Cool Web Sites
by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the June 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
It calls itself “an experiment in intuition,” but this swell site is really an experiment in Web collaboration, verging occasionally into Net humor. The premise is simple: People have questions. Other people have answers. Folks like that ought to get together. The queries (“how to keep pairs of socks together”) often engender perfectly delightful if impractical answers, while others will spark truly useful knowledge (if, say, you ever need to know how to kill a neighbor’s tree covertly).
There are two kinds of word-a-day sites online: The ones that feature the most obscure or unusual words the proprietors can find, and the kind that want to help you build your practical “SAT word” vocabulary. This site is a fine example of the latter. Recent entries include “ambiguous,” “chagrin,” and “nefarious” – all words you’re likely to encounter now and then. It’s a quick daily click and a nice way of refreshing the pool of language at your mental disposal.
No need to don your winter woolens; here's your opportunity to get the cold facts without leaving the warm indoors. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has data on the white stuff outside your window as well as information on the cryosphere, the portion of the Earth's surface where water is in a solid form, usually snow or ice. Start with 'Cold Facts: Earth's Snow, Ice, and Frozen Soils' for an introduction to the various forms of solid water (yes, there's more than one). And please, try to quiet your chattering teeth.
This well-written site is geared to kids, but we suspect most adults can learn a lot about anatomy from Andrew McGann’s careful explanations. Seven physiological systems (skeletal, muscular, circulatory, immune, nervous, digestive, and respiratory) are covered, each with clear explanations and diagrams. There’s also a segment on the five main senses, explaining how each works and pointing out a number of things that our own anatomy textbooks never quite documented
Two of Google's newest capabilities deserve a spotlight all their own. First, you can now use Google to track packages (UPS, FedEx, USPS), Vehicle ID numbers, UPCs, and FAA airplane registrations (!) simply by typing the number into the usual search bar. Second, Google is now at your service to check on airport and flight status; simply type an airport’s three-letter code followed by the word “airport” (example: lax airport) for the former and the name of the flight followed by the flight number (example: united 879) for the latter.
Mothers with Attitude is a haven of advice, support and sanity for “adoptive moms, special-needs moms, any old moms at all.” The site combines informational resources for challenged parents – and who doesn’t fit that description now and then? -- with first-person reflections and humor, including a Web log titled Parenting Isn't Pretty (“updated daily, or as kids allow”). There's also a section for dads, which contains writings from a “Father with Attitude.”
Quick – who was the first U.S. President? Wrong! At least, so this site tells us – documenting, as it does, no fewer than 10 possible holders of the office between 1774 and 1778. These ten men were the leaders of the Confederation Congress and Continental Congress, which (as you know if you read clear through that John Adams biography like you said you did) preceded Mr. Washington’s inauguration in 1789. Deep historical truth? Trivial anomaly? Read all about it and decide for yourself
The U.S. National Library of Medicine – that’s a division of the National Institutes of Health, for those keeping track of tax-dollar expenditures – is showcasing this collection of beautiful, often fantastical drawings of the human body, most of which date from the first few centuries after the dawn of the printing press. Between 1680 and 1800 there was a drive among anatomists to make anatomy illustrations more faithful to science (no small issue in the era before X-rays and the Visible Human Project); the variety of responses to this push are gorgeous, bizarre, sometimes creepy and uniformly worth your time.
GW Bush and John Kerry are cousins; find out how closely related they are and who else shares the bloodline at this fun page. And please, no inbreeding jokes; we've probably made them all already.
This site features links to sound clips for for 4000 songs released between 1960 and 1975, many of which will thoroughly embed themselves in your head given even the ghost of a chance." Even better, the site has advice on how to figure out the name of a song when you only remember a few words -- or when you only remember that it was the B side of some long-lost 45 or 78
It’s a fact of life that restaurants come and go, but the buildings in which they reside tend to remain restaurants, albeit under new names and ownership. Problem is, some restaurants tend to leave an indelible impression of themselves on their buildings, usually through distinctive architecture (Pizza Hut’s wide, low-slopped roof; Taco Bell’s arched windows). Others leave behind signage that the new proprietors seem to be intent on not wasting. This fun slideshow documents a few restaurants that just can’t seem to remember what they’re serving up these days.
There’s a little MacGyver in all of us, and if you’ve ever tried to figure out how you could remodel your house using just duct tape and dental floss, this is the site you’ve been waiting for. Cy Tymony’s got a great book out on the topic, and his site details both clever things you can do at home and astonishing feats of improvisational ingenuity under duress. Don’t miss the section of clever prisoner escape tactics; after all, you never know.
Parents, got a stressed kid? In this day and age, probably – whether you realize it or not. BAM! Body and Mind is an CDC site designed for children 9-13. It focuses on topics such as stress and physical fitness using kid-friendly lingo, games, quizzes, and other interactive features. The site also serves as an aid to teachers and parents, providing them with interactive, educational, and fun activities that are linked to the national education standards for science and health. (Grownups, this stress test is excellent for kids but not for you; may we direct you to a fine version from PBS?)
Categories on the front page include Wars & Periods, Fighting Forces, and Museums & Battlefields. There are subcategories here too: Click on a category and you'll get an annotated list of sites, with subcategories at the top. Some sites are marked with red exclamations; the more points, the more the editors like that particular site. The link list is part of the War Times Journal, which contains additional information including archives (correspondence from Napoleon and dispatches from Wellington) articles, and collections of information on the Napoleonic wars, the Civil War, WWI, and WWII
What (or who) do you see when you look at the photos we’re getting back from Mars? Most of us see rocks and dust, but every so often someone declares they’ve spied a crab, or perhaps an opening to secret underground structures. (These are presumably the people who get a lot out of those inkblot tests, bless their overthinking hearts.) Check out your fellow Earthlings’ more fanciful “findings” by following the links in this great article.
The painful process of Reconstruction throughout the American South after the U.S. Civil War is one of the most poorly understood events of 19th century American history, and this fine site explores many of the complex themes of this period. The materials on the site are divided into ten thematic areas, each featuring a mini-documentary, a selection of primary sources (such as eye-witness testimonies and legislative documents), and question and answer sessions with prominent historians about each respective topic. The site also contains an interactive map of the United States in 1870, from which visitors can learn how each state was affected by both the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction.
In a world where we all want to know what a Web site can do for us, it seems a little odd to bring attention to one that asks for something in return. But fear not! All that’s sought here is your opinion (regardless of how well informed it may be). This online community offers a wealth of issues and an attractive graphical interface. Once you’ve registered your vote on a topic, sort poll results by demographics of those weighing in, chart trends over time, check out links on the subject or loiter in the discussion forum to see if you can convince others to share your opinion.
You know at the end of Return of the King, where Sam walks up to Bag End and tells Rose, “I’m back”? Can you believe how utterly Peter Jackson messed that up? EVERYBODY knows Sam said that indoors!!!!! If you’re the sort of person who finds tiny details like that riveting, or lists of that stuff funny, pay a visit to this long list of quibbles big and small with that greatest of all fantasy-film trilogies. We respect the urge to watch all too closely, but would point out that film producers who can answer questions in Elvish are probably not folks to be trifled with.
If Alzheimer's hasn't touched the life of someone you love, don't feel complacent: with one in nine Boomers expected to reach 100, and half the population over 85 suffering from the disease, the numbers are not on your side. This tremendous site — another winner from PBS — lays out what we currently know about Alzheimer's, documents how one family deals with the genetic issues with one strain of the disorder, and attempts to explain what the experience of Alzheimer's is like for both victims and family members. The guide to how you can spend quality time with your Alzheimer's-suffering loved one is not to be missed.
It’s thrilling to see the continued excitement over the Spirit expedition on Mars, but how much do you know about how scientists are managing the rover? Visit this site and you can download the very program the folks at NASA are using to control Spirit; they’ve even got real data from the craft here for you to play with. Sure, look to the heavens and dream of the day we’ll all be able to travel to Mars and beyond, but this package is ready to impress you right now.
Mel Gibson’s new movie is already the focus of much conflict and anguish. Do those who have seen it find it to be anti-Semitic? Is it historically accurate? Is the violence so graphic that it drowns out the other messages of the Crucifixion? BeliefNet has gathered a variety of writers and theologians to hash out the issues the film raises. You won’t find consensus here, but both the background info and depth of thought presented can help you get your bearings on a passionate debate.
PBS latest kids’ show, starring five “colorful atoms of energy”, encourage kids in the 3-6 set to get up and get moving. The site itself has cute games for when the small fry are tired of moving along with plenty of information on the Boohbah universe – and a guide for parents to make the most of the kinesthetic learning paradigm.
As you may know, the press has been banned from photographing the arrival of soldiers’ coffins from the war in Iraq. Somehow that makes this site, which documents an extraordinary tribute paid to Army Specialist James Kiehl (one of the six soldiers killed when Pfc. Jessica Lynch was taken prisoner) all the more wrenching, especially since the photos were taken not by professionals but by Kiehl’s aunt Vicki. It’s ten miles from Kiehl’s hometown of Comfort, Texas to the cemetery in which he was buried. Keep that in mind as you scroll down this page.
Most Americans like libraries. The problem is that most Americans don’t spend much time in or thought on them, and budgets being what they are that means that funding for public libraries is pretty dismal. Show your support for healthy public libraries: Visit this site and follow through on some of the simple ideas for helping your local bibliotheque get what it needs to keep providing you with free access to book, movie and music loans; classes and lectures; Net access, and all those other good things you find there. (And do something nice for yourself while you’re visiting; the site has a collection of cute, free bookmarks you can print out.)
Throw a pinch of spice into your daily tour of the Net by first visiting The Dialectizer. This comic tool effortlessly translates any Web site or block of text into a variety of English dialects. Choose the “Hacker” dialect to help read between the lines of the latest tech events or select “Redneck” to capture more accurately the NASCAR news of the day. For amusement value, it’s difficult to top a stock market report as written by Elmer Fudd, or perhaps your e-bills would be easier to stomach if the Swedish Chef were cooking them up
This pleasant site provides tips and quizzes for all major aspects of American English grammar. It's a sweet and non-stressful way to brush up them there skills of yours.
Ever wondered about those weird rumors that NASA faked the first lunar landing? Can't seem to manage to balance the egg on its end at the Equinox? Scared that all the planets in the solar system are going to line up and tip Earth onto its side? Ease your mind and amuse yourself at Dr. Phil Plait's long-running site, dedicated to debunking astronomical misconceptions and rumors in easy-to-understand terms.
Need an apartment? Need some cash? Look no further. Rent.com will help you find a rental property and promises $100 to everyone who signs a lease on a property they locate using this site. The search is free and the site boasts over three million listings, which include each property’s address, Realtor or renting office’s phone number, photos, floor plans and virtual tours to aid you in your search. The site’s also got a nice selection of calculators that can help you price your relocation.
No longer do you need short-wave equipment to listen to a variety of foreign broadcasts, both live and recorded; the World Radio Network brings international radio right to your home. As well as access to actual programming, you'll find information available on numerous stations (including some that do not offer Internet audio capability). For online stations, the programs can be downloaded in a variety of formats and languages. Tune in and turn on with the click of your mouse; the whole world is at your command.
We love and admire firefighters, and are lucky enough to count several among our friends. They always have amazing stories - funny stories, sad stories, scary stories, very scary stories, and the occasional tale of the purely bizarre. This site gives you a great idea of what it's like to hang out with a group of firefighters. We laughed and cried over the tales told, and we came away with a few excellent jokes for our next gathering of friends
Amazing, all right, and what have you done to thank it today? Take it along to this BBC site (which also, thoughtfully, provides excellent graphics to keep your eyes contented) and find out how it works. There are plenty of games and tests to demonstrate how it does its job in there, even covering aspects you might not perceive as the province of that remarkable gray matter.
Look closely at your employee ID photo. Gaze upon your solemn adult visage. Now, wouldn’t that mug look much better rendered as a Powerpuff Girl or Boy? This swell site lets you customize a portrait of your very own butt-kicking, nap-taking alter ego.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
Tulsa Computer Society 6/01/2004
Don Singleton, President