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prior listings

 

• XPAIDER 8/31/02 
  Description: Spanish Design Farmer
  Comments: Today's pick comes as a result of my catching up on administrative things, like revisiting featured cool sites to double check for mistakes – my mistakes, that is.  It's easy to miss something the first time you visit a site.  I think I must have chosen to "skip intro" the first time I visited this one.  So, today I bring a site onto the best of the cool listings that belonged there in the first place.  What intro?  The "Retro Robot Machine" has got to be the coolest Flash creation on the planet!  Okay, so maybe I'm overstating that a bit – it's really just a little (hyperactive) splash page – in that case, I'll just call it the coolest splash page on the planet and leave it at that, since that's not really why I'm picking the site anyway.  There's actually 2 reasons.  First, the design.  Great implementation of the chromeless window idea and a great layout within the 810x316 window, not to mention the vibrant color scheme and graphics.  Second, and what I really mis-evaluated the first time I visited the site, is the content, baby!  Tasty screensavers, fonts, icons, and desktops for your downloading pleasure plus a big section of links (including a "link of the month" and "link of the week") that could keep you occupied the whole weekend (if you let it).  Lemme just call this my link of the day...
   
• Independent Media Center 8/28/02 
  Description: a democratic media outlet for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of truth
  Comments: Regardless of individual political beliefs and view of the world, you've got to appreciate the power of the web to deliver news – not only from corporate giants attempting to buy their way into total control of all media, but also from alternative sources of information.  Today's pick is one such alternative – "a collective of independent media organizations and hundreds of journalists offering grassroots, non-corporate coverage."  Established in 1999 to provide "grassroots coverage" of the WTO protests in Seattle, it's grown into a "decentralized and autonomous network" of media centers throughout the world, covering news related to a multitude of human issues – a network of "collectively run media outlets."  Today, more than ever, "media activists" play an important role in disseminating information on events that traditional corporate-media may distort, or choose to ignore.  Chalk one up for the power of the web to provide more than a one-sided story...
   
• funkreich 8/21/02 
  Description: news on design and music related stuff plus downloads and the flyer museum
  Comments: "To be honest my enthusiasm for all those design sites has gone. I'm just tired of looking at them due to the lack of useful content."  Scooba explains that it's been quiet as he and Movel are "tryin' to figure out how to expand..."  Though he feels "news plus a truckload of flyers" is rather limited, I found some interesting links in the news and the "Flyer Museum" is great – the feature is a collection of 15 flyers related to an annual "b-boy" dance contest plus some photos that Movel took at one of the events.  In addition, get this, there's over 1,200 flyers in the database so I don't doubt it's "one of the largest flyer collections on the web."  Hardly limited content, especially when you also consider the "download section" with its walls and icons, plus the "vinyl of the week" feature with short .mp3 samples of some super-tasty music.  And don't forget a tutorial on "the art of pixelling" plus the fact that there's over a dozen members posting to the news.  So, as Scooba and Movel "think positive" about what the "nice new" site will be like, I've got to say I'm thinking pretty positive about what's already there – love the design and its sweet pixel style...
   
• We Come In Peace 8/19/02 
  Description: some strange tales with some strange creatures (Flash)
  Comments: Drag the "little monster" towards one of the "stoneballs" and he'll eat it to launch a funny episode.  The monster has an existence similar to the coyote in the old Road Runner cartoons – I think that's why I find it all so funny.  There's 5 episodes and every one of them is a real gas – today's pick is serving up real entertainment – some of best Flash-based cartoons I've encountered.  So – take yer browser to today's pick for a few minutes, drag and eat, and enjoy (and don't worry, if your boss catches you watching, he/she will probably laugh their ass off, too)...
   
• No Slander 8/17/02 
  Description: The Chicago and Brooklyn literary international, featuring terrible games of language, and the occasional skewer
  Comments: Design?  Black and white, all text (though a giraffe was spotted on the announcement page).  Words.  That's really what it's about – the clean design and simple navigation scheme work just right when words are the offering.  The narrow format is perfect for easy reading.  Chicago.  "The price for admission is a pint of blood, taken painlessly while one brushes past the (supposedly) strobe-bound and beautiful in a digitally produced after-hours club."  But Greg won't recommend the club, at least, not to his friends.  Brooklyn.  "Some good things have happened to me just because I was in the World Trade Center one day and got bombed... This is sometimes hard to deal with."  Bryan had several scary dreams.  " In both dreams, I lived, just like in real life."  Intense.  So, it appears that Greg and Bryan, the key figures behind the site, are the Chicago and Brooklyn components respectively, but there's 22 other authors who've contributed creative content to make it international.  I particularly liked browsing the entries "by first line" though "by name" is a choice as well on that single point of navigation called "more" to which the link at the bottom of each page leads.  My only regret, having recently moved from Chicago, is that I wasn't aware of "The Danny's" sooner...
   
• Beat13 8/16/02 
  Description: sounds, design, and art (Flash)
  Comments: Psst... wanna download some cool tunes?  Not tunes from those big record companies on copy-protected CDs or anything like that – naaw... these are tunes from some talented people you've probably never heard of who would be tickled to know you listened to their stuff and shared it with others (take that RIAA!).  There's a dozen different songs you can download but that's just a small part of what you'll find at today's pick.  You'll also wanna check out the "designlab" and some of the great illustrations and digital art in the "personal pods."  Thirsty?  There's a recipe for "Guinness Punch" that sounds yummy, but you might wanna wait 'til evening to try it.  I love the deep green color of the site and the Flash work and overall design is outstanding – after you enter, don't be in too much of a hurry to click or you might miss the swarm of robots...  
   
• typorganism 8/14/02 
  Description: Communication Experiments focused on Interactive Kinetic Typography and Communal Interactivity (Flash)
  Comments: Okay, so I'm running a little late today, but when I started playing with "ASCII-O-Matic" and "Visual Composer" again, I got a little tied up.  I can't help it if Gicheol's stuff is so engaging (and fun).  He describes his site as a "series of communication experiments" which explore what he calls "Computational Interaction Design" and "Interactive Kinetic Typography."  "Type is an organism" says Gicheol and the site is a showcase that demonstrates, or supports, that statement.  Two other works related directly to typography are "DNA" and "Weight" – the first is an interesting look at letters/numbers as 3-dimensional molecular organisms, while the latter lets you actually compare the weight of different characters (from various font faces) by placing them in a cool scale.  It's all an excellent study of type as a living, breathing, and moving "lifeform, which lives on the Net" – interesting and engaging, and artsy to boot...
   
• citynoise dot org 8/13/02 
  Description: It's reassuring to see every day how humanity makes noise where I live...
  Comments: Like another recent pick (8/4/02), today's pick is destined to become what its users make of it.  The editors of the site invite users to post anything that's relevant, calling it "a place where people with a love for the urban form, modern world, or a general appreciation of their environment gather to post stories, narratives and/or photos about favourite cities, hometowns, travels, or current locations."  The "random commentary" box on the side bar included "I love Amsterdam" with a link to a photo of interesting signage which the comment referred to – a cool way to get to the content if you ask me.  Another box says "random entry" and "from today, in toronto" led me to a neat photo submitted by another user.  The list of "recent comments" led me to even more cool content – photos and narrative (plus comments) from various corners of the world.  "This is an open forum, open to all relevant ideas, and as such, sees minimal editorial interference."  Nice concept and design and a great example of what a little open collaboration around a theme can lead to...
   
• the end of existence 8/10/02 
  Description: reveals the power of atomic weapons and their impact on our world (Flash)
  Comments: "War is not the answer."  Though the so-called "Cold War" came to end in the early 90s, we're still in the "Nuclear Age" and there's still world leaders resorting to threats of nuclear attack.  Today's pick is a presentation of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and the message is simple and serious.  "Nuclear weapons are capable of destroying the human species and life as it exists today.  Our top priority is to abolish nuclear weapons and to seek the end of their existence."  This extraordinairy, artistic Flash presentation is divided into 5 parts, or chapters, and takes an in-depth look at important historical events.  In light of more recent world events, we certainly need heroes of peace – perhaps the world can become a "safer and saner" place through "education and advocacy."  It's can't be about us and them anymore – it needs to be all of us fostering a "global rule of law."  Are world leaders to learn anything from the past?  I sure hope so!  Kudos to the organization behind today's pick for such positive use of the web in delivering their timely message...
   
• absenter.org 8/5/02 
  Description: a journal
  Comments: Today's pick, a personal journal, is one of several personal projects produced by Naz, a 24-year-old designer living in Chicago.  He also has a frequently updated photo journal at a different domain.  Both sites are very well-designed and I noticed the most recent posts at each site were related.  The most recent text journal entry is about seeing a musical performance Friday evening at the Borders on "swanky Michigan Avenue" with a friend.  The Friday photo at the other site, sure enough, was a picture of the "Boy" playing in front of the bookstore – cool.  After checking other recent posts at each site, it seemed the direct relationship between content from the two sites was an exception on August 2nd.  Anyway, not only do I like Naz' design style, but I also think he writes well.  He calls it "a linear narrative, made up of journal entries, moments, encounters, experiences and text as a way to document the past, and as a companion to memory."  What a way with words!  "It's amazing how much more [convoluted] and complicated life becomes and yet how the mind can keep dealing with it, day after day, because you have to."  Another entry from July talked about learning more about an "angel" Naz worked with... at her funeral – one of the best written pieces I've come across lately.  I like the way Naz presents the content one day at a time with the most recent entry on the home page.  You can simply go back a day at a time, or hit the archives for listings by month with short abstracts.  The archives are also searchable and go back 3 years.  Personal journals have been part of the web for as long as I can remember and this one is superb.  And don't forget the photo journal 'cause it's just as good in a different way...
   
• storyabout 8/2/02 
  Description: make and save anything you want with "16 balls" plus other works (Flash)
  Comments: If I'm not mistaken, the Korean designer behind today's pick goes by the nickname of "hansorry."  Though I can't read the content in his diary or on the message board, I found something here that's most amusing – "you have only 16 balls but i think you make anything you want" is the message you'll get if you choose to "make" a piece for gallery.  It's challenging and, call me silly, a lot of fun.  Another thing I really liked was "Flash Works" which showcases some of hansorry's actionscript savvy.  There's also a number of photo projects – though I couldn't read his descriptions about each project, that's fine because one doesn't need to speak the language to appreciate the images... and I did.  To those of you who've noticed a string of Flash picks this week, rest assured I have some non-Flash thingies in the queue coming up for you, but for today, enjoy hansorry's colorful site and make something with 16 balls...