Get your Canadian retail store flyers online!

Sometimes flyers you want are late arriving. If you live in an apartment or condo, you may not get them at all. If you don’t subscribe to the local newspaper, you won’t get their flyers. Forget about that hassle.

Just go to: http://www.flyermall.com/web/flyer/store.html

A few grocery stores are not on this site because they have customized local flyers rather than nationwide flyers. You’ll have to go directly to their sites:

Superstore.ca
Shopnofrills.ca
Loblaws.ca
Fortinos.ca
YourIndependentGrocer.ca

Two inspirational sites

Here are two websites I have found to be inspiring.

http://www.pathways-to-peace.com/ (click on “View Presentation” to start video)

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/ (click on “View Presentation” to start video)

Michael Bach’s Collection of Optical Illusions and Visual Phenomena

This site demonstrates that the act of seeing is a more complex process than we imagine it to be. You won’t trust your eyes again after you visit this site.

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/

The Weiss Family’s Awesome Light and Sound Display

The Weiss family in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada have set up a special Festival of Lights display at their home in memory of their friend and neighbor, Nicole Smith (1999 - 2006). They are accepting donations on and offline. All proceeds go to the Southlake Regional Health Centre.

View a video of the display here: http://www.weisslights.com/pics.htm (scroll down the page)

How to avoid killing your pet dog, cat or bird

This site explains why you should never use a Teflon cooking utensil if you have a pet bird and why using ice melts on your sidewalk can be dangerous to dogs and cats. There is also a descriptive list of the decorative house plants which can make your pet seriously ill. Find out what can happen to your dog or cat if it takes a sip of sweet-tasting antifreeze in the driveway.

Check out the site: http://www.funkstownvet.com/toxicity.html

Spamhaus: a huge force in the war on spam

Spamhaus is one of the biggest spam “blocking” organizations in the world. It is important to find out whether your Internet Service Provider uses this type of service to keep known spammers off their network. If they do not use an effective spam blocking system, your computer could fall prey to nuisance emails and dangerous “Trojan horse” viruses which could turn your computer into a spam transmitter without your knowledge.

Organizations like Spamhaus don’t actually stop spammers from transmitting spam, but act as an intermediaries between senders and receivers. Spamhaus tags emails transmitted from certain Internet sources as “spam” and receivers (ISPs) who subscribe to Spamhaus make the decision to block those emails from their systems, trusting Spamhaus’ judgement in the identification of spam sources.

Why you should never send “Remove” messages back to spammers: http://www.spamhaus.org/removeisformugs.html

Should you use a “spam unsubscribe service” which promises, for a fee, to keep spam out of your inbox? No way! Read about these frauds:
http://www.spamhaus.org/removelists.html

Six online scams to avoid:
http://www.spamhaus.org/faq/answers.lasso?section=Online%20Scams


Reach the home page here: http://www.spamhaus.org/

ESPN: sports news spectacular

Why did the NBA drop the new microfiber basketball as of January 1, 2007? Whether you want to track Tiger Woods’ career, keep an eye on player trades, or see video highlights of recent major league games, you have it all on one site. Become the sports expert around the office when you keep this site in the corner of your monitor.

Go to ESPN: http://espn.go.com/

iParenting: doorway to a wealth of parenting information

The iParenting website is the doorway to nine other parenting-oriented sites. Click the “Parenting Sites” tab to reach related sites, like Breastfeed.com, Pregnancy Today, Toddlers Today, and Teenagers Today. In addition, clicking on the “Lifestyle Sites” tab will lead to thirteen other sites, such as Dads Today, Moms Today, Grandparents Today, Twins Today, Special Kids Today, and iParenting Adoption.

The iParenting home page itself contains many resources for parents. Clicking “Community” will take you to more than 350 discussion boards on a multitude of parenting topics. Here members discuss topics like bedwetting, breastfeeding, choosing the sex of your baby, drug and alcohol abuse, food allergies, grandparents, home schooling, step families, and teen dating.

Click “Recalls” to find pictures and descriptions of furniture and toys which have been recalled for safety reasons.

The “Articles and Tools” section contains information on topics ranging from beauty and wellness to family finances. One personal story in this section describes one member’s homebirth experience. Members are invited to set up their own blogs on the site to record their thoughts and feelings about different aspects of parenting.

Reach the home page here: http://www.iparenting.com/

Enterprise Mission: Richard C. Hoagland’s search for the truth about the moon and Mars

Is there water on Mars? If so, what could it mean? Are there artificial structures on the moon and Mars? Is there a human face on the surface of Mars? Why did the Apollo 11 tapes go missing? Is NASA telling us the whole story? These are some of the questions Richard C. Hoagland, chief investigator for the organization known as Enterprise Mission, addresses on this website. You’ll need an open mind when you peruse this site.

Check out the site: http://www.enterprisemission.com/

Clyde Lewis delivers news and talk outside the mainstream box

Clyde Lewis is well known for his Ground Zero talk show, which covers breaking news and topics seldom covered by mainstream media. Topics include conspiracy theories, entertainment, health and wellness, money, paranormal activity, parapolitical affairs, science and pseudo science, religious and spiritual subjects, and world events. Skeptics often air their views on the show. Podcasts and MP3 downloads are available to paid subscribers.

The Articles section of the site contains Lewis’s personal essays written on a wide variety of topics. In one recent article entitled Monkey Wrench: Provoking the Clash of Civilizations, Lewis suggests that Americans are causing many of their own problems with ill-considered political and corporate policies around the world.

Another article, Diabolus ex Machina: The Media and the Scorched Earth Policy, appears to accuse the White House of furthering the agenda of the New World Order fascist elite. Lewis speculates that listeners who used to scoff at his warnings of an impending police state now look to him for guidance in forestalling the rise of the New World Order.

The Forum section of the site allows registered members to post comments to a multi-faceted board on a whole slate of topics, including conspiracy theories, religion, paranormal topics, science and technology, space discoveries, UFOs and aliens. There is also a Chat Room where members may converse about topics on the air or past programs.

Check out the site: http://www.clydelewis.com/

CBC Fifth Estate online documentaries archive

Many of the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Fifth Estate documentaries are available in an online archive on the CBC.ca/Fifth Estate website. The program airs on Wednesday nights at nine and midnight. If you miss a particular TV broadcast for some reason, you may find the program on the site.

Here are some recent programs that are currently in the video archive:

Fasten Your Seatbelts—an investigation into airport security in Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/fastenseatbelts/

The Denial Machine—a look at a small group of influential scientists, with alleged financial links to the oil and coal industries, who trumpet the idea that global warming is not a bad thing. http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/denialmachine/index.html

The Rat—an informant reveals shocking details about organized crime and turf wars in Toronto http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/therat/index.html

The Fifth Estate home page: http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/index.html

The Royal Society of Chemistry: a European perspective

In the process of checking out the toxicity of sulphur dioxide as a food preservative, I discovered The Royal Society of Chemistry website, which contains a wealth of information on the chemical sciences.

The visual elements of the site are spectacular. The Visual Periodic Table is especially attractive and informative: http://www.chemsoc.org/viselements/index.htm .

The Chemsoc Timeline is a visual representation of the history of science. Check it out here: http://www.chemsoc.org/timeline/index.html

Students of chemistry will be delighted with the interactive version of the IUPAC compendium of chemical terminology, known as The Gold Book. Check it out here: http://goldbook.iupac.org/

Would you like to research food preservatives? Go here: http://www.chemsoc.org/ExemplarChem/entries/2001/anderson/preservatives.htm#e220

The LearnNet section of the site contains several excellent teaching and learning resources: http://www.chemsoc.org/networks/learnnet/index.htm

Home page: http://www.rsc.org/

Say hello to Big Brother--your back-seat driver!

According to a CTV.ca report dated November 28, 2005, Transport Canada began testing a device which integrates “global positioning satellite technology with a digital speed-limit map”. In essence, the system is linked to a vehicle’s throttle control and prevents drivers from exceeding the posted speed limit.Now, Persentech, a company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, has begun selling a device called Otto Driving Companion. Drivers are alerted by a voice prompt and a light signal when they are exceeding the posted speed limit. Full details about this product are available at the company’s website, listed below. This device depends on the cooperation of drivers, while the one being tested by Transport Canada appears to allow no option.Look for insurance companies to offer discounts for using either device. Government regulations may force drivers who repeatedly receive speeding tickets to--at their own expense--install a no-speed appliance. New cars may be mandated to have devices which give drivers warnings, with the option of having them modified to “no-speed” mode when required.


Check out the site: http://www.persentech.com/

Coast to Coast AM: A paranormal feast!

This site is the Internet presence for the extremely popular night- time talk show Coast to Coast AM. The show is hosted by George Noory during the week and occasionally by its originator, Art Bell. On Saturday nights, Ian Punnett hosts Coast to Coast Live.

Topics on the radio shows range from the science of earthquake prediction to time travel and UFOs. Guests on past programs have included psychics, clinical psychologists, retired military intelligence officers, experts in physics and astronomy, investigative journalists, medical practitioners, and an Egyptologist.

To hear the previous night's broadcast, click on the Play button under the Last Night's Show banner. Visitors to the website have the option of subscribing, at a modest cost, to ad-free streaming audio files (Streamlink), making it possible to listen to programs in real time or download MP3 files from a 90-day archive. As a Streamlink subscriber, I never miss a program and thanks to my MP3 player, daily chores like weeding the garden or washing the car become more enjoyable as I listen to ad-free program files.

The site features a collection of unusual digital images sent in by listeners and visitors. In addition, there is a compilation of recent news articles on a variety of subjects, including UFO sightings, scientific discoveries, and scary ghost stories. Details about upcoming radio programs are listed on the site. Warning: this program is highly addictive!


Check out the site: http://www.coasttocoastam.com/

Pandora: A streaming-music service that delivers what you like to hear

Available to users in the U.S. only at the present time, this website is an innovative approach to Internet radio. Visitors enter the name of their favorite artist or song and receive a stream of music that mirrors their tastes in music. The system generates a playlist of songs resulting from an analysis of 400 musical elements, such as vocal style, lyrics, composition, form and melody represented in the original choice. In essence, listeners have a “radio station” playing only music they like to hear. Of course, it is possible to fine-tune a “station” by de-selecting unwanted songs from the playlist; the system will adjust to take account of this change. Users may create up to 100 separate stations, reflecting their interest in more than one type of music. No downloads are required. The service is free, supported by advertisements. Users may opt for an ad-free paid subscription to the service.

Check out the site: http://www.pandora.com/

Insurance Bureau of Canada: Tips on home and car insurance

If you’re in the market for a new or used car, this site will help you determine the relative cost to insure a particular make and model of car. A brochure on the site entitled “How Cars Measure Up” gives statistics for several Canadian models of cars, passenger vans, SUVs and pickup trucks, comparing the number and cost of collision and comprehensive claims, as well as the cost and frequency of theft claims. One section of the site lists the top 10 stolen vehicles for the last four years and suggests why they are the favorite targets of thieves. The site reveals the 10 most common auto insurance crimes for the past three years and how to avoid becoming a victim of accident fraud.

Do you have an up-to-date inventory of the possessions you have in your home? If you have a fire or other disaster, you’ll need an accurate inventory in order to make a claim. Use the form on the site to create your list and give a backup copy to a friend or relative for safekeeping. Use a digital camera to take photos of high-value items and their sales slips. It is wise to have a professional appraisal done on jewelry or collectibles; keep the appraisal document in a safety deposit box. It’s surprising how fast the value of things in the home adds up over time. Revise the list monthly to be sure you don’t miss anything, like new clothing, drapes, or computer software.

Landlords must be certain that their tenants have insurance in order to protect themselves in the case of a tenant-caused fire, for example. The landlord’s insurance company will pay for repairs, but will want to collect from the tenant’s insurer. If the tenant has no insurance, the landlord’s insurance company may not renew insurance on the building because the landlord has caused a preventable loss for them.

Check out the site: http://www.ibc.ca/en/index.asp

TheAirCar—A revolution in automotive technology

How would you like to buy a car with a fiberglass body that won’t rust, an engine that runs on compressed air in the city and fossil fuels elsewhere, and a driving range close to 2000 km? French engineering genius Guy Negre has developed the revolutionary MDI MiniCat which meets those specifications. The company has constructed several prototypes and is in the process of establishing plants for the production and distribution of engines and vehicles.

This vehicle has attracted the interest of governments around the world, struggling with the problems of air pollution and high energy costs. The air coming out of this car’s tail pipe will be cleaner than the air injected into its compressed air tank. Some MiniCat owners are planning to recharge their cars with home compressors driven by solar and wind energy—thereby reducing the need for fossil fuels. The small size of the MiniCat makes it ideal for urban use—nimble and easy to park. The company has plans for other models, larger in size, for use as taxis, mini-buses, and delivery vehicles.

The site offers potential investors the chance to contribute to the growth of the company. One section of the site enables interested persons to receive no-obligation information on the purchase of MiniCats.

Check out the site: http://www.theaircar.com/media_images.html

Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFbKINlXzRk

Medlineplus—Medical information you can trust

For years we’ve been told to sit up straight or risk back trouble. Now a recent study conducted by Dr. Waseem Amir Bashir, a Canadian radiologist at the University of Alberta Hospital, concluded that sitting in an upright 90-degree position stresses the back more than a more relaxed 135-degree position. This is a sample of the up-to-date health news gathered from respected sources appearing on this site.

This is a comprehensive, well-designed and user-friendly site, with many helpful features. There is a Health Topics library containing information on 700 topics, including anatomy, disorders and conditions, diagnosis and therapy, age and gender-specific material, and health and wellness in general.

Are you scheduled for a colonoscopy, or another diagnostic test? The Interactive Tutorial section of the website will present a step-by-step explanation of what is involved in a particular test. There are 165 slideshows with sound and pictures. In addition, a large selection of Surgery Videos is available for those who wish to preview an upcoming surgical procedure.

Do you wish to learn what causes a baby to develop diaper rash and ways to prevent it? You’ll find the information in the Medical Encyclopedia. There’s even a Medical Dictionary to check the meanings of unfamiliar medical terms.

The Directories section will help you find doctors, dentists and hospitals.

This site is available in Spanish by clicking the link at the top of the home page.

Check out the site: http://medlineplus.gov/

MDJunction—an online healthcare community

More than a “rate your doctor” site, MDJunction is a multi-purpose site. The Doctors Search engine enables users to find doctors by geographical area, area of specialization, or by name. The data available on doctors includes medical education and area of specialization, contact information, patient reviews and ratings, and professional history. Currently, 135,933 physicians are listed on the site.

This website features health forums. In addition, there is a new breast cancer support group. Members may share experiences with their conditions and treatments. They also share information about other websites they have found helpful.

Check out the site: http://www.mdjunction.com/

Piczo—A free website for teens

This site enables teenagers to establish a free, personal website for self expression and social networking. Piczo currently places no limit on the volume of information, guest books, comment boards, graphics, music and photos that may be uploaded to a personal site. Setting up an individual site, with multiple pages, is straightforward, requiring no advanced computer skills. Students often use their sites as part of a class project to share personal writing, including travel diaries, poetry and short stories.

The site administrators place a high priority on member safety and privacy, and include an online safety section to help members stay safe. One Piczo privacy feature is a “walled garden” function which means that members select, through an “invite-only” interface, which users may see their site. Both users and parents prefer this to an “open to the world” format common to other online networking sites.

Launched originally in the UK in 2004, Piczo expanded to the US in September, 2006, and now boasts more than 10 million monthly unique users.


Check out the site: http://www.piczo.com/?cr=4&rfm=y

Jane’s Defense Weekly—A magazine about military and corporate news

If you are interested in news about military hardware with regard to land, naval and air forces throughout the world, then this site will supply lots of information. Find out how well the Predator unmanned aerial vehicles are doing in Afghanistan or how they are assisting the US Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Patrol. Is the USAF interested in high-altitude airship technology? When will China be introducing a new series of space launchers for small satellites? All these questions and more will be answered for you at this site. Excerpts from articles are available to non-members, while full articles are provided to subscribers.

Check out the site: http://www.janes.com/defence/

WhatIfOnline—Canada’s online fiction magazine for teens

This free membership site enables teens to upload and showcase their original writing in various genres, such as poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and excerpts from novels and plays.
Members may introduce themselves to this writing community and upload photos depicting themselves, their hobbies and school activities for example. In addition, members may post messages about the writing of other members, typically offering encouragement and constructive comments.

Check out the site: http://whatifonline.proboards85.com/index.cgi

TalkingWithYourKids— How to give your kids the facts about dangerous drugs

This is not just another addictive drug site. Parents, guardians, and teachers often have all the information they require, but need help in approaching the topic with their kids. This site offers accurate drug information, but suggests effective ways to deliver the facts to kids. Also on the site is a list of community support resources for each province and territory in Canada.

Check out the site: http://www.talkingwithyourkids.ca/

Francais: http://www.parlonsavecnosjeunes.ca/index.html

InsiderMedicine— A medical video news service

There are many medical websites on the Internet. What distinguishes this one is that the site consists of hundreds of video reports made by a team of Queen’s University medical doctors and students. The aim is to present accurate, peer-reviewed medical information. There is no advertising on the site—thus no marketing bias. Topics cover various diseases, treatments, and psychological wellness in general. The site is multilingual, currently offering information in English, Chinese and Spanish. The strong point about the site is the depth of information on the latest medical research. The plan is to add a forum to enable people to discuss information on the site. I found the site somewhat difficult to navigate at first. The site is new, however, and navigation and user-friendliness may improve over time.

Check out the site: http://www.insidermedicine.com/Home.aspx

RateMDs—Rate your doctor or dentist

This site enables patients in Canada and the U.S. to rate their doctors or dentists. Rating categories include punctuality, helpfulness, and knowledge. Scores range from 1 to 5, where 5 if the highest. Since anonymous ratings and comments are permitted, there may be a temptation for some patients to submit extreme comments, or even for doctors to write their own reviews. The webmaster reserves the right to edit the site to remove material which may be libelous. Many doctors question the validity of the site and characterize its information as “gossip”. They would prefer that patients report serious problems to the proper medical disciplinary agencies.

Check out the site: http://www.ratemds.com/index.jsp

The Hospitality Club: free accommodation

This website consists of an international network of people who will offer free accommodation and travel advice to members. After each stay, information about individual hosts is updated on the profile section of the website so that more accurate matching of hosts to travelers will result. The concept appeals to travelers in the 18-25 age range, as an alternative to youth hostels. Membership has reached 219,569.

Check out the site: http://www.hospitalityclub.org/


People who liked this site will also like: couchsurfing.com, globalfreeloaders.com, and place2stay.net

Dr. Mercola Optimal Wellness Centre—Health Newsletter

This site is a free, weekly newsletter covering medical news on a variety of topics, including causes, prevention, and alternative treatments for many common medical conditions. The site has an alexa.com ranking of 4658 as of Nov.20/06, which means that traffic to the site is very high.

The author of the site, Joseph Mercola, MD, is a practicing physician with specialist training in osteopathic medicine. He, along with a team of doctors he has personally trained, operates the Mercola Optimal Wellness Centre, located in Schaumberg, Illinois. The clinic is renowned for its Total Health Program, featuring nutritional and emotional counseling.

Check out the site: http://www.mercola.com/

The Phrase Finder: Meanings and origins of idioms, phrases, and sayings

Ever wondered where phrases like “the real McCoy” or “the whole nine yards” came from? This site enables you to access the meanings and origins of more than 1200 English idioms, phrases and sayings. The forum enables people to ask questions about different phrases and receive answers from readers. An archive of over 50,000 postings is available on the site.

Check out the site: http://www.phrases.org.uk/

RealSoftwareDevelopment--For software developers

This popular site highlights upcoming IT/software conferences. It will appeal to software engineers/architects as well as IT infrastructure service providers who want to learn cutting-edge techniques for managing their company’s systems.

The conferences have a wide range of topics, from presentations by Bill Gates about the latest Microsoft developments to forecasts from executives in the field about the future of technology and business.

One section on the site contains “tips and tricks” specifically for software developers, including practical tool-kits and timesavers. Another tab on the site features reviews of sites that are highly rated by other professionals in the software development field.

The site also contains the author’s blog.

The current Alexa.com rating for this site is 35,852.

Check out the site: http://www.realsoftwaredevelopment.com/

BookCrossing Book Club--A free book club

People sign up as members of this free book club and register one of their books on the website. The book receives a unique ID number and a registration card to be printed and attached to the inside of the front cover. The idea is to read and then release the book in a public place, like a train station, where the book will be discovered by other readers. These new readers go to the website, access the online journal and write a comment about the book and perhaps its new location. The website enables the people who started the chain of ownership to keep track of the wanderings of their books. A number of members have several books in circulation. The club is international in scope, although it originated in the U.S.

Check out the site: http://www.bookcrossing.com/

Breakthru: Spam-free e-mail

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Hi-tech news from Physorg

If you like reading magazines like Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, you’ll love Physorg. It has the latest news in all these catetories: nanotechnology, physics, space and earth science, electronic devices, technology, general science, medicine and health.

A great feature of this site is the extensive video archive in the following categories:
science and technology, health, general news, music, business, sport (including Golf Channel video clips), comedy, music, entertainment, games, photography (tech tips), VegTV, travel, and fashion. You could get lost in here for hours.

An awesome feature is the extensive news archive which allows you to search by topic or browse previous articles by date.

One tab at the top of the website, Free Magazines, gives you free, one-year subscriptions to science and technology magazines—no strings attached.

Link: http://www.physorg.com/

Hollywood gossip-- all in one place

Defamer, the Los Angeles gossip blog, is taking the Internet by storm—thousands of hits every day!

Read all about your favorite Hollywood stars and the news behind the latest blockbuster movies.

Link here: http://www.defamer.com/

Craigslist--Free Classified Ads

Site Category: Free classified ads

Features:

Free classified ads in several categories: Items for sale, Personals, Services, Gigs, Jobs, Resumes, and Housing

Includes 300+ local websites covering Canada, the U.S., and many other countries

Fact sheet outlining the history of the site, traffic statistics, and mission statement

Discussion forums—50+ topics

Guide re avoiding scams and fraud, including sample fraudulent e-mails

Check out the site: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/

VeloNews--Competitive Cycling News

This is the website for the magazine, VeloNews: The Journal of Competitive Cycling.

Some features:

News articles covering races: international and domestic road, mountain biking, cyclo-cross, and track

VeloNews TV: video coverage of races, interviews with high-profile athletes

Forum: cycling enthusiasts start or join conversation threads on various cycling topics

Velogear Store: cycling gear and accessories

Rider diaries: competitors file reports describing their progress in various races

Tech section: videos and discussions on the finer points of cycling gear

News: cycling events, instructional videos, industry announcements, product alerts

Photo gallery: images from various cycling events

Classifieds: buy and sell cycling gear/accessories

Check out the site: http://www.velonews.com/

Here's a link for a Kingston, Ontario bike shop: http://www.gearsandgrinds.com/

Home renovation in real time

Watch a home being renovated in real time on the RenoTube site. Contribute your design suggestions as the work is done. You’ll enjoy watching these two guys in action, especially if you are considering do-it-yourself remodeling in your own home.

Watch their dog, Stella, who has her own webcam.

Take a virtual tour of the house and see the “before” and “after” pictures.

Link: http://www.renotube.com/

Mindless Eating--Why we eat too much

• 
  Creator: Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab


• 
  Photo preview of his new book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think


• 
  List of Dr. Wansink’s most popular published articles on nutrition and marketing


• 
  Questions and Answers related to his new book


• 
  Teacher resource section featuring printable lesson plan handouts describing in-class activities for health, marketing, nutrition, and marketing classes


• 
  Free newsletter sign-up available


• 
  Information on registration for free Consumer Camp held annually on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, NY


• 
  Author’s blog

Check out the site: http://mindlesseating.org/

Visual Thesaurus--Synonyms and Antonyms

This dictionary and thesaurus site is a valuable tool for writers. Many professional writers and educators subscribe to the site because of its interactive, intuitive visual interface. By focusing on the relationships between words and their meanings, a writer will be better able to find the precise word for a particular context. The site features a demo which allows you try the process. Audio pronunciation of words is available on the site. Both desktop and online versions are available, and subscription is reasonably priced.

The site also contains magazine articles on topics of interest to writers and educators. One section of the magazine, aptly titled “Department of word lists”, features the jargon specific to various topics, e.g. “golf”. A sports writer covering a golf story would have all the right terms close at hand.

Check it out: http://www.visualthesaurus.com/

Here is a free , non-visual site which features audio pronunciation of words:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

The End of Suffering--Healthy Retirement

This website relates to the book titled The End of Suffering, written by Russell Targ and J.J. Hurtak. Russell Targ, a physicist and psychical researcher, worked at the Lockheed Martin Corporation. He observed that many of the engineers who worked for the company died soon after retirement. He concluded that these men identified with the job and, upon retirement, lost purpose and meaning in life. This same phenomenon has claimed the lives of a number of superstars, including Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, who allowed their fans to define their identities, and plunged into deep depression. The site answers many questions about how the book may help people discover who they really are and achieve genuine happiness. As a recent retiree, I’ll be looking for this book at my local book store.

Link to the site: http://www.theendofsuffering.org/index.html

Truth or Fiction--Internet rumors

This site, called TruthOrFiction.com will help you sort the real from the bogus emails received from friends in the form of “forwards”. One email (pictured above) circulated on the Internet warns about a cell phone virus which could attack your phone. Another might tell a shocking story which turns out to be pure fiction.

You find information on the site by clicking on a general category or inserting a brief description of the topic in a search box. There are hundreds of entertaining explanations of Internet rumors. If you sign up as a subscriber, you’ll receive emails describing and evaluating current rumors.

Check out the site: www.truthorfiction.com

Storyline Online--Storytelling for kids

This site is an excellent resource for parents, teachers, and child-care providers alike. It features various members of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation reading children’s stories in streaming video. As the narrator reads the story, images of scenes from the story are depicted on a screen, helping to focus attention and heighten interest.

One of 17 stories featured on the site is White Shoes, depicting the courage of a young black girl in the face of the prejudice and discrimination which occurred several years ago in the southern part of the U.S. Other story titles include: Romeow and Drooliet, Enemy Pie, Dad, Are You The Tooth Fairy? Me And My Cat, and The Polar Express.

Operating the site may require the free download of a small program called Flash Player, a plug-in from Macromedia.com. You probably already have this on your computer if you have ever watched Internet videos. The home page has a place at the bottom to click on to begin the download if you need it.

There’s also an activity guide, in PDF format (most computers can read it) for the story you select, containing questions for discussion, project and research ideas.

Check out the site: http://www.bookpals.net/storyline/