Cool Web Sites
by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the October 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
National Geographic's Map Machine literally lets you see the world in new ways, offering everything from street maps of North America and Europe to historical maps of railroads and battles -- hours of physical, political, cultural and panoramic discovery. Still not impressed? Check out the terrain map of Mars. (What, you were expecting maps of railroads, battlefields and employment growth on the Red Planet? They don't have those yet -- but as soon as they become available, we're pretty sure you'll be able to find them here).
A nice collection of images and history of the great clippers, including an extensive bibliography.
Digital camera experts and novices alike will get a kick out of shutterline.com. This picturesque corner of the Net features discussions on everything digital, from the best deals on equipment to the most superb camera angles. Click into articles and tutorials that'll brush up your technique for everything from black-and-white composition to photo archiving. (Even if you have no interest in being a shutterbug, you'll likely get a kick out of the of the various photo contests sponsored on the site.) A quick exposure to these fascinating shots could inspire even the most camera-shy to take up a colorful new hobby.
Here's something random — literally. Next time you're stumped by one of those nasty statistics problem — should you have the misfortune of being in such a class— or you're asked to flip a coin, just go to random.org. That's right, all of your random coin flipping needs are right there. And forget the boring old quarter. Flip a Swiss franc or a Colombian peso. OK, if you're really that stubborn and old fashioned, go ahead and flip a quarter, but here you can choose which state's quarter you're going to toss
How come all those nifty flying cars and skyscraper utopias and underwater cities and such never happened?
Test your brain's gender -- no, it isn't all about what's below the neck -- with BBC's interactive, entertaining and educational Human Body site. When you're finishing sexing your mind and taking other psychological tests such as Analyze Your Lonely Heart and Are You A Thrill Seeker?, browse over to the organs-and-skeleton game in the interactive body graphic. A few clicks on this site will leave you not only in better touch with your physical and psychological well-being, but more informed about the skin you're in.
I guess I should've known by the way you parked your car sideways. Or is it popped your collar sideways? How can you sing along to Little Red Corvette if you don't even know the lyrics? Browse more of the funniest misheard lyrics on amiright.com. Cruise by decade, artist or lede. Even check out some of the funniest parodies we've seen — and sang too — on the Net.
Surprise! It's time for a special someone in your life to get a shockingly great gift, and you're perplexed in the goodie department. Surprise.com comes to the rescue with a vast selection of unique gifts, obsessively categorized. Here you'll find great gift-giving ideas for the most finicky recipient in your life. Know a chocolate lover? Browse for the most dazzling dessert from chocolate stir spoons to death by chocolate cookies, or cruise the smart categories for presents appropriate for everything from housewarming to retirement to the dreaded "I'm sorry."
How'd you like to help a child you know invent a gadget that would allow a dog to launch a rocket? While we don't know how practical or safe this idea is (or how much the dog would enjoy it), it sounds like a fun way to spend some quality time with your favorite kids. Find out how you and an inquisitive youngster can turn engineering challenges like this into reality with the DuPage Children's Museum. Inventive kids try get their projects off the ground (rocket pun intended) with help from an engineer, and they can chat about their creations with other students.
These guys suck, literally. Browse some of nature's suckers, born every day, at PBS.org. From the cuttlefish to the vampire squid, this site covers it all. Discover some tall tales from deep beneath the sea with video and photo galleries, and dive into the list of squid-related Web sites.
If you find yourself straining to read the print in regular books, or ifyou know someone with admittedly low or impaired vision, then largeprintreviews.com might be just what you're looking for. Zoom through the guide to reviews of nearly every large-print genre, from mysteries to cookbooks and children's books (or even the perfect beach read). And they don't stop with the printed page; find the best magnification and screen reading software programs with this site's informative reviews
A searchable, zoomable collection from the Library of Congress. You can also search broad topical areas: Military Campaign Maps, Discovery/Exploration, Cities/Towns, Conservation/Environment, Transportation/communication.
Help a few million homeless animals with the simple double click of your mouse at theanimalrescuesite.com. Bowls of food go to needy animals every time a visitor clicks the Feed an Animal in Need button, at no cost to the visitor. Site sponsors pay for all funding, which benefits two leading animal welfare charities: The Fund for Animals and North Shore Animal League America.
Just when you thought Pennsylvania history consisted of little more than cracked bells and aromatic chocolate parks, along comes a site that opens your eyes to the vision of William Penn and makes learning history fun. Pay a virtual visit to the Keystone State with explorepahistory.com's map of historical markers, colorful photos and informative videos. Travel the region with a few of the Net's best interactive maps to cover the terrain — they offer fun and easy ways to navigate Lake Erie without getting damp, or to hike the Poconos without scuffing your knees
An interesting introduction to the history of pigments and their use in art. Follw the historical outline or look up individual colors.
Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value. Guess who said that gem. Check out goodquotes.com for the answer and thousands of other priceless quotes. From zany to celebrity to funny to famous last words, if it's out there, it's right here. Find a great pick-up line, or that perfect message to leave on your answering machine, or just cruise and chuckle through endless, quotable entertainment
Just when it seemed the tobacco industry was drained from litigation, it turns around and spends more than $11.2 billion a year on marketing. Tobacco interests have also given more than $26.3 million in political donations to federal candidates, national parties and non-party political action committees since 1997. Whew. With that kind of funding, you might wonder if you even have a fighting chance of convincing a youngster not to smoke. Well you can start at tobaccofreekids.org. This is one of the most extensive anti-smoking sites out there — basic facts run the gamut from financial tidbits to health concerns to a photo gallery of vintage tobacco ads.
Aims at "identifying good practice in creating and managing and preserving digital materials and also providing a range of practical tools to assist in that process... it is now possible to point to many examples of good practice and to suggest ways in which institutions can begin to address digital preservation.
Alone together. Taped live. Peace force. Work party. Microsoft works. These are just some of the fun opposites you'll find on oxymoronlist.com. You might be surprised to learn how many you use every day without even realizing it. Click through the alphabetical list, or if you're feeling really ambitious and oxymoronic, submit your own.
Ready for an awe-inspiring journey through human evolution? Even if the mere mention of the subject evokes endless yawns or you're a staunch Adam and Eve believer, we think you'll get a kick out of one of the most impressive sites to tackle human evolution out there. From finding and profiling fossils, to analyzing DNA to book reviews on everyone's favorite dame of development, Lucy, becominghuman.org leaves no evolutionary stone unturned. This dating game reaches back 4 million years, but it's told in such concise and intriguing detail, that time truly flies. (Broadband connection recommended.)
Remarkable in that it allows you to search by how the bird song sounds -- single note, double note, or complex song -- and the listen to the audio files.
Every great invention started with a brilliant idea and the motivation to see it through. Explore some of the best inventions from idea to sketch to reality with inventionatplay.org. This innovative site takes you behind the traveling Invention at Play exhibit, which focuses on the similarities between the ways children and adults play. But if you can't make it to one of the show's appearances, the site will get your hands virtually dirty with inventors' stories, a chance to toy around in the invention playhouse, and a quick view of how attitudes toward play have changed over time.
Just when we all thought the Cartoon Network had the market on everything zany, imaginative and illustrative, here comes a site that breaks us free from the Hanna-Barbera chains of love. Now you can be your very own cartoonist with cartoonster.com. (Although we can't guarantee top-notch replications of crazy sounds, swirling bundles of fleeing-the-scene dust and mail-order ACME products.) This site provides the basics for kids and young adults to learn a downright zippy trade. Even if you have no interest in drawing or animation, take a spin —- we guarantee that you'll look at animation in a different light.
"Contains maps, literature, documents, books and other relevant material concerning the past, present and future of historic cities..." In Europe and the near East, that is. See how cities like Rome, Jerusalem, Barcelona, Paris, Cairo, etc., have changed over time.
If the season has been frying your child's brain, sciencenewsforkids.org will get them interested in learning again. This site features articles about creating the perfect French fry and how Spiderman is able to climb vertical walls. When reading about science isn't interactive enough, the site's GameZone and PuzzleZone offer amusement and edification. You can find science fair tips, topics and news to get kids raring to go on their projects. You'll also find polls, experiments that can be done at home, and resources for parents and teachers
Move over, Sherlock Holmes. Make room for history's real detectives. These sleuthing souls go behind local folklore, urban legend and the downright historically befuddling with PBS' new series History Detectives. Go behind the scenes with them for a little investigative work of your own before the first episode even airs with this mysteriously thorough site. Meet the PBS peepers, and learn how modern crimesolving techniques (such as DNA, ballistics and handwriting analysis) can be applied to solving ancient enigmas. Fancy yourself the neighborhood flatfoot? Submit your own mystery.
A good thing to print out and keep with your personal cookbooks.
You may or may not think of Iceland as agricultural terrain, but the island nation has a history of farming — disappearing these days, as family farms do here, into the past. Nökkvi Elíasson has snapped 90 fascinating pictures of abandoned homesteads around the country. From quaint, to eerie, to just-like-grandma's, a variety of once-lively farm houses and outbuildings are memorialized here. Check back often if you're a true farmhouse fanatic; he promises frequent updates.
Sometimes you just need a little friendly boost to put that pep in your step, and with volunteerfriends.org, you can do both. Although this site is geared toward those 55 and older, we still advise younger would-be volunteers to check it out. It's chock full of ideas on how you can give back to your community and get a buddy to join you. Still need some convincing? Here are some volunteer tidbits featured on the site: Studies show that people who volunteer live longer, healthier lives. Studies show that people are more likely to volunteer if asked by a friend.
"A multiple-editor weblog broken up into three major political affiliations, each with its own blog: the Democrats, the Republicans and the Third Party (covering everything outside the two major parties)." The side by side display usefully exposes people to alternative views of issues.
It seems as though peer pressure to drink is affecting younger and younger kids nowadays. Leadership To Keep Children Alcohol Free is here to help Net-savvy parents handle this sensitive topic. Hear the experts discuss what drinking does adolescents and find out how you can stop it before it even begins. Browse the map to find legislation in your state concerning underage drinking — and if there's none where you live, find out how you can change that.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
Tulsa Computer Society 10/01/2003
Don Singleton, President