Keeping up on events 'round the world is a chore, to be sure. Though the online world offers near-infinite information streams large and small, finding the proverbial needle in the haystack is, as they say, no picnic. Mercury Mail makes much of the job easier, offering a customizeable email digest of top news stories, delivered fresh every morning. The Jerusalem Post Internet Edition is just what it would seem -- one of Israel's largest newspapers on the 'net. From commentary to political cartoons, it offers a fascinating perspective for those of us interested in the Middle East.

The latest in Macintosh scuttlebut can always be had at MacIntouch, Ric Ford's daily news summary. Find out about bugs, new software releases, industry happenings, and the like. The MacOS Rumors page offers a more specific focus, as evidenced by its title. If you're looking for information on Clarus, the creature that says, "Moof," check out the dogcow lore home page. Yet more proof that Apple's engineers, while sometimes misdirected, certainly do have fun. ComVista's Internet Tools is one-stop shopping for your internet software needs. A well-maintaned list of the best clients, servers, and other tools -- both freeware, shareware and commercial -- is maintaned alongside links of general 'net interest. Finally, ScriptWeb provides a one-stop source for all your script development needs. Whether it's Frontier, AppleScript, or that hoary old relic HyperCard, this has oodles of links and resources to check out, all organized in a logical and straightforward manner.

A penchant for matters of religion -- or perhaps an aversion to the dry, hypocritical fluff that often passes for it -- might point you towards Jesus People USA. This group of decidedly atypical Christians is enough to shatter most any stereotype. Located in inner city Chicago, JPUSA is a center for community outreach, social activism, spiritual shelter, and way spiff music. For a slightly less quirky but no less interesting site, browse on over to the University of the Nations home page. This missions college in Hawaii is home to students from more cultures than some Americans know exist. A definite must-browse. No list of religious links would be complete without The WWW Bible Gateway, or the Verse of the Day mailing list. Both provide "daily bread" and all that jazz. Check 'em out. Finally, if you'd like a peek inside a particularly unique Christian subculture -- the homeschooled student -- New Attitude Magazine is just the ticket. It reflects the typical HS'er; thoughtful, literate, and witty. Pay close attention to the rippingly funny spoof of the "perfect" homeschooled family.

Auditory bliss is only moments away -- click your way to The Echoing Green home page. tEG is one of the country's premiere synthpop groups, and Joey B., the guy behind it all, is easily one of the nicest folks around. The Lighthouse is an e-zine dedicated to the Christian music world. While it's good, I'm keeping my eye on True Tunes Online, the official home page of the country's premier Christian music store, coffeehouse, and concert venue. If you're in the market for free (yep, 100% grade-A free...) music, The Kosmic Free Music Foundation might have something that's up your alley. Predominantly techno, industrial, and related genres, it's still a great place to browse for interesting MODs, SM3s, and the like.

If visual entertainment is more your cup of tea, the Wallace and Gromit page is a sure winner. Cracking good toast! The Art of Survival offers links to everything you might ever want to know about the Alien trilogy of movies, and then some. "As Seen On TV" is the online home of the world-renowned Ginsu Knife, Chia Pet, and Clapper... if it doesn't qualify as entertainment, I don't know what does. Last but not least is the Veggie Tales Homepage -- find out about Bob, Larry and the gang while learning just a little bit more than you ever wanted to know about Larry's affection for his lip. Ousta!

Literary types will find MIT's online Shakespeare files a thrill; the complete works, hypertext'd and indexed. Perfect for a rainy day at home with the laptop... Into the Wardrobe is the C. S. Lewis WWW Page, with a fascinating collection of information on the man and his works. Science fiction and fantasy fans will want to check out The Linkoping Science Fiction & Fantasy Archive, a massive online database of books and authors. If there's something you're trying to track down, this will likely have some additional information 'bout it.

Those with a writerly bent would do well to check out some of the excellent trade-tools available on the net. Websters' Dictionary Online is just what it would seem -- a searchable version of the venerable classic. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations is net-savvy as well. Though it's the 1901 version, it's a joy to peruse, and simple to search as well. No writer's electronic library would be complete without Strunk & White's Elements of Style, the quintessential guide to clear, concise use of english words. The book itself is a demonstration of the principles it espouses; every phrase honed sharp. Finally, The Electric Library offers a wealth of research resources for the deadline-pressed writer. Book, magazine and radio excerpts, journal articles, television transcripts, and more can all be searched and retrieved. Their new sub-site, researchpaper.com, offers similar resources targeted to students.

Some pages simply defy categorization. Cases in point are the Flaming Pop-Tart Experiment, the Foam Weapons Arsenal, and the Game Development Truisms home page. There's nothing to say, really... just take a look. TheJungian Personality Test, at least, is quite a bit easier to explain. It's an online version of the classic personality test, complete with automatic scoring. The Mr. Solar Home Page is dedicated to solar power information and resources, while the Cree Language Home Page offers info on the Native American tongue. Veni, Vidi, Vici, while a bit less serious, is quite the fizz. Translations of odd phrases into Latin. What could be more fun? Perhaps the Sally Corporation, makers of fine life-size animatronic figures. I have *got* to get me one of those... Round it out this list an explaination of Basic Poker Rules, and Flora's Non-Alcoholic Drinks page, and the bit O' randomness is complete. What more could one want?

Among my various pursuits are Inside Mac Games magazine; my Company Spotlight column appears in each issue. I also work with Software Solutions, a local public relations firm, and Summit Systems, a Chicagoland web presence provider. A while back, I hammered out an article in MacWeek Magazine about the emerging PNG graphics format. The terminally curious can check it out. The Black Dog Bicycle Group maintains a wonderful web site for casual and pro bike riders; several of the CGI's on the page are the fruit of my blood, sweat, and C...

For thought-provocation, take a gander at the online Critique of Nonviolent Politics, the Green Ribbon for Responsibility in Speech, and the insightful Just Friends reprint from New Attitude magazine.

MOOs. What more can one say? Online worlds where one can interact with others, delve into the world of improvisational acting, or try one's hand at a new programming language. The Mud/MOO Resources for the Macintosh home page is the ultimate resource list for MOO client software... Trust me; you don't want to use telnet. SenseMedia: Snow is a 'social' MOO, themed after Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. It's grown far beyond that, though, and the original theme is almost indiscernable. Friendly people, and a great place to learn to code. The world of 'role-playing' MOOs is a fascinating diversion on a rainy day; while many MUDs tend towards combat and adolescent hack-and-slash, a good RP MOO is more akin to improvisational acting within the MOO's particular 'theme.' The Guide To RP is a complete, conscise tutorial to RPing, though it tends towards the fantasy/ancient RP environments, rather than the scifi/present day RP worlds that I prefer. A particularly spiffy place to try your hand is Hope Station, an original 'themed' RP-MOO set in the near future. Its sister MOO, Hope Station: Phoenix, is also right nice.