Quixotic Crap

What better way to spend the last day of the year by looking at a site that is totally off the wall in the humor department. It also has some of the best blogs I have seen while managing to maintain a totally offbeat outlook at life, both in and out of cyberspace. So fasten that mouse or trackball to the table, and lets take off.

The name of the site is Quixotic Crap, a site that has weird websites, funny links, animations, short films, and pop culture. Best of all, it is updated almost daily. How crazy and offbeat is it, you wonder? Check out the "I'm Feeling Silly" post, and see what you can do with 250 pounds of silly putty. The 25 Most Interesting Webcams of 2005 sponsored by EarthCam (although tonight they are looking at New Years celebrations) are an interesting diversion, as is the Top 50 Music Videos of 2005 (needless to say, this in not your MTV Top 50 videos!).

The site has section for WebCams, Artwork, Blogs, and Artwork. There is some incredible talent on this site, both technical and artistic. You can see it in all of its glory here. The Monthly Featured Artist has some good talent waiting to be discovered. There are some great links, as well as a site Podcast. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site an 8.5, one that is worth wasting some time at. It will only serve to, uh, kill some time.

http://www.quixoticcrap.com/index.htm

WelkNotes

Having a website that is considered weird or warped does not mean that it has to be about aliens, UFOs, dead rock stars, funny videos, or off color humor. In fact, something that is square to you could be very serious to another person, and they may choose to feature that something on a web site. Take today's website for example. I came across it in my local Saturday paper, and it was just too good to pass up.

The site is called WelkNotes, and it is a site dedicated to the king of the Polka, Lawrence Welk. The article I read told about how his shows were being featured on Public Broadcast Stations (PBS) across the country, and are one of their most popular shows. They continue to have increasing viewership (even without the pledge breaks!), and the audience seems to younger and younger. Not too bad for a band leader that got his start in the 1930's, had a network television show from 1955 till 1971, and was in syndication for another 11 years after that.

At this site, you (or your grandparents) can start to understand the lure of the man and his music. It harkens to a more innocent time in our country, when being cool meant you had an air conditioned home, and being square was a type of dance. Even though Mr. Welk has been dead for almost 15 years, this site tracks his career and follows the people who were on his show, as well as those that continue to entertain in Welk style. But you will see from the fans at this site and the links to other sites, the same passion is there as for our other Warped sites.

http://www.welknotes.com/

The Smoking Gun

Sometimes the best websites are the ones that are right under your nose. For example, today's Warped site is one that has been around for awhile, in fact is has had it's own television show. You may be aware of it, and if you are, then you'll have to agree that it is one warped site. If you haven't heard of it before, then you are in for some surprises.

The site is The Smoking Gun. This is a website that takes pride in having the latest dirt on just about any subject. Wanna see the mug shot of the latest arrested celebrity? They will have it. Are legal proceeding's your cup of tea? They'll have them here, with copies of actual court documents. Check out Jennifer Aniston's attempts to have topless pictures of her not be printed. The facts are here! My favorite are is the contract riders that entertainers insist on when they are giving a concert. For example, did you know that the Rolling Stones must have a ping-pong table at their beck and call, as well as five different video games and a full size snooker table. To their credit, they will provide their own snooker balls.

This is one that that changes almost daily, so it is best to visit it often. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 9.5 for the sheer hutzpah to put up some of the items they do. Such a commitment to the truth needs to be rewarded.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/

The Weird Places

Today's Warped site comes to us courtesy of the Internet. Since all of the sites we visit are already on the web, what makes this one so unique or special. For one thing, it is from a country where English is not a native language. Also, just a few short years ago, this type of communications would have been next to impossible. But thanks to the web, we can go international for our Warped fix.

The site is called The Weird Places, and is hosted in The Netherlands, a very interesting country to visit. What makes this site so interesting to visit is that the categories are divided into Weird 1, Weird 2, Weird 3, etc., etc. So you never get a chance to see where exactly you are going, or what is going to pop up when you do go there. For example, Weird 1 takes to such places as the 28 hour day, and the Useless Pages (no, not the ones from the government). Weird 5 has I Wanna Be Famous and The Dumb Network (again, not to be confused with a government site).

So it is the both the variety and the randomness, as well as the unknown aspect that makes this such an appealing site. The Warp-o-Meter gives this one a 9.0, making it one to spend some time at. Some of the sites are not in English, but to me that adds to the appeal of the sites.

http://www.deiman.nl/weird/

SIMP

Today's we leave the world of reality, and cross over to a site that puts the WWW in World Wide Web. Only it doesn't stand for that, in their opinion. To see what I mean, follow the yellow brick cursor over the the Warped site today.

The site is called SIMP, where, in their own words, experts will show you how to waste your time on the web. The site has so many off the wall, off the beaten path, and out of this world sites that you will spend hours here. Where else can you visit a Chia Pet Zoo? Then there is the Wacky Patent of the Month, and the Museum of Dirt. If you want to spend some quiet and reflective time, there is the Church of the Sub genius. A must see is the Outhouses of America (this is the OFFICIAL Outhouse site, BTW), where you visit the Thomas Crapper Grave Rededication Ceremony.

This site pegged the Warp-o-Meter at 10.0. It has such a diverse and varied collection of sites that you can and will spend time here when you should be doing other things. What a better way to waste time on the Internet?

http://www.simp.com/simp_www.htm

2006 Holidays & Observances

Getting ready for the New Year yet? The coming year will have it's share of holidays and special days, some new, some old, some old fashioned. But you need to be ready to know what they are, so you can ask your boss for a day off, or impress your friends at the water cooler with your knowledge of those days. The site we have today is wrapped up in all of those days, the well known and the not-so well known ones.

The site is called 2006 Holidays & Observances. Here you can find the dates and actual days of the coming year for the official holidays that will get you a day off from work. Such as Christmas, the 4th of July, and Thanksgiving, among others. But then there are the not so well known ones. For example, did you know that January 13th is National Blame Someone Else day? How about June 15th being Nation Recess at Work day (mark that one on your calendar!).

But not only are the holidays, but holiweeks and holimonths as well. August is Happiness Happens month, May is National Moving Month, and November is National Pomegranate Month. Some of the sites mentioned have links to the site for that observance as well.

The folks that put this site together have done us all a favor. I didn't realize that March 1st was Beer Day. So this site has a bit of something for all of us. Make sure your boss or spouse know about it, so you will have an excuse for your seasonal behavior.

http://www.brownielocks.com/month2.html

Christmas in Cyberspace

Nothing funny or unusual in today's Warped site. We're taking a day off from our usual joking and fun to wish all of the visitors to our site a very Merry Christmas, and share a site that really reflects the reason for the season. It is called Christmas in Cyberspace, and as it's headline says "A Christian-Centered Holiday site. No Santas - Just the Good News". Not that we have anything against Santa, but the reason for the holiday is Jesus Christ, and this site makes that message very clear. We have so much to be thankful for as a nation and as a people. We are not a perfect country, but we are trying. There is so much negativity in the world today, sites like this one help to remind us of just how much we have to be thankful for. So have a pleasant holiday with family, friends, and relatives, and come back tomorrow when we'll have another Warped site for you.

http://www.christmasincyberspace.com/

The Bob Rivers Show

When one thinks of Christmas, carols come to mind. When one thinks of Christmas carols, there are many that come to mind. Some are hundreds of years old, some are day old. Some are serious, some are fun, and some are cute. But today we look at someone who puts the twist in twisted Christmas carols. You have heard of him before, and if you haven't, well, you're in for a treat.

The Bob Rivers Show is the web site of Bob Rivers (who else?). Bob has gained a reputation for his Twisted Christmas albums. Names such as White Trash Christmas, Chipmunks Roasting on a Open Fire, and the original Twisted Christmas. These go to show that Bob has a healthy respect for satire, and still retains the spirit of the season. But you will also see that he has other talents as well. His radio show in Seattle has quite a following, and the bits from his show are available for listening here as well. In my opinion, he rivals both Howard Stern and Mark & Brian in creative talent.

So if you want to have a warped and twisted Christmas, plan on spending some time with Bob. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 9.5 because it is what this site is all about.

http://www.twistedtunes.com/

The Gag Report

As we get close to the best holiday of the year (Christmas, of course), many of the Warped sites out there are featuring themes with that subject. Some are pretty funny, some are pretty lame, and some, like today's, are pretty risque. But in their own way, they are all full of, well, holiday cheer.

This site is called the Gag Report. It is full of banned commercials, pranks, animated GIF files, weird news, and funny videos. Their holiday highlights include a great Dear Santa letter, and a Santa who was beaten by shoppers. One section of this site that is fun to look at their Top 50 Most Popular pages. Everything from banned tv ads to funny videos to weird news. There is also a sexy celebrity gallery that is worth checking out.

The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 7.5 for the organization that is has, along with a great variety of subject matter. The videos alone will leave you in stitches.

http://www.gagreport.com/

Baby Animalz

Not all of the sites we cover here are warped and weird in an offbeat sense. Sometimes we have fun ones, and funny ones, and some cute ones. Today's site is one of the latter ones, a great resource for emails.

Called Baby Animalz, this site is a collection of cute and funny baby animals. Since the beginning of time, baby animals have ruled the world. Owning the future, dominating the present and rewriting the past. There are tons of pictures here, as well as poems, sounds, and a guestbook. There is even a section for people who don't like baby animals.

Like I said earlier, not all of our sites are wacky weird. Having a Warped site that is fun to look at and share with others is a nice change of pace. Have a Merry Christmas.

http://www.babyanimalz.com/

The Michael Jackson Gallery

Speaking of Warped sites, have you seen the latest one about the soon-to-be-homeless Michael Jackson. It is so weird and warped that I just had to set it up for today, since this is the day his loans come due. So read on......

This site is the Michael Jackson Gallery. I have looked at this site for awhile now, and now matter how I spin my keyboard, I can't come up with a better description than the webmasters. So I bow to his superior verbiage, and will let him describe it to you:

"Welcome to the Michael Jackson Gallery. You might think Michael Jackson is a genius, a visionary, a true humanitarian, an innovator and a living legend. You might think history will remember him as the one and only King of Pop. You might think Michael Jackson is a fool, a freak, a child abuser and a fraud. You might think history will remember him as just another tragic figure of the entertainment industry. Regardless of your opinion about him, Michael Jackson is almost impossible to ignore. He is one of the most photographed men in history. However, we may never know the price Michael has paid for such a unique life in the public eye. Is he a brilliant manipulator of the media or really as bizarre as he is portrayed? Perhaps these images of one of the most celebrated and controversial figures of our time will help you decide."

There you go. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site an 8.0, but only because it hasn't had regular updates. But I think this will be changing over the next few days.

http://www.chooseyourdestiny.com/mjgallery.html

The Warped WebRing

Today the mainstream operating systems are Windows XP and Macintosh OS X. There are variations to those operating systems, and arguments could be made that Linux is becoming a major player. But in the good old days of computers, there was another system, one that is worthy of a look at, especially by this site, since it is a totally warped OS.

The name of the site is The Warped WebRing. This site was established to connect and publicize websites related to OS/2 Warp. I can remember when this OS gave Windows 3.1 a real run for it's money, and was considered a viable alternative for running a computer. There are still avid users out there and using it, as this site shows. Here anyone who is interested in OS/2 Warp can find where to go and hang out with other users.

This site is really WARPED!! (Sorry for the pun, but I just can't resist). While the Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 3 for content, it gets an honorary 9 for it use of the word warped. Ya gotta love a site that has a sense of humor (and anyone who is still using OS/2 has gotta have one of those!).

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/2772/warpring.html

Bizarre

Most of our websites that we feature are strictly that, web based. I mean, how can some of those sites be in any other format, and who would want to read them. Well, today, we have found the perfect Warped site that not only works on the web, it works in print as well.

The site is called Bizarre, or as it is subtitled "It's About Life in the Extreme". It is the online counterpart of the hardcopy magazine Bizarre. There is a wide variety of material covered here, from Bizarre World, to Bizarre Girls, Bizarre People, Bizarre Life and Bizarre XXX. Some of the material here is intended for mature viewers, but some of it is just so weird that anyone could view it, and not understand what it is all about. There are movies here, still pictures, cartoons, and more.

This site is just plain Warped and weird. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 9.0 for all of the material covered, and the way it is covered. It almost makes me want to go out and get a copy of the magazine. But not quite, I'm not that warped!

http://www.bizarremag.com/

JibJab

Thinking about what site to do for today's Warped site, I was drawing a blank until it hit me. One of the best sites I have seen for political warpedness in the past couple of years was on the news today, for their Year In Review clip for George W. and the year he has had. So head on over with me to the guys at... well, you'll know the name when you see the site.

The name of the site is JibJab. I really like the way their site sounds when you say it, it just rolls off the tongue. Try it, "JibJab."

This site first came to national attention with their cleverly produced parody of the Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land", using it to depict the last Presidential election. Their use of animated puppet-like figures are very clever. What really stands out is they take no sides, they parody everyone. I really like Bill Clinton's cameos in all of the political commentaries.

But there is more to this site than political satire. There are other parodies here as well, in addition to other types of computer generated humor and oddities. Altogether, they make this one of the wackiest sites on the Internet. But for their fair and balanced satire on our political scene, the Warp-o-Meter gives this site a rating of 10.0 (one of the few to have achieved that rating. After the last one, we had to send it out for repair and calibration).

http://www.jibjab.com/Home.aspx

Happy Birthday Silly Putty

Today we visit an old friend. I didn't realize how old until I read the information on this site. But here is site about a childhood friend to most of us, even though now it seems like such a boring way to spend time. Get ready to sproing!!

The site is called Happy Birthday, Silly Putty. It was Teich's Tech Tidbit of the week, and is nostalgic look at this unique invention. Silly Putty is celebrating its 55th birthday this year. More than 300 million Silly Putty eggs (4,500 tons) have been sold since the product went on the market in 1950. James Wright, a researcher at the General Electric Company's lab in New Haven, Connecticut, discovered Silly Putty accidentally in 1943 in the process of trying to make synthetic rubber (which was in short supply in the United States during World War II). GE was unable to find any practical use for the product and it remained a curiosity until Peter Hodgson, an unemployed advertising man, saw it at a party in 1949. The rest, it is said, is history.

Many of us have played with this toy for many hours. I can remember trying to chew it like gum. Now that was a warped thing to do. For sheer nostalgia, this site gets a 6.5 from the Warp-o-Meter. It has also given me a great idea for stocking stuffer gifts.

http://www.alteich.com/tidbits/t121100.htm

A Christmas Story

'Tis the season to be jolly. Time for letters to Santa, annual re-runs of "It's A Wonderful Life", and eggnog all around. But due to legal issues and other flim-flams, that film is not shown as much as it once was. I remember one year when it was shown 41 times between December 1st and 26th. Those days are long gone. So another film had to take it's place. That film has achieved cult status, and therefore makes it worthy of a Warped look.

The name of the site is A Christmas Story. This site salutes and immortalizes the 1983 film "A Christmas Story", starring Darrin McGavin and Melinda Dillon. This is a collection of information and odds and ends about not only the movie, but the books that they were based on. Jean Sheperd wrote them, and the film is based on several short stories from those books. There is an interesting page of movie bloopers, including one that explains the mystery of Ming The Merciless being in the movie credits, and how them made Flick's tongue stick to the flag pole.

This film is rapidly becoming a Christmas tradition. It is shown for 24 hours, one showing right after the other, starting on Christmas Eve and through the day on cable television. The theme of the film, the excitement and mystery and the joy of waking up on Christmas morning is something that we can all identify with. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a rating of 5.

http://acs.flicklives.com/

Aaron's GI Joe Adventure Team

Today's Warped site is one that could be considered somewhat juvenile. It could also be a seasonal site, since it have been given as a kid's gift for years (I know, I got one!). So fall in, and get ready to march on over to a great site.

The name of the site is Aaron's GI Joe Adventure Team. It is a site that is dedicated to on of the icons of the American toy industry, GI Joe. For the uninformed, GI Joe was the boy's answer to the girl's Barbie doll. No sissy clothes for this guy who could kick Ken's behind and not break a sweat. The webmaster tells about how he received his first GI Joe for Christmas, then put it away and discovered it about 20 years later. I can relate, I got a GI Joe when it first came out, and now I wonder what land fill it is in, since my mom tossed it.

So hanging on to childhood toys is not only smart, but it is cool too. Look at what some of the toys we played with are selling for, not just on eBay but on sites dedicated to those toys. As we grow older, we like to remember our childhood, and what went with it. Sites like this help us to indulge in these memories, and there is nothing wrong with that.

http://kungfugrip.adventureteam.com/

TheTravisty

While watching television show tonight, I saw a show that was hilarious. The Man Show set a new standard for television comedy, and was on the Comedy Channel. There was a segment on it that was hilarious, but they didn't show one tonight. So I fired up my Google search engine and found a site that had them. They also had some other great viewing as well.

The site is called TheTravisty. It is a collection of clips from various television shows, old commercials, and some original programming as well. Here I found all of the segments from The Man Show featuring the Man Show Boy. Be sure to check out his corner beer stand. There is also a wide variety of older commercials, such as Bud Light, as well as clips from television shows. Saturday Night Live is well represented, as is Chappelle's Show, Family Guy, and In Living Color.

There is a lot of good viewing here, some of it for mature audiences, but a ton of laughs. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 9.0, since you can spend hours here and either be offended, entertained, or both.

http://thetravisty.com/

Stupidness

Tom Hanks, playing Forest Gump in the movie of the same name, had a saying. That saying was "Stupid is as stupid does". Now, if you think about that for a moment, there is a lot of philosophy in that statement, and several debate team topics. But you also have the concept of the warped site that we will visit today.

The site I am referring to is called Stupidness. Now, be warned that some of the sites here are not for the younger viewing audience. But this site has a collection of some of the, well, stupidest and dumbest sites that ever took up a megahertz of bandwidth. For example, there is FlushTheWeb.com, known for the World Wide Webs Worst Websites. Slangsite.com and UrbanDictionary.com are excellent resources for what slang terms really mean. Insults.net is a place to go for insults for all occasions (such as the next time your boss gives you grief, you can be prepared). My oldest daughter was interested in College Stories, which is true stories about spring break activities (I told her she needs to go to school first to have a spring break, but that is another story).

This site has many more links, and like I said earlier, some of them are pretty risque. But they are all examples of just how messed up the Internet can become. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site an 8.0 for the amount and variety of sites that are featured here.

http://www.stupidness.com/

scary squirrel world

When I first found today's featured site, I thought I would be nuts to do it. But the more I explored it, the more I thought I would be nuts not to. Why not hop on over and see if I was right, or it if I was too squirrelly in selecting it.

The site is called scary squirrel world. As it's name suggests, it is about those loveable little creatures that we all like to feed part of our lunch to. This amusing site has quite a collection of articles, pictures and drawings about skwerls and squirrels. At first glance you think the webmaster has to be nuts. But then you see that a lot of love went into this site, and a lot of attention to the small details that make a successful site, and sets it apart from others.

The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 7.5 since not all sites have to be obtuse to be weird or warped. There is enough variety here to entertain all visitors, no matter what their interest in the subject matter is. I challenge every visitor however to read the Meet Bob Woodward link, and not enjoy it. No, it is not THAT Bob Woodward!

http://www.scarysquirrel.org/

FORMER President Clinton

Perspective is everything. One man's junk is another man's treasure. What is correct to one person is not correct to another, and vice versa. Sometimes a site can be considered weird and warped, and other times a site can be a completely normal, but the subject is warped and/or weird. Today's site is in one of those categories, somewhere.

The site is named FORMER President Clinton. This page is designed to serve as a comprehensive collection of information surrounding the highly corrupt activities of FORMER president Clinton's administration. Ranging from the solid facts and evidence, to the humorous anecdotes, thorough information about the Clinton presidency is included.

To use this page, scroll down to the "features" section for a list of topics. Popular pages include an introduction to all the "gates" and "waters" of the Clinton administration, a list of convictions from the many Clinton scandals, lists of solid evidence against Clinton as presented in the Starr report and in other publications, and a guide to the legal understanding of how impeachment works.

The former President not only brought disgrace to the office of President, he has disgraced the office of former President. While he is free to exercise his right to free speech, his continued attacks on our nation and the current administration are contrary to the customs of former Presidents. But what can you expect from someone who will be remembered as one of the worst chief executives our nation has had. The Warp-o-Meter failed to register when shown this site, I'm not sure why, but I have my suspicisions.

http://members.tripod.com/~GOPcapitalist/clintonpage.html

Killer Guppies

Every so often, a site comes along that is so outrageous that you don't know if it is a serious one trying to be funny, a funny site trying to be serious, or just a site that is seriously misunderstood. I think today's site is one that qualifies on all three levels. Read on and you will see what I mean.

The site is called Killer Guppies. This site is, well, dedicated to the research and documentation of the existence of killer guppies. There is a mountain of evidence here, both visual and written. The evidence is well presented, and a good case is made. You can email the site to supply any information you have, or maybe give them another place to look, or just ask what the heck have they been smoking or snorting.

With tongue solidly in cheek, this site is one that defines what we look for in a Warped site. It is one of only two or three that have pegged the Warp-o-Meter for a solid 10, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You often wonder about people who are so wrapped up in something that they need to get a life. Well, today's site is just such an example.

http://www.killerguppies.com/

Links to Jokes

Not every weird or warped site has to be weird or warped. Some can be just down right funny. Today's site is one I tripped across, and my sides are still hurting from laughing at all of the funny jokes I found on it. So lets get ready to laugh!!

The site is called Links to Jokes. It is a site that has a collection of links to funny sites that have jokes and cartoons. What makes this one so much fun is the variety and number of site that are here. There are the standard lawyer, doctor, redneck and blonde jokes. But you'll also find computer jokes, camping & hiking jokes, tombstone humor, religious jokes (in a nice way, not evil), working folks, medical and dental, the list goes on and on. There are also cartoons to laugh at, and be sure to visit the miscellaneous humor page. There are a lot of diamonds on that page.

The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 7 for the amount of work that was put into it to make it funny, and the amount of work it takes to keep it current. With this many links, it is inevitable that some would end or not work. But everyone I found worked well, too well in some instances.

http://www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/links.htm

The Political Graveyard

There is a saying that to have success in politics, you need to know where the bodies are buried (just a figure of speech, you understand, unless you possibly were associated with the Clinton administrations). Having information that no one else has can make you a valuable asset to any organization that you belong to. Today we look at a site that can help politicians, since, by it's own claim, it knows where they are buried.

The site is called The Political Graveyard A Database of Historic Cemeteries. This is a web site about U.S. political history and cemeteries. It is the Internet's most comprehensive source for American political biography, listing 138,150 politicians, living and dead. Here you can search to your heart's content to see if your favorite (or not so favorite) politician is in his final repose. Need to find out about Justus Ebert? If so, this is the place.

While on the surface this site may seem a little Warped, it is actually a well researched and organized database. It can be valuable for anyone who is doing research or working on a genealogical project. There are a variety of links on each politician, supplementing the data on the site. It is an ongoing project, so the data is constantly being reviewed for accuracy and added to. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 4 for its content, but an 8 for its concept. Really a worthwhile site.

http://politicalgraveyard.com/

WeirdSpot.com

Some of our Warped site have focused on different sites that relied on stories and links to understand what they are about. Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, and as today's website shows, they may even be worth more.

The site is called WeirdSpot.com. They feature weird pictures, news and facts - all strange, bizarre and unusual. The first picture they show today is an example of what happens when you give your wife a driving lesson, and she over compensates when turning. Glub-glub!

There are all kinds of funny pictures here, funny videos, rude funny pictures, all are worth a look. There is no real common theme on the site, except to make you laugh, and smile, and feel good that some of the dumb things you have done, others have done them to (and were caught on camera!). Be sure to check out the driver who gives the term "drive thru" a new meaning at his local neighborhood Taco Bell. This site rates a 7 on the old Warp-o-Meter, and in some areas it even rates a 10. But you have to find those areas yourself!

http://www.weirdspot.com/index.php/weblog/2004/06/

We're Just Wild About Harry

The Harry Potter craze is alive and well. This has been one of the biggest years for the franchise with the release of the sixth book and fourth movie in the series. There are all kinds of fans, from the casual one who reads the books, to the one that would enroll at Hogwarts if they were given a chance. Today's Warped site is one that will satisfy the wants and needs of just about any wizard, warlock, squib, or muggle.

The site is called We're Just Wild About Harry, and it does not refer to the popular song title of years gone by. This is a simple site that is a clearing house for sites about Harry Potter and his world. They feature as complete a collection of websites as I have seen. There are also links to Amazon.com.uk where you can order the British versions of the books and audio tapes/CDs. There are some differences between these version and the American ones.

Harry Potter will long be remembered as the Wizard of Oz of our generation. The stories have a magnetic attraction that once one is exposed to it, it is hard to put it away. It brings out the child in all of us who have read one or all of them. Exploring this site will show one how anyone can be wild about Harry.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mjhk/

Welcome to the Junior Lord of Weird Awards

Today we delve back into the weird and unusual side of the Internet. Today's site is one that has a little bit of something for everyone, but not enough of anything for anyone. If this confuses you, wait until you see the website. Click on, MacDuff.

The site is called Welcome to the Junior Lord of Weird Awards. Here you find a collection of pages that the author considers weird, but has then arranged by category. The is Family weird (such as All Too Flat), Topical weird (worstoftheweb.com), Truth ? weird (hoaxbusters), and Just weird (weirdcandy). Each of these sites has a rather, unique shall we say, outlook on the Internet.

What I found interesting was the Did You Know??? section. The information contained here is a sure fire ice breaker at the next party you go to. For example, did you know that if Barbie were life-size she would have 39 inch breasts? Or that the dot of the letter i is called the tittle. Nowhere in Britain is more than 74 1/2 miles from the sea. Last but not least, Rudolph Hess was the last prisoner to be kept in the Tower of London. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 7.5, for it's content, and for the special head that follows your cursor around the page.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mjhk/

Tom Clancy Faq

With today's Warped site, we take a turn to the world of literature. There are millions of words that have been written by tens of thousands of authors. But there are only a few that achieve a cult status in their own time, and even fewer have their own cult following. Today we look at one such author and his following.

The site is called Tom Clancy FAQ. He is one of the most celebrated authors of this day and age. He has been credited with creating the techno-thriller style of writing and novels, and while he may not have been the first, he has honed it to a fine art. There are many imitators but only one Tom Clancy.

Here you will find information on all of his works, past, present and future (Yes, there is a new Clancy novel coming in May 2006). While this site is not a truly Warped site, it does provide food and nourishment to those whose liver rotate around Tom and his Ryanverse, as his books have come to be called. The Warp-o-Meter gives this site a 5 for non-Clancy fans, but a big 9.5 for anyone who has read one of his books, and then ran right out and got the rest of them.

http://www.clancyfaq.com/

Sporks

Well, I thought I had seen everything. Then I was searching for a site to share with you tonight, and, well, I was once again fooled and educated at the same time. The Warped site today salutes (like they used to do on "Hee Haw") one of the most unknown and unloved eating utensils of all time. Chew on.

The name of the site is called Sporks. Like me, you must be wondering what a Spork is. Technically, it is a "Blend of sp(oon sb. + f)ork sb. A proprietary name for a piece of cutlery combining the features of a spoon, fork, (and sometimes, knife). `Spork' is the colloquial term for `Runcible Spoon' ". It was patented in 1965. But like many items, it is a perfect metaphor for human existence. It tries to function as both spoon and fork, and because of this dual nature, it fails miserably at both. You cannot have soup with a spork, it is far too shallow; you cannot eat meat with a spork, the prongs are too small.

Here you will find out more than could ever want to know about this handy utensil. There are links to other sites, as well as videos showing the spork in use. There are links to other spork sites, news articles on sporks, and (shudder!!) a site that shows one how to identify counterfeit sporks. I will leave it up to you, dear viewer, how in depth you want to get into the history and uses of sporks. As for me, I am sending the Warp-o-Meter out for calibration. It gave this site a 9.5, for both the content and the way it is reverently presented.

http://www.spork.org/