NetNomad 40

Vintage Hawaiian Shirts (www.Vintagehawaiianshirt.net)

Hawaiian shirts. One of the most misunderstood garments, or the least attractive? Love them or hate them, there's no middle ground when it comes to Hawaiian shirts. "They're loud, bright and somehow expressive of a mood or a state of mind that contradicts modern civilities and conformity." The author of this site has been collecting Hawaiian shirts --quite literally collecting them-- since his high school days and you may think we are exaggerating when we say this, but his collection of shirts is actually breathtaking. There are wonderful photos of rayon and cotton/silk shirts as well as a short overview of the history of the shirts. Who would have thought*

The Online Dictionary of Playground Slang (www.odps.cyberscriber.com)

This site began as a collection of "slang" children used in school to describe their world but now includes other forms of slang, along with old games, words to odd songs, and much more. The best is the slang, of course. Most are British in origin, but it's still great fun. Some examples include air biscuit (breaking wind), horse bite (a hard pinch on bare thighs) tonsil hockey (a passionate form of french kissing) and rack off! ("Please go away you are annoying me.") Try using some of those in your local playground.

Alltrue.com (www.alltrue.com)

Alltrue.com is calling itself the "first Internet site that allows users to watch, collect, combine and send clips from what is expected to be the world's largest library of short reality-videos." Apparently there is already an "underground phenomenon" in which people trade short videos by email. The site features a search engine and editing tools that allow users to piece together various videos, which can then be viewed online or emailed to friends. Featured on the day we visited was a very funny video in which a man in the street was asked about his reaction to police handling of the Lindbergh kidnapping which (unknown to him!) actually took place 70 years ago.

Foil the Filters Contest (dfn.org/Alerts/contest.htm)

The Digital Freedom Network has announced the winners of its "Foil the Filters Contest," in which they asked readers to find examples of the folly of censorware, filters that can be used to block "inappropriate" information on the Internet. The grand prize winner is a high school student who found he was unable to access his own high school's library because the software blocked all questionable material, including the word "high!" Meanwhile, hillaryanne was unable to register an email account because of the "hidden word "aryan," and a post showing up which spelled "class" as "cl***"." Just the tip of the iceberg, folks.

Unitone Recordings (www.unitonerecordings.com)

Located in Encino, California, Unitone Recordings features only six artists on their roster, but the label is a perfect example of the power of niche marketing. Each CD includes quite stunning artwork and equally appealing booklets. And thankfully the music is just as compelling. Jeff Beal's "Alternate Route" includes an enthralling four-part "classical jazz" piece recorded with The Berkeley Symphony, while Luis Conte's "Cuban Dreams" perfectly captures the heart and soul of this one-of-a-kind percussionist. The official site features extensive bios on these and other artists, as well as audio clips.