Interesting Websites

Virtual Barber Shop

2008-05-03T00:37:00.000-07:00

This YouTube video had me squirming in my seat with delight and amazement, and I am not saying any more than that or I'll spoil it.

I'm not going to labour the point but please just put on some headphones and close your eyes. You honestly won't regret it.

GORP.com

2008-05-03T00:36:00.002-07:00

GORP.com

gorp.away.com

If cave crawling in Carlsbad or fly-fishing in arctic Russia sound like your idea of a great getaway, then consider GORP your travel guru - it stands for Great Outdoor Recreation Pages.

This site is rammed to the seams with amazing ideas for adrenaline-packed adventures as far away or as close to home as you care to travel.

Use the tabs across the top to access the various guides, or if you're looking for something specific, like sandboarding through desert dunes, use the handy little search box provided just underneath.

There's a tip of the week for the hardened traveller, and the gear guy offers some sound advice for those of you planning to travel off the beaten track.

Get inspiration for your next trip in the activity guides section, and when you're ready to book the site links to various travel sites where you can organise your trip.

It's worth remembering you are under no obligation to use these though, and you might find a cheaper deal if you surf around looking for it yourself.

We Tell Stories

2008-05-03T00:36:00.001-07:00

We Tell Stories

www.wetellstories.co.uk

Story-telling is one of the oldest professions in the world, but Penguin has brought it bang up to date with this interactive website.

Here they offer six stories that unfold over six weeks in various unusual formats.

For example Slice takes the form of two blogs, from the perspective of a young girl and her parents, and The 21 Steps follows the journey of the author on Google Maps.

I'm not going to spoil the plot for you by talking about the stories, just pop along and immerse yourself in the authors' worlds for a few minutes and you'll soon understand a lot more about it.

There's information about the stories, the authors and the classic fairy tales their works pay homage to in the panel across the bottom.

flauntR

2008-05-03T00:35:00.000-07:00

flauntR

www.flauntr.com

There are lots of picture editors available online, but I really like this one because of the funky interface which is really easy to use - and it makes working with other online resources a breeze.

You'll need to register and when you log in you can start working straight away by loading up a picture from your PC, or even your online photo storage account, such as FlickR, Facebook and Picasa.

Once you upload a picture it's stored in your album, where you can access it any time to do work on it. To do this click and drag it from your album into the workspace in the top half of the screen.

Click the arrows on the right of the divider to minimize the album, then use the tabs across the top to switch between activities such as editing, adding text and arty stylizing.

Two features I really like are profilR & mobilR, where you can easily resize the image to be perfect for your phone of social networking profile. You can even make your pic into a postcard using the templates under the StyleR tab.

Once you've finished working with the image you can save it and share it using the buttons along the top of the workspace.

bubbl.us

2008-04-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

bubbl.us

www.bubbl.us

We've all seen an ideas map - where notions and thoughts are linked together with boxes and lines to see where connections can work and not.

Click Start Brainstorming to begin and enter the root of your thinking where it says State Here. Hit Enter to save your text and another box appears. Click it in the middle to enter another thought and then you can start building the map.

You can change the colour and position of various boxes, using the clickys around them to make additional links and paths to progress. Just have a play around, it's pretty simple to get the hang of.

Signing up is simple and free and then you can save your brainstorming maps and share them online, just give your map a name and click Save on the right to enter the registration process.

So now you have the ideas, inspiration and the tools to get creative.

Ted talks

2008-04-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ted talks

www.ted.com

Next up, if you're passionate about technology, entertainment and design, there's a place on the web for you to get your fill of information. You want to be talking to TED.com.

The website is based on a series of annual conferences where the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers are challenged to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. The website offers up more than 200 of the best talks from the conferences, free for you to enjoy.

Soak up the atmosphere as Deborah Gordon enthuses about ants , Craig Venter vents about the creation of synthetic life , and then why not take a little time out and enjoy the Raspyni Brothers joking around and juggling with beanbags ?

I really like the way this site navigates, as the thumbnail sections slide out and react to your mouse pointers presence. With the navigation panel clearly displayed on the left it's a breeze to get about. The only thing you'll be stuck with is how to find enough time in your day to get your fill.

Chow

2008-04-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

Chow

www.chow.com

This slick and tasty looking site is a foody's heaven. It's a multimedia feast crammed with audio, video, photos, blogs - and of course the obligatory community forum.

The recipes and party tips, cooking guides, primers and equipment reviews are aimed at a younger audience, which means the style and language of the presentation are much fresher than a lot of other sites of this nature.

Articles cover food, food culture and food trends - and of course there are lots of delicious recipes for you to get your teeth into, many of them submitted by visitors to the site.

But for me the section of this site that really sings is the videos section. As well as lots of How To movies and cooking guides, there are interviews and features with people who are passionate about food.

Check out the wedding cake artist under the obsessives section. Simply stunning.

I have to say, thought, that the streaming was more than a little clunky on a lower powered PC. Definitely not a place for narrowband surfers to hang out.

Dimdim

2008-04-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

Dimdim

www.dimdim.com

With the price of fuel skyrocketing, and more and more people being concerned about global warming, you don't get much more forward thinking than signing up to beta test an open source online meeting room - hosted in virtual space.

No downloads, no fees, just access the online meeting room through any browser and you can share powerpoint presentations, voice, text and webcam images, even the activity on your desktop computer. This means you can step guests at your meeting through anything you want, either web pages, spreadsheets or design documents, just as easily as if they were sitting there with you.

Click to watch the slideshow or demo to learn more about what this powerful application can do. There is even a 'launch video' streamed from the site if you want to see it in action.

Because this is very new I'm afraid that's the closest you'll get to seeing it in action until they are ready to invite you on board for beta testing.

Lifehacker

2008-04-23T00:44:00.000-07:00

Lifehacker

lifehacker.com

Tech tips, tricks & downloads for getting things done is this blogger's tagline, and a thoroughly suitable tagline it is too.

With definite leanings towards nerdyness, Lifehacker keeps it real with a hard working editorial team publishing lots of tips each day - linking through to other bloggers, tech sites, download sites, basically anywhere they find something they think might interest you.

Anything from how to be a great tipper to where to download software that will let you hide sensitive documents in superfast time. Browse the site at your leisure using the section links across the top or use the search tool if you're looking for something specific.

You can even sign up for a daily tips mailer or RSS feed for lifehacking on tap.

Ideal Bite

2008-04-22T00:43:00.000-07:00

Ideal Bite

www.idealbite.com

The premise of this nicely designed site is to deliver a daily tip for green living into your email inbox. Just sign up and it's totally free. The tips claim to be convenient, inexpensive and to make you feel good, with a little sprinkling of fun thrown in for good measure.

If you don't want your inbox spammed on a daily basis you can read the tips online in the website's library. Check the top ten tips section for the most popular bites. They include everything from the most economical use of car air-conditioning, to how to spot phantom loads on your electricity supply - such as mobile phone chargers and electrical equipment on standby.

Each daily tip has a bunch of other stuff tied to it, like quick facts and interesting titbits. It's a little nibble of what does you good every day, so go on, spoil yourself.

My Classic FM

2008-04-20T00:42:00.000-07:00

My Classic FM

myclassicfm.com

Online radio is booming, but myclassicfm is far too cultured to boom.

The design of this website is not particularly sophisticated, but that doesn't really bother me as a majority of the time you are using the page you won't actually be looking at it at all. You can of course learn about all of the shows and presenters by exploring the menus and sub menus, but the bulk of the content can be accessed through the left hand navigation panel.

Click How to Listen to launch the live broadcast feature, or listen to any of the shows you may have missed over the past seven days. The Podcasts and Downloads section holds the keys to plenty of content for you to sign up for. If you click on Music and then Playlists you'll find a useful tool to help you find composers or tracks you have just heard.

Do beware though, if you have a bandwidth restriction on your connection, listening to or watching anything that is streaming will really suck it up quickly.

Wetpaint

2008-04-20T00:41:00.000-07:00

wetpaint

www.wetpaint.com

What do you do if you have a hobby or past time that a lot of people are interested in, and you want to be able to create a site that everyone can contribute to?

The answer is wiki. At wetpaint you can learn how to make simple and effective wiki pages in three easy steps.

Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. Whilst you don't need to use this site to achieve that goal, it takes all of the hard work out of the process so even the most technically inept surfers can take part.

Click the link to play the tutorial on the opening page for an overview. When you're ready to get started just click the big green GO. Now just follow the steps, choosing who you want to be able to view and or edit the pages, a basic template for the design, and then inviting the people you want to participate.

It's fast, totally free, and you don't have to be a genius to make compelling pages - you just need some interesting content and a bunch of mates to help you out.

2008-04-19T03:33:00.000-07:00

Nice and clean jobs website . Most Wanted US jobs is brought your by http://www.flamingjobs.com/ .

This is the revelation site of the year, there you can find some of the most wanted jobs in the USA . Why? Because the site is caming with a clean layout , with more the one million jobs offers.

I will add some of the most jobs searched on this site.

Some Jobs by categories

This is just some jobs .. visit the site and find your predicted job
. http://flamingjobs.com/


Here are some jobs by location :

Spypig : Free email tracking system

2008-04-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

Spypig is a free email tracking system that lets you know when the email you sent has been read by recipient. It works with virtually all modern email programs: Outlook, Eudora, Yahoo Email, Gmail, Hotmail, AOL Email and many others. Cool tool and it's free!

Screaming Bee

2008-04-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Screaming Bee

www.screamingbee.com

Ever heard your voice on a recording, like an answer-phone message, and thought 'I don't sound like that do I?' People rarely like the way their voice sounds when they hear it played back. With our next piece of free software you can do something about that.

Download the free version of MorphVOX, which is the junior edition. No registration is needed and the set up is very simple. The software will step you through an optimisation process on installation and then you can start playing around with the sounds.

You will need a microphone installed, for obvious reasons, and the free version comes with three basic voice types - male, female and little people. If you want more options you can download additional voice packs but you'll need the pro edition, which is not free after the trial period.

This software is simply a bit of fun, though it can be used in conjunction with any voice comms program you use, such as Ventrillo or Teamspeak, which are popular with the online gaming community.

The IT Room

2008-04-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

The IT Room

www.theitroom.com

If that wasn't geek enough for you, how about this next site. Home grown mini-series are becoming more and more the rage at the moment.

This site is kind of off the wall, and might not appeal to everyone. But if you have a quirky sense of humour and don't mind laughing at yourself, you should have plenty of fun exploring these pages. The site's creators basically make mini episodes, which are part comedy, part drama, and many of them based on stories submitted by real visitors of the site.

There's a selection of popular episodes displayed on the opening page. Just click the link below the thumbnail to launch the player.

You can vote on the episodes, and comment on them too if you fancy. Or why not use the tab at the top to write a story of your own on which future episodes might be based?

Make

2008-04-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Make

www.makezine.com

If you prefer more of a hands-on approach why not check out Make, which aims to bring the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life.

You can scan through the main sections using the links across the top. There's the Make blog, the magazine itself in an online format, videos and podcasts, projects, and of course the obligatory community with a relatively quiet forum which is none-the-less an interesting read.

All sections are well worth exploring, but I want to drag your attention to the videos and podcasts. Here you'll find a quirky selection of weekend projects you can do at home - such as making your own PDA notebook out of some quite unexpected materials.

Click the video link at the top to launch the video section. You can now browse the videos using the nav panel on the left. I really like the learn to laser graffiti video - which teaches you to tag buildings in a totally non destructive way. Not sure I'll ever do it, but the guys who present it are fun

10 Ways

2008-04-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

10 Ways

www.interact10ways.com

There are many different ways to look at art, both literally, and figuratively speaking. Our first site today is from Getty Images, one of the best known image banks in the world.

This is a simply awe-inspiring website, filled to the brim with stunning images and ways to explore them through 10 separate, uniquely structured virtual paths. It's a site you will get lost in as you wander through the immense collection - and don't let the opening graphics fool you, this is one highly sophisticated piece of web design.

Click the opening image to enter the sub menus, split into categories such as Light, Information, Memory, Space, Time and Emotion. Clicking a sub menu takes you to a page displaying the two exhibits in that section. Each exhibit can be launched in a new window, and then you are free to interact with the contents and discover what is inside.

I can't tell you which exhibit to visit first as they are all amazing. From the never ending journey of images in Information, to the engrossing interactions that allow you to measure your emotions pictorially in Emotion.

All brilliantly presented and beautifully created. Well done Getty, a real winner.

Geekologie

2008-04-06T20:25:00.002-07:00

Geekologie

www.geekologie.com

I am a geek. I freely admit it. You probably have at least a tendency towards geekiness too if you're reading this page. Don't worry, it's never been more fashionable to be a geek.

This is a blog dedicated to all things geek. It's geek chic dedicated to the scientific study of gadgets, gizmos, and all things awesome, from the guy who pimped his Subaru to look like the Ghostbusters car, to the PC on wheels made out of lego, to the lawn chair that's made out of lawn.

Like any traditional blog you can scan through the most recent entries from the opening page, or use the archives drop down on the right to review old posts, with the top six coolest entries laid out underneath.

This is one of those blogs you could browse for hours and if you have a top tip for the site's creators to include, click the Contacts link and send them a message.

Jump The Shark

2008-04-06T20:25:00.001-07:00

Jump The Shark

www.jumptheshark.com

When ever I hear that my favourite TV series is going to have a new season made, I am always a little nervous. Often, the sequels don't match up to the originals, especially with reality TV shows, which seem to get further from reality the longer they run.

Jump the Shark is a phrase that was coined several years ago by the makers of the website with the same name. It basically means when a series of shows has reached, and then gone past, its peak. Here you'll find plenty of opinion about the popular TV shows of our age,and more than a spattering of TV shows from ages gone by.

There is a simply mind-blowing list of shows covered, which you can browse in a number of ways through the navigation panel on the left. Clicking a show title brings you to the vote page, with a very short description and the top reasons voted why this show might have "bitten", this being the terminology the site's creators use for reasons why it has jumped the shark.

Use the See All Reasons button to expand the list of bites, and if you don't see your personal reason listed you can mail the sites creators to hae them add it to the list.

Photonhead

2008-04-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Photonhead

www.photonhead.com

Are you crazy about digital photography? Can't get enough of your pixelated picture maker? Digital cameras are still all the rage and this site today provides a place where you can sate your desire for more info.

It doesn't just cover digital photography, although it's definitely the bulk of the content. The guides on the opening page are simple and self explanatory. From beginners to buying guides, to tips and tricks and loads more.

Each section is split into palatable chunks, so you jump straight to the issues that have you confused - and let's face it, as cameras get more complex there is a tendency to think they are more complicated. But a quick scan through the pages here will soon make you realise that it's often just a question of point and click.

I really like the addition of the photo editing guide. One of the beauties of going digital is that you can tweak and twist your pics into amazing works of art. All it takes is a little imagination and some technical know-how.

DNA Art

2008-04-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

DNA Art

www.dna11.com

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) can be a beautiful thing. DNAis not only useful for forensic science, but can also be turned into some pretty funky art.

Each person's DNA is completely unique, and the people behind this website are offering to make you an equally unique work of art from a sample of your own DNA. Of course this comes with a price tag, but I think the website is quite interesting in its own right.

Click About Us and Overview to learn the basics. There's a nice report from CBC News streaming here that tells you all about it. This is a really cool idea, and was even featured in an episode of CSI: New York. Art meets science meets the building blocks of life - how very next century.

Buzz Off!

2008-04-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

Buzz Off!

www.t-enterprise.co.uk

T-Enterprise is a company that makes flash games and virals, including Buzz Off. In this Flash game you have to nuke the nasty mites before they reach the bees in the middle, without doing too make damage to their honeycomb.

It's a very simple game, and not one of the best on the 'net, but the reason I wanted to show it to you is that it highlights a very real problem facing the honeybees of Great Britain - the invasion of the vorroa mite, which has taken the wild honey bee population to the brink of annihilation.

Click the Bee-Day link to learn more, where you'll also find links to external websites that have covered the plight of these busy little bees.

Closer To Truth

2008-04-02T05:07:00.000-07:00

Closer To Truth

www.closertotruth.com

If you've taken the time to browse this website you'll have discovered that you can watch any episode you may have missed on TV online. That's not just because we're super generous and helpful, it's a service that more and more TV broadcasters are providing these days.

One fine example is the PBS show Closer to Truth. I had actually never heard of this show until I found it online, and I am really glad they put it on a website because the content is right up my street.

In this series the world's leading scientists, scholars & artists debate the fundamental issues of our times. Programme themes contain issues such as How the Universe Began, and Will the Internet Change Humanity?

Click the Video Archive link for a full list of the online shows, together with a brief description. You'll need the Real Audio player installed, and there is a download time to sit through before the programme starts playing.

You can also use the tabs across the top to browse the content by subject category. Clicking a link to a show here will open a page with more information, along with tabs across the top so you can read the transcript or watch the show.

Ma.gnolia.com

2008-04-02T05:06:00.000-07:00

Ma.gnolia.com

ma.gnolia.com

Ma.gnolia.com is a great search tool which applies user-generated tagging and rating to help return more accurate and focused results. They call it a social bookmarking community, and you'll need to register if you want to contribute.

The premise is that you rate the sites you visit using the five star system. This serves not only to remind you which sites where the best, but also to inform others about your positive opinion.

You can also use the site to bookmark your favourites, providing easy access to them no matter where you log on.

WinkingSkull.com

2008-04-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

WinkingSkull.com

www.winkingskull.com

The human body is an amazing piece of architecture. Man has been studying anatomy since at least 1600BC, when the ancient Egyptians first began to map the way our bodies work.

Whether you're studying anatomy, cramming for an exam, or just have a curiosity to find out more about what makes you tick, this is an amazing website.

Navigate through each region of the body by clicking the links in the navigation panel on the left. Every part of the body is covered, literally from head to toe, and beautifully illustrated with interactive diagrams that peel away the layers of our anatomy for all to see. You can click the labels on and off so you know exactly what you're looking at.

If you register, which is free, you can even use the site's extensive self-testing exercises, which ask you to place the labels on the diagrams in an allotted amount of time; skilled labellers could rank among the website's most brainy users.

One slight flaw, I couldn't register with Firefox on my PC, and after contacting the site's owners they say there are also issues with Safari on the Mac, which they are working hard to fix. Just try another browser if you're have problems signing up.

Link Exchange

2008-03-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

If you want to exchange links with this blog then-

Link this blog as "Interesting Websites" from your website/blog and send your site's URL and Title to funnyjokesblog@gmail.com.

I'll link back to you as soon as possible.

Tell us about an interesting website

2008-03-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader

Tell us about an interesting website that you visited.
Send the URL of the site/blog with your name to funnyjokesblog@gmail.com.
If the site is interesting I'll publish it on the blog.

Advertise

2008-03-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

Contact funnyjokesblog@gmail.com to advertise on this blog.