Gem's Gems

Get AIM!

October 2000

Interesting sites to visit on the web

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How many times have you asked someone, what should you get ___ as a gift for their ___? The clever folks at The Right Gift have come up with a great online answer. Unlike gift sites that try to sell you whatever's in stock, this site connects you to top-rated gift ideas found on the web. It is organized in unique categories that help you think creatively about your gift recipient.

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Why is the sky blue? Why don't penguins' feet freeze? Why do clocks move clockwise? Why do women live longer than men? Why do we see stars when we receive a blow to the head? The answers to these and many other questions can be found at this entertaining and informative New Scientist site. Their archive contains over one thousand questions on scientific phenomena, along with a section where you can post a new question to the unanswered file.

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FindSounds.com is the leading web search engine for finding sound effects and sample sounds on the Web. It is simple and easy to use, and suitable for all ages. (audio files containing obscenities are filtered out so this site is safe for children)

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If you're looking for some inspiration for an event or party you're planning, the Random PartyGenerator site is really cool. Simply plug in a few details like the age of the guests, size of party and general theme and this party animal will create an event, suggest movies and music and build a website (map included) to announce it.

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Old Computers = Aquariums! If you have an old computer sitting around, you may be inspired by the art of Jim Lower, who has turned his old Macs and PCs into very cool computer fish tanks. You can follow his plans on converting your old computers, or if you prefer, Jim will build one for you. It is the perfect gift for the techie who has everything!

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In the early 1990's, Andrew Conru, a transplant to California from the Midwest, was eager to explore the Bay Area's great restaurants. While uninspired by traditional reviews in the local papers, he started asking his friends about their favorite restaurants. It soon became clear that each person had their own opinions on what made a great place to eat. In 1994 he launched Dine.com, enabling thousands of people to share their reviews. It is the largest restaurant review site online. A Great Bookmark!

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It's that spooky time of year again, and here's a page of Halloween links to keep you busy getting ready for this fun holiday. Learn the history of Halloween, plan parties, find costume ideas, activities and events and much much more!

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Quickie Hints and Tips

DICTIONARY LOOKUP BUTTON. This one's slick! Follow the details at Merriam-Webster to place a dictionary button on your Links toolbar, on Netscape Communicator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Then highlight any word you want to look up, click the dictionary icon, and Merriam-Webster comes through again! Great for kids doing research!

KEEPING A CALENDAR. After opening your free account at CalenderServer, you can store your calendar on CalendarServer's own site, update it, and even link to it from your Web page if you wish. Sharing this way keeps everyone on the same, well, calendar!

FREE ISP. Joe West has constructed an informative listing of free Internet service providers, size of downloads, user comments, whether banner-ad-supported, and so on. Keep in mind though, "free" seldom is.

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