Hi All,
I'm in a photographic type mood today. And have I found a great bunch of sites for you! Regular readers might remember a site that I've mentioned before: refdesk.com...
Well, I can't very well talk about the whole site in shot because the site is so large. It would takes days and days to discuss each and every link and nook and cranny on the site.
But what I can do is talk about some specific sections on the site. In particular, since I'm in such a picturey mood today, I'd like to talk about the 'Today's Pictures' link on RefDesk.com.
So dear reader, click on this link to get to RefDesk.com - then scroll down about halfway down the screen and you'll see - in the middle - a section called 'Today's Pictures'. Bingo. Score!
So what is Today's Pictures? It is a set of links from sites as varied as astronomy, weather, National Geographic, TIME, Washington Post, Reuters and more. The topic? Anything the sites linked on RefDesk.com feel are 'picture worthy'. Users will find a whole bunch of science, nature, news, and weather pictures on RefDesk.com Neat stuff. Take a gander!
Enjoy the photos and remember, you can always bookmark RefDesk.com so you can come back to it at a later date.
Regards,
Stu
PS. Friend the library on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter! The more the merrier - and the smarter you'll get!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Ebay - Sniping
Hi All,
Looking back at a few of the more read posted led me to this fact: my readers are really interested in Ebay and auctions.
As a result...here is another blog entry regarding auctions - and not just Ebay since I don't want to seem biased toward it.
I suspect that many readers who have used Ebay and other auction sites have lost out on a particular item by seconds.
One way around this is to use a 'snipe' service which literally waits until the last second or two to send a bid to the auction house. By sending a bid at the 'last possible' moment, the user is preventing another, higher, bid from coming in and causing the first bidder to lose the auction.
There are a few free online services that are available for this type of bidding. One of which is called Gixen. Click here to visit the site. Gixen users don't have to download any software and the service is good for an unlimited number of snipes...
Another auction bidding site is called AuctionSniper and can be visited by clicking on this link. AuctionSniper has a link for users so they can see a video of how the service actually works. Click here for that link.
Finally, click on this link from wikiHow to see an article on 'How To Snipe on Ebay'. Why this site and not another auction bidding site? Because I didn't want to be redundant and make the blog post just a list of auction bidding sites. Besides, users can just click on this link to see the search 'ebay sniping' that I did to generate the results for the first two bidding sites I mentioned.
So, good luck bidding and I hope all your auctions are winners!
Regards,
Stu
PS Friend the library on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! It is free, easy and quite possibly the best thing you did today!
Looking back at a few of the more read posted led me to this fact: my readers are really interested in Ebay and auctions.
As a result...here is another blog entry regarding auctions - and not just Ebay since I don't want to seem biased toward it.
I suspect that many readers who have used Ebay and other auction sites have lost out on a particular item by seconds.
One way around this is to use a 'snipe' service which literally waits until the last second or two to send a bid to the auction house. By sending a bid at the 'last possible' moment, the user is preventing another, higher, bid from coming in and causing the first bidder to lose the auction.
There are a few free online services that are available for this type of bidding. One of which is called Gixen. Click here to visit the site. Gixen users don't have to download any software and the service is good for an unlimited number of snipes...
Another auction bidding site is called AuctionSniper and can be visited by clicking on this link. AuctionSniper has a link for users so they can see a video of how the service actually works. Click here for that link.
Finally, click on this link from wikiHow to see an article on 'How To Snipe on Ebay'. Why this site and not another auction bidding site? Because I didn't want to be redundant and make the blog post just a list of auction bidding sites. Besides, users can just click on this link to see the search 'ebay sniping' that I did to generate the results for the first two bidding sites I mentioned.
So, good luck bidding and I hope all your auctions are winners!
Regards,
Stu
PS Friend the library on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! It is free, easy and quite possibly the best thing you did today!
CCC Recipes....Read on For More!
Hi All,
I don't know about you, but one of the single best things in the world is a chocolate chip cookie (hence the aforementioned acronym 'ccc' = chocolate chip cookie). I don't care if it 95 degrees outside or if it 25 degrees outside. Any time is a good time for a chocolate chip cookie. They are one of the better things in life.
Combine with a glass of cold milk and well, it takes many people back to their youth and after school snacks. Ah yes...the good old days.
So...I've search the web and found a few good sites for CCC's! Enjoy!
Click on this link for Food.com's version of the world's best chocolate chip cookie. Note that the ingredients are simple and the user comments are really, really special. Yum.
Click here for a really good book that the library owns on chocolate chip cookies. The title is '101 Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies'! Double yum. Click here for a few reviews from Amazon.com of this book.
You also might want to click here for a link to the library card catalog where I did the search, 'chocolate chip cookies'. From 'The Well.com' comes this entry entitled, 'What Makes a Great Chocolate Chip cookie? Indeed -I'll be the taste tester!!!
Finally, click here for another link to 'How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies' link from Mahalo.com....
Enjoy the cookies and don't forget the milk!
Stu
Friend the library on Facebook and follow us on Twitter - you'll be happy you did!
I don't know about you, but one of the single best things in the world is a chocolate chip cookie (hence the aforementioned acronym 'ccc' = chocolate chip cookie). I don't care if it 95 degrees outside or if it 25 degrees outside. Any time is a good time for a chocolate chip cookie. They are one of the better things in life.
Combine with a glass of cold milk and well, it takes many people back to their youth and after school snacks. Ah yes...the good old days.
So...I've search the web and found a few good sites for CCC's! Enjoy!
Click on this link for Food.com's version of the world's best chocolate chip cookie. Note that the ingredients are simple and the user comments are really, really special. Yum.
Click here for a really good book that the library owns on chocolate chip cookies. The title is '101 Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies'! Double yum. Click here for a few reviews from Amazon.com of this book.
You also might want to click here for a link to the library card catalog where I did the search, 'chocolate chip cookies'. From 'The Well.com' comes this entry entitled, 'What Makes a Great Chocolate Chip cookie? Indeed -I'll be the taste tester!!!
Finally, click here for another link to 'How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies' link from Mahalo.com....
Enjoy the cookies and don't forget the milk!
Stu
Friend the library on Facebook and follow us on Twitter - you'll be happy you did!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Art and Computers and Math - Combined
Hi All,
What happens when you combine art, computer graphics, and math...shake them all up and then print the results?
Fractals. That's what happens. Let me start at the beginning.
Click here for a description of what a fractal is - link is from Wikipedia. Basically a fractal is a geometric shape that can be split into its indivdual parts. The parts of the shape being a smaller and smaller sizec opy of the whole shape. Click here for an example from the Wikipedia article.
So, now that you know what a fractal is, why are they interesting? Because of the geometic designs that can be generated. Click here for a simple Google search using the phrase, 'fractal art'. Once I entered the result and generated the results, I clicked on the 'Images' link on Google. Click here for the results.
Notice the different colors, shapes, designs, backgrounds and more in these photos. Cool stuff, eh?
So, now what? Well, if you like to use a computer, enjoy a bit of math and like 'things artistic', you might want to download and install some fractal software so you can generate your own images.
Click here for a link from Cool Math.com - you'll be able to make your own fractals using their software. Still want more fractal software to generate your own pictures? Click here for a link from Easy Fractal Generator. Note that the EFG has links to popular and new fractals that users have generated.
Finally, click here for another fractal science kit generator...aka another downloadable piece of software so you can make your own fractal designs.
Just some thoughts for those who like art, design, computers and pictures. Enjoy the fractals - and just think, at the very least you might have learned a new word today.
Enjoy.
Stu
Friends like friends who friend the library at Facebook!
Using the internet is twice as much fun when you follow the library on Twitter (click here to have that fun!)
What happens when you combine art, computer graphics, and math...shake them all up and then print the results?
Fractals. That's what happens. Let me start at the beginning.
Click here for a description of what a fractal is - link is from Wikipedia. Basically a fractal is a geometric shape that can be split into its indivdual parts. The parts of the shape being a smaller and smaller sizec opy of the whole shape. Click here for an example from the Wikipedia article.
So, now that you know what a fractal is, why are they interesting? Because of the geometic designs that can be generated. Click here for a simple Google search using the phrase, 'fractal art'. Once I entered the result and generated the results, I clicked on the 'Images' link on Google. Click here for the results.
Notice the different colors, shapes, designs, backgrounds and more in these photos. Cool stuff, eh?
So, now what? Well, if you like to use a computer, enjoy a bit of math and like 'things artistic', you might want to download and install some fractal software so you can generate your own images.
Click here for a link from Cool Math.com - you'll be able to make your own fractals using their software. Still want more fractal software to generate your own pictures? Click here for a link from Easy Fractal Generator. Note that the EFG has links to popular and new fractals that users have generated.
Finally, click here for another fractal science kit generator...aka another downloadable piece of software so you can make your own fractal designs.
Just some thoughts for those who like art, design, computers and pictures. Enjoy the fractals - and just think, at the very least you might have learned a new word today.
Enjoy.
Stu
Friends like friends who friend the library at Facebook!
Using the internet is twice as much fun when you follow the library on Twitter (click here to have that fun!)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Warm Weather Bargains in the Middle of Winter!
Hi All,
Regular readers of this blog might realize that I try to make the entries interesting, unique and value added. Regular readers might also realize that I sometimes have themes for each entries.
Well, today I'm going a step further. I'm going to write an entry that is somewhat related to yesterdays' blog entry dealing with 'Saving Money in the Winter By Saving on Heating Bills'.
Today's entry is something akin to that entry: Warm Weather Bargains in the Winter. The connection or 'theme' goes something like this: Yesterday I wrote about saving money on your home heating bills in the winter. Since it is so cold, what better way to beat the cold than to get the heck out of dodge and (like birds) go south for the winter with the family? So, after that buildup todays' entry is all about travel sites and how to save on the air fare, lodging and rental once you get to that nice warm place (wherever that might be).
Well, first folks have to decide that they even want - or even if they can - to take a vacation. Once you get that first decision out of the way, you might want to click here for a link on how to plan your winter vacation. Once you've done that you obviously have to figure out where to go on vacation...the next link set of links should help with that question...
Live from the Travel Channel.com is this link entitled, Best Vacations With Kids. An alternate site for winter vacation ideas comes from About.com and you can click this link for 'Family Getaway Ideas For Winter Vacations'.
Okay, now that you've got some ideas, you probably need to find a flight, a room, and possibly even a rental car. Folks might have heard of this next site: Expedia.com. Or not. Click here to visit Expedia.com
So, what's so great about Expedia.com? Well, first the site is easy to navigate and to use. Second it has tabs at the top of the page dealing with Vacation Packages, Hotels, Cars, Flights, Cruises, Activities, and Deals and Offers. Click on any of the phrases above and you'll go to that particular section on the Expedia website.
Notice that on the Deals and Offers section of the site you'll find a link called ASAP which gives users one 'mega-discount in a top destination for only 12 hours'. On the same page you'll find a link to the Best Deals of 2010.
So there you have it - some vacation ideas and a website that can possibly help you make your vacation dreams come true.
Enjoy!
Stu
Come on in and friend the library on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! You'll be happy you did!
Regular readers of this blog might realize that I try to make the entries interesting, unique and value added. Regular readers might also realize that I sometimes have themes for each entries.
Well, today I'm going a step further. I'm going to write an entry that is somewhat related to yesterdays' blog entry dealing with 'Saving Money in the Winter By Saving on Heating Bills'.
Today's entry is something akin to that entry: Warm Weather Bargains in the Winter. The connection or 'theme' goes something like this: Yesterday I wrote about saving money on your home heating bills in the winter. Since it is so cold, what better way to beat the cold than to get the heck out of dodge and (like birds) go south for the winter with the family? So, after that buildup todays' entry is all about travel sites and how to save on the air fare, lodging and rental once you get to that nice warm place (wherever that might be).
Well, first folks have to decide that they even want - or even if they can - to take a vacation. Once you get that first decision out of the way, you might want to click here for a link on how to plan your winter vacation. Once you've done that you obviously have to figure out where to go on vacation...the next link set of links should help with that question...
Live from the Travel Channel.com is this link entitled, Best Vacations With Kids. An alternate site for winter vacation ideas comes from About.com and you can click this link for 'Family Getaway Ideas For Winter Vacations'.
Okay, now that you've got some ideas, you probably need to find a flight, a room, and possibly even a rental car. Folks might have heard of this next site: Expedia.com. Or not. Click here to visit Expedia.com
So, what's so great about Expedia.com? Well, first the site is easy to navigate and to use. Second it has tabs at the top of the page dealing with Vacation Packages, Hotels, Cars, Flights, Cruises, Activities, and Deals and Offers. Click on any of the phrases above and you'll go to that particular section on the Expedia website.
Notice that on the Deals and Offers section of the site you'll find a link called ASAP which gives users one 'mega-discount in a top destination for only 12 hours'. On the same page you'll find a link to the Best Deals of 2010.
So there you have it - some vacation ideas and a website that can possibly help you make your vacation dreams come true.
Enjoy!
Stu
Come on in and friend the library on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! You'll be happy you did!
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