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Still one more shopping site - 9 days before Christmas. My Simon is a comparison shopping site. You search for a product and they will list stores and their prices for that product. It's similar to the site PriceGrabber.com. Give it a whirl! Looking for that perfect toy for your kids (or grandkids). Check out the Toys of the Year 2006 at the Family Fun webpage. Need ideas for your Christmas shopping? FreshTrend is a shopping blog looking everywhere that we can for unique gift ideas and cool stuff for you and your friends. Let's Say Thanks - here is a website that give you the opportunity to send a postcard to U.S. military personnel stationed overseas. Show your appreciation and send a soldier an note of thanks. It's quick and easy - Pick a card, jot out a message and click the send button. Any South Park Fans out there? Go to the South Park Studio and create your own South Park character. It's a blast! Click on the US flag in the upper left hand corner to get an FAQ on this site. Looking for a way to view and edit your digital photos. Well, You could spring 400 bucks and buy Photoshop or you can download the FREEWARE program IrfanView. It's a great FREE program that works with just about any image format. Check it out here and download it for FREE. Having trouble remembering all the passwords to all those websites you visit. Microsoft has development a Fingerprint Reader that allows you to log into your computer or website with the touch of your finger. For about 30 bucks, you'll never have to remember another password again! Check it out here. Ever take a picture of a group of people...say at a family reunion...or at an ABE Staff Development meeting. AND 1 or 2 or 3 people are not smiling. So you take another one. This time 3 people have their eyes closed. So you take another one. This time 4 people .....OK - get my point. Along comes Group Shot. This is a Microsoft Research product that is FREE. This is from the Group Shot webpage: "Group Shot makes it easy for a user to take a part of an image from one photo and replace a similar but flawed part of an image in another photo, thereby creating a composite shot better than either original and more approximating what was seen in the photographer’s mind’s eye."
It's a small download
and it's pretty easy to use. Give Group Shot a shot!
Here it the Group Shot
link:
Ever go to the New York Times site to read an interesting article only to find out that you have to register to use their free service. Mor and more sites are requiring registration to access their site - even though they are free. That's where BugMe Not comes in. From their website..."BugMeNot.com was created as a mechanism to quickly bypass the login of web sites that require compulsory registration and/or the collection of personal/demographic information (such as the New York Times)." They currently have 147441 sites that require registration that you can access without having to register. This is a very cool site. Be sure to scan the FAQ and also read the Tutorial (it's very short - will take you 30 seconds). Oh - it's free and your don't have to register!
What does a geek do when he goes on vacation and doesn't take his computer with him? He takes along his 20Q Handheld Game. This remarkable game is patterned after the 20 questions game we used to play when we were youngsters (remember animal, mineral, or vegetable??). Except now, it's contained in this little handheld electronic device. Think of an object and answer the questions the machine asks - one by one. By the 20th question, the little electronic game will guess the object you were thinking of. It works amazingly. Ok - you can try out the website version of the 20Q. It's not as fun as the $10 handheld version - but it's pretty cool. Give it a try! The handheld game can be purchased here (or, of course, at Walmart for about 10 bucks) http://www.plasmacar.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=71&cat=24&page=1 Read how this incredible game works here. http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000725.php
All College -Here's a site that has every college listed in the United States.
Here's a cool site just for teachers - called "Crazy
4 Teachers." (Are teachers really crazy?)
The cartoon (links on the home page) are a riot!)
JibJab is that very funny site with all the political parodies. Check out their archives of the best here (Remember "This Land?")
Have you heard of Google Earth. If you've been watching the news, you have probably seen Google Earth in action on stations like CNN zooming or "flying" into the cities in the Middle East. You can use Google Earth on your computer much the same way. You need to go to the Google Earth website and download the software and install it on your computer. Then fly to the city you live in - or fly anywhere in the world!. Be sure to read the specifications needed to run the software (speed of processor, size of hard drive, etc...) And you do need a high speed connection (cable or DSL). This is awesome software - and it's FREE. Install it on your computer and fly somewhere.
Answers.com is billed as the world's greatest encyclodictionalmanacapedia. Do a comprehension research on any topic - all at one site.
Meeting Wizard
- We previously refered to
Evite.com to send out free invitiations to your
party. Here's another neat site more for business meetings. Send
out announcements and to meetings from this site. The announcements
are sent to email addresses you put in by email. When they receive
the email, recipients can respond to the invitation by clicking on
the link in the email.
Send Out Cards
- You can send a printed greeting card or a postcard with your
message, and do it in less than 60 Seconds. You choose your card,
write your message and click send. Send Out Cards prints the card,
stuffs it, stamps it, and mails it for you. This is not a free
service, but it costs less than you can buy a greeting card for at
the store. Check it out here.
Free Printable
Stuff - You can download free printable and in some cases,
customizable, business cards, stationery, award certificates, gift
tags, recipe cards, and fax sheet covers. These free templates are
downloaded to your computer in Word format (for the most part) or in
Acrobat Reader format. Provided below is the business card URL -
the addresses for the other free printable stuff are at this site.
This week, I received an email forwarded from one of my "forwarding friends" titled "FW: Cancer News from John Hopkins" that speaks of the dangers of plastics used in freezing and cooking. You may have received it, too. It is a hoax. You can read the email and the explanation of the hoax here: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/plastic-cancer-link-hoax.html
Check out this
site for teachers. There are hundreds of resources and this
site.
Got kids in your
life - or grandkids? Start a
Upromise account for
them.
Upromise is a free service
designed to help families save for college. It's simple: you'll save
when you shop for the things you need. Check out Upromise here.
Barbara Feldman
has a site called Surfing the Net with Kids. It's a great site
for kids, parents, teachers, teens, and anyone who wants to explore
some of the great things on the internet.
Got a health
question? Here are 2 great health resources on the internet.
What's your home
worth? Get Instant home valuations and data for over 65
millions homes in the US at Zillow.com. The bad news is that it is
a Beta site - it is just getting started, and they don't have house
for most small rural areas in their data base yet. But check out
the home valuations in larger metro areas.
Taking a trip
this summer? Do a little research on the city you are going to
visit. This is one of the most comprehensive guide to city
information on the internet - check it out here.
Your resource
for consumer information from the federal government
Astronomy
Picture of the Day: Any star-gazers out there? Everyday, you
get a new picture of the universe with a brief explanation of what
it is. Pretty cool if you are a star-gazer!
Any
Sudoku
fans out there? Here's a website that lets you solve Sudoku
puzzles on-line. You can get help if you want. Try a couple of
these - be careful - you may become addicted.
The Inflation
Calculator adjusts any given amount of money for inflation,
according to the Consumer Price Index, from 1800 to 2005.
The only
official U.S. Government portal to 47 million pages of
government information and services. Check out this website.
My Pill Box
is designed to help you properly take
medications. On this site, you will be able to create schedules,
edit your pill information, and then view a complete
daily/weekly/monthly schedule. Check it out.
Compare prices
before you buy. At Price Grabber, you can get price
quotes for practically anything from dozens of internet retailers.
Just type in a product - and compare.
Fresh Arrival -
they feature one amazingly cool thing every weekday. Check out this
site and also look at the archives.
Word Play:
A boiled egg in the morning
is hard to beat. For more Word Plays, click on the
link below. (My favorite - A
midget fortune teller who escapes from prison is a small medium
at large.)
Visit a museum
today. Here is a link to 1400 museums in the United States.
"I wish I could
set up a website."
Well, you can. My friend, Bob Rankin, (he
doesn't know he's my friend), has it all laid out for
you. Check out his primer "Setting up a website."
Want to know
what is that latest in video games and media. Go to
Mediawise and check it out. Here you will find what is good and
what is not so good.
Google went
public in 2004 offering their stock for $85 a share. They are now
trading on NASDAQ at $435.23. How do they do it? They are
creative, innovative, smart, and just plain good. Here's a "big
list" of Google services and features. Try them - you'll like them!
Computer Humor
- this site has terabytes of computer humor. Check it out -
don't read them all in one sitting.
Get a little
exercise - build a snowman. Or - you can build one on-line.
After you build your snowman, be sure to click on the Gallery -
check out other people's snowmans.
Homework Spot -
this site is for students, parents, or teachers who want help or
ideas on doing a homework assignment. It is a huge site with a
gazillion links and resources - check it out.
Here is a
remarkable weather site by an amateur weatherman who lives in
Tracy, Minnesota. Kevin Haney's real job is with Schwans, but he
has a passion for weather. Check out this site - especially the 24
hour Current Webcam Image - very cool!
Ever call a
major corporation and have to wade through a maze of automated
recorded messages trying to reach a human who can help you. Here's
a site that that shows you how to bypass automated phone systems to
quickly find a human voice. Next time you need to call Microsoft
Corporation, or Northwest Airlines, or Dell computer, or Social
Security, or any of over 100 other major companies, use Paul
English's IVR (Interactive Voice Response) Cheatsheets to connect to
a human voice in seconds.
Winter is upon
us and knowing road conditions is a must if you will be
traveling. You can dial 511 and get the latest road conditions from
the Minnesota Department of Transportation or you can go to their
redesigned website and see road condtions on an interactive map of
Minnesota. Click anywhere on the map to get the latest driving
conditions. Use the link below.
Are you a
songwriter, poet, or just like to rhyme words - go to this free
On-line Rhyming Dictionary and find just the right word to finish
the poem.
Add some
emoticons to your emails. What's an emoticon? This is an
emoticon : )
Here's the
website for the National Do Not Call Registry. If you are still
getting telemarketing phone calls, this is the website to visit to
get them stopped. Just sign up on-line and the phone calls will
stop.
Do You Play
Scrabble? Here's a site that will help you win every time -
Scrabble
Helper.
Just type in the letters in your rack and click on
Show Answers. You
will get a complete list of all words possible using those letters.
Now all you have to do is figure
out how to use the website without letting your opponent know!
Here's a site
with some fun activities to do - try these with your students..
My favorite is "Flash Earth." Click on the left panel with the
map. Read how to operate the map. Then click to activate it. I
like the MSN VE with labels (VE stands for Virtual Earth). Click on
that one. Then find your town and your street and your house. I
can see my car parked in my driveway.
Yahoo has a
great TV listings site. Just put in your Zip Code, choose your
cable provider and check out the evening's programming.
Here they are -
the best food and recipe sites on the internet
Learn a new word
everyday. You can subscribe to the A Word A Day mailing list.
Everyday, they will email you a new word to learn. Or you can visit
their website everyday to learn a new word. To join the mailing
list or visit the website, go here:
Did you ever
wonder what happens on your computer when you leave it on all
night. Check out this website.
Here's a
humorous look at the English Language and the proposal to adopt
it as the official language of Europe. It's pretty funny! (Anyone
get this one in an email forward?)
What did you say
the price of the fill-up was? Check out the price of gas in
your town or some other town - just type in the zip code or click
on Select a State, then select a city. This is great if you're
going on a trip - you can plan you gas stops around the cheapest
stations.
Looking to buy a
car - start here! This is the premier on-line resourse for
automotive information. Get your prices, reviews, and information
from this website.
With the Twins
demise, I have taken an interest in Baseball Ballparks. So
here's a cool site that features many Major League ballparks (and
also many other sports' ballparks). Take a visit to Fenway Park -
or Yankee Stadium. (Click on Site Map on the left to see the
ballparks).
Remember
maps.google.com? Now, there's
moon.google.com.
You can take a close-up look at the moon and "fly" from one moon
landing to another. (Remember - use the arrow keys to fly). Why
not hop up to the moon and fly around a bit? Is it true the moon is
made out of cheese? Click on the zoom slider and mover it
all the way to the top (zoom all the way in). Click on the link
below.
Have you checked
out Google Maps.
It's amazing what you can do with their map engine. Try it out here
- type in a location - like Marshall, MN. Zoom in and out by moving
the slider (on the left side) up and down. And then - "fly" by
pressing the arrow keys. Why not fly up to Granite Falls, take 212
to the cities, hop on 494 and fly to the Mall of America - Do a
little shopping - then fly home! (Remember - use the arrow keys).
Definetly Cool! Also, don't forget to check out eh Satellite
button. (Don't zoom in to tight or you won' get a satellite
picture).
Planning on
taking a trip in the future via airplane. You can check out in
advance your seat on any flight. Find out if you are going to be
comfortable, if you will have a movie, or a power supply for your
laptop... Check out Seat Guru and get the best seat!
Here's a
remarkable story from NPR - Kit Armstrong, a child prodigy.
There are several audio files and video files. Take time to listen
to his story and his music.
Guess-the-Google - Here's a fun little game that some say is
addictive (I played it for 2
hours yesterday). Can you guess the search term used to
display the images found by a Google images search? (I'm
the worst at these kind of games - but it sure is fun to try).
Go here - give it a whirl.
Listen to some
Beethoven.
At this site, you can listen to all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas. My
favorite - Sonata No. 8 in C Minor (Pathetique)
Like free
stuff? This site has tons of FREE stuff. Check out especially
the free stuff for teachers (click on Teachers from the list on the
left side). How popular (or notorious) are you at Marshall ABE? Type your name (first or last or both) in the new Google search bar at the bottom of the marshalladulteducation.org website. Be sure marshalladulteducation.org is selected. Click the search button. OK - how many "hits" did you come up with? Listen to internet radio. Open up your Windows Media Player. Click on Radio. You'll see a large list of internet radio stations. Pick one and listen. You can also search for a station. Click in the Radio Search bar and type in beethoven.com. Click Go. Then click on the beethoven.com link. That's my favorite!
Things to do
instead of sleep. Check out this website.
Internet
Portrait Studio - amazing new technology that takes a portrait
of yourself right over the internet. You can have your portrait
sent to the Driver's License Bureau or Passport Bureau or just to
your friends. Try it here.
This American Life
documents and describes contemporary American life with stories told
in an engaging, intimate, surprising, funny and sometimes disturbing
and bittersweet way (I like the background music). You can listen
live on MPR (Minnesota Public Radio) every Saturday at 3 PM and
every Sunday at 9 PM. OR, you can go to this website and listen to
all the past programs for the last 10 years. Take a listen - enjoy
the stories. (You need the free Real Player to listen
The FBI has a
new way of tracking terrorists on the internet
Did you finish
your taxes? Here's some Frank and Ernest tax cartoons to
lighten things up for you..
Do you like
Kaleidoscopes? Try this one. Try out the different buttons
(options) at the bottom
For a bunch of
other fun stuff to do, go to their home page.
Kindergarten
Cooking, Cheese Pizza Recipe by Daniel
Like cats?
Here's one you can play with online - move the mouse.
Looking for a
baby name - or just want to see how popular your name is? Visit
the NameVoyager website. Read the directions, then click on Launch
NameVoyager
I have a new
email address - here it is:
From the Trivia
Department:
Check out this
website and see if you can figure out how Andy does this (it
is a trick!).
Want to see what
a website looked like a year or 2 years or 10 years ago. Go to
the address below, type in a website address and you can see what
the site looked like at any point in the past. I typed in
www.marshalladulteducation.org - I looked at what our website looked
like 2 years ago - we've come a long way!
Try it on some of your favorite
websites.
Today, January
14 is Dress Up Your Pet Day. See this article.
Want to keep
track of the
weather this winter on your computer.
Get Weather Watcher.
It resides in the startup portion of your Task Bar and gives you
up-to-the-minute weather by just placing the cursor over icon. It's
free - no ad-ware or spy-ware. It's simple and quick. I use it!
Go here to check it out.
The RefDesk - This site has hundreds of
links and thousands of pages of reference materials. "Refdesk
indexes and reviews quality, credible, and timely reference
resources that are free and family-friendly." An amazing site!
http://www.refdesk.com/index.htm
Educators Reference Desk: This collection contains more than 2000 unique lesson plans which were written and submitted by teachers from all over the United States and the world. These lesson plans are also included in GEM, which links to over 40,000 online education resources
Useless
Information - Stuff you never needed to know but your life
would be incomplete without.
The History of Computing Project. If you're into it, it is a
fascinating look at computing through the years. (Do you remember your first desktop computer? I do - an
Atari 400 - a real screamer at 4Mhz and 8 MB of RAM - Wow!). So maybe
you'll enjoy this site as much as I did. Here's the link:
YouTube - Here it the site everyone is talking about - YouTube
is a website that allows users to upload, view,
and share video clips. Check out a few when you have
time to waste.
Science Daily - Here is a science site - very topic that relates to science that you can imagine.
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