Site of the Week -- June 26, 2000
The idea of mystery animals lurking in the world's dark corners tweaks the nose of scientific infallibility. After all, if there were yetis and giant anacondas, it should be a simple matter for scientists to prove them fraud or fact. Nonetheless, any number of creatures--from Nessie on down--have lived in the human imagination for centuries, even while their actual existence seems permanently lodged just beyond proof.
Cryptozoology.com is a menagerie stocked with "strange, out of place, or unknown animals." The online zoo accepts a broad swath of curiosities, from the "proven" (the coelacanth and the Tasmanian tiger, an extinct species even now being brought back to life) to the arguable and the dubious (like the sketchily supported Jersey devil). Generally its various authors are more Mulder than Scully, as it were: Certain Loch Ness monster films are called "indisputable," for example, while other images are labeled certain hoaxes.
The site also features general essays, books and films about crypto animals and links to organizational and amateur Web sites. It has a bulletin board forum, a gallery in which users can post their own images and a chat room to discuss the truth behind Champ or whether the New Zealand waitoreke is really just an otter. Cryptozoology.com is a virtual foothold for beings whose very existence may be virtual.
-- Mark Wilson
Site of the Week -- June 19, 2000
ars addicts who long to stand beneath the planet's pink sky and hike around its massive geological wonders will discover kindred spirits at the Mars Society's official Web site.
Red Planet aficionados visiting the site can find the latest news about Mars, chat with other future Martians online, sign a petition in favor of exploration, and learn about the Society's myriad projects and plans. Fans can even buy a copy of the Martian flag (which consists of red, green and blue bars, representing the steps in the planet's terraformation).
The site has the standard bylaws, constitutions and chapter listings that visitors would expect to find on an organization's home page, but there's a scientific fervor running through even its most mundane elements. The constitution is a classic example. It spells out the group's goals in plain English while providing an awe-inspiring vision of the Red Planet's future.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- June 12, 2000
lthough the British have many SF shows of which to be proud, from Doctor Who to Blake's 7 and Star Cops, some British fans profess an undying love for those wholly American offerings The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. So they've created The Six Million Dollar Site, home of all things bionic.
Seekers of bionic info should begin in the "Series Premise" section, which traces the history of both shows, from their origin in Martin Caidin's novel Cyborg to the reunion TV movies. There's a thorough guide that outlines every episode, with pictures. The links page is well annotated, and it rates other sites on a scale of one to ten. There's also a news section of current bionic happenings (yes, there are current bionic happenings), biographies of the main characters and an international schedule of air times. The multimedia section includes dozens of audio and video downloads and a special gem--a Six Million Dollar Man comic strip from 1977. Trippy!
A few special features raise this site to a level well above the average fan shrine. First, there's the "Episode of the Month," a series of nicely written and sometimes funny essays that examine key events of the saga. Then there are the "Who Was That Face?" pages, which profile famous and not-so-famous guest stars on the show, such as John Houseman and Pamela Hensley (Princess Ardala of Buck Rogers).
This site is so well organized and informative, it's worth at least $60 million.
-- Blaise Selby
