned about What’s Your Name over at j-walk blog.

Positively Upbeat (www.tonic.com). Tonic is another entry into the positive news on the web category. It bills itself as being “Positively Good” and carries out its mission by reporting good news, good deeds, and inspirational items. Several you-tube films are embedded here, and I watched “Sand Dancer.” Glad I did, too. It was, to use that overworked adjective, amazing. Tonic also sells things, as well as sponsors an auction—all for good causes. It’s nice to find sites like these. Do yourself a favor and visit Tonic. By the way, the site is looking for student interns who write in journalistic (literate) style.

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Although we hear less about it these days, the H1N1 flu virus is still spreading. The idea of a potential pandemic made front page news one day before my flight from Arizona back to Chicago. I was on vacation and not fond of the idea of keeping track of updates. I wondered how many people would be wearing masks at Sky Harbor or Midway. Now, with the lightning speed of the Internet, we can keep track of the spread, as well as treatments, for the Swine Flu. This is just one (and the most serious) of the websites I reviewed this week. On a less intense note, check out the resources available online for youth sports—just in time for summer. Have a look at these and a few other notable nooks on the Net.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Information (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/). Whether or not you believe authorities were too hyperbolic about warning the public of a potential pandemic, having reliable information available on the Internet takes some of the scariness away. The Center for Disease Control has posted up-to-date information about the number of outbreaks per state per day. The site also provides information, mostly common sense, on how to treat a case of the flu. Having immediate access to such information via the Internet puts a big damper on rumors that could lead to panic.

Sports Skills and Drills Library (www.weplay.com).Tagged the “Home of Youth Sports,” this site provides hundreds of videos, 3-D simulations, and diagrams organized by skill and skill level. Whether your child is involved in soccer, wrestling, volleyball, baseball or softball, football, bowling, and even lacrosse or cheerleading, there are valuable tips to be learned and practiced. These tips come from the pros, too. Access advice from Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, and a host of others. Best of all, access is 100% free.

Bad at Names? (http://whatsyourname.tumblr.com/). So. You have a pile of fading photos of the gang, but you can’t for the life of you remember so-and-so’s name. This is where “What’s Your Name?” hopes to provide you with an answer. The trick is to get thousands of people to the site to look over the uploaded photos and recognize that guy whose name you have forgotten. This website is new, having been birthed this month, so there are not a lot of photos yet. Nor people accessing the site to help those suffering from memory fade. But now, CyberScribbles readers know about the site, so help them out. I learned about What’s Your Name over at j-walk blog.

Positively Upbeat (www.tonic.com). Tonic is another entry into the positive news on the web category. It bills itself as being “Positively Good” and carries out its mission by reporting good news, good deeds, and inspirational items. Several you-tube films are embedded here, and I watched “Sand Dancer.” Glad I did, too. It was, to use that overworked adjective, amazing. Tonic also sells things, as well as sponsors an auction—all for good causes. It’s nice to find sites like these. Do yourself a favor and visit Tonic. By the way, the site is looking for student interns who write in journalistic (literate) style.

Going Way Back

Image via Wikipedia

Last week I was on a Southwest plane that was trying out WiFi capabilities. Knowing ahead of time that this would be a WiFi flight, I brought along my laptop. The five-year-old laptop weighs what feels like 200 pounds, and it was no fun carrying it just to use on the plane. But I did manage to fire it up and get a web connection. It lasted maybe an hour (my laptop battery is pathetic). I packed it away once I got to my destination and did not use it again until the return flight, another WiFi-enabled trip. To my dismay (and the airline’s), the wireless connection broke down, so passengers were unable to catch up on email or whatever this time around. For now, when it works, the service is free on Southwest. Expect that to change sometime in the future. And be aware that not all flights offer the service.

Wifi on flights is news of the future. Let’s turn back to the Internet’s past, starting with the demise of Geocities. Sites like MySpace and Facebook, along with the explosion of blogging, and yes, Tweeters, have done away with the corny old free web pages and hosting we once knew. I owe a debt of gratitude to Geocites and to Tripod.com (which lives on) for providing space to plunk down my weekly CyberScribbles columns. Currently they can be found at the blogger site, WordPress (http://cyberscribbles.wordpress.com).

Recently I ran across a mock salute to the old Geocities’ web presence. Be warned in advance that some of the content is inappropriate for young viewers. But Andy, the site’s creator, has reproduced the old look of former webpages, when whirling, twirling gifs, dinky digital music, guestbooks, and stats were clearly the standard for home-made (meaning: not professionally created) sites. Andy’s site is located at www.flashpointsocialmedia.com/Area51/Orion/.

Here are some things Andy had to say about the good old days at Geocities:

“When the World Wide Web was still considered to be the “World Wide Waste” by many, Geocities allowed amateurs to produce some interesting and funny content. People could quickly post information on their personal pages and link to it from their instant message programs (an instant message program is sort of like Twitter). In a way, Geocities allowed people to set up a rudimentary blogs, only far far less useable and much more painful on the eyes.”

Andy goes on to thank Geocities and Yahoo, sponsor of the free web page program, for “opening up the Web” to him. He is glad, too, that the Internet Archive has not found his original website.

Internet Archive (www.internetarchive.org). This is where you go to find all the good stuff of days past from the Internet and beyond. It is now home to the Wayback Machine, where many old, obsolete websites are archived. More than that, there are texts, audio programs, videos and so much good stuff from yesteryear waiting to be downloaded here. Noncommercial music, old radio programs, videos and vlogs. If you wait until next week, I will tell you more about the wonders of the Internet Archive. Otherwise, go there now and find out for yourself what treasures await.

Galavanting Around Indiana

Image via Wikipedia

After galavanting around all over the Internet, I returned to sites whose content is related to Indiana. I like using the word “galavanting” and don’t get many opportunities to use it. Meanwhile, as you read this, I am galavanting around northern Arizona playing tourist. I know the northern part of the state fairly well now.

Virtual Globetrotting (www.virtualglobetrotting.com). Before I reined in the possibility of scouring the earth for Google street view shots of Timbuktu and beyond, I wanted to see if this website lived up to its name. It does. It is heavy on celebrity homes, which may or may not interest you. Here is your chance to peek into non-public spaces and do it without guilt.

Indiana Traveler (www.indianatraveler.com). Web guru Bill Holden established this site over ten years ago. It is similar to the state’s tourism site, but the Indiana Traveler is more compact. It does an especially nice job of listing bed and breakfasts around the state.

Indiana County History (www.indianacountyhistory.com/). At first I thought I had struck gold, or at least a wealth of historical information. It’s a fact that you will find tons of information, ranging from over 7000 pictures of Indiana’s past to 76,000 biographies. The catch is that certain areas of the website are restricted to members only. You can access any information you want here for the low access fee of $10.

Civil War Indiana (http://civilwarindiana.com). If you are a Civil War buff or if you are tracing your family’s roots, this site was made for you. First I need to warn to that when you access the home page, be prepared for a loud rifle shot welcome. Better yet, turn down your volume. Some items of particular interest include regiment lists: Indiana men who were on the Sultana (steamboat that blew up in the Mississippi), and those who endured imprisonment at Andersonville. There are lots of accessible pictures on the website, too.

Indiana From A-Z (www.geocities.com/states_az/Indiana). You can tell this site has been around for awhile, at least that was my guess when I saw that Geocities hosts the web pages. I don’t get around those free sites much these days, since (free) blogging has more or less trumped web pages. And twittering, of course. I can say ha!, I beat Oprah to that latest fad.

Crawfordsville Crinoids (http://fossilmuseum.net/fossil_galleries/crawfordsville_crinoid). Lake Michigan has its crinoid seekers, but those really into fossil collecting know that there are other parts of the state with different subspecies of crinoids. If you have never seen images of the entire crinoid “skeleton,” here is your chance to see them.

Indiana Ghost Towns (www.ghosttowns.com/states/in/). New Durham and Door Village are among those listed here. So are Asphaltum, Byron, Old English and Weddleville. Some still have remains visible. This is an interesting website.

Indiana State Poem (www.fulco.lib.in.us/statepoem). It was here that I learned that Indiana has an official State Poem. It was written by Arthur Mapes of Kendallville and adopted as the official Hoosier poem in 1962. I immediately took to the verse, since it describes the pleasure of hiking outdoors. I felt like an official Hoosier after reading it.

Historic Theatres, Pronunciation, Etsy

Image by laasB via Flickr

Movie theaters just aren’t like they used to be. Today we sit in sterile spaces devoid of decoration, while exposing our eardrums to the possibility of deafness. On that note, we explored a few websites devoted to past great movie emporiums (dare we call them that?). Then we turn to other diversions, including a reference for name pronunciations.

Theater Historical Society of America (www.historictheatres.org). Some of us can remember the grand old theater houses. For me, it was the Palace in Gary, along with the State, the Tivoli and the 5^th Avenue. But the Palace was far and above more decorative than the others, and a real curtain framing the proscenium would open as we sat expectantly waiting for the film to begin. People living through the Great Depression found a few hours of relief from their cares inside plush “palaces” across the country. They also received little premiums, such as a place setting of china, for the cost of admission. I’m old enough to remember nickel admissions for a Saturday matinee back in the 1950’s. Anyway, behold the splendor of these grand palaces’ interiors, and applaud those involved with fighting to save these historic gems from the wrecking ball.

Cinema Treasures (http://cinematreasures.org). This is another site chock full of information for historic theater house buffs. In additions to listings of theaters for sale, the site offers news and memories and more. How nice to discover this bit of nostalgia on the ‘net.

How to Say that Name (www.howtosaythatname.com). This is a useful site for those who may be working in businesses where knowing how to pronounce an unusually-spelled name puts you on gold-star status. With the help of an audio presentation, foreign surnames are clearly enunciated. All you have to do is imitate the pronunciation. This free service is helpful to journalists, hospital personnel, customer service employees and more.

Etsy (www.etsy.com). Popular among artists, this site serves as a resource for finding one-of-a-kinds. Here is where the word “unique” belongs. I checked the “shop locally” link to see how many of our local artists are using this site as another way to market their works. Was I surprised to find only a handful of local artists using Etsy. This website gets a lot of press, so I would think that it also gets a lot of buyers. If you are a local artist working in any medium, do yourself a favor and check out this new marketing opportunity. Buyers are waiting.

Three Oaks’ James Kuhn (www.hawhawjames.livejournal.com). Longtime Beacher readers might remember a story about James Kuhn and his holiday lights many years back. James is still creating. James was recently mentioned in the Chicago Tribune Magazine’s April 19 issue for his face paintings. These are not your usual face paintings. Have a look at James’ latest works, which could only go on exhibit as photographs.

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Snarky Spots

I’m delighted to see the numbers of grammar police growing on the Internet. These bloggers describe themselves as snarky, and their comments certainly reflect “attitude.” Uh-oh. I put “attitude” in quotes, and not once, but twice. The “unnecessary quote” cop is going to find me online and make a snarky comment. You do know that this column is online, too, don’t you? It appears a few days or longer after the print column appears in these pages. Find it at http://cyberscribbles.wordpress.com.

The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks (www.unnecessaryquotes.com/). While waiting to see if anyone discovers my own unnecessary quote marks, you can peruse this blog’s many pictures. They illustrate how way too many former students fell asleep in their English grammar classes. Only a grammar cop or current or former English teacher can truly love this website. For everyone else, it will appear very boring.

Grammar Vandal (http://grammarvandal.wordpress.com). Blogger Kate McCulley is on a campaign to eliminate grammar errors. She carries with her a Sharpie marker and stick on commas and such everywhere she goes. She has probably discovered that she has a full-time job ahead of her. If only it paid well. Anyway, she has plenty of samples of silly and quite funny grammatical errors. Yes, for those of us who were drilled, drilled, drilled and drilled again by our determined English teachers, we can get the joke.

Bad Parking (http://badparking.wordpress.com). Breathe a sigh of relief, grammar slackers. This blogger focuses only on vehicles that choose to color outside the lines. Oops, I mean park outside the lines, or on the curb, or in some other questionable manner. What you get here are photo after photo of badly parked vehicles. No grammar to worry about in the blog. And if you are less than a perfect parker yourself, you can see how many others join you in that category.

Red Pen, Inc. (http://redpeninc.blogspot.com). We’re back to bad grammar, plus bad spelling and bad sentence structure too. Once upon a time there were copy editors (or English teachers) who would mark up our typewritten papers with what was known as printer’s marks. We journalism students had to learn these symbols, which in some cases were similar to the Cyrillic alphabet. Those good old days seem to be far behind us now. Browse the Internet for a few minutes and you will get what I mean. The Red Pen blogger was attacking one of the features of Yahoo when I last looked. It made me wonder who hired the writer/proofreader at Yahoo and how one might apply for that job when the current person is fired.

Passive Aggressive Notes (www.passiveagressivenotes.com). Ha! I had some good laughs looking at the collection of notes posted here. I need to warn readers that the language is rough, so this spot would not be appropriate for young surfers. And, like Bad Parking, this site has nothing to do with grammar or English teachers. Counselors and Psychiatrists, definitely.

This is Why You’re Fat (www.thisiswhyyourefat.com). Since all the websites this week deal in snarkyness and not necessarily grammar, I threw this in for your enjoyment. If you are on a diet, the pictures will either make you quit it immediately, or they will reinforce your will to drop pounds. I suggest you view the likes of dishes such as the Elvis donut on a full stomach. The Elvis donut is a peanut butter-glazed donut topped with bananas and bacon. And that’s just the tip of the scale when it comes to over-the-top concoctions.