Quoteland www.quoteland.com
If you don’t have something nice to say but you really want to
say it, chances are you can find it at www.quoteland.com.
Quoteland offers a bunch of sassy retaliations, insults made by
and for celebrities, as well as a collection of witty remarks often
seen on the greatest bumper stickers.
But not all of Quoteland’s quotations are aimed to insult.
Quoteland also offers an extensive archive of literary quotes,
movie quotes, random quotes and some sayings too profound for
words. The site even includes audio clips of well-known TV
commercials – such as "Mentos – the freshmaker!" and Med-Alert’s
"Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!" – and sound clips from
movies like "Star Wars" and "Forrest Gump."
One of Quoteland’s greatest features is a discussion board in
which users can argue their favorite quotations, or elaborate their
interpretations of profound words. For example, users comment on
the fact that when the Bible was first written without spaces, the
phrase "Godisnowhere" could have multiple interpretations — "God
is now here," or "God is nowhere," stirring controversy with the
original intended meaning.
Users can also post questions when looking for a particular
author, subject, or saying and chances are that another frequent
user will be able to help out. The open board provides an excellent
forum for all people with the inspiration to respond, the fingers
to type and the ability to access the Internet.
Quoteland prides itself in its selection of sayings and lyrics,
providing entertaining jargon for readers who like regurgitating
other people’s favorite quotations. The site, effectively organized
into topic and genre, makes the search for something smart (or not
smart) to say, a little easier.
Furthermore, the average college student will no longer have an
excuse for not finding an intelligent quote to slide into a term
paper. Younger siblings will have the opportunity to find the
world’s greatest comebacks. And people who need advice can always
turn to their Quoteland friends: "Eat, drink, and be merry, for
tomorrow they may cancel your VISA."
Sharon Hori
Rating: 8
How Stuff Works
www.howstuffworks.com
The answer to that burning question on everyone’s mind "Is flour
inflammable?" has finally been answered.
Thanks to the amazing people at
www.howstuffworks.com, you will never have to wonder again what
the secret is behind pop rocks or verbal self-defense. You can
learn how Boolean logic, chocolate, nuclear power, calories or NATO
work.
Topics range from the simple (cotton candy) to the absurd (a
complete autopsy of a Furby) to the complex (nanotechnology). And
if scanning the hundreds of titles already available does not
satisfy your curiosity, there is always the Brain.
That’s right, you can e-mail your most pressing questions to How
Things Work creator Marshall Brain (yes he is a real person). And
don’t worry about your question sounding dumb; just remember what
your teachers always told you: the only stupid question is the one
that’s not asked. Take Monday’s question of the day for example,
"My brother and I have a big argument. Our yard is square, and he
likes to do it (mow) up and back. I like to do it in a circular
pattern. Which way is faster???" Or how about this important
question from the archives, "Every time I make an omelette, I have
to wonder how chickens create eggs. Does the chicken’s body make
the shell and fill it with the white and yolk somehow, or does it
make the white and yolk and then somehow wrap the shell over
it?"
These questions may seem impossible to answer, but somehow the
Brain rummages up a response. Although all the answers provided by
the Brain might not be the final word on the subject, at the least,
they are a good attempt. If you do not want to take Brain’s word
for it, many topics are directly linked to other Web pages which
often give extensive answers for the more serious inquisitor.
Even if you are not the curious type, there is sure to be
something of interest at How Stuff Works. And if you are the
curious type, you may never want to leave your computer again.
For all the inquiring minds that want to know, the answer is at
howstuffworks.com.
Angela Salazar
Rating: 9
C-Theory
www.ctheory.com
The "c" in ctheory.com most likely stands for "culture," but
when one considers the content of the site, "curiosity" might be
more appropriate. The massive archive of progressive articles,
poems, reviews, and other literary genres encompass subjects as
pedestrian as the role of the media, to topics as obscure as
"Nietzsche at the Mall: Deconstructing the Consumer."
The site’s strength and weakness lies simultaneously in the wide
breadth of works that vary in both content and quality; at best, a
visit to the site exposes one to a thought-provoking, challenging
essay. Finding that prize, however, may require a little weeding on
the part of the reader.
To the credit of editors Arthur and Marilouise Kroker, there’s
something of intellectual value for just about anyone on
ctheory.com. From politics, to movies, to science, C-Theory leaves
no topic unexplored, and often includes works that combine several
fields. For instance, Charles T. Mudede’s "From Robodad to
BioBitch" explores the conflicts between Newtonian and Darwinian
science through the scope of modern science fiction cinema. In a
similar fashion, Ralph Melcher’s "Vegas Vortex" uses a criticism of
the film "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" to lead into a discussion
concerning religion and anthropology.
The site also includes a link to "Digital Dirt," ctheory’s
graphic arts page. Although the site has nowhere near the variety
or sheer volume of its larger sister site, the cutting-edge
multimedia presentations merit a visit.
For example, "Triad" is a fine melding of dance performances by
Japanese and American artists, and just about all of the other
RealVideo presentations are engaging in their own unique way.
C-Theory’s only fault involves the occasional bad essay or
inaccessible work, which is a given when one takes into account the
large body of work presented on the site. A pretentious article
here or there is bound to frustrate a reader, but it’s all worth it
when that one perfect essay is found.
Anthony Camara
Rating: 7