/ 25 September 2002

The world wide web just got weirder

So. You’re the South African government and you want to snoop on your internet users. (Why? Well, that’s what budding dictatorships do). Take a look at a long page of emails between local military intelligence, security firms and spies to an overseas company that makes an online surveillance tool. Check out all the interesting email addresses at SA Spies Email Online. Then for a look at the tool they were trying to buy, go to Dirt Analysis.

The web just got weirder. What do you do if you’re a former fighter pilot with web access and time on your hands? Do you write your enthralling biography – or do you draw pictures of Jesus standing next to people as they do mundane jobs? Silly question. Go take a look at the pencil drawings of the Big Guy’s Son alongside bank tellers, dental assistants, barbers, carpet layers (I’m not making this up) jugglers, golfers etc. Peer cautiously at With You Always.

To help slow the continuing disinformation that’s spreading across the globe almost as fast as the US’s own oil-inspired cover-story about the ‘war on terror’ – take a listen to, or download the awesome two hour public lecture and presentation by Mike Ruppert, called The Truth and Lies of 911. And then, given the near religious treatment that firemen have been receiving, take a read of a frightening article from the editor of Fire Engineering magazine, called WTC Selling Out the Investigation.

If you’re a science fiction fan, then you’re probably getting as irked as I am about the Star Wars franchise (also known as How George Lucas Keeps Busy and Increases His Bank Account) – go take a look at a silly rip of the whole genre, at The Jedi’s Are Coming!!.

The film geeks among you will recall with fondness a great comedy made in 1963, called ‘Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World’. The storyline was basically about a massive race for treasure, which featured a bunch of the best comic talent in Hollywood. Something I didn’t know was that the original running time was around five hours (it was cut to just over three).Take a look at an interesting page dedicated to restoring this classic to its original glory at Its A Mad World Restoration. And for someone’s recollections try POV.

Staying with film – for a good subversive look at the genre – try the small but very high quality content site Movies 666.

It’s nice to know that others share my view that it’s sick watching ageing virgin Britney Spears trying to keep her 10 – 14 year old CD-buying market happy. Take a look what New Yorkers have been doing to Britney posters in the subway at Britney Underground.

Our modern age changed forever when JFK was shot and They (whoever ‘they’ are) took over, and began the age of the ‘lone gunmen’ and their compliant media. Take a look at a photograph that captured the moment in all its horror – from the alleged assassin standing to one side innocently watching, to JFK’s secret service men doing nothing as the shots continue, to the grin on the face of an agent in the car behind, watching the murder. Look at JFK Post Photo and for the photo I describe: www.whatreallyhappened.com/.

Most of the so-called chocolate you see in local stores is so full of garbage that it can barely be called “chocolate”. That said, have a look at some drool-making food porn at Scharffen. Then try Sweet Science. The Chocolate Lovers Links Page and then finally, related in some odd way that I can’t quite work out, is Weight Watchers.

Until the next time, if Britney fans and spies don’t get me.

Ian Fraser is a playwright, author, comedian, conspiracy nut, old-time radio collector and self-confessed data-junkie. Winner of numerous Vita and Amstel Awards, he’s been an Internet addict and games-fanatic since around 1995, when the Internet began to make much more sense than theatre.