Will Dr. Ramsey refuse to deliver Shara's out-of-wedlock baby? Can Brice and Desiree put aside their differences long enough to save the Pierce family plantation from the conniving Philip Babich? And who was the shadowy figure watching Rollo Dixon's funeral from a distance? Find out all these answers and more as Woot presents another thrilling chapter in the unfolding saga of the Wednesday Web Woundup!
Better Living Through Lists
Mrs. Web Woundup firmly believes that there's no problem in life that can't be solved through the creation of, and strict adherence to, a written list. Striking out into business on your lonesome? Avoid these 10 Stupid Mistakes Made by the Newly Self-Employed. Check the Top 10 Worst Reasons to Have a Kid before you do something all three of you will regret. Want to stay on the good side of your local grog merchant? Memorize this menu of drinks bartenders hate to make. If you're thinking about heading out for a stroll, see where your city ranks on Prevention's list of the 100 Best Walking Cities - I was upset that St. Louis only came in at #60, but relieved to see Kansas City way down at #96. Maybe you can find the ergonomic monstrosity of your dreams among the Top 10 Weirdest Keyboards Ever. And if all this good advice fails you and you're forced to drop out of society and assume a new identity, get some inspiration from the Top 10 Greatest Impostors in History. Yes, wisdom seems more wise when it's neatly arranged in a numerical list of bite-size factlings - just ask Moses.
Google Video vs. YouTube: Round 1
Two free streaming video sites. One is a sleek thoroughbred backed by a major corporation, born to a legacy of excellence; the other is a scrappy upstart who's turning everybody's head these days, powered by little more than a dream and a prayer. Over the coming weeks, we will challenge both sites with a certain keyword. Whichever produces the best results wins that round, and the hearts of literally dozens of readers of this blog. This week's search term: rhinoceros. YouTube comes out swinging with an indescribable many-legged robot-slash-art project, and an accompanying video of its "little brother". Google Video tries to counter with this rhinoceros beetle larva from Taiwan. While the thumb-sized grub is impressive, it doesn't exactly turn handsprings, and the video drags along for six uneventful minutes. All it takes for YouTube to put Google Video away is a brief, pleasant rhinoceros feeding video. With nothing rhino-relevant to offer in response, Google Video slinks back to its corner, calling for its cut man to lance those black eyes so it can see to fight another round. Ding ding ding! Round 1: YouTube.
Raging Geekhood Rages On
It wouldn't be a Wednesday web woundup without a nod to The Gamer Inside Us All, but I'll keep it short this time. The new mini-version of Heroes of Might and Magic offers an express onramp to the world of this addictive fantasy-flavored wargame. And if you've ever wanted to hear Dr. Who sing the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?", well, then, for you now is very soon indeed: some joker used a Tom Baker voice font to create ersatz Baker "performances" of various British rock standards, from "God Save The Queen" to "Bohemian Rhapsody." And with that we send our Inner Nerd back to his basement bedroom. Don't let us forget to throw a fresh bag of Cheetos down there every couple of days, OK?
Unfortunately, You Can't Really Cuddle A Computer Monitor
I've unearthed some decent Flash games this week, if I do say so myself, all from the simple and cute end of the spectrum: the adorable Rayray, the Tetris-in-reverse Sobics, and the frustrating launchfest Aviator Imp. Bless them, every one. But on my search, I found something else I'm way more excited about...
The Next Breakout Internet Star
A post entitled Geek In Time Waster was the gateway drug that got me hooked on Sam Ideas, Thoughts, Programming, my new favorite blog. One minute I thought I was reading a simple list of links to Flash games; the next, an enchanting, complex work of genius stood revealed before my wondering eyes. Sandeep "Sam" Jain is evidently some sort of software engineer or something living in Mumbai, India, and equally given to philosophical ruminations on the nature of life and lighthearted frivolity, often at the expense of his fellow scientists. "If you are Engineer, Phsicist or Mathematician then please please read this jokes," Sam beseeches. "It will explore your reality." The whole blog is written in that charming brand of English, an awkward but expressive idiom that Sam has truly made his own. When he tells me, in his utterly guileless way, that "More than 2,500 left-handed people are killed each year from using products that are made for right-handed people", I'm inclined to take him at his word. Sam is going places, people - tell your friends about him before they tell you.
