ccording to site owners Jim and Allen Richardson, "gonzo" science is a fusion, combining the rigorous thinking of the skeptics with more progressive and iconoclastic viewpoints. What does that mean in layman's terms? To judge by the Richardson brothers' Gonzo Science site, it means adding just a squeeze of Scully-style scientific restraint to the mix before having as much credulous fun as possible with the wildest fringe theories alternate science can dig up.
Gonzo Science is an archive of articles on topics ranging from Altered States to UFOs. Within these categories, visitors can read up on alternatives to the Big Bang theory or plasma physics (these would be under the heading of "Cosmology/Astrology"), or perhaps click on "Heretical Biology" to learn more about the idea that life on Earth began in space.
A similar indexing system holds sway in the extensive "Gonzo Links" section, a jumping-off point for researchers interested in odd and unexplained phenomena, whether it be the Kennedy assassination or Marian apparitions.
This Web page is an eclectic mix, ricocheting through a range of subjects without ever probing into any of them very deeply. While pointing out gaps in what conventional science can explain, and offering some interesting alternate theories, the site's authors never go to any great effort to substantiate their claims. As a result, Gonzo Science makes perfect break-time browsing, giving visitors a fast-track escape from the mundane world, into another whose possibilities—if sometimes ludicrous—are infinite.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—May 17, 2004
ounded in 1973 to continue the work of skeptic Charles Fort, Fortean Times magazine covers the world of strange phenomena, from Bigfoot to UFOs and everything in between. Debunking hoaxes and investigating paranormal occurrences, the magazine and its official web page present a thrilling mix of science and speculation.
The archive of past Fortean articles available on this site is a reader's buffet, with features on (to name just a few of the many intriguing subjects) sexuality in Victorian séances, the existence of alien cats in the United Kingdom, the life and work of Paracelsus and avoiding Mediterranean curses. Book reviews cover fiction—with a special "SF Roundup" section written by David V. Barrett—and loads of non-fiction, with books handily sorted by categories including "Conspiracy," "Cryptozoology," "Gaming" and "Paranormal."
Fortean Times runs a lively message board for interested visitors, covers strange news events all over the Web (African frogs threaten San Francisco!), and runs regular contests for prizes like video games, books and DVDs. For more visually minded novelty seekers, the site also has a gallery of supernatural images, such as Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot photos, complete with information on when the photos were unmasked as hoaxes, if they were.
Naturally, Fortean Times also provides subscription information on its print magazine, a valuable aid to any visitors who find they are finished with the site's extensive library of articles ... but still hunger for more.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—May 10, 2004
rude, silly and utterly devoted to the concept of tasteless fun, Pointless Waste of Time is a clearinghouse of scathing movie reviews and previews, as well as feature articles on SF films, video games, current events and even, occasionally, food. (Food, that is, if a reader needs a recipe for dubious concoctions like Butterscotch Explodecake or Snakes Alive Jello Strudel).
This site is aimed at mature readers, and most users will probably want to think twice before exploring its content from a computer at work. That said, there are lots of laughs to be had at PWOT, in articles like "Fifty Reasons Why The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Sucks," in a Matrix section with over a dozen articles on the trilogy, in "Life After the Video Game Crash," and dozens of irreverent movie reviews dating as far back as 1997's Titanic.
PWOT's discussion forums are always active, with topics set aside for gamers, film and TV fans and music aficionados, as well as more esoteric hobbyists such as those who write sports-themed poetry. Other pointless but enjoyable timewasters include caustic summer movie previews, a captioning—or "craptioning"—contest, an account of a Great Console Playoff (wherein the the Sony and Nintendo platforms are pitted against Microsoft), a FAQ that has questions but no answers and a Harry Potter spoof.
Any fan who enjoys seeing a favorite movie, book or game mercilessly lampooned should click their way immediately to Pointless Waste of Time. Those with a more delicate constitution where humor is concerned—anyone hoping for stringent adherence to the facts and a serious treatment of science-fictional media, for example—may prefer to waste their surfing time elsewhere.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Back to the top.
