Past News from ESC!Webs

Updated: September 4, 2003

September 5, 2003 Banned Books Week 2003 - Sept. 20-27, 2003

"[I]t’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers." — Judy Blume To help the ALA celebrate Banned Books week and to assist some of you who can't obtain these books locally, ESC! Magazine has posted a list of the most frequently challenged books of 2002. Follow this link to learn more....

The fiction portion of the magazine sees the conclusion of Joyce Bradshaw's Tucker Trilogy and a new installment of the Chan and Vilagomez Mysteries by Derek Muk.

Last but never least our cover is graced by another fantastic illustration from the talented mind of Tosh Bibb.

September 22, 2002 ESC! Magazine Helps Celebrate Banned Books Week 2002

"Celebrate Your Freedom To Read" so says the American Library Association's Banned Books web page.  To help the ALA celebrate Banned Books week and to assist some of you who can't obtain these books locally, ESC! Magazine has posted a list of the most frequently challenged books of 2001. Follow this link to learn more....

October 29, 2001
ESC! Magazine Volume 5, Number 2 Arrives
Jump on over to ESC! Magazine web site using the link button above and download the latest issue!  This issue includes 3 new short stories, 3 poems, a new comic from Tosh Bibb and a special edition of Vex "Treachery's Foil".

October 12, 2001
Welcome to the newly redesigned ESC!Webs Website...
In preparation for the next issue of ESC! Magazine AND because it's simply about time to do so, I've undertaken the task of redesigning the web site for ESC!Webs.com.  I feel that in coming up with the new design I've made the site easier to navigate and less cluttered.  Yes, there will still be links to Amazon, but they will be more targeted towards the writer.  Check out the link box on the right to see what I mean.  In fact, take note that the links change with every refresh of the page, so even if you own every book on the list, click refresh and see if something new doesn't appear!  When you purchase a book by following a link on my site you help support ESC!Webs and ESC! Magazine.

Other changes you'll notice include fewer "featured sites" and more writer specific links in the Writer's Reference section (Formerly known as the Reference Desk).  As time goes on and I find the time to do so, I may bring some of the old Featured Sites back online.

Also on the horizon is the long discussed but never created ESC!Webs Network.  A place where anyone who is affiliated with creative writing and artwork can come to share their links with the rest of the ESC!Webs population.

September 12, 2001
ESC! Magazine and ESC!Webs.com are viewed around the world.  We are, however, a publication based in the United States of America.

We at ESC! Publications offer our most heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the vicious attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Southern Pennsylvania.  To show our support for the hundreds, if not thousands, of brave men and women mounting the rescue efforts and to show our support for the United States of America, ALL sites affiliated with ESC! Publications will be flying the US Flag on their homepages until further notice...Thank you.

Please use the American Red Cross link below to support the relief efforts by making a donation through Amazon.com.

August 29, 2001  Don't forget to get your submissions in for the next issue of ESC! Magazine.  Deadline for submission is September 15th.  Visit the guidelines page on ESCMagazine.com for more info.

April 20, 2001
EDITORIAL: Huntley IL: Shame in the Name of Team Spirit
An editorial by Michael R. Potter.

April 17, 2001
The re-birth of ESC! Magazine!  At 11:30am this morning, after many long months of waiting, the new issue of ESC! Magazine went live!  Go check it out now...

March 20, 2001 New issue of ESC!Magazine is coming very soon!  Just working out some final details...  Stay Tuned!

December 13, 2000 Blizzard whacked! Chicago was hit by a huge storm on Monday getting me home well past midnight.  Just recovered today to update the site.

December 5, 2000
SATIRE: Internet Crap Production Outpacing Hollywood Entertainment News - Found on BBSpot

December 1, 2000 Renamed Site of the Week to Featured Site.  New name but same great content!

October 29, 2000 
SATIRE: PTSD: The Hidden Epidemic Technology News - Found on BBSpot

October 22, 2000
SATIRE: Vote Dodgers Flee to Canada National News - Found on BBSpot

September 15, 2000 
SATIRE: Drunken Night Ends in DeCSS Tattoo, Jail
National News - Found on BBSpot

September 1, 2000 New fiction by Derek Muk in ESC! Magazine Online.
Go There Now

September 1, 2000 Added Privacy Policy link to home page and Terms of Use page.

August 23, 2000
SATIRE: RIAA Sues Mirror Manufacturers Entertainment News - Found on BBSpot

July 19, 2000
SATIRE: Not The News: Steve Jobs Thinks Disney New York City - Found on MacWorld.com

July 6, 2000 New section on home page - Satire.

July 5, 2000 Just a little late this week for Site of the Week.  Enjoy!

June 21, 2000 Added a link to the site Common Errors in English to the Reference Desk.

June 20, 2000 Completed the Banned Books page. This will be an evolving list of books which have been challenged or banned in schools and libraries across the country. Each book is linked back to Amazon.com for purchase.

June 15, 2000 "Fixed" the graphics for The Hunger Site and The Rainforest Site on the ESC!Links page. They are now using the official images supplied by those sites. 

June 13, 2000 Added link for a Zip+4 Code finder to the Reference Desk.

June 2, 2000 Added links to "The Rainforest Site", "The Hunger Site" and "Webreleaf.com" on the ESC!Links page.  Be sure to visit these sites daily.  One click and you can do so much good!

May 31, 2000 Back after a two week vacation.  Check out Temple ov thee Lemur in this week's Site of the Week.

May 24, 2000
SATIRE: Microsoft Alleges US Government is a Monopoly 
National News - Found on BBSpot

May 12, 2000 HOT!  Remember HampsterDance the web site I reviewed back on May 9, 1999??  Well, hang on to your hats!  It's been revamped for the new millennium! Go to HAMPSTERDANCE2.COM and check out the new INTERACTIVE rodents...  Go There Now!

May 9, 2000 Big thanks to Chris Pirillo of Lockergnome for the mention this morning!  If you haven't read my review of Lockergnome yet, do so now.  And if you don't subscribe to Lockergnome, you're missing out on some great stuff (there's a form at the bottom of my review).

May 8, 2000 Stay tuned for a new issue of ESC! Magazine!  After years of languishing, the latest issue of ESC! Magazine is ready to roll of the presses (in PDF format) soon.  I am getting the various releases from the authors now and expect to have the issue together in the next month or so.  More details to follow.

In other news, we expect more details on the ESC!Webs Network (EWN) to be revealed soon.

May 1, 2000 Due to a technical error on my part, the Site of the Week page was unavailable this past weekend (4/28 - 5/1).  For those who visited hoping to read about Encarta Terraserver, you may find the review here.

April 27, 2000 Site makeover!  I've made a few minor changes to the web site this week.  Added a background here. Some color here.  I've also finally synchronized all of the fonts.  I hope this makes it easier for you to read.  How do YOU like the new look?  Let me know!

February 14, 2000 ESC!Webs mourns the passing of Charles Shultz.  Mr. Shultz died in his sleep in the early hours of February 13th, shortly before the publication of the last original Peanuts comic strip.

Peanuts has been a staple in my life.  It was a rare occasion that Charlie Brown and his gang couldn't make me laugh out loud.  Mr. Shultz brought a depth and insight to these "Li'l Folks" that most adults could only dream of achieving.

My earliest and fondest memories of Peanuts are of my Dad and I laying on the living room floor reading aloud the antics of "Peanuts featuring Good Ol' Charlie Brown".  It was the first strip we'd read and often the most memorable.  I only wish that I could have shared that same experience with my new daughter who will now never know the joy that was Peanuts.  I, for one, will miss you Mr. Shultz.

Dallas Morning New Obituary

Official Peanuts Web Site Press Release

January 2, 2000

Changes are afoot!  Yes, the long awaited site makeover is finally complete!  I hope you will find the new site easier to navigate as well as more up to date. For those who have been with ESC! since the print days, you'll see some nice throwbacks to the old days. Most notably the black and white color scheme.  Oh sure, there's some color splash here and there, but overall, I wanted to stick to the roots of ESC!Magazine.  

In this early stage of the makeover, I'd appreciate your feedback.  Tell me what you like and what you dislike.  Most importantly, let me know if you find any errors or inconsistencies on the site.  E-mail your comments to Feedback.

Here are some of the content changes to expect in the next couple of weeks:

1. Brand new Site of the Week

2. New Editorials

3. Database driven back end for many of the site's features

4. More up to date bookstore

5. Better link and reference page navigation

6. ESC!Magazine also has some updates coming: 2 new poems by Guy Qualls.

7. Become part of the ESC!Webs Network.  With a little bit of code, your site may become part of the ESC!Webs Network and be searchable from a database of other ESC!Webs Network members.  This will be a free service!  Details coming soon!

December 1, 1999  Christmas DVDs in the ESC!Bookstore!  Go There Now

December 1, 1999  MAJOR UPDATE:  coming 1-1-00!
Yes, ESC!Webs will be welcoming the new year and the end of the millennium / century / decade / year / month (whew!) with an ALL NEW look!  I hope you will find the new site easier to navigate as well as more up to date. For those who have been with ESC! since the print days, you'll see some nice throwbacks to the old days.

October 14, 1999  MAJOR UPDATE:  Coming Soon!
Yes, ESC!Webs is ramping up for an ALL NEW look!  I hope you will find the new site easier to navigate as well as more up to date. For those who have been with ESC! since the print days, you'll see some nice throwbacks to the old days. 
ESC!Magazine also has some updates coming: 2 new poems and a short story by Guy Qualls.  Lastly, look to add your site to our newest feature: Become part of the ESC!Webs Network.  With a little bit of code, your site may become part of the ESC!Webs Network and be searchable from a database of other ESC!Webs Members.  This will be a free service!  Details coming soon!

July 12, 1999 - ESC!CAM is now online.

June 6, 1999 - ESC!Webs site overhaul!  Ver. 3.0. All new graphics and colors to make it a better browsing experience for you.  Questions or comments?  E-Mail Me!

May 10, 1999 - BOOKSTORE UPDATED: Added a link to the new Star Wars Store at Amazon.com.  Go There Now

May 2, 1999 - ESC!Webs bids a fond farewell to Joshua Fox's site: JUSTFOX.COM.  Joshua has decided to take down his page after realizing that he just didn't have the time to work with it right now.  He assures me that the site will be back up when the time is right.  We'll be waiting Josh.

April 25, 1999 - Added three links to the Web Links page.  Go There Now

April 4, 1999 - The Menagerie Updated.

March 31, 1999 - Now you can get to the ESC!WEBS home page three different ways!  Don't worry, you may continue using www.escwebs.com. Now, however, you may also use www.escmagazine.com or www.escpublications.com as well!  Bookmark your favorite address and visit often!

March 24, 1999 - Added a selection of books to the bookstore.  Mike's Picks.  Go There Now

February 15, 1999 - 7 New E-texts added to the ESC!Webs E-Books page. Go There Now

February 5-11, 1999 - Sorry for the lack of updates folks, but, like everyone else, I was just floored by the flu.  Stayed home in bed all day on the 5th and coughed and hacked my way through the last week.  Mostly better now, so ESC!Webs is now back on track.

January 18, 1999 - 3 New E-texts added to the ESC!Webs E-Books page. Go There Now

January 6, 1999 - After a short hiatus, Fox's Five Star Movie Review is Back!

December 17, 1998 - Added Link to Radio Free Movie Reviews.

ESC!Webs Site of the Week
January 6, 1999 - Come back each week to check out our latest pick!  Go There Now

December 7, 1998 - Major site redesign!  Redone to help make more legible on screen.

December 6, 1998 - Finished the page "About ESC! Publications"  Go There Now

November 30, 1998 - Added NEW E-Books Section to ESC! Magazine Online  Go There Now

November 27, 1998 - Added 32 NEW links to the ESC!Webs Reference Desk

November 23, 1998 - Great Holiday Movies on DVD now available in the ESC!Bookstore

November 14, 1998 - ESC! Magazine Editorial Section Added  Go there Now

November 8, 1998 - Added Fox's 5 Star Movie Review