Sightings: One excellent site each day.

Previous Sightings
April, 2002

the Onion
This site bills itself as "America's Finest News Source," which is entirely appropriate for today's Sighting. WARNING: If you're easily offended, don't look. (sighted by Russell Jones)

Digital Sushi
This has got to be the best site on the Internet about sushi. It's an index of all the sushi-related Japanese words--and there are hundreds of them--written for people who haven't had very much exposure to Japanese language or culture. Very tight design, easy-to-use, easy to find stuff, and some sort of interesting sushi trivia sprinkled here and there. (Sighted by Lori Piquet)

Misunderstood Minds
This PBS site is an accompaniment to some documentary programming about learning disorders. The information is really interesting and there's extremely thoughtful use of interactivity. For example, try the "decoding" exercise under the Reading section. It's completely disturbing and absorbing. (Sighted by Lori Piquet)

deviantART
deviantART is an online art community where you’ll find original creations by graphical artists from around the world. Browse the volumes of wallpapers, skins, and images, or join and share your own artwork. You’ll also find a discussions forum and news stories that are of interest to the graphical artist community at large. (Sighted by Glen Kunene)

Cheese.com
Ok, maybe it was just because I skipped lunch, but I liked the simplicity and organization of this site. No flashy banners or dancing gifs--just information about cheese, recipies, and more. (Sighted by Carrie Sherrill)

Big Tobacco Sucks
Content rich, engaging Flash site for the Campaign Against Transnational Tobacco, branded Big Tobacco Sucks. Highlights include the dynamic news headlines and campaign updates as well as lots of big photographs from old cigarette advertising. No matter where you stand on the tobacco issues, this is an extremely well designed site. (Sighted by Amanda Gross)

Rabbit Wants Pointer
This isn't a content site--just a clever little bit of programming. Really cute and fun. Maybe it will give you some ideas for your own interactivity. (Sighted by Stefan Gruenwedel)

Quiet PC
A simple, but well done commercial site. Nothing fancy here, just HTML. But good top-down presentation, nice tight copy, and good use of product images. (Sighted by Kenny Schiff)

Toormix
This site is all in Spanish but it's got some really nice Flash effects. I particularly like the ticker at the bottom. (Sighted by Lori Piquet)

Easy Refunds
This site is obviously designed with user experience, utility, and service in mind. It's fast and clear and easy to navigate. It will also, it seems, save you some money if you like to shop online. (Sighted by Lori Piquet)

Hermes
The Web site for the famous French scarf, this looks slick and is easy to navigate. Of special interest is the feature where you can pick the pattern scarf you like, and see it in any color, or scarves in like colors. (Sighted by Erin Gannon)

The Groninger Museum
The Groninger Museum site uses "chromeless windows" from Microbians.com, a set of JavaScript functions that create pop-up windows without browser window borders. The museum's site (click on Full Version if you have a fast connection) loads after a slow countdown but then windows appear in an interesting manner on your desktop. It throws conventional UI navigational conventions out the window, so to speak, but it certainly encourages your attention and experimentation, which is what this Dutch modern art museum is all about. (Sighted by Stefan Gruenwedel)

Online Journalism Review
Just because you've redesigned your site doesn't mean it suits your readers the way you intended. The Online Journalism Review recently did a redesign and they actively seek feedback from their readers. Not only do they feature a "Feedback Needed" icon above the fold, but they post comments right on the main page, in the left column. That's a pretty cool way to involve your audience. (Sighted by Stefan Gruenwedel)

The Red Dwarf Website
This site is dedicated to the popular British science fiction/comedy television show, Red Dwarf. While it may not be the prettiest to look at, it is organized in a very interesting—yet still intuitive—way. Lots of information and features to organize, as well, making it all the more impressive. (Sighted by Erin Gannon)

Dave Barry in Cyberspace
Dave Barry's parody of the average Web user's experience is hilarious, and pretty accurate, even though it seems to be a couple of years old. He mimics an installation program and even lists his own Sightings (in the form of the "Dave's Faves" page--check out his custom error messages!). Also worthwhile is his explanation of emoticons. (Sighted by Erin Gannon)

CuteKdog.net
I will freely admit that the premise for this site is more than a little weird; it's a Web log that maintains the pretense of being written by a stuffed dog. But but but... it's a very nicely designed Web log!! That's what I'm trying to say. The diary entries are right where you want them, not too much scrolling. A good nav, accessible archive, nice bio and pics. I just think the dog needs to get out more. (Sighted by Lori Piquet)

Yahoo! Picture Gallery
Here's another useful, as opposed to cool site. Need a picture? You may be able to find it here. Browse for images by category, or enter search terms to perform cross-category searches. Sighted by Russell Jones

The Institute for War and Peace Reporting
The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an independent, educational, charity-based organization out of London. Basically, they provide a platform and support network for local journalists in war-torn or trauma-stricken areas like Afghanistan, Belgrade, Balkans, Caucasus, and Central Asia. They solicit and publish stories by local journalists (which are then widely re-printed locally) and also host training workshops and discussion sessions. The site has content unlike any other news source, presented effortlessly. (Sighted by Erin Gannon)

TextArc
TextArc is a software application that reads a book's text and performs a visual representation of the themes and characters in the text as it reads. It's difficult to explain (I recommend you read the "detailed overview" provided in PDF format before you run it. I can't find any real practical application for this type of thing but it's fascinating to watch--hypnotic, really. Warning: very intense processor load; high bandwidth connection mandatory. (Sighted by Lori Piquet)

AirHead
If you're at least mildly concerned about air polution, this is a pretty interesting stop. There's a calculator to let you factor your own contribution to diminishing air quality. (You'll need your electric bill.) They also have some discussion groups, though they don't seem very active. Anyway, it's a aesthetically pleasing site, in a very simple, natural way. (Sighted by Lori Piquet)

Whatismoving.com
The Web site is an ongoing documentary about the making of an extremely low-budget independent film, but it is done beautifully tongue-in-cheek. It has a whole lot of that most scarce resource on homegrown Web sites: CONTENT. Whatismoving.com has a hilarious low-bandwidth version, and a so-called "terrible" version they claim to have paid some designer two thousand dollars to make before firing him. It's got a very simple layout, but it's clever, and there's evidence of coding ingenuity in their "Production PhotoJournal" (on the "Behind the Scene" page) and in the archive of "Past Updates" (available in the lower left in their main navbar). The site is great fun, and constantly updated. (Sighted by Matt Reiss)

Don't Buy It
Question advertising, evaluate media, and become smart consumers. These are the goals of this fun, provocative and clever site that reinforces principles of media literacy and gives kids ages 9-12 the tools they need to be critical consumers of advertising. Create your own ads for familiar products, design a cereal box, learn the "secrets" of supermodels and startling truths about the marketing of junk food and much more. (Sighted by Carol Snyder Dufault)