Part of a commercial site, this gallery of computer animation shorts showcases the creative works of amateur and professional animators. Works by experienced animators provide links to their own web pages and more chances to see their work. Strongly recommended are Anthony Lucas' SBS Television Identification Clips and Nick Miniatis' animated Legos. Shorts require either Quicktime or Windows MediaPlayer.
Usually trend setters, the French are now playing catch up in the war on smoking. Thus they have begun to resort to American-like scare tactics, with gory public service announcements calling attention to the seamier sides of a very unhealthy habit, many of which are far less appealing than a sexy French accent.
An exercise in simulated life, the Virtual Fishtank allows users to create their own fish and release them into a virtual fishtank. After observing their creations surviving with, feeding on, or being eaten by their fellow fish, users may release their creations into a larger virtual tank, checking back occassionally to see how their progeny are doing. Requires Shockwave.
It just may be that the great white whale will go the way of the dinosaurs, if a species of giant squid recently discovered on a Tasmanian beach has anything to say about it. Weighing in at more than five hundred pounds, with an eye eighteen inches in diameter and a beak that can cut steel cable, this variety of squid is hardly one to mess with. Ahab, be scared, be very scared.
The AllTheWeb search engine, in the news recently for attaining an index larger than Google's (press release), has recently launched Alchemist which allows users to view search results with user-defined stylesheets. Alchemist returns search results in plain, unformatted HTML which can be controlled by a users's own CSS.
Wondering what's behind those pieces of junk mail asking for your assistance in smuggling money or diamonds out of another country? Wired News carries the confession of a former scammer.
The Thermin was one of the world's first electronic instruments. Developed and popularized by Russian professor Lev Termen in the early years of the twentieth century, the instrument was first intended to be part of a classical orchestra, but has since been used to make film sound effects and as a background instrument by bands like Portishead. The Virtual Theremin allows users to be, or at least control, Lev Termen as he performs. The theremin was played by moving one's hand within the magnetic fields of two antennae.
Janis Ian (At Seventeen, Society's Child) has been recording and performing music for a living for more than 35 years. In this article she gives a very plainspoken and personal view of the effects of music downloading, and how the RIAA is responding to it.
Here you can find the output of hundreds of composers, some only nine years old, within the genres of classical, jazz, and rock music. This site allows any interested young composer to submit their own music, and to discuss that of others in discussion and chat rooms. Sound quality varies. Excellent for getting kids interested in music or simply renewing one's hope for the coming generations.
John McLeod has spent a lot of time researching card games as they are played around the world. Learn how to play as many new games as you like following these instructions, selecting games from over 75 different countries.