Dear Internet Pals,

Ah, 1999. A heady time, indeed.

Our government was in crisis, with a president on the verge of impeachment, everyone wanted to be a millionaire on the television, George Lucas released another acclaimed chapter in his "Space Wars" saga and Martin Landau was blasted off of the moon in a freak nuclear explosion.

And in a rooftop coffee shop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, two bored disaffected twentysomethings looked at the humor offerings of the internet and figured they could take a shot, too.

The plan was to have some sort of low-maintenance creative outlet which would be seen by someone at one of those dotcoms that were offering cash hand over foot to anyone with a half-way original idea and a smattering of html knowledge. I mean, that party was bound to last forever, right?

Thus was born this website you hold in your hands and with it such beloved satirical features and characters as Hairy Knavel, Mobster.com, Zonarr, Uncle Morty, Jesse Ball, Stick-Guy and Ann Landers. All of them elements of this site which you have let into your lives, hearts and minds. Also hearts.

What has it meant to me? countless Thursday nights up late, facing looming deadlines and insecurities, all for what? Financial compensation? Of course not. No, the compensation that comes from one simple e-mail that says the little jokes we put up every Friday brightened their day, which is far more valuable to me than all of the money in the world.

No, no it's not.

Anyhow, let's all hope and pray for another four years of tin-foil ailens and quips about antiquated racist greeting cards!

Regards and bygones,
R.J. White