Cool Web Sites
by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the October 2002 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
When you're lying awake during those long dark nights of the
soul, wishing you could lay your eyes on a classic story you read
as a child, fire up ClassicReader.com. Aside from the usual titles,
you'll find such beloved young people's fare as the Tom Swift
adventure series, The Wind in the Willows, and The Bobbsey twins
Grab your magnifying glass and enter the field of art investigation
as the National Gallery takes you step-by-step through the
examination of Picasso's painting, The Tragedy. Sniff out the clues
that led art historians to discover another artwork lurking just
beneath the Picasso's surface.
While much of the mainstream media has beat the drum for the
capitulation of one side or the other in the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, this Web log goes out of its way to highlight articles in the
world press that explore a 'third way' or middle ground.
Ever find yourself in the throws of culinary creation only to realize
you can't tell a dash from a pinch? Fire up KitchenMath.com,
which stands ready to make the necessary conversions between
measurement units into fractions or decimals. Bonus points for
letting harried cooks multiply the ingredients by any given factor.
Cells. Microbes. Animals. Young people can plumb the secrets of
life courtesy of Biology4Kids, one of four online introductions to
the world of science. Together, with its sister sites on
physics,
chemistry and
geography,
the site offers a comprehensive course
in the basics of what makes our planet function
Have an idea for a sleek and zippy new spacecraft perfect for
maneuvering the Star Trek universe? Why not submit it to the
prestigious Journal of Applied Treknology, or simply peruse the
fleet of imaginary (well, more imaginary) vessels dreamed up by
other fellow stargazers.
Anxious to better equip our fighting forces, the Army gave MIT
$50 million to develop lightweight armor and gadgets for the soldier
of the future. According to Horizon Comics, what the venerable
institution actually came up with in its conceptual sketches was a
reproduction of their flagship superhero, Radix. You be the judge
You don't have to be an old hand at Quake to realize that video
games have matured quite a bit since the days of Frogger and co.
Just click through a few of the semi-scholarly articles to be found
at GameStudies.com, an online peer-reviewed journal about
gaming. Best article title thus far? 'Grandmothers are cooler than
trolls.
Whether you're looking for the number of births brought about by
fertility treatments or an annual report on the readiness of
America's fighting forces, you'll find it all at the University of
Michigan's site, Statistical Resources on the Web. Hundreds of
links are waiting to take you where you want to go
Take a leisurely tour of America's scenic roads courtesy of the
Federal Highway Administration's Byways.org. Download maps,
get briefed on each area's sights to see, and even take a virtual tour
via detailed photo galleries
The most entertaining aspect of this online repository, dedicated to
those instances in which fate ensnares us, may be the thought of
someone spending long nights coming up with every conceivable
way things can go wrong. Categorized by subject (e.g. love, tech,
commerce, etc.). Skim through these laws or submit your own.
Gauge the world's take on the day's news with Today's Front
Pages, a new online feature from the Newseum that lets you run an
eye over the front pages of newspapers around the world.
Categorized by region, featuring 100 papers from more than 26
countries. (Acrobat Reader required.)
Grab a benchside seat at some of the most important legal battles in
world history, thanks to this online presentation by University of
Missouri-Kansas City law professor Doug Linder. From the Trial
of Socrates to the O.J. Simpson ordeal, the site includes
chronologies, trial records, excerpts and more
U.S. News & World Report's special issue, "The Art of
the Hoax," is an entertaining joyride through mankind's gully of
gullibility. The online edition gives you point-and-click access to
history's greatest hoodwinks, from the first crop-circle hoaxers to
the original Ponzi scheme and Hitler's Secret Diaries.
Learn the basics of Ballet — from the soaring jump called the saut
de chat to the pas de deux for two — under the able tutelage of the
Electric Ballerina. Tiny wireframe dancers strut their virtual stuff in
Quicktime animations to demonstrate the secrets of this enduring
art
Our senses are cheats, it has been observed, and none more so
than our eyes. Grand Illusions assembles an impress-your-friends
collection of tricks and online optical illusions for your utter
bewilderment, as well as an assortment of articles on some of
history's grandest peeper-puzzlers
No matter how level-tempered you are, sometimes you just have to
blow off some steam, which is where InstantVoodoo.com comes
in. Personalize your doll and wreak havoc on the object of your ill
will with pliers, candles and, of course, the traditional straight pin.
(Requires Flash.)
Forget trying to understand your children's conversations, it's just
not going to happen. But you've still got a chance to get a handle
on Internet speak with the help of NetLingo.com. Not necessarily
definitive, but from animersive to Zaplet, it's an admirable attempt
at documenting a patois that grows faster than a mushroom
Not to put too fine a point on it, but how much of an Earth-hog are
you? The BBC's Disposable Planet site allows you to get an idea of
your 'ecological footprint' by administering a quiz designed to
demonstrate how much of our planet's resources you personally
are using.
After a trip to the moon aboard the Apollo 14, hundreds of tree
seedlings were planted throughout the United States in the 1970s.
Locate the 'moon tree' nearest you with this collection of links to
the personal Web pages of the individual trees. (Yes, even trees
have Web pages these days.)
In a move that seems destined to be followed by the words 'it
seemed like a good idea at the time,' researchers plan to drill a hole
into the famous San Andreas fault to better understand
earthquakes. This site includes quake simulations, 3-D imaging of
the fault, and an interactive view of the dig site.
What began as a bizarre suggestion discovered on an obscure Web
site has become one of the most compelling theories concerning
Bin Laden's terrorist network. The Guardian newspaper explores
the possibility that Al-Qaeda may have taken its inspiration from ...
the Foundation science-fiction novels of Issac Asimov?
There he is again, Ol' Whatsisname. When you know you've seen
an actor before but just can't remember where, log on to
WhatACharacter.com. Includes short career bios and a listing of
other film and TV work. Searchable by name, movie, TV show, or
TV guest appearance
Uncover the secret language of life with 'DNA from the Beginning.'
This multimedia site guides you through the complexities of
genetics with animations and video clips, from Mendel's pea plant
experiments to recent breakthroughs in piecing together that Holy
Grail of genetics: the human genome
Go beyond the 'No trespassers' signs and deep beneath the world's
sidewalks with this online celebration of urban archaeology. Photo
galleries and video clips whisk you into the dark domain of
abandoned factories, quarries, vacant buildings and more.
Occasionally, the Internet can show us new sides of ourselves.
Danish photographer Simon Hoegsberg's online gallery, Private
and Public — which features portraits of men and women in
London — demonstrates the depth of emotion we often carry on
our faces for all the world to see
Each year finds the Internet becoming a greater part of political
candidates' campaign strategies. PoliticalWeb.info offers a weekly
look at how many campaigns are using the Web, as well as a look
at the way this fledgling medium is being used to get their
messages across
When the surface world gets you down, head underground to
explore the Virtual Cave. Sharp, colorful photographs,
commonsense organization, and layperson explanations of cave
formations make this an informative online source for the budding
spelunker.
True, there is no shortage of Web sites dedicated to famous
people. But Who2.com goes the extra mile by emphasizing the
unusual histories and characteristics that link famous people
together. From those who've been mauled by lions (Jodie Foster
and Melanie Griffith) to others who kept bees (Henry Fonda and
Martha Stewart).
There's no shortage of quality Web sites trumpeting and trashing
rock and pop albums, but good online sources for classical music
reviews have been fewer and far between. One of those, the Good
Music Guide, serves up no-nonsense reports on recordings —
from 'ancient to avant garde' — by readers who seem to love the
subject.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
Tulsa Computer Society 10/02/2002
Don Singleton, President