Focus Adolescent Services is an Internet clearing house of resources, support, and information on parenting teens. As we all know, the teen years are some of the most difficult. Here’s a site that will give you the needed resources for dealing with high-risk teenagers in addition to being a valuable tool for adults who feel they need a better understanding of adolescents and the stresses that this age group faces. Don’t miss ‘FocusAS Spotlight’ which provides links to pertinent issues such as 'adolescent development, teen identity, teen issues' as well as resources that will help you understand 'the forms and underlying reasons of angry behavior, identifying and managing anger and what parents can do' to list just a few of the topics. There are a host of other links dealing with the teen years and family issues from diagnosed disorders to substance abuse, emotional health, physical health and teaching and learning. This site has valuable information for everyone interested in family and social concerns.
The welcome says it all! "Warm greetings from Sri Lanka, the land of a thousand breathtaking spectacles. As you journey through these pages, we invite you to enjoy the lush foliage of the country side, the mountains full of tea gardens, the patchwork quiltlike rice paddies, the wholesome village life, the never ending stretches of coconut fringed beaches, the exquisite underwater coral scapes, cascading waterfalls, colorful festivals and pageantry, magnificient ancient cities, nearly half as old as time, the flowers in all their glory...nature's bounty in such abundance!!" Browse through Scenic Beauty, Wild Life, Historical Sites, Festivals, Village Life and Art for a proper introduction to Sri Lanka!
The Complete Review is a 'literary saloon and site of review,' a site that features 'a selectively comprehensive, objectively opinionated survey of books old and new, trying to meet all your book review, preview, and information needs.' Currently there are '1603 books under review.' You'll find 'What's New,' books that have recently been added to the archives, 'The Best,' those books that the editors think are 'worthy of your attention,' and 'The Rest,' books not in the other categories, including some of 'the most unusual, most obscure, and most underappreciated books under review.' There is an Index that facilitates locating the book for which you are searching and of course links to other literary sites. This is definitely THE site for book-lovers!
'Summertime and the livin' is easy' but along with the easy livin' come the allergies to the urushiol oil in poison ivy, oak and sumac. Over half of the population is allergic to this potent oil. Come bring yourself up to snuff on the facts as well as the myths about the allergy. BTW, for your peace of mind, the poison rashes are not contagious; the rash is spread 'only if urushiol oil - the sticky, resinlike substance that causes the rash - has been left on your hands,' so wash often during this time of year! Remember, "Leaves of three, let them be!"
"Mohenjo Daro, or 'Mound of the Dead' is an ancient Indus Valley Civilization city that flourished between 2600 and 1900 BCE. It was one of the first world and ancient Indian cities. The site was discovered in the 1920s and lies in Pakistan's Sindh province." Professor Jonathan Kenoyer of the University of Wisconsin has developed this site that houses an essay on the limited excavations that have been done by only a handful of archaelogists; the site also has 103 images that have been collected over 30 years, many of which have not been published previously. The photos are organized by the different areas of Mohenjo-daro giving the visitor a feeling of actually being on locale. Here's your opportunity to travel to the ancient Indus Valley!
Here's a fun PBS children's site, well-done as all of the PBS children's sites are. Try the 'Get Your Web License' that addresses topics such meeting people on the Internet, downloading and the safety issues involved, privacy, all of the important dos and don'ts that need to be explained when operating in the cyber-world. (BTW, adults will find this road map as informative as do the kids.) There are also sections of facts, from historical ones to consumer. 'Don't Buy It' encourages kids to think critically about media and become smart consumers (don't we adults wish we'd had some of these guidelines rather than learn the hard way not to believe everything in print). The Games are plentiful, enough to interest all kids from 3 to 93. The 'Sharing' is another section that lets the younger set post their thoughts and experiences, e.g. the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you at school – "I was at the science place and I didn't feel well and then in front of everybody I threw up!! (Gross out!)"
Here's a site – Physics and Star Trek - that should be of interest to all you trekies. It is the creation of Jason W. Hinson, a physicist who explains his pastime of delving into the Star Trek realm with the following statements. "No, this isn't a link to everything you wanted to know about the technobabble on Star Trek. What I have done is taken bits of what we know about physics today and applied it to some concepts used in science fiction (mainly Star Trek)." The Relativity and Faster-than-Light Travel section 'is a solid, easy to follow introduction to relativity combined with a discussion of the problems and implications of faster-than-light travel.' The Subspace Physics section is 'a fictional account of how subspace and warp might be imagined to work while still allowing for such things as momentum and energy conservation.' Dr. Hinson's ideas on whether or not the phenomena could or could not work will make you view science fiction with a different mindset. Star Trek technology is closer than you might think!
"Ever heard a bird neigh like a horse? Or wondered what an otter sounds like? On these pages you will find 400 sound recordings from the large collection of the British Library Sound Archive. The Wildlife Section holds over 150,000 sounds of every animal group and habitat from all over the world." The 'Explore Wildlife Sounds' can be searched by location, animal type and/or habitat allowing the visitor to 'discover hundreds of sounds from the natural world, including birds, insects, mammals and soundscapes.' "The language of Birds is an introduction to how, why and when birds communicate, illustrated with sound samples. . ." Should you want to explore the catalogue, take the 'virtual nsa' link where you can make a 'listening appointment' to hear the audio clip either by telephone or in person. What a neat excuse for a trip to London but 'cyber listening' is available for those 400 entries with 'electronic access!'
Some puzzlers claim that 'Sudoku is firmly established as the most popular puzzle;' certainly it has taken the puzzle-world by storm. The subscriber who submitted Daily Sudoku states, "I'm a real puzzle fan and I find this sudoku site most professional, easy on the eyes, and suitable for all levels. It's free and friendly. From the small kids to the geniuses in our family, we all enjoy the site." Come see what Sudoku is all about! Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time; you're liable to become hooked! The good news is that the grids can be printed using Adobe Acrobat so the family will not be fighting over who gets to stay on their Sudoku puzzle the longest!
What fun! Kids, including those of us over 21, now have permission to go to “The Yuckiest Site on the Internet!” Presented by the Discovery Channel, where you can discover something new every day, you can get extra slimy (this feature requires a flash player) or, for you pristine folks, stay just plain slimy. The site is ‘the best place for science entertainment,’ including ‘all you need to know about barfing, belching, and blackheads,’ and features ‘yucky fun and games,’ ‘gross and cool body,’ ‘worm world,’ and for you roach-lovers, a ‘roach world.’ Should you be overcome with slime, Wendell the worm will hold your hand and answer your questions. Who can resist such a lovable slimy host?
"This is a must-read for anyone who wonders why they get so much junk e-mail and what they can do about it! It is well-written and not technical." The Spamprimer is a product of Randy Cassingham, a respected online publisher who has several services of his own that he delivers to subscribers. He explains, "I also am a serious Internet user. I'm online most of the day, most every day. I don't want garbage streaming into my mailbox, but I do want to get the mail I have asked for, or that enables me to do my job." He shares his knowledge with the public by outlining 'the basics of spam, "phishing" and other e-mail pests, how they got your address in the first place - and what to do now that you're inundated.' Do take a few minutes to see how Internet users can help combat the problem and join in the organized efforts of groups that are trying to get 'common-sense information out to the people who matter - the victims of daily spam!'
This site, developed as a ThinkQuest New York City project, is another student-developed site. It has been included in USA Today Educator's Best Bet in addition to being featured on the Landmarks for Schools website. Student sites are usually scheduled for Fridays but this one is too good not to share immediately! The director, Steve Feld, makes the following comments: "Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past 20 years, and leads to a variety of health problems as a result of dangerous diets. Children need to switch to healthy foods in order to avoid heart disease and raised blood pressure. This project looks at the best foods to eat to manage weight and cure common ailments and then identifies the worst foods which have become all to prevalent in our society." There are facts as well as a self-scoring quiz to 'demonstrate your acquired knowledge.' Mr. Feld and the students invite everyone to "take the challenging quiz to receive your just dessert!"
When attempting to work the word puzzles in the newspaper, have you ever had the urge to ball the whole thing up and throw it in the trash? Well, no longer do you have to curb these violent impulses. Just click on over to ‘oneacross’ where you can find answers for crosswords, cryptograms, and anagrams. The crossword aid consists of entering both the clue and the pattern and back come suggestions that fit the criteria. The anagram aid will actually solve the puzzle for you. Here’s the ultimate preparation for party anagrams. Enter the word and all the possibilities are returned. Caution - keep this site confidential so your friends will think that you are the ultimate word puzzle solver!
"Wordoku is very similar to sudoku. Love sudoku? then you'll really love Wordoku!" The ...doku puzzles seem to be all the rage now. As yet the word puzzles on this site cannot be played online but the developers promise that this enhancement will be coming soon. In the meantime you can print out the daily posting for whatever level suits your ability – easy, medium, hard – and distribute them for you own Wordoku trials!
To quote the introduction, "The Museum was established in 1997 in order to promote knowledge about the phenomenon of hoaxes. It plays host to a variety of humbugs and hoodwinks - from ancient deceptions all the way up to modern schemes, dupes, and dodges that circulate on the internet." The museum has a little of everything in the hoax realm, from 'the middle ages right up to the present.' Do keep this site bookmarked for the April Fool's hoaxes that will surely be circulated.
“The Internet Orchid Photo Encyclopedia” is 'dedicated to orchid lovers everywhere.' The developer, Jay Pfahl, has compiled a comprehensive list of facts and comments on 6047 species of orchids in 606 genera with spectacular pictures of many of the entries. No longer will you have to guess the type environment that is best for a particular plant; you’ll even be able to locate the most fragrant orchids for your aromatherapy. This well-organized site is a valuable reference database for anyone growing orchid species. Even if you’re not a grower, the beautiful pictures of the various species will make you yearn to try your green thumb!
"Millions of business-people all over the world share a single commonality, Children - but since we rarely have the opportunity to spend as much time with our children as we'd like, here's a wonderful resource for the busy business-parent. Traveling?, pull up a story on your computer and read it aloud over the phone. It will still be your special time together." You'll find stories that are 'Whimsical, Magical, Adventurous, Humorous, or simply wonderfully Imaginative.' "The criteria for a tale's inclusion on the Bedtime-Story site, is that the story must be as pleasant for an adult to read, as it is for a child to hear." The recommended age group is 6 through the Chairman of the Board. Here's the Internet's answer for the perfect end to a hectic day for you and your family!
With the fast-paced lifestyle that most people have these days, nutrition is sometimes overlooked for convenience sake. Today's feature is sponsored by the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, its stated goal 'to improve the nutrition and well-being of Americans.' MyPyramid will provide 'steps to a healthier you.' The site presents a plan that 'can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you.' Enter a few basic facts and a plan that includes the food categories, the number of calories that you should consume and tips for selection will be returned. With the information, you'll be able to 'make smart choices from every food group, find your balance between food and physical activity, and get the most nutrition out of your calories.' There's also a section for kids that includes a MyPyramid Blast-off game and other materials designed for elementary school-aged children. Obviously, something for everyone – who could ask for more with all these second helpings necessary for education!
There is so much bad news in the world. How about a website that concentrates on the good things happening, good news, happy news! Happy News has 'all the news that's fun to print,' 'real news, compelling stories, always positive!' The stories are categorized for finding just the article you need to bring that bright spot into your day – International, National, Heroes, Health, Opinion & Editorials, Science & Technology, Environment, Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Busines/Money as well as the essays from the 'Are You Optimistic about the Futures?' contest. As one reviewer states, "The Happynews glass is always at least half-full, and sometimes it bubbles right over." Come browse and fill your own glass!
"Today's Front Pages" is an online presentation of one of the Newseum's most popular exhibits. Every morning, more than 400 newspapers from around the world submit their front pages to the Newseum via the Internet. In case you're not sure what of Newseum is, this is a physical museum opening in downtown Washington, D.C. in 2007. The museum will have a 'Front Page Gallery [that] will give visitors an up-close look at the day's news on 80 newspaper front pages from every state, the District of Columbia and countries around the world. The gallery — featuring a spectacular view of the U.S. Capitol — will provide the perfect setting for visitors contemplating the relationship between press and democracy. Until then, the full selection of each day's front pages is available on newseum.org by 9:30 a.m. daily.' Now is the time to check if your paper is being properly represented in this Newseum. It really is fascinating what directions modern museums are taking with the technology now available!
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