Cool Web Sites
by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the April 2004 issue of the I/O Port Newsletter
Including links previously reviewed at
http://www.educationindex.com/index.html,
http://www.komando.com/,
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/arch.htm,
and http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html
Invites you to "build an ecosphere without getting your hands dirty." Choose your soils, plants, and animals, and then watch the simulation to see what happens
This frequently updated site is full of remarkably good sites state and local governments have created to provide imaginative services. The sites are useful in and of themselves, but they're also great idea generators for webmasters.
The incredible story of the day the laughing stopped in the life of comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle is just one of many riveting tales to be found among the Crime Lab files. Read much more into the activities of serial killers, mob bosses, celebrity criminals, spies and assassins. Other pieces take you inside the mind of a killer through psychological examination and profiling. This site is a can't miss for the CSI crowd and a rich field from which to mine trivia for all.
A "panorama of images from the British Library’s famous collections. Maps, prints and drawings, photographs and documents, rare early sound recordings from around the globe – you’ll find them all here over the coming months as the site builds a rich picture of the country’s regional history."
A guide to world maps and atlases, place name sites, map libraries, weather maps, historical maps, interactive maps, and more.
Brand name recipes collected from the packaging of commercial groceries have found a home on the Net. Back of the Box features a "Recipe of the Day" as well as an extensive archive sorted by types of food. If you have a great recipe of your own that you are dying to share, fill out an online submission or post it in the forum. Substitutions for the brand name products listed are not recommended by the site, but we see no harm in a little experimentation.
If you're wondering whether a celebrity is still alive or not, search or browse alphabetically or by field or by cause of death among the 6648 famous (and semi-famous) people listed here. Other features: "Died on This Date," "Died in the Last Six Months," "Died Before Age 30," Statistics, and more.
"An index to and growing database of 5000+ full text, audio and video (streaming) versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates, interviews, other recorded media events, and a declaration or two." Browse alphabetically for speeches and speakers, or by broad topics like Christian Rhetoric, Movie Speeches, The Rhetoric of 9-11, etc.
When you need to get going, go where the experts go. The Fare Chase web search sifts through more than 150 travel sites to pull the best deals off the Web for flights, hotels and rental cars. When you click on the deal you desire, you will be transferred to the site offering that price. It's as simple as that.
News, reviews, and author interviews on books of interest to Christians
As you know, magazines are often great sources of lists -- top college rankings, top 100 national advertisers, the InfoTech 100, etc. -- and many of those are available on the web. Gary Price's original list of links to these is now being maintained and added to at SpecialIssues.com.
From the mind of artist Terry Wright to your desktop, here's a trippy online gallery filled with cool computer-generated fractals. Lots of them. Terry's fractal fun continues one level up at www.eclectasy.com, where you'll find more artwork and information as well as link to a freeware fractal generator
Here's a source for Congressional Research Service reports on topics such as education vouchers, campaign finance reform, hate crimes, flag protection, internet privacy, etc.
Parenting is hard, and it's an unfortunate fact that in this culture, men get even less help than women at figuring out how it's done. This insightful site lays out the basics in an upbeat but straightforward fashion, giving checklists on the basic qualities than make for a good father and supplying reading recommendations and links to articles more information on raising loving, stable kids — and becoming better men along the way. Mothers are welcome also so that they can support their special 'Dad,' enabling the entire family to make better choices in life.
What would it be like to get a phone call from Homer Simpson? Or that hideous boss from Office Space? The people at ebaumsworld.com put together a collection of celebrity voice recordings and play them over the phone to unsuspecting victims. The way people respond to Howard Stern rating their bodies and Jack Black singing inappropriate lyrics will have you rolling with laughter. Download a few celebrity sound bites and play them over the phone to your naive friends for hours of immature amusement.
A geographic look at the financial support for the presidential candidates, both Democratic and Republican.
Ever been in a conversation and your mind just… blanks? There's one word that perfectly describes what it is you're talking about but you can't quite recall the word? Type a word or phrase into this search engine and it will match your clues with the word you are looking for. Next time you're caught writing a letter and can't quite recall the term you want, try the reverse look-up dictionary — a pain-free way to get that word off the tip of your tongue
Has any occupation been spoofed more thoroughly on screens both big and small than that of flight attendant? We think not. But if you want to find out what real-life flight attendants are all about, fly on over to FlightAttendants.org and cruise through the messages and photo galleries on board. There's no safety demonstration to sit through and the exits are clearly marked.
Type in your meaning and it will sort through its thousands of dictionaries to produce a range of possibly matching words. You can also use it to generate a list of words in a category (e.g., ball games), explore related concepts (e.g., orange), and answer identification questions (e.g., capital of Montana)
You’re looking for some styling threads to wear to the office holiday party, but you have to save money to buy the tots some toys? The Budget Fashionista shares your love of fashion and concern for bank accounts. This site will keep you up to date on the best sales in your area, making sure you look like a star but don’t spend like one. And if you have any fashion quandaries, the experts at Bfash are happy to answer any questions posted on the site.
She can bring home the bacon, wrap it around scallops using a recipe she found online, serve it up at a company luncheon, work it off at the gym and still have time to catch the kids' basketball game that evening. She's today's modern mother and now she has her own Web site to help keep the whole production running smoothly. Modernmom.com offers advice, message boards and a ton of links tailored to the interests and inquiries of today's busy parents.
A feature of the Army News Service, this has some good stories about individual soldiers, and links to television news stories of soldiers in action.
Simple and to the point, this site delivers tips for players looking to polish up their game. Run by a group of former pro players, it offers tips on shooting, passing, dribbling, strategy, skills and more, with great specifics on not only improving your mechanics but developing the heart of an aggressive, conscious team player
How do you cook, entertain, celebrate and decorate on a budget? You do it yourself. But don't take this advice literally — get some help from the folks at the DIY Network. Find cool ideas for handmade gifts or seasonal crafts as well as festive munchies and knock-'em-dead centerpieces, then stock your printer with lots of paper and get ready to put a personal touch on your family's holiday experience
A searchable gallery of over 2,700 photos of aircraft, operations, people, and "Remembering 9-11-01."
If you were planning to use the old "I couldn't remember your ZIP code" excuse to explain why your letter didn't arrive in time, forget it: The Net's hottest ZIP-code finder blows the lid off that sorry line. Type in any five digits and you'll see the Java application zero in on the appropriate spot on the map. (Helpful tip: You'll want to play with this a few times; when you're ready to type in the next five digits, use the backspace key to delete the previous set. Effective and fun to watch.)
The reliably wonderful BBC turns the reins over to their readers on this oral-history site, which is collecting memories of World War II as related by the soldiers and civilians who were there. From fighting on the front to life at home, discover more about extraordinary wartime events. Even if you think you know about the Blitz and the battles, the evacuation of London’s children and the rationing of just about everything, the wealth of detail in these Greatest Generation accounts will knock you out.
You can play the daily jigsaw for free, adjusting the background color and level of difficulty to your own preferences. You can also buy and download several sets of puzzles and a jigsaw puzzle maker to use on your own photos.
If you ask us — and one of these days somebody should — this Flash-intensive craft shop beats the pants off paper-folding-and-cutting method of snowflake creation. At Make-a-Flake, even the ungifted can create a beauty. Cut out your own pattern and preview or save your creation. You can also view the work of others, some of which are very impressive. Just as in nature, no two will be exactly the same
This is a handy site, which features a collection of appetizer, entrée and beverage options for the Atkins/South Beach crowd.
You can search for specific types of images or get lost for hours enjoying the virtual tours of these strange and beautiful worlds. Keep in mind that none of the art is free for copying.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
Tulsa Computer Society 4/01/2004
Don Singleton, President