Cool Web Sites
by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the June 2003 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
The BBC finds gentler behavior amongst our ancestors of some 3 million years ago. With entertaining what-they-might've-looked-like photos and engaging Flash quizzes, Walking with Cavemen gives you the lowdown on the seven evolutionary stages of mankind.
Have the sneaking suspicion that you're just the teensiest bit color blind? Take your rods and cones for a spin online with an Internet color blindness test that may help you determine if you are completely color blind, or merely have certain color-recognition deficiencies. (Not, of course, a substitute for a trip to the eye doctor.)
Prying the toxic lid off the glowing can of worms made famous by alleged terrorist sympathizer Jose Padilla, Nova examines the facts and fallacies surrounding the hypothetical "dirty bomb." This companion site reviews past nuclear incidents, and examines sources of radiation found in our everyday environment.
Sharing the medicinal knowledge of indigenous peoples with the rest of the world, the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Prior Art Database cross-indexes plant names with their medicinal uses, and then allows users to search for drug patents that use a given plant as an ingredient.
Clothing labels today — are these dry-cleaning instructions or hieroglyphics? If you're of a mind to crack the laundry industry's code, help is at hand at this handy site. Turns out all those pictograms actually mean something, after all. Also includes tips on removing stains and general apparel care.
Is the ultra-popular search engine Google a threat to your online privacy? "What, are you kidding?" you might ask. But Google-Watch.org takes the company to task for hiring former employees of the National Security Agency, its admittedly confusing page ranking system, and other perceived crimes against privacy.
Chances are you're not working up to capacity. Just to prove the point, the Museum of Conceptual Art offers a heartbreaking slice of interactivity that will rattle off what other — better — people were doing when they were your age. (Those already contemplating their own uselessness probably should skip this one.)
Charges that the U.S. government ignores international reaction to its policies are disproved once and for all by the State Department's Foreign Media Reaction Web site, which presents in-depth analysis of editorials ripped from newspapers, magazines and broadcasts from around the world.
With the United States continuing to take it on the chin in the world forum, the BBC has come to Uncle Sam's defense with a feature entitled How to love the United States. Among those things we have going for us: Santa Claus, the Internet, the zipper, and, well, our military might.
Itching to breathe that rich, muggle-free air of Harry Potter's Hogwarts school, or to run singing through the Austrian countryside of The Sound of Music? FamousLocations.com helps you find those areas used to film these and hundreds of other films and TV shows via a searchable database.
Just how unique is your name, anyway? This site gives you the opportunity to find out how many people are walking around with your exact name ... in the United Kingdom, anyway. (A casual search suggests one reason why our president enjoys the support that he does.)
For new (and not so new) arrivals to our land, this online resource offers some brief-but-helpful tips on what to expect during their stay. From the subtle rules of kissing to public services, education, and our cultural reluctance to talk about death in any but the most euphemistic of terms.
If you've read yourself into a proper little rut, spare a few minutes to skim through BookFilter.com. This Weblog features short reviews on dozens of titles each day, covering fiction, nonfiction, and occasionally other Web sites.
Demonstrating just how much can be relayed without resorting to out-of-control Java graphics and Macromedia Flash-bangs, Roman-Empire.net continues to keep that legendary civilization alive.
It's the little things that make up life in any country, and Life in America celebrates those little things in this collection of poignant photographs. Little pop-up pearls of wisdom further accentuate the joys of a well-pondered, well-examined life.
In what has become an anxiously-awaited annual event, Business 2.0 names the winners (read "losers") of its 101 Dumbest Moments in Business. Forget Enron. Forget WorldCom. These are the real corkers you missed, including Midas' "naked granny" television ad. (Don't ask.)
With the likes of the Trix Rabbit and Sugar Bear at your table, who needed real friends growing up? This online guide to breakfast cereal characters examines more than 750 figments of our sugar-addled imaginations, from the early 1900s to the present. Even includes entries on fictional cereals.
It's a daunting job, explaining the world to young people. And yet it is an endeavor that PencilNews.com tackles with attractive graphics, no-nonsense reporting, and the flights of fancy necessary to keep the collective attention of children. Sharp photographs and interactive Flash presentations keep this site fresh and appealing.
Frontline World sent graduate student Robin Shulman to Israel to chase down the ever-shifting borders separating Israelis and Palestinians in their disputed land. Her multimedia report blends dynamic maps, video and audio clips, and insightful narration to expose the complexities at the heart of this conflict. (Flash required.)
With 2003 marking 50 years since the discovery of DNA's structure, the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is celebrating in style online. This special Flash site takes you on a tour through the history of genetics, treats you to DNA-inspired art, and lets you read the original 1953 Watson & Crick Nature article that started it all.
A clean and to-the-point exploration of Great Britain's parliamentary system, this site includes a history of that august body, explanations of its procedures, and a tour of the Palace of Westminster. Also includes a quiz wherein each correct answer brings a pixelated Parliament closer to session.
You can't beat locally grown fruits and vegetables for freshness, and FoodRoutes.org wants to help you find the freshest meats and produce available in your area. Just enter your ZIP code, select the type of establishment you're looking for — farm, farm stand, etc. — and you'll be well on your way to good eating.
Young people (and those not so young) can learn a great deal about the design and function of our country with this Government Printing Office guide to the U.S. Government. Hosted by the ever-personable Ben Franklin, this site examines the branches of government, citizenship and more, with different material based on grade level.
One of the most popular sites of the past week, Andy Naughton's Flash Mind Reader has kept even the most jaded members of the Internet society up at night trying to figure out the trick behind this game. Curse you, Andy Naughton, and your cyber-sorcery!
Young people can get the real scoop on what's going on in the Amazon from real 11th and 12th graders, thanks to this Scholastic.com interactive Web site. Students can pose questions to high school kids and scientists who are currently investigating river otters in that region.
Observe the chronological ballet taking place in every corner of the world around you at PlayingWithTime.com. Time-elapsed photography reveals (via Quicktime) the hidden cycles of streams, construction projects, beaches, and even the blink of an eye
Taking one of the least controversial positions going, Annoyances.org highlights those Windows idiosyncrasies that have made Microsoft the beloved company it is worldwide. What's more, it offers advice for circumventing the worst of them, and links to third-party applications that ease the pain of the rest
There was far more to the moon landing than "one small step" — and NASA gives you the opportunity to read the whole story for yourself. Here you can read nearly all of the audio transcripts from the Apollo moon missions. This official site also includes images and backgrounders on each of those missions.
Born of a collaboration with the late science luminary R. Buckminster Fuller, these "Worldometers" give you a running tally of statistics on the world food supply, education, business, government, the environment and more. A 21st century dashboard for the socially conscious
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
Tulsa Computer Society 6/02/2003
Don Singleton, President