Site of the Week -- July 17, 2000
here is a menace among us. A lethal menace. A frightening menace. A mutant menace.
Fortunately, one politician is willing to do something about it: Senator Kelly.
The Senator's Web site--designed to counter the hype surrounding the pro-mutant piece of cinematic propaganda known as X-Men--outlines his plans to make America safe for ordinary people. He proposes a mutant registration authority, to reveal the hidden danger lurking in the cities and suburbia. He urges ordinary men and women to report suspected mutants, and his campaign video clearly outlines his no-tolerance approach to combating the mutant threat.
There's one thing voters should know, however, before heading to the booth in November: Senator Kelly doesn't exist.
Fox spawned his Mutant Watch Web site and the Stop the X-Men Campaign as a way of promoting the X-Men film. It would be a parody if lines like "empowering individual teachers to evaluate and remove genetically enhanced students from their classrooms" didn't so chillingly evoke the rhetoric heard after the Columbine massacre. Instead, it's a work of fiction ... and a good one at that.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- July 10, 2000
hen you think of the Market List, think content
galore! Despite its narrow-focus name, this site is more than
simply a list of writing markets; it is an absolute clearinghouse
of resources for writers of fantasy, science fiction and horror.
The site offers articles for beginning writers, for example, on
topics from the quality of various writing workshops to the
benefits of writing while listening to music. It also has
magazine reviews, including a featured link to a Magazine of the
Month. There are FAQ-style interviews with editors and writers
and book recommendations for those looking for even more tips on
craft and marketing.
As for the actual market listings, these are extensive and
relatively up to date. Users can browse professional, semi-pro
and small-press markets, among others, or use the search engine
to home in on a specific target. They can set filters and
generate short lists of magazines most suited to a particular
story. The list can also be downloaded in HTML format for later
use. This flexibility makes the database a very useful tool.
On the downside, there are some dead links and a couple of
operating hairballs. The interface itself is a teensy bit clunky,
too. But writers looking to get the in-depth scoop on a market or an
editor will definitely want to visit The Market List on a
regular basis.
-- A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week -- July 3, 2000
ormerly the Captain James T. Kirk Singalong Site, ShatnerRocks.com is a great resource for anyone dying to know about the recording careers of various Star Trek actors, as well as about the numerous Star Trek television and movie soundtracks that have come into existence over the years.
The minimalistically but attractively designed site covers the individual works of such Trek majors as William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Tim Russ and Jeri Ryan. Visitors can listen (via RealPlayer) to clips and sometimes entire tracks from the series' soundtracks, as well as other music, poetry and prose readings that the Trek actors have wrought. There are also galleries of the performers, polls, and links, and users can tune in to a broadcast of the site's music that streams 24 hours a day.
The site's commentary on the recordings is both informative (including availability of the different albums) and tongue-in-cheek. How could it really be any other way when talking about William Shatner's version of "How Insensitive" or Leonard Nimoy's "Ballad of Bilbo Baggins"? Fortunately, not all the recordings are as guffaw-worthy.
-- Matthew McGowan
