Cool Web Sites
by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the September 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
Designed to help teachers introduce young people to American
history, the information on this National Park Service Web site also
can be a treat to those everywhere who love to learn. Each article
features photographs and maps, as well as sections that place
people and places in their proper historical context
Take in the beauty of the African continent, including its wildlife
and its sunsets, on Africam.com's collection of Web cams. And if
the ospreys and elephants aren't particularly active when you log
on, you can always review highlights of the day's events. (Free
registration required.)
Yeah, yeah, it's a jungle out there all right, and that's just your
backyard. This aesthetically appealing site encourages young
people to post photos and artworks revealing the rich blend of flora
and fauna to be found right outside their doors
From bluegrass to reggae and folk to alternative, find a music festival that suits you. Search by
type, location or date.
Though mankind has tried to predict future innovations since the
very beginning, those predictions rarely seem to pan out. Exhibit A:
More than 100 years of Popular Mechanics covers bound to spark
your nostalgia, even as they baffle with such predictions as 'Moon
power for the lights of Paris.'
Renew your friendship with Aquaman, Apache Chief and Wonder
Woman among others via this strangely compelling online tribute to
Challenge of the SuperFriends, the cartoon that raised an entire
generation of latchkey lads and lasses.
Take a break from the weight of the world and its problems and go
for an astronautical amble on the surface of the moon. With the
help of Quicktime, PBS's Nova provides you with a 360-degree
view from each of the Apollo moon missions.
Chowing down on grass when they're not feeling well is just one
example of animal self-medication, a subject this site explores in
great detail without ever implying that such creatures have some
innate wisdom. Insects, plants and dirt are analyzed for their
medicinal qualities.
For those who get a thrill from a funnel cloud and a lift from
lightning storms, there is WildWeather.com, an online celebration
of extreme weather. Visitors can watch Mother Nature put
mankind over her knee via video clips of twisters and hurricanes,
and read the latest headlines of wild weather around the world.
Discover the integral role the oceans play in the lives, health and
economics of the world's population, all expertly outlined on the
United Nations' new Atlas of the Oceans site. Articles and statistics
are categorized by the uses, issues, and geography of the oceans.
Putter through the USA of the early 20th century via these vast
online collections of vintage American postcards. Categorized by
state, these miniature works of art offer a rich look at a nation ever
in the process of re-inventing itself.
Though designed to teach medical students about the function of
eye muscles, this Shockwave graphic can be fiendishly
entertaining as you coldly and methodically disable each of your
poor subject's 12 muscles. If computer programs ever gain rights,
you could be doing hard time after this.
Lego Death
With just a few clicks, you can get a pretty good idea of what the
nation's most pressing needs are compared to where state and
federal funds are actually going, all courtesy of the National
Priorities Project. (Registration required to use some features.)
Rather than simply railing against the practice of commercial mass
e-mailing, CluelessMailers.org exposes the practices responsible for
the spam assault your inbox suffers daily. This chart gives us a
glimpse of how professional spammers operate, and why the
amount of spam we receive seems to be growing.
There are no dumb questions, especially when it comes to science
as it manifests itself in our everyday lives. In its Last Word column,
the prestigious New Science magazine allows you to ask and
answer such questions as 'Why do we bite our nails,' 'How does
ironing work,' and others.
This site, which implies a U.S. government conspiracy was behind
the Sept. 11th Pentagon attack, might be disturbing, but we owe it
to ourselves and future generations to read it. Thanks to the Web,
we can watch the seeds of revisionist history being planted just
months after the fact. Perhaps it will help us remember how easily
the facts can be swept away for the sake of a good story.
Whether you're looking to make a charitable donation or volunteer
a helping hand in your neighborhood, Network For Good will hook
you up with just a few mouse clicks. Also you can search for
volunteer opportunities by cause, city and state, or within a set
distance from your home or office.
Enhance your enjoyment of our nation's annual fit of patriotic
pyrotechnics with this Nova companion site that offers a simple,
to-the-point explanation of fireworks and other things that go
'boom.'
Don't get out much? Not a problem. Webcamgo.com whisks you
around the globe courtesy of hundreds of Webcams. Spy on traffic
intersections and tourist attractions one at a time, or watch
continuously updated scenes from four parts of the Earth
simultaneously.
Fed up with your first name? Before you toss it for one more to
your liking, you might want to consult Behind the Name, an online
database of names and their meanings. Awaiting you is a wealth of
information on name etymologies, the most popular monikers, and
more.
Prepare yourself for a foot soldier fashion show as more than 250
military action figures model American military uniforms online,
from the first American ranger of 1747 to our present day fighting
forces. Photos of the toy soldiers in their detailed battle dress are
accompanied by equally detailed written histories of their gear.
Doing its best to dispel the stereotype of the
technologically-clueless senior citizen, the Cool Grandma online
community helps those in their twilight years find Internet
destinations of interest to their demographic. From tutorials on
building a root cellar to locating information on antiques and
collectibles.
Some 60 million Americans are thought to be of a mind to stand
around peering at birds through binoculars. BirdSource.com gives
those like-minded souls a place to record their observations online.
And by doing so, bird watchers also help researchers better
hammer down the populations and migratory habits of our
feathered friends.
Aw, cheer up, Ally McBeal. According to Forbes magazine's "Best
Cities for Singles" guide, you've been living in the No. 1 city for
unhitched folks all this time. Forbes' online edition also features
photo galleries of the best and the worst cities, and a look at the
one part of the country where being single is the pits
SlipUps.com proves that, no matter how badly you botch
something, there's a heck of a lot of other people who've
surpassed you in the art of getting it wrong. From the classic
edition of the King James Bible that decrees 'Thou shalt commit
adultery' to the continuity lapses plaguing the latest movie and
television releases.
Spider-Man's already tied up Hollywood, and his super-powered
compatriots Daredevil and the Incredible Hulk are not far off on the
cinematic horizon. The BBC examines the (at times shaky) science
behind these and other superheroes.
The other night, somewhere between your third and eighth libation,
you fell in love with a pinball machine. Now you can find out all
about it or nearly any other pinball machine with this online
database, which serves up the manufacturer, production run,
design credits and, of course, that always eye-catching art.
For those who've been unable to visit the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Web offers an innovative (and
profoundly moving) solution. Simply type in the name of the fallen
military person you're searching for and this site brings up a
photograph of their name as it appears on this legendary
monument.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
Tulsa Computer Society 09/02/2002
Don Singleton, President