In 1994 the Web was a garden of personal home pages blooming with thoughts, opinions, and life experiences. People were learning how to build their own sites, experimenting with design, and sharing their voice with the world while the business world scrambled for ways to "monetize" the internet and capitalize on its fertility.

Then they paved it all and built a mall.

But behind the scenes of today's Web, swollen with e-stores, bloated with search engines, and exploding with mega-portals offering streams of relentless, commercialized content and "free services," a real revolution is taking seed.

The Web is going back to its early days, but it's taking back technology that promises to stir the sleeping giant. Soon, the soul of the Internet will sprout up through the cracks and ripen under the gaze of eager netizens, all in the form of a "blog."

Find the lastest Box Office Statistics, Chatter, and More

Since I recently bought a lot of Marvel stock (MVL - New York Stock Exchange) I needed to know the weekend ratings at the box office. I found everything I could want to know at the Box Office Report website. Also to check what people who owned the stock were saying I checked out the Message Boards at Yahoo for MVL; just go the the MVL chart on Yahoo and click the item saying Msgs link. This gives you the most recent chatter on this particular stock. Beware - some of it is rowdy.

Once you get the idea of how message boards work, you can search around and find them on just about ANY subject you might be interested in. I use the Motley Fool boards for financial and Kingsnake.com for any herper information I might be interested in.

There's lots of information and ideas out there on the web. Don't be afraid to seek them out.

Cheap Long Distance Calls Follow-up

My original post in this section went something like this....

...I'm trying to utilize a Long Distance Carrier price comparison service... Url is www.espoke.com. I tried to order a service change but needed to print it out, sign, and fax; this present machine I'm on can't print; so, it's a no-go and I'll try it at home. [exciting isn't it?]

I just wanted to update ya'll on this cheap long distance experiment I started back then.

Once I finally got the service rolling, in which it was more difficult than I thought... I had to fill out another application, and make several phone calls, ... my first partial bill came in. It was for $1.50 total ! My next bill, for a whole month, was under $20 total! And that's for two separate phone lines, analog AND digital! That's way less than I was paying for MCI on EACH phone line. I hardly ever make long distance calls and MCI bills ran $30 or $40 a month each line, averaging almost $80/month total for both. This is some worthwhile cost-cutting.

It takes a little effort but finding cheaper long distance through a third party like E-Spoke is well worth it in savings. Knowledge is power. And in this case the web comes through, with knowledge that pays off.

Microsoft Conclusions of Law and Final Order

(from the U.S. District Court Ruling)

Microsoft early on recognized middleware as the Trojan horse that, once having, in effect, infiltrated the applications barrier, could enable rival operating systems to enter the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems unimpeded.< Simply put, middleware threatened to demolish Microsoft's coveted monopoly power. Alerted to the threat, Microsoft strove over a period of approximately four years to prevent middleware technologies from fostering the development of enough full-featured, cross-platform applications to erode the applications barrier.img src="http://us.yimg.com/p/nm/20000328/amdf61373.jpg">

No minimums, no fees, and no hassles. Move your money where you want, when you want, for free.

Pay-a-Friend: That's right, you can send money instantly over the Internet to anyone, any time, anywhere - for free! It's secure, it's as easy as email. Your friends can get this cash at ATMs instantly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - no waiting, no hassle.

This X bank even has a free S + P 500 fund

Dictionary and Glossary List

For a mega-list of any and every online dictionary broken up by any and every conceivable category - bookmark this one!

Folklore, Myths, and Fairy Tales

Bullinch's Mythology

AFU and Urban Legends Archive

Don't Spread That Hoax!

Mythology on the Web

The Camelot Project

Fairy Tales: Origins and Evolution

Aesop's Fables

Unseen Creatures

Encyclopedia Mythica

Atlantis

Fairies - The ArtsForge Magical Collection

Fairies: Magical Images

I have a magical daughter named Ariel. She understands the world of fairies. They are secretive, fragile and yet powerful creatures of many varieties.

A collaborative story writing effort of a fantasy genre.

... a nice page of web resource links such as HTML Tutorials, Web Graphics, Design tips, etc. Posted here specifically for the little web guy - Matt Priebe.

So there I was: finally free of the corporate yoke, ready to start my new life. I was beginning to adjust to a different world, one without watches and neckties and where being out of doors in that bright 10:30 a.m. or 3:00 p.m. light didn't mean that I had taken a personal day or called in sick.

Emerging from a movie matinee one afternoon, I suddenly quickened my pace, thinking I should really take advantage of the remaining hours to get things done or enjoy myself even more. Then it hit me: this isn't a "day off," this is life. I looked up at the sky, which was very blue that day, with puffy cotton clouds, and remembered what it was like to be three or four or five years old and lie on my back looking at those clouds for minutes or hours pretending the shapes were faces or...

The Coming Frictionless Economy is Knocking at the Door

WIRED magazine March 2000 has an article titled "The Bot.com Future." In the New Economy, the author depicts the future of retail buying and selling being determined by self controlling "Bots" (short for robots). Already we have primitive examples online as DealPilot and MySimon.com.

Another change coming is the moneyless transaction. Primitive sites of this nature exist as Express Barter and Barter-n-trade and soon to come out MrSwap.com.

If you thought E-Bay was special,... stick around,... 'cause you ain't seen nothin' yet.

WARNER BROTHERS CARTOON COMPANION

THIS series of capsule definitions constitutes an encyclopedia of references to be found in the classic Warner Brothers cartoons.

Subtle, inside jokes are buried in the painted backgrounds of many cartoons. Caricatures of in-house staff are sprinkled into some cartoons. There are even occasions where off-color gags have slipped by the ever-watchful eyes of the censors, to delight discerning viewers.

The Max Fleischer Story

....animator of Popeye, Betty Boop, and more...

Max Fleischer was born in Vienna on July 19, 1883. His parents William and Amalia escaped religious...

Lucent Technologies to Integrate DSET Number Portability Solution with its New Service Management System for Service Provider Networks says the headline on this one.... wow didn't DSET just anounce a deal with AERIAL like yesterday?

Are you still holding out on buying DSET ? .... well, don't wait much longer.... while you are at it, buy some Lucent while it's still at 53.... you'll thank me down the road. If DSET doesn't triple by this time next year, and LU doesn't at least double in 2 years... I'll buy back your shares!

Information Architects Joins Forces With Red Hat to Deliver XML-based Dynamic Syndication and Aggregation Solutions for Linux .... is what the news alert reads. Man, I should buy some of that Architag stock! .... oh wait !.... I already did... bought it at 10 just a few weeks ago .... ah, ha, ha, ha..... whooeeee, .... I love it when I do that... whew..... (...I slay me...)

Very simple advise..... you heard it heard first.... DSET is a B2B software supplier TO telecommunications companies that saves them money..... that's DSET... look it up.... the one word advise I have is this - BUY !.... especially if you can get it soon and around $35 per share like it is now. Do it!

Researching Stock - FREE on the Internet

NOW THIS is a Useful WEBPAGE !Here we have an online list of links and applications that provides you with all the essential research you might need that's available FREE on any company you might choose. THIS is what the web is about. I wish I had done it! You'll notice it's all on one page too. You don't have to click-wait-watch-click-wait-watch ..... on and on.

I'd vote this THE most useful page on the Internet.

How's a business man get a handle on this E-Commerce thing?

For a brief explanation of what exactly IS e-commerce, data-warehousing, enterprise-managemanet and all those other terms and descriptions of the latest and greatest IPO Internet companies that are sweeping the headlines, check out the Technology Evaluation website (free, but requires registration - blchhh!). This group is a bunch of Ex-Corporate executives offering up to organizations a handle upon the vast and everchanging E-Commerce and Internet situation. It includes lists of vendors, evaluations, explanations, and in their words they are "....delivering free online analytical research combined with objective advice and analytical tools to facilitate the selection of technology for each client." A useful site to bookmark.

Internet Stocks

I like that word "FREE". That's essentially what the Internet is all about - free information. If you're reading this, you should NEVER have to pay for information again!

NEVER:
• Buy a map
• Pay for Stock research
• Plead ingnorance
• Look stupid (ok, maybe not this one)

THERE ARE NO EXPERTS! My buddy (Doug) says - "Be your own hero!" If you are reading this, you have online access, and therefore have all the resources you need to:

• Find a job
• Get educated
• Locate old friends
• Make new friends
• Launch a business
• View great art
• Read great literature
• View porno... oops! not that...
• (...stretch your brain cells, insert your idea here.)

Here's a list of last week's "Internet stocks", compliments of the Fools:

___________________________________________________________
                          Close    Close  $ Change % Change
Company           Tkr  01/28/00 02/04/00 01/28/00 -02/04/00
-------          -----  -------  -------  -----------------
24/7 Media        TFSM   $63.94   $58.00   ($5.94)   -9.29% 
Amazon.com        AMZN   $61.69   $78.56   $16.87    27.35% 
America Online    AOL    $58.88   $57.81   ($1.07)   -1.82% 
Ameritrade        AMTD   $16.44   $16.75    $0.31     1.89% 
Ask Jeeves        ASKJ  $100.00   $89.00  ($11.00)  -11.00% 

barnes/noble.com  BNBN   $12.88   $11.31   ($1.57)  -12.19% 
Beyond.com        BYND    $6.25    $5.94   ($0.31)   -4.96% 
Broadvision       BVSN  $133.44  $146.25   $12.81     9.60% 
CDnow             CDNW   $12.00   $10.75   ($1.25)  -10.42% 
Cendant           CD     $19.88   $21.31    $1.43     7.19% 

CheckFree         CKFR   $60.13   $66.19    $6.06    10.08% 
CheckPt Software  CHKP  $115.00  $139.25   $24.25    21.09% 
CMGI              CMGI  $105.50  $118.56   $13.06    12.38% 
CNET              CNET   $49.94   $51.00    $1.06     2.12% 
Concentric Net    CNCX   $42.69   $45.50    $2.81     6.58% 

CyberCash         CYCH    $9.19    $9.13   ($0.06)   -0.65% 
Cyberian Outpost  COOL    $9.44    $9.34   ($0.10)   -1.06% 
DoubleClick       DCLK  $100.63   $97.06   ($3.57)   -3.55% 
Drugstore.com     DSCM   $28.88   $29.50    $0.62     2.15% 
E*TRADE           EGRP   $22.63   $21.81   ($0.82)   -3.62% 

Earthlink Net     ELNK   $42.88   $48.69    $5.81    13.55% 
EarthWeb          EWBX   $33.25   $37.00    $3.75    11.28% 
eBay              EBAY  $147.56  $168.06   $20.50    13.89% 
Egghead.com       EGGS   $12.56   $12.88    $0.32     2.55% 
Engage Tech       ENGA  $143.75  $128.88  ($14.87)  -10.34% 

Excite@Home       ATHM   $36.56   $37.31    $0.75     2.05% 
Exodus Comm       EXDS  $119.75  $124.50    $4.75     3.97% 
Freeserve         FREE   $98.63  $146.00   $47.37    48.03% 
go.com            GO     $28.06   $27.81   ($0.25)   -0.89% 
go2net            GNET   $80.50   $82.94    $2.44     3.03% 

Healtheon         HLTH   $70.00   $65.13   ($4.87)   -6.96% 
ICG Comm          ICGX   $25.38   $25.94    $0.56     2.21% 
Infospace.com     INSP  $151.75  $150.13   ($1.62)   -1.07% 
Inktomi           INKT  $102.06  $109.25    $7.19     7.04% 
Intuit            INTU   $57.75   $69.25   $11.50    19.91% 

iVillage          IVIL   $17.50   $21.00    $3.50    20.00% 
Juno Online ServicJWEB   $26.25   $29.81    $3.56    13.56% 
Knight/Trimark    NITE   $32.19   $35.50    $3.31    10.28% 
Lycos             LCOS   $74.88   $71.50   ($3.38)   -4.51% 
MarketWatch.com   MKTW   $38.50   $39.75    $1.25     3.25% 

MCI WorldCom      WCOM   $41.63   $44.31    $2.68     6.44% 
Media Metrix      MMXI   $35.38   $31.50   ($3.88)  -10.97% 
Microsoft         MSFT   $98.25  $106.56    $8.31     8.46% 
Mindspring        MSPG   $26.44   $30.50    $4.06    15.36% 
MP3.com           MPPP   $28.56   $27.75   ($0.81)   -2.84% 

Natl Disc Brok    NDB    $22.13   $23.81    $1.68     7.59% 
NBC Internet      NBCI  $100.17   $72.00  ($28.17)  -28.12% 
Net.B@nk          NTBK   $17.19   $16.81   ($0.38)   -2.21% 
NetSpeak          NSPK   $20.25   $23.69    $3.44    16.99% 
Network Solutions NSOL  $223.00  $262.06   $39.06    17.52% 

NetZero           NZRO   $34.94   $32.75   ($2.19)   -6.27% 
Open Market       OMKT   $55.00   $55.50    $0.50     0.91% 
Peapod            PPOD    $7.38    $9.50    $2.12    28.73% 
Preview Travel    PTVL   $30.00   $31.19    $1.19     3.97% 
Priceline.com     PCLN   $59.63   $60.38    $0.75     1.26% 

PSINet            PSIX   $80.63   $92.63   $12.00    14.88% 
RealNetworks      RNWK  $157.44  $157.88    $0.44     0.28% 
RSA Security      RSAS   $57.00   $57.75    $0.75     1.32% 
Schwab, Charles   SCH    $38.00   $37.94   ($0.06)   -0.16% 
Sec 1st Technolog SONE   $96.13  $107.44   $11.31    11.77% 

Sportsline USA    SPLN   $39.00   $37.94   ($1.06)   -2.72% 
Spyglass          SPYG   $37.25   $43.50    $6.25    16.78% 
theglobe.com      TGLO    $7.94    $7.78   ($0.16)   -2.02% 
TheStreet.com     TSCM   $17.69   $16.00   ($1.69)   -9.55% 
Tktmstr-CitySrch  TMCS   $39.98   $39.00   ($0.98)   -2.45% 

uBid              UBID   $24.56   $25.00    $0.44     1.79% 
USWeb             USWB   $27.44   $32.00    $4.56    16.62% 
Verio             VRIO   $69.00   $61.50   ($7.50)  -10.87% 
VocalTec          VOCL   $29.13   $37.06    $7.93    27.22% 
Yahoo!            YHOO  $313.50  $353.50   $40.00    12.76% 
___________________________________________________________
                      Close       Close   $ Change % Change
                   01/28/00    02/04/00 01/28/00 - 02/04/00
                   --------    -------- -------------------
Dow Industrial Ave 10738.87    10963.80     224.93    2.09% 
Dow Internet Index   388.13      403.88      15.75    4.06% 
Dow Internet Svc     488.44      511.71      23.27    4.76% 
Dow Internet Comm    252.30      256.86       4.56    1.81% 

Nasdaq              3887.07     4244.14     357.07    9.19% 
Rule Breaker     $743044.40  $799639.40  $56595.00    7.62% 
Rule Maker        $45030.73   $49111.98   $4081.25    9.06% 
S&P 500             1360.16     1424.37      64.21    4.72%
___________________________________________________________

Updated lists should be Here.

Keeping long distance cheap and sane, finding a fast connection, getting Microsoft certified, the new operating system paradigm...

...I'm trying to utilize a Long Distance Carrier price comparison service... Url is www.espoke.com. I tried to order a service change but needed to print it out, sign, and fax; this present machine I'm on can't print; so, it's a no-go and I'll try it at home. [exciting isn't it?]

Contacted Unicomp online to see about a 128k DEDICATED ISDN line for supposedly only $99/month. If I could do that AND make income from renting IP Subnets, it might be cost effective. And bugs might fly out of my butt.

Well, tried to sign up for Road Runner service again; BUTTTTT.... it's still not available in my area. How is it that 3 years ago I got ISDN to my house, but now I can't even get ADSL OR Cable Internet ?!?

Checking SMU to see about an MCSD certification training program. Basically the program goes through Microsoft's MASTERING series on Visual Basic; this of course you can simply buy (or find ;} <--[wink] ) the CDs yourself.

Of course you'll still have to spend at least the 184 hours self-tutoring time that the classes would offer. And you'd do it all alone with no teacher or fellow students to learn with (BORING...!). On the other hand you'll save the $6425 that SMU charges for doing this. If you take the three introductory courses, it's $9,900. That's the sale price from retail of over $16,000 ! I think the CDs sell for around $100 a piece. (hmmmmm.... time is money, money is time....)

But, if you could do all that and get the MCSD, I think the average commanding salary is around $80,000 a year. Not shabby for studying a couple of CDs and Visual Basic for a few months.

The MCSD program requirements are here.

Worth checking out! The wave of the future? Your Desktop on the WEB?

• Web Desktop One
• And Web Desktop Two

These claim to be the operating systems of the future. Looks like windows but it isn't! Check out the Dec. 99 issue of Computer Currents for a couple of articles on this. I'll be trying them out soon.