Web site of the week archive

• Free, informative "how-to" videos and expert advice on a huge range of topics at VideoJug
   
• Reorganizing? Instead of donating items you no longer want or need,
  list them on Freecycle.
   
• Hear songs from old-time jazz greats like Stan Getz, Charlie "Bird" Parker, Django Reinhardt and more. Requires free Real Player to listen.
   
• Download free classic audio books in MP3 format. These will work on any player, and there are also versions specifically for the iPod.
   
• LearnOutLoud has a large collection of free audiobooks and videos available for downloading and viewing.
   
• Panorama Explorer lets you add photos to Google Maps, and you can view the photographs posted by other users from around the world.
   
• The photo blog at www.shorpy.com explores what life was like 100 years ago.
   
• Locate free Wi-Fi "hotspots" at wififreespot.com. You can view a state-by-state list as well as check airports, hotels and campgrounds.
   
• Explore an extensive collection of old airline maps, timetables, and other memorabilia in the airchive.com "webseum" of commercial aviation.
   
• Refrigerator and pantry almost empty? Don't bother going shopping; cookingbynumbers will help you cook creatively with ingredients on hand!
   
• Got a lot on your mind and sometimes forget the details -- like, picking up milk? Remember The Milk is designed to help you manage your tasks and to-do lists, and it can send you reminders!
   
• Cl1p.net is a Web-based clipboard that allows you to copy and paste text between computers.
   
• With everything going digital, many books are now available in electronic form. In 1971, Michael Hart established Project Gutenberg with a goal of creating a free worldwide library. To mark Project Gutenberg's 35th anniversary, World eBook Fair is offering free access to their collection of over 300,000 e-books from July 4 - August 4.
   
• How much is that home? If you’re buying or selling a house, it makes sense to do some research. Just enter an address in the search box at zillow.com and you’ll get a current estimate of the home’s value. A map will show you the values of the neighboring homes.
   
• Input your travel requirements on Yahoo!'s Farechase and let it do the leg-work of searching multiple sites to help you find the best prices on plane tickets and hotels.
   
• Damn Interesting is a blog that focuses mostly on science and technology topics. The stories run the gamut from the bizarre to the fantastic.
   
• National Geographic's Xpeditions Atlas features detailed maps of the world that are optimized for printing. Use the selection tools to pick a continent and country. Different views help customize maps.
   
• Sharing large files can be a frustrating experience. Most e-mail accounts have limits on the size of attachments. YouSendIt.com provides a simple, free solution. You can upload files up to 1 gigabyte in size, and send a notification to the recipient. Recipients will only see the files they’re invited to view, and they have period of one week to download the files.
   
• Fly like an eagle at the Animal Planet Web site. A mini-cam the size of a thumb was attached to Tilly the Golden Eagle. The result is a breathtaking "birds-eye-view" of the world.
   
• At the Epicurious Web site, you can choose from over 700 soup recipes, pulled from Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines. Search filters like "Fork Rating" and "Quick" help you decide which brew to stew.
   
• Take a virtual trip with National Geographic interactives. 
   
• Apple's Web site has movie trailers for upcoming and current movies. In addition, it has release dates and cast information. You'll need the free QuickTime player to view the trailers. (The video plays best on a broadband Internet connection.)
   
• What's your risk? Due to lifestyle and genetics, some of us are more prone to get cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. Your Disease Risk has self-evaluations to help determine your risk of the following diseases—cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and stroke. These tests can't take the place of a doctor but it may alert you to see one.
   
• CopyKat Recipes has a list of recipes from all of your favorite restaurants. You'll find recipes from fast food, casual and fine dining restaurants. (Be sure to try the DoubleTree Hotel chocolate chip cookies!)
   
• Most people go to the Better Business Bureau to file a complaint, but you also can learn from other people's mistakes by checking out businesses before you give them money. Enter the name of a company or a Web site address to find out the number of complaints and how many of those were resolved. A large company may have many complaints, but you should only be concerned if many go unresolved.
   
• Wondering what's on TV tonight? TV Tome lists just about every show ever created. Along with introductory information, you'll find an episode guide and cast list. The fun part is the goofs guide—a collection of mistakes and contradictory statements made by characters.
   
• Cooking by numbers helps out when you're at a loss for recipes. It lists a number of common ingredients. Place a check in the box next to the ingredients that you have in your refrigerator and pantry. Based on what you have in the kitchen, it will list a number of recipes you can make.
   
• Before the Internet, applying for a grant required a lot of paperwork. And that's assuming you could even find an appropriate grant. Today, the government has made things much easier. Grants.gov lists over $350 billion in grants from hundreds of different programs.
   
• If you'd like to get a good look at the sun, NASA has some amazing images. The sun is an intense blue, green, yellow or red, depending on how the picture was taken. There are also some really cool pictures of the earth.
   
• Are you into antiques and collectibles? If so, you know how difficult it is to search for items on the Web. Curioscape makes your search for collectibles and antiques a lot easier. Search by keywords or browse specific categories.
   
• Explore fascinating collections of photographs taken through a microscope at the Molecular Expressions Galleria. The TI integrated circuit photos in the "Chip Shot" gallery will be a familiar sight to many retirees!
   
• This home tips site includes a "How Your House Works" section that explains house structure, plumbing, electricity and interiors in layman's terms. There's a useful article on when not to do a home improvement project on your own, and an article on how to hire a contractor.
   
• Those old books on your bookshelves could be hidden treasures! You can use the Internet to determine the value of old books. Here are two sites to check: Strandbooks and Antiquarian Booksellers' Association.
   
• Learn about electricity, microwaves, and the history of the electronic revolution that brought us telephones, TV and the Internet in the virtual museum created by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers). The interactive exhibit has demonstrations that help visualize difficult concepts.
   
• If you have an illness that is not responding to traditional or alternative medicine, you might want to take part in a clinical trial: research studies that try new methods of treatment. WebMD has a matching service that will help you find a clinical trial. It also has information on the risks and benefits and what to expect if you participate.
   
• Don't be overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. SoYouWanna.com teaches you how to do all the things nobody taught you in school. Subjects range from planning a trip to Australia to cooking a romantic dinner.
   
• Viewing these panoramic photographs, dating 1851 to 1991, is almost like being there! Over 4,000 images depicting beauty contests, disasters, bridges, canals, fairs, military and naval activities, schools and college campuses, sports, and transportation.
   
• Find the best deal on a long distance carrier. Just enter your state, area code and prefix to find out which company has the best deal. If you're looking for a new cellular carrier, it'll show you what's available in your area.
   
• Don't have time to go to a museum but want to expand your horizons? This site shows the link between science and art through different "exhibits." For example, discover how color is perceived and what it's like to be colorblind. Do you know why we have Daylight Savings Time?
   
• Cheaper to buy a used or new car, or to lease one? Pay off your credit card debt or keep that money in your savings account? It's often hard to juggle a bunch of numbers and percentages to come up with a clear-cut answer. This Web site makes it easier with a calculator for just about any kind of financial situation.
   
• Warning: Don't go to this site on an empty stomach. Imagine one site with every kind of cookie recipe imaginable. There are hundreds of recipes listed. No-bake, peanut butter, chocolate chip, fried, the list goes on and on!
   
• Feel like packing up and moving? This site allows you to compare the cost of living between two cities in the United States.
   
• Get a full dose of the comic world by clicking here. Read old favorites like Apt. 3-G, Beetle Bailey and Peanuts. You'll find newer comics and political cartoons as well.
   
• Your Garage Sale Source helps buyers find local sales, and sellers are given all kinds of resources from advice to tools, like a sign-making utility. If you're a garage sale enthusiast, check it out!
   
• KIDS' SITE: Children learn about Internet safety through stories and games at http://www.netsmartz.org/flash/index.html.
   
• Simplify your party planning by sending e-mail invitations using evite. This free online event service handles RSVPs and even lets you include a map.
   
• "Microsimulation of road traffic with a time-continuous model" lets you play traffic engineer. Tweak variables to make traffic run smoothly, or create your own traffic jams. 
   
• View past visions of the American future at Yesterday's Tomorrows. The future isn't what it used to be!
   
• You'll be amazed at what designs can be formed with your hands using a simple loop of string. World Wide Webs is a collection of "string figures" from around the world.
   
• Hemmings Motor News, the "bible" of car collector hobby, presents a fascinating list of weird cars. Some of these "Oddies But Goodies" are customized vehicles; others are assembly-line monstrosities that were actually once offered for sale.
   
• Weekly updates of what's on sale at retail stores this week - Compare prices for local retail store sales, including Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Radio Shack, Sears, Staples, Target, Wal-Mart, and others.