The Sixties

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I was watching an informercial featuring Sixties music when the idea came to me to look up websites devoted to that tumultuous decade. I thought it would be easy. It wasn’t until I changed my search to “60’s memories” before anything interesting showed up. Here is what I came up with for the bell-bottomed, tie-dyed, Beatles-loving Make Love Not War generation. It’s nice to know that not all of us tripped out at Woodstock, because we were too busy raising children or engaged with our first jobs, or were sending care packages to relatives and friends in the military.

 

A Sixties Jukebox (http://moreoldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.). A big thank you to my friend, Charlotte, who sent me this link. If you don’t want to pay for the set of c.d.’s advertised on television, this might be the next best thing. Listen to Donovan, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Beatles (of course), and dozens more of your favorite groups from decades past. If you have sufficient memory on your computer, you can leave the jukebox playing as you surf over to other Sixties websites.

 

60’s Museum (www.60smuseum.org/). Someone from McHenry, IL started this website, but I am not sure if the project is still alive or not. The objective was to have a bricks-and-mortar place somewhere in the Northwest burbs. Despite its lack of updating, this website shows care and quality. It is worth a look.

 

Sixties City (www.sixtiescity.com). This is a British version of the 60’s nostalgia phenomenon. It has less relevance to us stateside because many of the references, outside of the Beatles, are unfamiliar.

 

Woodstock Story (www.woodstockstory.com). There has been a lot of talk about Woodstock this year because 2009 marks the 40^th anniversary of the iconic event. This site is also promoting West Fest (October 25) in San Francisco. Once again, we midwesterners get pushed out of the loop. East coast, West coast, and then there is Willie Nelson’s Farm Aid. I guess that’s the midwest’s nod to the big, big concerts.

 

The Old Hippie’s Groovy Site (http://members.aye.net/~hippie). This site proves that old Hippies never die, they just adjust to new social conditions and take up new causes that need to be addressed. This site is full of rants.

 

Hippydom (http://hippy.com/hippiedom.). This offers a fairly thorough look at Hippie culture, including a large section devoted to the Merry Pranksters—Ken Kesey’s band of tripsters.

 

Jeffs60s (www.jeffs60s.com). Jeff is an ordinary guy who happens to be a writer and graphic artist who has put together a visually interesting look at the day-to-day life of a sixties school child. His collection of memories are fun to read by those of us who lived those years. It answers a lot of those “remember when?” questions.

Halloween

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It happens every year at this time. I go through each calendar month without mentioning anything relevant about it until we get to Halloween. Then, for some reason, I find myself scouring Halloween sites to tell you about. I like to find new ones, when possible, and often the websites I may have cited last year disappear into the land of the lost. My list is not very long this year, so I expanded to include November 1st’s Day of the Dead.

Virtual Carve a Pumpkin (http://carveapumpkin.bhg.com/). Say you want to get into the spirit of Halloween without making a lot of fuss, or mess. Here is your chance to “carve” a pumpkin and show it to the world. You will be given a half-dozen choices each for pumpkin color, eyes, nose, and mouth, and you can combine them in any number of ways. The only downside is that you will have no pumpkin seeds to roast when you’re done.

Extreme Pumpkins (www.extremepumpkins.com). Browse the photo gallery of some amazing, orig carvings here. I have come to dislike those stencil-cut jack-o-lanterns, but these extreme pumpkins are definitely worth taking time to see. There are how-to’s in case you want to tackle a carving project. Good luck.

Pumpkin Gutter (www.pumpkingutter.com). Scott Cummins creates interesting dimensional carvings, plus he provides peculiar and fascinating facts about the orange fruit.

Costume by the Stars (http://astrodispatch.com). Here’s a twist on how to decide what to wear on Halloween. Find out what planet rules your ascendant, and then dress according to that planet. For example, if it’s Mars, you could dress as a warrior. My planet is Neptune, so I might choose some fantasy figure, or just drape myself in yards and yards of a glittery fabric.

Unique Costume Ideas (http://crafts.suite101.com/). Look for a link to “101 Halloween Idieas” and you’ll be all set. You could dress up as a cloudy sky, and all it takes is some cotton balls and a few other items. There are dozens of links to very interesting Halloween websites, so this is a great jumping off point. I found myself on a page describing Halloween coffins, and yes, you can buy several varieties of them for your yard, or party. And if you want more links to pumpkin carving sites, you will find them here.

Day of the Dead (www.inside-mexico.com/featuredead). This site provides a nice description of the celebration that takes place across Mexico. There is a nice folk art gallery, too. You will want to learn more about those sugary confections made to honor relatives and friends who have passed away. Most importantly, you’ll learn that there is nothing macabre about this day of remembrance.

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Links I Like

o here I am, revealing the sources for the many, many wild, weird, interesting and usually dispensible websites I have mentioned over the past few years. Yep. I’m revealing my sources—well, most of them. I can guarantee that you will find at least one of these sites you will want on your list of bookmarks. I am not adding much commentary to the list this week. I hope you will be curious enough to follow the links and discover whole new avenues to explore. Note that many on the list originate as blogs from blogspot.com.

Streamings (http://streamingthings.blogspot.com). Tasteful, refreshing, and new. It just entered the world of the Internet in July. But it has caught my eye and I keep checking back.

Urlesque (www.urlesque.com). What a contrast to Streamings! This site’s main focus is highlighting viral videos and top trends.

Linkfilter (http://linkfilter.net). The site’s administrator wants original posts (from contributors), not something everyone on the ‘net has already seem. Very useful, and intelligent.

Information Nation (http://informationnation.blogspot.com).Graphics make it pretty. Captnkurt, the blogger, does much hasty scribbling, too.

The Daily What (http://thedw.us/). Heavy on video clips, and liberal use of inappropriate language. Not a favorite.

Pop Urls (http://popurls.com). This is an aggregator of Digg, Delicious, Reddit, Flickr, Youtube, Metafilter, and more. The headlines have to grab you in order to get you to click on a link. Over all, the site provides an overview of hot topics running through the online world.

TYWKIWDBI (http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com). It’s pronounced “tai-wiki-widbee. Why the strange name? That’s anyone’s guess. The subtitle is “things you wouldn’t know if we didn’t blog incessantly.” The blog owner says that he tries to be the cyberequivalent of a Victorian cabinet of curiosities.

Bifurcated Rivets (http://catless.nd.ac.uk/). The format here confounds me. It’s hit or miss, clicking on links described only as “hah” or “interesting” or “hmmm.” That’s about as descriptive as the commentary gets. But when you bear with it awhile, you can strike gold.

Blog on a Toothpick (http://steveisbored.blogspot.com). Visually very pretty.

Blogadilla (www.blogadilla.com). Love the background wallpaper! This is where I recently found many references to Kanye West’s “imagonnaletyou…”

Buzzfeed (www.buzzfeed.com). This is another big, shiny site. It is the first stop for those who need to know the absolute latest viral web phenomena. If you read it here, chances are you will later see it on the television news.

Bits and Pieces (http://bitsandpieces.us/). Chock full of interesting stuff and a banner that changes daily.

Small Bits and Pieces (http://smallbitsandpieces.blogspot.com). The focus is more on the oddball and bizarre.

There you have it. This is your chance to break away from the mundane and into worlds that can send you deeper and deeper into cyberspace. Get ready to get lost.

A Sea of Trivia

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Once again, I was swallowed up in a sea of trivia as I accessed the “buzz” across the ever-expanding Internet. The term “vast wasteland” came to mind. Then I realized that I needed to hunker down and take responsibility for the time wasters that end up in this column. The places I use as jumping off points to what used to be interesting nooks and crannies will be mentioned here next week. Then, I will be doing some digging to find new jumping off points that lead to some stuff with more depth. I am open to suggestions as to where to begin. Write me with your ideas.

Ima Let You Finish (http://imaletyoufinish.com/). The lesson here is to not find yourself in the position of Kanye West, whose rudeness at the music awards has spawned this global running joke. Sooner or later the site will cease to be popular, as new gaffes by different celebrities will capture the world’s attention. But, you did wonder where the phrase “[he'll] never live it down” came from, right? That was before the Internet and the power of going viral. Some of the examples here are gifts of sharp wit, and others and downright disgusting in their own right. I am not sure what will be happening by the time you read this, but right now the game is to keep coming up with fresh comedic fodder for “Ima let you finish.”

Sexy People Blog (www.sexypeople-blog.com). My first reaction was that the site’s goal was to be mean and snarky. I try to avoid those kinds of sites. But then I realized that the subtitle of the site, “a celebration of the perfect portrait,” was more a commentary on the skills of certain commercial portrait photographers. There is an irony in the naming of this web blog, and as you explore it, you will be paying more attention to backdrops, poses, clothing and timing (usually bad) of the clicking of the lens. These people paid good money for their portraits. They did not get their money’s worth.

Gary Duschl, Gum Wrapper Champ (www.gumwrapper.com). Gary holds the Guinness World Record for the longest gum wrapper chain in existence. Gary is shown on the site semi-wrapped in his creation, which, by the way, consists only of Wrigley gum wrappers. His chain is over 58,000 feet long. To put that in perspective, the chain would cover the length of 194 football fields. Gary began his chain in 1965. He has put in some twenty two thousand hours of work on it, and is not finished. I say that because he welcomes contributions of wrappers (Wrigley only), which he will mark with the donor’s name and make it easy for the donor to locate on the length of the chain. Okay, so you are wondering how much money Gary has spent on gum since beginning this enterprise. Would the figure $90,000 blow you away? It is close to that.

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2012–teaser trailer

2012

Three years and three months from now, people around the globe will be waiting in expectation or dread about the meaning of the Mayan calendar’s completion, for lack of a better word. I first learned a decade ago about the 2012 prophecy from a friend who had been studying Mayan culture for years. I decided to see what the Internet had, information-wise, about 2012, and of course, there is plenty to choose from. My guess is that the number of websites devoted to the targeted 12/21/12 will double as we proceed closer to that date. There are sites worth visiting, and sites worth avoiding on this topic. For those of you who at this point may not have heard anything about the 2012 prophecy, consider these sites an introduction. Everyone on the planet connected to the Internet or to other news sources will have heard of it by the end of the year. The 2012 phenomenon has become a meme, or buzzword. As it grows,you can decide for yourself if the doomsday predictions resonate to your thinking or if you agree with many scientists, who debunk the prophecies.

2012 Predictions (www.2012predictions.net). This web address is somewhat of a misnomer, because there is much more to it than that. I would recommend starting your reading here, since it is a very big directory of links to prophecies and predictions related to that “big year,” and it covers everything from the serious to spoofs. I believe that it offers a really good balance. You may not have to go anywhere else to consume all the information you please. Start with “Meditating on the Mayan Calendar” in the right hand column. That will keep you busy for quite a while.

2012—the Movie (www.cyberscribbles.wordpress.com). Go to my blog –it’s one of several ways to see the trailer—or do a search at YouTube to watch this preview of the movie, which is to be released this November. And, I suppose it was inevitable that Hollywood would exploit this getting-ever-more-famous doomsday prophecy. Here’s how I see Hollywood and others figuring out what sort of entertainment the public wants to consume: do a search (in this case, for 2012, etc.) and see how many pages the engine returns. Also, how many hits have the more prominent sites garnered? The more references and the more hits, the better are the odds for success.

Robert Gleason 2012 (www.robertgleason2012.com/). Was it coincidence, or was some guiding power leading me to this website, which happens to be under the ownership of former Michigan City resident and IU grad Robert Gleason? Actually, friend Charlotte V. shared this link with me. Gleason co-authored Apocalypse 2012 with the late Gary Jennings. The MC native was interviewed recently for a documentary on 2012 that will air on the History Channel later this year. Check your cable programming for date and time..

Time to Eat in and around Michigan City

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Every once in awhile I like to log on to the websites of our Beacher advertisers. Not that I have to, because the Beacher’s graphics gurus Becky and Tom do a fine job of getting the advertisers’ messages across. It being lunchtime when I launched my weekly routine of scouring the ‘Net, I focused on our local food establishments. The adventure got me wondering if any of you readers take the time to log on to locally-based sites. If so, send your comments to me. The only caveat I have about checking our local restaurants is to do so when your stomach is not growling. Here is a sampling of some of our advertiser’s sites. If I missed any, be sure to tell me, and I’ll make up for it in a future column. Meanwhile, take advantage of these fine websites for a peek at menus and in many cases, driving directions.

Little Giant Pizza (www.freewebs.com/realpizza). This Long Beach staple had me ready to motor on over for one of their freshly-prepared pies. The pizza photo on the home page had my mouth watering. I liked reading the history of how Tom Holwell got started in the business, and how he ended up in Long Beach. I also liked learning that Little Giant has Italian sausage and beef sandwiches on its menu.

Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizza (www.stop50woodfiredpizzeria.com). Tucked away in Michiana Shores, Stop 50’s pizza, prepared Neapolitan style, has been garnering lots of attention in the press. Read about owner Chris Bardol’s efforts to please the most cynical pizza foodie, and read the reviews from discriminating critics.

Kelly’s Table (www.kellyscreekwood.com). As soon as you see the interior photos of this romantic little restaurant, you’re apt to segue into planning and reservation-making mode for a special tete á tete. Or something of that nature. As you move about the website and read about chef Patricia’s background, you’ll be convinced of your great idea. Plus, you will learn how Kelly’s Table got its name.

Soda Dog (www.sodadog.com). The name of the spot on the far east side of the city limits pretty much tells you what’s on the menu. But then, you would be missing some really interesting information about this new-ish dining option. Soda Dog was conceived and built with attention to our endangered environment. Therefore, the goal of its owners has been to leave no carbon imprint. Read more, and check out the complete menu when you log on.

Joe (www.joeymmy.com). How could you pass up a URL named Joe Yummy? If you knew nothing about this upscale New Buffalo coffee house, you will learn lots by the time you finish perusing their website. You are going to learn that Joe is located in the Marina Grand Resort and that they have a nifty rooftop dining area, and there’s more to see and do here, and so, keep your mouse busy and see for yourself.

Casual Chef Cafe (www.pumpernickelinn.com). By the time you finish reading the menu of coffees and teas available, you’ll be wondering why you’ve yet to make the trip over to the cafe within the Pumpernickel Inn.

Loop Organics (www.looporganics.org). Not a restaurant, but a nonprofit organic farm and market conceived by Sage Spirit Terra’s Marilee Snyder. Plans are in the works to construct a geodesic greenhouse, with the goal of getting back to more natural and healthier ways to grow food.

Sahara Restaurant (url omitted on purpose). I wanted to learn more about the food choices at Sahara without having to leave home. However, when I logged on to the URL provided in a recent Beacher, I received an error message. I tried tweaking my typing, and when I did, a very unusual warning message came up on the screen, stating that the site was an “attack site.” I have never heard of that or encountered anything like that before. Therefore, whoever is in charge of Sahara Restaurant’s website needs to check it, including the address, for possible errors.

Doing Good & Being Nice

Image by harold.lloyd (won’t somebody think of the bokeh?) via Flickr

Inspiration. You can find bushels and bushels of it on the Internet. Websites and blogs featuring the positive aspects of everyday living have blossomed and expanded over the years. Here are just a few I found in the past week.

Serendipity Factory (www.serendipityfactory.com). Its mission is “to be a resource for encouragement and inspiration.” And that they do, by sharing uplifting quotes, featuring “Happy Discoveries,” sharing “Anti-woe Wednesday,” and providing a place on the ‘Net that works to make the world a brighter place. So, if you are feeling in the dumps, log on to the Serendipity Factory to find the formula for cheering up.

Have Fun Do Good (http://havefundogood.blogspot.com). This is one destination that will link you with ideas and projects to make the world a better place. Find like-minded fans here.

Operation Nice (www.operationnice.com). You can spend a good deal of time browsing all the features of this site, but the time spent here can be worth it. This website was mentioned in a recent issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, although I found it through a link. The objective of Operation Nice is simple: it wants to encourage people to be proactively nice, and it provides fun and creative ideas for accomplishing that mission.

In addition to handing out nice “assignments,” it features news, sites, tips, people, and other pages devoted to being nice. Under a category named “stuff,” a short article describes the I-phone application, Do Good. It keeps track of stats and more, and Apple users can brag about something that, as far as I am aware, does not yet exist for other smart phones. Not nice.Another feature of the site allows you can print out little cards filled with inspirational quotes or tips and tuck them into library books or leave them in spots for others to find.

Secret Agent (http://secretagentinpgh.blogspot.com). The secret agent here specializes in anonymous acts of kindess an day brightening. If you sign up to become one, you will be sent a special assignment to complete. If you just plan on browsing around this blog, you can come up with some of your own creative ideas for spreading cheer. If you have been on the receiving end of a Secret Agent project, you can log on to leave a record of your find.

Artsyville (http://artsyville.blogspot.com). This is focused on one artistic soul’s journey devoted to finding inspiration in everyday things. Aimee, the blogger, describes herself as a creative doodler, and as you will discover, she indeed is. Follow her blog to capture the spirit of Aimee’s exploration of her world.

Awesome Chocolate Sculptures (www.uphaa.com/blog/index.php/8-awesome-chocolate-sculptures/). Huh? You’re thinking this is a nonsequitor? Well then, when is chocolate not an inspiration? This is where I began my own odyssey uncovering inspiring sites this week, I’ll have you know. Now, if I could just get my hands on the chocolate computer keyboard….

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Crazy Emails, Truffling, & Diagramming

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What a week this has been! Picks this week vary from “Old People Talking About the Internet” to “Emails from Crazy People.” These are real websites. I usually don’t receive emails from crazy people and I and my friends do not consider ourselves old. In between these sites, I discovered the North American Truffling Society and Diagramming Sentences. I know you want to know all about these picks, except maybe for the diagramming site.

Old People Talking About the Internet (www.oldpeopletalkingabouttheinternet.com). These illustrated ditties are meant to be funny, but most miss the mark, in my humble opinion. They are made up. Probably by a team of novice comedy writers who are struggling hard at their craft. But since people have different tastes in humor, you may find something funny here.

Emails from Crazy People (http://emailsfromcrazypeople.com/). Not all of the samples of the website are emails. Some are regular letters. Here is an example of one such note from a teacher to the student’s parent:

Dear Mrs. Xxxx,

You may already know this, but in case Alex has neglected to tell you, I am assigning him to detention for one hour this Friday…The reason is as follows:

Alex consistently defied me. During class he contradicted me numerous times when I insisted that the length of one kilometer was greater than that of one mile. Every other student in class accepted my lesson without argument, but your son refused to believe what I told him, offering such rebuttals as, “You’re lying to the class,” and commanding other students to challenge my curriculum.

Although he was correct, Alex’s actions show a blatant disregard for authority, and a complete lack of respect for his school. Alex would be better off simply accepting my teachings without resistance.

Please see to it that your son understands this.

Time to find a new career for that teacher. Anyway, there are some funny emails, some of questionable authenticity, some not meant for youngsters’ eyes, and some worth skipping completely. But real life is stranger than fiction, and this site provides a healthy dose.

North American Truffling Society (www.natruffling.org). One thing I heard about truffles is that they are difficult to find. So was this website, which I more or less stumbled upon. Those who are interested in truffling(finding fungi, not chocolate) generally live in and around Oregon, or in the proximity of the Cascade mountain range. The rest of us have a chance to learn from these experts and hobbyists just exactly where those truffles hide, and what the procedures are for uncovering the fungi without destroying their reproductive parts. Be it with a dog, pigs, or rakes, these hobbyists take their hunting seriously. These hobbyists could collect some serious money selling their harvest to local gourmet restaurants. Be prepared for travel west and a lot of patience if you want to become a trufflist. I’m just sayin’…

Diagramming Sentences (www.geocities.com/gene_moutoux/). Today’s schoolkids don’t know what they are missing, because they have no idea what diagramming is all about. (If I diagrammed that last sentence, my about would be dangling helplessly). Or, they could find out, if they left their MySpace or Twitter pages for a few minutes to head over to this website. Just think how much easier it would be to write those term papers if you had this taught to you in school. Those of us who remember the drills in English classes can look upon this site with nostalgia.

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Second City Stuff + Everything is Terrible

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The first of several excursions around the internet this week was launched from Chicago’s edition of the Huffington Post (www.huffpost/). And as usual, one link leads to another, so in what seems a flash, I find myself buried in deep cyberspace. Here are this week’s finds.

Second City Cop (www.secondcitycop.blogspot.com). The site bills itself as “the best police blog of 2008,” and the Chicago Trib has bestowed honors upon it. Without commenting on its political postings, I can say that I am intrigued with news of the “Beat Cop’s Guide to Good Eats) this is due out in October. In addition to naming places with good food, and yes, good donuts, many of the cops who contributed to this guide share stories about their choice chow houses, and how they sometimes played a bigger role than eating place.

Hyde Park Progress (http://hydeparkprogress.blogspot.com). Written as a “forum for members of the community who want to end the artificial isolation of Hyde Park from the larger economy of the city.” Now, that may sound boring to you, especially if you have not ties to Hyde Park. What I liked about this blog is the dedication of one person to focus on the goings on in his neighborhood. Every town should have at least one blogger doing that. We in LaPorte and Porter Counties came somewhat close to that about six years back, when Streetmail.com (with headquarters on the East Coast) was tackling such a project. Yours truly was your local reporter of that short-lived venture. Anyway, before I digress too much, I want to say that I enjoyed reading about the neighborhood scams the HP Progress’ blogger mentioned. Especially the street poet, who made out like a bandit composing an on-the-spot poem for his victim for a mere $2.

Boutiqueville (http://boutiqueville.com). The last of a trio of links from Huffpost Chicago that I sneeked a look at brought me to this jumping off point for finding hard to find specialty boutiques. Find them here by category, and discover what new ones are opening, and which may be closing (and offering good sales).

Amish Department Store (www.lehmans.com). Wow. One paragraph away from boutique stores we find ourselves in the quieter, less showy world of Amish goods. If you have joined the movement back to simpler times, then you might have need of this site. How easy is it to find good quality coopered barrels, or canning supplies, or perhaps an apple cider press? All that and more can be found here. Now, longtime readers know that I am not an advocate of online shopping—especially when so many worthy brick-and-mortar establishments desperately need our business right now. However, there are times when it’s near impossible to find a particular item. You could try eBay, or just come here for your supply of Fels Naptha soap, quilt frames, or saurkraut stompers.

Everything is Terrible (www.everythingisterrible.com). This was my favorite find this week. It is all videos, and most are, like the name of the website, terrible. You may be disgusted, or mortified, but I was splitting a gut over the Duckman video. Also funny is Yogi Ogi Dogi (recently gone viral). The only funny thing I found with the scarf tying video was not in the video itself, but in the tags for it. Those were written no doubt by a 12-year old. The video looks just fine to anyone eligible for AARP membership. But the young tag maker thinks the video clip and its models are for, um, “old people.” Judge for yourself.

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