The Barnstable Public School System has, over the past several years, closed 6 of its 14 schools. Since 2003, the current Grade 4/5 building has housed 3 different student populations and had 6 principals. They're proud of how their school looks on the inside, but there is an area on the outside that desperately needs attention. At the center of  the school is a large quadrangle visible from 31 classrooms--a space that was once used by teachers and students but has become an overgrown, uninviting eyesore. The students and staff see genuine potential in this area. Admnistrators, teachers, and parents want to turn it into a place where students engage in structured learning activities in a clean, safe outdoor space.

In an effort to transform the forgotten courtyard at Barnstable United Elementary School into a space that inspires learning, discovery, and performance, the school system has applied for a Clorox Grant ($25,000-$50,000). Through volunteerism and the generosity of many local businesses, the process of transforming this courtyard has begun.This grant would fund the courtyard transformation and mean the world to the hundreds of 4th and 5th graders who will enter those doors for many years to come. It would strengthen our school system as a whole, and hopefully, eventually be as valuable a community resource as the Cobb Astro Park at the High School. This initiative is inspired by the belief that: "Service to others is the rent we pay for being alive".

Starting November 12 and running through December 19, students, staff, families, and other community members are encourage to go online and vote for the school's Nomination Proposal. Each person, 13 years of age or older, is allowed to text once a day, and vote online once a day during this time period. The seven winners will be notified at the end of December.

When: Voting begins November 12th and runs through December 19th.
Location Search:  Marstons Mills

How to vote:

1.  From a computer or mobile device: Visit  http://powerabrightfuture.com and submit your vote.
2.  Texting/SMS: Text 2398pbf to 95248.
Limits on Voting: Two votes daily.  Each Voter will be able to vote one (1) time through the Website and one (1) time via text, per day, during the Voting Phase.   Voting age 13 years and older.
First Time: To vote you must register your email and phone number so it is recognized.

https://powerabrightfuture.clorox.com/

Once the turkey's gone, you'll be in shopping mode right through the holidays - here are a couple of sites that'll help save you a few dollars (or maybe a lot more!)

First, check out GottaDeal.com for a sneak peek at some of the Black Friday offers from online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Amazon, Kohl’s and others. Consumer Reports often pulls information from GottaDeal because the site gives consumers a look at what retailers are discounting and an opportunity to compare deals. The site also includes tips for shopping on Black Friday, sales by category, and daily deals from retailers.

And there's a handy section on Savings.com that'll tell you when to get the best deals on what throughout the season - check out their Best Times to Buy Holiday Gifts guide.  A lot of research went into this site - Savings.com analyzed more than 1.5 million deals from 25,000 retailers and polled leading consumer and shopping experts in order to find the best times to buy popular holiday gifts.

http://gottadeal.com/

http://www.savings.com/blog/post/Infographic-Best-times-to-buy-holiday-gifts.html

Peter Gabriel has created a new social media site that uses pictures in place of words. It’s called Gabble. Choose from a central library of still and moving images to use in conversations. Gabriel says he’s sure it will mainly be used for “funny, irreverent and downright rude communication,” but he says it could be useful if, say, you were in a foreign country and had a need you couldn't express clearly because of a language barrier.  The app for your phone, by the way, is free!

http://gabble.com/

Think you could do a better job balancing the budget better than either of the Presidential candidates on the ballot tomorrow?  Here's a way to put your prowess to the test.  It's a FREE, NON-PARTISAN tool that's populated with information from the Congressional Budget Office that'll allow you to adjust our country's spending interactively in areas like Social Security, health programs, defense spending, and more.  Very educational - and it gives you the opportunity, too, to send your budget recommendations to your State Reps!

http://budgetcontrol.com/

Tracking Sandy?  Here are some apps that will help:

Hurricane Track for iOS - Free

• This app has four main screens: a radar view, a local satellite view, a forecast and hazards screen, and one that projects the hurricane's paths.  Extras include a storm-specific newsfeed.

iHurricane HD - Free

• iHurricane HD offers a full-color, zoom-enabled weather map that lays out the current and projected path of the hurricane marked with waypoints. Users can click on the waypoints for more information, including wind speed, pressure, heading, latitude and longitude, and storm travel speed.  There is also a satellite tab that offers dozens of radar views and a warnings tab with traditional forecasts, marine forecasts, and advisories from the National Weather Service.

USWeather - Free

• Though not hurricane-specific, this free app features the largest number of radar maps and satellite images, as well as weather data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Get ready for change - with the release of Windows 8 on Friday, you'll have a whole new interface to get comfortable with if you upgrade. The Windows system you're used to has been replaced by a completely different one that will have you learning new ways of getting things done. Instead of the familiar Start menu and icons, Windows 8 displays applications as a colorful array of tiles.  The OS features a new tile-based Start screen similar to that of Windows Phone, which has replaced the previous Start menu entirely. They're referring to the new interface as Metro-style - and it's designed specifically to work well with mobile devices and touchscreens.  But Microsoft is promising The Desktop mode is still there if you choose to use it instead, and Windows 7 apps should work without any issues.  The price is right - upgrading to Windows 8 will cost you less than any Microsoft upgrade thus far - $39.99 for the digital copy or $69.99 if you buy the DVD retail.  Boot times are improved, and there are some cool reset, security and backup tools as well.  Windows 8 will be officially available on Friday.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview

If you're an online shopper (and let's face it - this time of year, most of us at least consider our online buying options) here's a site that will offer you some products that are a cut above the ordinary.  It's The Daily Grommet.  SO what exactly is a grommet?  The site defines it as such:

•     It's a wonderful product still waiting in the wings, just ripe for discovery.
•     It has great utility, or style, or invention. Or, very often it has all three.
•     It comes from a designer, or inventor, or artist, or manufacturer who is clearly passionate about what they create. Someone who loves to share their creations and talk to people about why they do what they do.
•     It comes from a company that treats its customers well.
•     Finally, like any intelligent or beautiful product, it has a great story, ready to be told.

The categories you have to select from include travel products; childrens' products; health and beauty products; organic and natural products; and products that are connected to a charity.  You can also get daily email updates featuring one product and its unique story. 

http://www.dailygrommet.com/products/

If you can't have too many apps on your Droid, iPhone, or iPad - you may be an "Apps-aholic!"  If so, this site's for you.  At Apps-aholic.com, you can shop for the hottest apps CHEAP - most are just a quarter, or free.  The site also has some great deals on hardware and devices.

http://www.apps-aholic.com/

If the thought of being without your cellphone for a few hours makes you sweat - imagine how it would be not to HAVE one...  if you know someone who's elderly, disabled, or not able to afford one, the government would like to throw them a lifeline through a program, called "Lifeline," managed by the Federal Communications Commission.  Through the program, qualified participants are eligible for free or discounted basic cellphones, and 250 free minutes every month through a regional provider.  The program is funded through the "universal service fee" you pay on your bill every month.  If you'd like to see if you or someone you know may qualify, check the guidelines here:

http://www.fcc.gov/lifeline

If you're anything like me, your email inbox is a little like the junk drawer in your kitchen - full of things you MIGHT use one of these days, some handy tools you reach for frequently, and - well, a lot of just plain junk.  Unroll.me is coming to your rescue - it's a free, easy way to keep your inbox organized.   Use the tools on the site to end unwanted subscriptions and "rollup" the rest into a customized overview designed just for you.   Their inbox rollup is so intuitive that it even organizes and prioritizes each email and automatically puts it into its own individual category, keeping your individual rollups streamlined and clean.  For a more organized inbox, check it out:

http://unroll.me/

How many times has this happened to you - you're at work, looking up something business related, and you happen to glimpse the headlne of an article that intrigues you  - but you don't have time to read it, or shouldn't take the time out of your workday?  Now, instead of scrawling the website address on the back of a receipt in your purse or trying to relegate it to memory and hoping you'll think to look it up later, you can just put it in your pocket for later.  That's the idea behind GetPocket.com, a site that saves content for future viewing with just a click, and makes it available later on your phone, tablet, or computer.  The site lets you view your saved content as a list by title or url, and you can organize it and manage it however you like - by category, or maybe chronologically.  When you're finished with an item, you can delete it, archive it, or mark it as a favorite.  Don't click past that interesting item, or worry about forgetting where you saw it - just put it in your virtual pocket - at GetPocket.com.

http://getpocket.com/

Do you envy those people who always seem to have an appropriate epithet on the tip of their tongue, who know exactly the right one-liner to quip in any circumstance?

This site may help you become one of them.

Browse pages and pages of one-liner wisdom at ThatOneRule.com.

Because after all, class is knowing what to say, when to say it, and when to stop talking. (#1489.)

http://www.thatonerule.com/

Attention, shoppers!  Have you ever wanted to buy someone the perfect UNUSUAL gift?  One that'll be a conversation piece for years after it's given?  For those with a sense of humor that's just a little out there, the shopping's just fine on ThisIsWhyImBroke.com.  It's an online catalog put together by some hardcore window shoppers that highlights some of the funniest, most unusual items you'll ever run across in one place. Where else can you find a TV remote shaped like a magic wand, a baked potato beanbag chair, an iPhone case that looks like a cassette tape, a Dali inspired melting clock that really works, or a knit cap that looks like your BRAIN?!  And there are items to fit every budget - pick up a package of bacon flavored candy canes for just over 4 bucks, or, if you've got a few more benjamins to spend, maybe you'll want to splurge on your own personal flying hovercraft for the bargain price of $190,000.  From the very practical to the slightly profane, you're sure to find something you'll want to blow your allowance on.

http://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/

Most people admire their favorite baseball players without ever getting the chance to meet them.  This site offers a great way for you to reach out to your favorite MLB athlete in a very personal way - and it's licensed by MLB, completely on the up-and-up.  At E-Graphs.com, you create an exchange with the player of your choice and wind up with a handwritten note on a hi-res photo and an audio message, both of which can be shared online and offline.  Some of the first players involved are members of the Red Sox - Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, and even Tim Wakefield.  Makes a perfect gift for the baseball lover in your life!

https://www.egraphs.com/

Excited about keeping track of all the medal winners during the London Olympics?  Scammers are counting on it - and theyve been busy, firing off a blitz of fake emails aimed at stealing your money and information, all with an Olympic theme to entice you to click.  Olympic organizers are officially asking you to be wary - 124 different scams have been recorded so far.  The most common spam includes an email that tells you you've won an “Olympic lottery,” or offers you the chance to sign up for temporary jobs during the Games. And the ploys are shameless; lots of them use the names of large companies - Coca-Cola, Nokia and Ford, for example, to get your attention and appear legit. Others involve phony emails to companies to demand payment for Olympics-related items. What can you do to avoid being scammed?  If you do want to purchase Olympic memoribilia, officials say you should pay for items only on secure sites (look for the icon that resembles a padlock.)  The prediction is that the bogus emails and fraudulent sites will escalate and increase as the Games kick into high gear, so bookmark the official site - and make that your primary resource for Olympic surfing.

http://www.london2012.com

This one's for you decorators  - or maybe the color challenged:  LetsChipIt.com allows you, with a little hi-tech help from Sherwin Williams, to match the color in a favorite photo or painting to a palette put together from over 1,500 Sherwin Williams paint colors.  Whatever's inspired you - whether it's a shot of a gorgeous landscape, another room you admire -  even a picture of your kid's favorite stuffed toy — Chip It! will identify the colors you love and save them so you can eventually paint accordingly.  You can upload your own image from a photo, or direct the site to browse an image you've found online - and you can access all the "ChipCards" you create right at letschipit.com.  Just log in to your account to view, edit and share them whenever you want - it works with your iPhone, too.  And yes - it's compatible with Pinterest!  When you're ready to go, you can order your paint right at the site, which will direct you to your closest Sherwin Williams retailer. Capturing colors is fun and easy at LetsChipIt.com.

http://letschipit.com/

If you're a child of the 80's or 90's - or have a child or parent that was - this is a fun flashback site.  It features pop culture nostalgia submitted by readers - you'll be surprised at what you miss fondly (or maybe not so much!)  Some of the links are fun as well...  with dozens of pages to browse, you'd better set aside some quality time for this one!

http://imremembering.com/

From time to time, a poem is just the thing - whether you need to express a sentiment, make an argument, or put together a tribute - and here's a great resource to scour all kinds of poetry for whatever you need: PoemHunter.com.   You'll find a comprehensive collection of poems from just about every poet you can think of, from classic to contemporary, and a vast collection of song lyrics as well.  And if YOU'RE a poet, you'll also find this a rich resource; the site offers poetry contests, rhythm and rhyme workshops, and poetry discussions to help you hone your craft.

http://www.poemhunter.com/

If you're an avid reader - if you love books and just can't quite get into the electronic reader thing, but you'd like to spend less on books - check out paperbackswap.com.  Just like the name implies, this site connects readers and allows them to swap books.  And in spite of the name - you can choose more than just paperbacks!  The site makes hardcovers and audio books available too - in CD or even cassette, whatever you prefer.  Large print books?  They've got 'em...  Out-of-Print books?  They've got those too!  And they have an amazing selection - how about more than 5 MILLION titles to choose from?!  You post books you want to swap, then pick some out yourself - all you pay is postage for the ones you send to others.  It's a cooperative program, so you do have to get the ball rolling by offering books you've got to lend - but once you're in the program, all you ever pay is shipping, unless you want to BUY the book in question.  No late fees, no hidden charges...  Team up with other book lovers like yourself  and swap away - so far readers have saved over $31 million with PaperbackSwap.com!

http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php

How many times has it happened to you - you know you need new curtains for your living room, but you can't find exactly waht you're looking for...  or you'd love to treat your Mom to a new dining room table, but can't find one win the dimensions to fit her tiny dining space?  That's where CustomMade.com comes in - you specify the item you're looking for (and you're not limited to home furnishings - you can commission ceramics, jewelry, and more!) and one or more of the 3,000 artisans on the site who specialize in making that item will give you a bid on custom-creating it for you.  You can also search through previously commissioned items for a little inspiration!

http://www.custommade.com/

School lets out this week - and Scholastic, the book fair people, want to keep your kids reading all summer long.  So they've provided a friendly competition, and some fun incentives - help set a world record just by reading a little every day!

http://www.scholastic.com/summer/kids

If you’re in the market for a job – you might want to check out Big Interview.com to give yourself an extra edge.  This is an online interview preparation site launched by management professionals that gives advice and instruction on everything from how to land an interview to the process itself to the follow through – and as you prepare, you record yourself so you can analyze your own performance and polish it accordingly.  Once you do some mock interviews, you’ll get a custom report from a big interview coach, who’ll make recommendations on how you can improve your answers and make improvements to your presentation.  There is a monthly fee for the service, but the minimum commitment is just 3 months – if you’re determined to land that dream job, take advantage of the free trial.

http://biginterview.com/

Is your kid a Red Sox fan?  June is his or her month!  As part of Fenway Park's 100th anniversary celebration, the Sox have announced that June is "Calling All Kids" month.  They kicked it off with a ticket giveaway at the Children's Museum over the weekend, and the celebration continues with Little Leaguers and baseball camp participants being invited to take the field with the team before select home games.  The Sox will honor children who have overcome adversity or made big-time contributions to their communities during the month, and Darnell McDonald's seven-year old daughter will do some broadcasting and online reporting.  YOUR kid can get involved by entering an art and essay contest - the grand prize is tickets to a game, a meet and greet with a player, and the privilege of having his or her work displayed at Fenway Park!  Deadline for entry is June 30; enter here:

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/fan_forum/fenway_park_essay_contest.jsp
 

So where do you think you'll be in 3 years?  5 years?  10?  Send a message to your future self through FutureMe.org.  The site works like a simple email service, but lets you specify the date when your message will show up.  It's recommended that you use a personal address rather than a work-related one, just in case you change jobs before your time-capsule message is delivered.  If you agree with the site's founders that "memories are less accurate than e-mails," check this out.

http://www.futureme.org/

This morning we're highlighting some recommended Smartphone apps rather than a website.  These have been touted by Men's Health as among the best apps aimed at keeping you healthy. 

The Heart Disease Risk Calculator will motivate you by estimating your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.  It's free on your iPhone.

Medscape tracks drug interactions and gives you safety data on more than 8,000 medications.  Its reference section, featuring the latest medical news, is called the best out there by many doctors - it's free for your Blackberry, Android, or iPhone.

ZocDoc helps you  find a doctor or dentist in many major US markets, and provides reviews as well.   It's free for your Blackberry, Android, or iPhone.

MelApp uses pattern recognition technology and a Johns Hopkins image database to assess your skin cancer risk by allowing you to scan a photo of a questionable lesion.  It'll let you know if you should follow up with a dermatologist.  It's $2 for iPhone users.

And if you're determined to make this the time that you really, really do stop smoking - try My Last Cigarette.  It'll remind you of how much cash you're saving, and how much your life expectancy is increasing.  And it delivers motivational messages to boot, which studies show may contribute to you making it to the 6-month mark smoke free.  It's $1 for iPhone.

The folks responsible for organizing the national Memorial Day Parade coming up next Monday in Washington DC are responsible for this beautiful site, which will allow you to be a part of it from wherever you are.  Registering on the website will allow you to actively participate on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28th, at 2 p.m. on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. All Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are encouraged to participate in the parade in honor of their comrades who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Those who'd like to support The American Veterans Center can also make a donation at the site.

http://www.virtualbootsontheground.com/

If you're interested in improving your memory - your "mental flexibility," so to speak - check out Lumosity.com.  This site offers a series of games and exercises designed to help improve one’s mental abilities.  These games have been designed by a team of neuroscientists - they're challenging, and they're fun. What they AREN'T, however, is completely free.  To take full advantage of the possible long term benefits of Lumosity's training (which is also personalized, by the way - it uses data from the way you perform on the games to cater challenges to the areas you need to strengthen), you will have to subscribe after your initial 3-day trial, and you have to register with the site to even get a look at the prices.  A quick search this morning showed that prices range from $7-15 a month depending on the term you choose; they run promotional offers from time to time as well.

http://www.lumosity.com/about

Wizcabulary is a FREE vocabulary game for middle schoolers. It is a fun, interactive, vocabulary website designed to engage students in learning words that are appropriate for students in 5th - 9th grade.  It was designed by the founder and CEO of a nationally recognized online test-preparation company, and through playing the game, students are encouraged to learn about giving - Wizcabulary donates 1 cent per word correct to Graph It Forward Today (www.graphitforwardtoday.org)

http://www.wizcabulary.com/

So you enjoy watching Dancing With the Stars - but can't quite claim the star power to get on the show yourself, or maybe you'd rather avoid the injuries that come along with the competition?  Here's a way to dance with the pros virtually.  Play along at ABC.com!  They'll set you up with an avatar that you can outfit with some of the same costumes the stars choose...  get help with makeup and hair from DWTS's pros - and choose your own partner!  You'll compete in dances with actual dance moves choreographed by US champion Kym Johnson. In addition to her moves, you can create your own custom routines, and as you dance more you can level up to unlock new dance moves, costumes, music and more.

http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/keep-dancing-game

For instant-gratification types who love movies, nothing beats streaming video—except, perhaps, this site.  Enter the title of a flick to find the platforms you can watch it on, such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and iTunes. If the film isn’t available for streaming yet, set a reminder and the site will let you know when it’s showtime.

http://www.canistream.it/

If you've got a Katie Couric craving since she left the CBS Evening News - you'll be happy to know that Katie's got a new weekly web series that's up and running as of earlier this week.  It's called "Katie's Take."  In it, she'll tackle lifestyle, parenting and health issues that concern us all.  The first webisode concerns snack chips - which ones are healthy, and which ones just LOOK like they might be.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/katies-take-abc-news/

Mangahigh.com is A FREE games-based learning site, where students learn math thru purpose-built casual games that balance fun and learning. The site was founded by an experienced team of mathematicians and game specialists,  who strive to balance game play and education.  The educational content is based on core standards; each game covers certain learning topics and is designed to dynamically adapt in difficulty to the ability of the student. The site is targeted towards 7-16 year olds. Educators get their own login, where they can track the progress of their students. Players have the ability to earn medals as they progress, and the site allows them to participate in Fai-To, a school-to-school bilateral competition system that lets two schools enter math combat against one another.  This can be a great classroom resource - teachers get a COMPLETELY FREE account and it only takes 2 minutes to register at mangahigh.com

http://www.mangahigh.com/en_us/

Do you ever feel like you're behind the curve when it comes to finding out about viral videos?  Now you can be the one to say "Hey, didja see the one...."

All you have to do is bookmark the Video Viral Chart, and check it out each week.  The site presents the videos that are creating the most online buzz in the form of a top ten list.  Not all are safe for work, but they represent all kinds of categories - sports, music, politics, and more.

http://videoviralchart.com

If you use a computer - and who doesn’t -  a few mouse clicks could mean the difference between staying online and losing your Internet connection this summer.  You may not realize it – but a scam that was put into motion several months ago may wind up disabling your ability to get online in July.  The problem began when a group of  international hackers ran an online advertising scam to take control of infected computers around the world. They’ve been arrested – but the infection remains.  Most of the infected computers are household machines just like yours, and you’d have no way of knowing you’re infected – although you may suspect something’s up because the software has possibly slowed your surfing and may be causing some other problems. In a highly unusual response, the FBI set up a safety net months ago using government computers to prevent Internet disruptions for those infected users. But that system is scheduled to be shut down this summer – and when it is, if you haven’t fixed the problem, you won’t be able to get online.  The FBI’s not leaving us high and dry – they’re encouraging users to visit a website run by their security partner that will tell you whether or not you're infected and explain how to fix the problem if you are. 

Here's an article that describes the problem in detail:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-04-20/internet-woes-infected-pcs/54446044/1

And here's the site the FBI is recommending you visit for the test and the fix.

http://www.dcwg.org

In honor of earth Day coming up on Sunday – this morning’s highlight website is the RE project – as in REduce, REuse, and REcycle…  actually, it’s all about UPcycling – taking things you would ordinarily toss away and creating objects with a higher purpose.  The site contains instructions on how to complete do-it-yourself projects designed by Samuel Bernier, an industrial designer from Quebec.  A few might leave you a little befuddled as far as aesthetics go – but at the very least the site will remind you that there are ways to reuse what you’re getting ready to toss as you complete your Spring cleaning, and there are also a couple of ideas easy enough for a kid to tackle for a green-friendly school project. 

http://project-re.blogspot.com/

I had no idea this existed - so I wanted to make sure you knew, too!  Do you enjoy the ''doodles" that Google comes up with to commemorate different holidays and events?  They're archived for you to enjoy any time at Google.com/doodles.  So if playing with that interactive guitar on the anniversary of Les Paul's birthday wasn't enough for you the first time - you can have at it again!

http://www.google.com/doodles/finder/2012/All%20doodles

Contest time for sports lovers...  The ESPY's are coming up this summer, in July - it's the biggest sports social event of the year!  You could be there, thanks to the folks at Jockey International.  Sign up for a chance to win a $4,500 prize package that includes 2 tickets to the ESPY's in LA on July 11th; airfare and hotel accomodations for 2; a $500 stipend; and a meet and greet with Tim Tebow.  Entry deadline is April 30th - good luck!

http://jockey.young-america.com/register.aspx

We have a couple of extra days this year, but if you haven't filed your taxes yet, you may be beginning to sweat...  Never fear - this year the IRS is introducing Free File - it's like those commercial tax preparation software packages, only put together BY the IRS, and - it's free!  There's an option for you no matter what your income, and if you need to file an extension or arrange for a payment plan with the IRS, you can use the software to do that, too.

http://IRS.gov/FreeFile

If you're into genealogy, chances are you've already heard about this site - for the first time, US Census data from 1940 is being released by the Census Bureau and made available to the public through the census archives.  Not only is this a cool tool if you're researching your family's history, it has some wider implications as well - researchers are hoping to track the movements of 1930's refugees from Europe, as well as find out where Japanese Americans interred during World War II were living before they were removed.  I found my grandparents pretty quickly this morning - they were living with my grandmother's mother and older brother in 1940 - she was expecting my dad, and he was working in his in-laws' shoe shop!  Fascinating stuff.

http://1940census.archives.gov

So do you hate Facebook's Timeline, even though you've been dragged kicking and screaming into the new format?

There is a way for you to take back control of your Facebook page - with a free extension for your browser called Social Fixer.

This download enables you to tweak some features and streamline presentation of your page in a way that's more appealing to you.  For instance, you can create tabs for your news stories that will help organize them according to your priorities, and you can customize your layout - the  app allows you to change the colors, layout, and images you see on your page.  Perhaps most significantly, though, are the changes you can make if you really hate Timeline.  Social Fixer will allow you to put your newsfeed back in one column.  It'll hide the cover photo if you don't care to use one, and you can eliminate that annoying "friends" window that comes up on the right.

Want more control of your Facebook experience?  Its a free download, and it'll work with any browser EXCEPT IE:

http://socialfixer.com/

You don't even have to go online for this one - if you're an expectant mommy, just TEXT!

This program, called TEXT-4-BABY sends you free health tips via text when you sign up, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  These are aimed at pregnant women and those caring for a baby under the age of 1.  And the texts are timed to reach you at the stage of pregnancy that corresponds to the piece of advice.  It's easy to get involved - simply text the word "BABY" to 511411.

If you love Nautica clothing, and feel you embody the spirit with which it's designed - AND if you make your living or spend a significant amount of time on the water - you may be interested in participating in their Ocean2Ocean program, a celebration of coastal communities around the U.S.  Currently Nautica is looking for people from the Cape Cod and Boston areas who are sailors, craftsmen, harborpeople, or who row crew to be featured in this video series.  You can get a feel for who they're looking for by watching some of the videos they've already produced here:

http://nauticaocean2ocean.com/

There is compensation involved here - plus you'll have the video forever!

Deadline to submit yourself for consideration is this Friday the 30th.  If you'd like to be featured, send along

• Three current photographs, including one facial close-up;
• Full name and date of birth;
• Phone, email and city or town of residence;
• Occupation;
• Category (sailor, craftsman, crew team, etc.);
• Details about what you do, and how and where you spend time on the water

to submit@jsmcasting.com.

This morning's website is one I'm especially excited about, and if you're a bicyclist, I encourage you to check it out.  A new online competition launched this week by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the League of American Bicyclists, Bikes Belong and Endomondo, the National Bike Challenge aims to inspire and empower millions of Americans to ride their bikes for transportation and recreation and better health. The Challenge is simple: Sign up as an individual or as a team, log your miles, share your stories and encourage others to join you. Riders will compete for prizes and awards on the local and national level, including a Grand Prize trip through California wine country from Trek Travel. The Challenge starts the first day of May, and runs through August 31st.  Its goal is to unite 50,000 people to bike 10 million miles; be a part of it!

http://www.endomondo.com/campaign/national/

If you admire the "word clouds" that have been cropping up lately on websites, on people's Facebook pages, and in all kinds of print art, maybe you want to try to make your own - Wordle is a site that'll help.  Basically, Wordle generates “word clouds” from text that you provide, and you can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes.

Wordle uses the Java web-browser plugin. You must ensure that Java applets are enabled in your browser to use the tool. 

http://www.wordle.net/

You may not think of Twitter as a resource for learning about history - but that may be about to change.  With the 100th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy approaching in April, OK Publisher History Press has set up the @TitanicRealTime twitter account to present a "real time" picture of what happened back in 1912.  The tweets will be from fictional versions of everyone involved in the fateful voyage, from the Captain to crew members to engineers to passengers, they'll aim to be as realistic as possible to help paint a picture of the preparations, the accomodations, the apprehensions, and eventually the terror that everyone involved experienced - and they've already begun.  Here's an article that tells you more - if you're on Twitter, check it out!

http://mashable.com/2012/03/11/titanic-live-tweets/

If you're an animal lover, you'll be spending some time here...  at The Featured Creature, you'll go batty over bat embryos and loony over Googly-eyed snails. The site offers daily pictures of and facts about some of the coolest, weirdest and just plain interesting animals on our planet. Founded by Carly Martinetti, a recent UCLA graduate and avid animal lover, the site introduces readers to the unfamiliar world of exotic animals. With humor and insight, Martinetti showcases everything from the strangest dogs to the craziest frogs.  It's no trip to Old McDonald's farm - check out the critters at

http://www.TheFeaturedCreature.com

If you’re fascinated by history through photography – here’s a site you should definitely check out – it’s the New York Times Tumblr site, the Lively Morgue.  Basically it’s a presentation of archival photographs from the New York Times.  Now you might question the premise here - The Times hasn’t always used photos to best advantage, by its own admission.  But back in 1896, it first published an illustrated Sunday magazine. By the time of the First World War, readers were seeing amazing pictures every week of the war. Early in the 20th century, The Times even had its own picture agency, Wide World Photos.  They figure they have between 5 and 6 million photos in their historical archive, and they’re sharing them here.  Just to give you a sense – if they were to post 10 new archival pictures every weekday on Tumblr,  they wouldn’t have the whole thing online until the year 3935.  They’re publishing several photographs each week, some of which will be available for purchase and some of which will be accompanied by a more extensive back story .  Enjoy these amazing photos at

http://livelymorgue.tumblr.com/about

If you're the parent of a high school student with college aspirations, check out CollegeNet.com - it's a social networking site that offers students the opportunity to win scholarship money by initiating forums on different topics, responding to topics that others have broached,  and voting on the work of others.  Scholarship awards range from $3,000 to $10,000 weekly depending on the number of participants for any given week - the site claims to have awarded over $900,000 in scholarship money since 2007.  If you have a student that loves to express him or herself in writing - check out CollegeNet.com, "where it pays to think."

http://collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=page/Landing

Do you think your kid may have what it takes to be the next Donald Trump?  KIDPRENEURS is a site that outlines some basic tools and strategies kids can use to gain some valuable experience in starting, managing and growing a successful business venture. Through easy-to-understand basic principles and a creative approach, the site outlines some key techniques that will have a powerful and positive impact on your child’s ability to understand entrepreneurship.  And it's not all about making money - the founders of the site also stress charity and giving back, and "green" business ethics as well.

http://www.kidpreneurs.org/

Have you ever believed there was an editorial or comic cartoonist inside you just waiting to be released - but werre thwarted because you can't draw?  You rinner cartoonist can find release at ToonDoo!  Create your own comic strips, share them with the rest of the world or insert them in your blogs or websites with just a few clicks and drag-n-drops!  You, too can be a cartoonist - no matter what your age or artistic ability.

http://www.toondoo.com/

I thought with 5K season just about upon us, today's site might come in handy for anyone putting together a team for a charity run - or any other kind of a team as well.  At Fibers.com, you can design your own custom wear - t-shirts, sweatshirts, even infant onesies! - have your chosen design professionally imprinted, and get your stuff within a week, all at a very reasonable cost.  One of the coolest things about the site - there's NO minimum order - so if you're spontaneously inspired, you can make a unique t-shirt just for you!  There are plenty of cool businesses here on the Cape that can help you out with custom wear, and we hope you'll go to them FIRST - but if that doesn't work, you may want to give Fibers a try.

http://www.fibers.com/

One for movie buffs...  if you can't wait to see which films get Academy recognition this Sunday night, you can see recaps of all the Oscar movies in one handy location, plus find out where you can see them online or offline, at Roger Ebert's movie site.  Also - through the site, you can check out the new "Watch It" app that allows you to add movies to your various queues and be alerted when a movie you're waiting for gets added to one of the services you use.

http://gowatchit.com/channels/roger-eberts-guide-to-watching-the-oscar-films

http://gowatchit.com/

We're pretty sure you've already heard about Angry Birds coming to Facebook - but maybe you didn't realize that through the end of TODAY ONLY - you can get extra power ups when you play.  Not a holiday for productivity, certainly...  but fun nonetheless!  Check out Angry Birds on Facebook if you dare - here's an article with more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2101007/Angry-Birds-hits-Facebook-A-black-day-office-productivity.html

If you're a fan of our "Flashback" tunes, you'll love this...  it's a musical time machine - choose the year and you'll link to 20 of the top hits from that year.  A fun way to go back in time! (Thanks, Bob, for sending me here!)

http://upchucky.org/TimeMachine.htm

Today's highlight site has become a bit of an obsession with me...  Have you discovered Pinterest yet?  It's the hottest new social networking site of 2012.  Basically, it's a virtual pinboard that helps you organize projects, ideas, or your favorite things found while surfing the internet.  You'll get inspiration from others, too, as you check out their favorite things!  So much fun - make sure you allow plenty of time for your first visit!

http://pinterest.com/

So how about those commercials??

In the end, they were the only thing making Patriots fans smile last night...  well, most of 'em anyway...

If you missed any while you had your head in your lap weeping, see them now here:

http://www.superbowl-commercials.org/

The annual Doodle 4 Google contest is on!

Your student, grade K-12, is invited to use his or her artistic talent to redesign Google's homepage logo.  The theme this year - "If I could travel in time, I'd..."

The winner's artwork will not only appear on Google's homepage on May 18th, it'll also adorn a limited edition Crayola 64 crayon box!

Deadline for submission is March 23.  Good luck!

http://Doodle4Google.com

Get PAID to watch TV??  Sound like a dream come true?  No dream - it's a reality now, with Viggle!

It's an app for the iPhone and iPad that "listens" to what you're watching - and issues credits - about 2 per every minute watched.  Rack up 7,500 points and you could win a $5 gift card to a popular retailer, like Starbucks or CVS.  There are ways to score bonus points, too.

Get started and download the app here:

http://viggle.com/

Amatuer filmmakers - this is an opportunity to have your short film screened by Ridley Scott's production company, and enetered into the running for a $500,000 grant from YouTube to produce a piece of work with Scott Free Productions, the company Ridley and his brother Tony run.  Beginning a week from today, YouTube's "Your Film Festival" channel will begin accepting submissions of films up to 15 minutes in length.  10 finalists will win the chance to attend the Venice Film Festival - one will be chosen for the Grand Prize grant.

http://www.YouTube.com/YourFilmFestival

Film buffs - see the 25 films that have been added to the Library Of Congress's National Film Registry for 2011.  This brings the total archive to 575 films - over 2,200 were nominated from the past year.  The intent is to preserve movies  that have significant social, cultural, or historic impact - check out the full list and the new additions here:

http://www.loc.gov/film

I am not kidding about this.  It's real (and thank to our friends at Dial Global for the heads - or bottoms - up!)

Ozzy Osbourne is teaming up with CBS for a contest in which the winner gets a trip to New York City to get a colonoscopy. Osbourne’s wife, Sharon, says her life was saved by a colonoscopy that Ozzy urged her to get. The winner of the CBS Cares Colonoscopy Sweepstakes will get a trip for two to New York City, including a hotel for three nights overlooking Central Park and a colon screening with a colon cancer expert from New York-Presbyterian Hospital. The winner will be selected by random drawing in early April - and will hereafter be able to claim "Hey - I got a colonoscopy from Ozzy Osbourne!" Details and rules can be found here:

http://www.CBSCares.tv

I thought this would be a good one with Wayne White in the chair, because I know he enjoys a trip down memory lane as much as I do…  If you’re trying to remember the words to the theme song from your favorite TV show – just go to TelevisionTunes.com, and you can listen to it in all its glory.  There are over 20,000 TV shows to choose from – and you have the option to download them to your cellphone as ringtones.  Warning – get ready to waste a little time here!

http://www.TelevisionTunes.com

The automotive students at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School need your help - they're in the running for $25,000 from the UTI Foundation to improve their shop, and right now they're among the top 8 contenders in this national video contest. Check out their very clever video - and cast your vote today!!

https://apps.facebook.com/drivetosucceed/index2.php

If you're a fan of Groupon and Living Social, this may have some appeal for you - Yipit collects deals from more than 800 different services and filters them through preferences that YOU set - giving you the best of the best deals in your selected region (or nationally, if you choose.) 

http://www.Yipit.com

If you wear glasses, you may want to take some time to check out the frames at Warby Parker -  they design their own glasses and you pay only $95, including prescription lenses made of polycarbonate plastic.

Nervous about ordering glasses without being able to try them on first?  The site uses facial recognition technology so you can upload a photo of yourself and try on their styles virtually - there's also an option to have 5 pairs mailed to you so you can try them out for 5 days before you make your final selection!

A great option for those who wince at the prospect of shelling out $300+ for a pair of designer glasses.

http://www.warbyparker.com/
 

Local astronaut Dan Burbank is in space as we speak - he's on a 6-month assignment to the International Space Station to do some maintenance and conduct a variety of experiments.  On January 20th, he's hosting a Q&A session about life in space, and the session will be broadcast on NASA's youTube channel.  If you'd like to upload a question for him, click the link below for more - your uploaded videos have to be fewer than 30 seconds long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2zoqq4_Uh4&list=PLD41452325838884C&index=1&feature=plpp_video

If you'd like to follow Commander Burbank on Twitter, by the way, visit

http://twitter.com/AstroCoastie.

Dedicated  to your health, your fitness, your happiness - you'll love the tips you find at Greatist.com.  Become a subscriber to their free daily tips  - you're bound to learn something new!

http://www.greatist.com/
 

Ever wonder what Santa's reindeer do AFTER Christmas?  Keep an eye on them at ReindeerCam.com, and if you're lucky, you'll catch them being fed and possibly read to by Santa himself at 10AM and 5 PM!

http://reindeercam.com/

OK, so you're wondering how to make these last two work days before the Christmas weekend pass by more quickly so you can get to the Yuletide cheer?  Here you go...

http://www.jokesunlimited.com/christmas_elf_name.php

Make sure you post signs at all your co-workers' desks...  they'll love you for it.

You're welcome.  Love, Snappy Bing-A-Ling  ;)

I have to give the credit to my buddy Jill for this one. Jill isn't a parent - but has lots of kids in her life.  She discovered this site and has been singing from the rooftops about it ever since!  It's a great forum BY parents FOR parents (or those involved with kids) containing some great solutions to everyday problems.  You can seek advice, comment on the "hacks," or submit one that's worked for your family at ParentHacks.com - make sure to go through the archives, and read the comments below each hack; they often contain tips just as good as the one being commented on!

http://www.parenthacks.com/

For a weekly glimpse of the articles and images people have been talking about, check out the Twisted Sifter - some great pop culture browsing - and if you click on Best Of the Sifter, make sure to check out the 20 Clever Logos with Hidden Symbolism!

http://twistedsifter.com/

A couple of holiday themed websites this morning, just for fun...

Are you into the ugly Christmas sweater craze?  Apparently it's become increasingly popular to wear the ugliest possible holiday apparel to your family or office gathering - and a stay-at-home Mom decided to capitalize on the trend by offering the worst of the worst for you to buy at My Ugly Christmas Sweater.  Buy one for yourself, for a family member, for a colleague... or just browse through 'em and shake your head.

http://www.myuglychristmassweater.com/

This next site, though, is one on which I plan to do some serious shopping - not only now but throughout the year.  For that hard-to-buy-for literate type on your list, you're sure to find something that will suit at The Unemployed Philosophers Guild (their motto:  "The unexamined gift is not worth giving.")  There are some truly unique items here aimed at the thinker in your life - things like Albert Einstein finger puppets,  a "Here's Looking at Eu-Clid" T-shirt (for the geometry lover!!), the ever-popular Shakespearean Insult Coffee Mug, and maybe my favorite item, the Salvador Dali wristwatch - his 'stache twirls to keep the time!  Cool, cool, cool.

http://www.philosophersguild.com/home.php

Do your kids tire of toys after they've played with them for just a few weeks?  This site proposes an innovative solution - why not RENT your kids' toys - Netflix style - and send 'em back for new ones once every couple of months?  Toygaroo sterilizes the toys between rent stints, and your monthly subscription covers all the shipping charges.  And if your kid truly falls in love with a toy, you can purchase it at a discount. 

http://www.toygaroo.com/guest/xmas_welcome

I have 2 for you today - both for aimed at those looking to expand their knowledge in math & science!

First of all, if you want to learn more about topics from calculus to history to physics, you can access more than 2,700 video lectures and over 200 practice exercises at the online Khan Academy.  It's a not-for-profit site that aims to provide some free knowledge to anyone anywhere.  Great stuff for students, home schoolers, adults who have gone back to school, or just the curious.

http://www.khanacademy.org/

Then - scientists at Woods Hole and The Sea Mammal Research Unit in Scotland are looking for some help from some "citizen scientists" - so Scientific American has teamed up with the Citizen Science Alliance for The Whale Song Project, also known as WhaleFM.  Basically they're asking you to listen to a whale song file, and match it to one from an existing database - it'll help them, hopefully and eventually, learn what's being communicated once they analyze all the gathered data.

Find out more here:

http://whale.fm/

Ok - let's talk Christmas lights!!  Here are 3 sites that will either inspire you or distress you... 

First - AOL online presents last year's best of the best from around the country.  Truly impressive.

http://news.travel.aol.com/2010/11/22/10-best-christmas-light-displays-in-the-us/

I found some of these displays (the ones that had pictures included) pretty cool, too.  Why search out California displays?  Well, considering the lack of winter weather, they have to get pretty creative to establish a holiday feel!

http://lightsofthevalley.com/

And finally - for a good laugh - check these out.  (Christmas Elephant, anyone?!)

http://uglychristmaslights.com/

Happy Cyber Monday!  If you're doing any shopping online today, you're sure to find some great bargains.  But deciding WHAT to buy?  That's where this site may come in handy...

Give 'Em This is a personalized gift engine that uses information your friends have made public on Facebook and other social media sites to recommend gifts they'd be likely to enjoy.

If that sounds a bit invasive, the site offers assurance that they ONLY use public information, they don't post to your wall or your friend's, and that you can disconnect from them at any time. 

http://www.giveemthis.com/

You're going to have the camera fired up at full speed from this point on in the season - so here's a site that'll help you make the most of all those family photos you're about to take. 

Picnik is an online photo editor that gives you photo editing superpowers! It’s fast, easy, offers tons of powerful tools, artistic effects, stickers, frames, touch-ups, scrapbooking tools and more - AND - it's all FREE!! There is a Premium service available, too, that offers more tools, advanced effects, seasonal content all year long and more. 

http://www.picnik.com/

I don't want to be a nag, really - but it IS the American Cancer Society's 36th Annual Great American Smokeout.  Resons to try one more time to put down the butts??

20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s.

5 years after quitting: Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker after 2-5 years.

10 years after quitting: The risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. The risk of cancer of the larynx and pancreas decreases.

15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s.

Just do it.  For some tips that will help -

http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayfromTobacco/GreatAmericanSmokeout/index

Need a tangible reward to inspire you to lose weight?  This may not work for everyone, but  HealthyWage, a New York City-based company that designs weight loss challenges and contests, recently launched a new program that lets you “bet” on yourability to lose weight using any diet and/or fitness program you choose. Basically, you put $100 on the line - but you'll net $200 if you lose 10% of your starting weight within six months. Starting and ending weights will be verified through HealthyWage health club partners across the country, and you will have to self-report your weight online once a week. In addition to this challenge, the company offers other cash rewards-based diet programs that pay participants for successfully make healthy choices, like lowering your BMI.

http://www.healthywage.com/

One for Veteran's Day:

http://yourmilitarystory.com/

Thank you for your service to our country.

I have 2 for you this morning!  First of all, the American Red Cross has kicked off its 2011 Holiday Mail for Heroes program. This is the fifth year Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have partnered to reach out to members of the military, veterans and their families trying to ensure all have a happy holiday.

Get all the guidelines (there are LOTS) here:

http://www.redcross.org/holidaymail

Then, when you're ready, mail those cards here:

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

This morning's World Wide Web Update involves a search for a new reality show star.  If someone you know is a single guy who's also a food expert - a chef, restaurateur, or gourmet - and looking for the love of his life, Pilgrim Studios wants to talk to him.  They're putting together a new reality series, a kind of "culinary Bachelor" that will pair said foodie, hopefully, with a woman after his own heart.  This is the company responsible for American Choppers, Larry The Cable Guy, Ghost Hunters, and Dirty Jobs - and the show will air on a major cable network.  The deadline, though, is looming fast - it's this Wednesday - so check it out quickly!

http://pilgrimstudios.com/casting/culinarybachelor/

Today's National Cliché Day - here's a site that'll not only explain the meanings and the origins of those we use most often, but just in case you're using your favorites a little too much - click on any cliché and you'll see a list of other clichés that mean the same thing.  It's like a cliché THESAURUS!!  ;)

http://www.clichesite.com/

Today's supposedly the day that our world population reaches 7 billion, and Population Action International has launched an application and released a report that explores the dimensions of a world at 7 billion at Whats-Your-Number.org.  Enter your birthdate and you can find out where you fall in the world's 7 billion (share it on Facebook and Twitter if you'd like, too.  You can also add yourself to their population map.

http://populationaction.org/Articles/Whats_Your_Number/

Looking for an alternative to Facebook?  Concerned about privacy invasion and undue influence from big advertisers?  Unthink.com, which is billing itself as the “anti-Facebook,” is recruiting its first round of beta testers. The company sees itself as a more open, more honest form of social networking; its users, say its creators, are the owners of their data, and not the product being sold to advertisers. Unthink's CEO says that on Unthink, user data isn’t sold to brands. Instead, users choose a brand to sponsor their page, by way of an ad called an “iEndorse.” The idea is that a user will tend to select a brand they use and are comfortable with, and will then become an advocate for that brand. Users who don’t want to select a brand have the option to pay for the service at the niminal cost of $2 a year.  If you're disillusioned with Facebook, check it out:

http://unthink.com/

This morning's update is a TED talk from "Mathemagician" Arthur Benjami, who races a team of calculators to figure out 3-digit squares, solves another massive mental equation and guesses a few birthdays. How does he do it? He’ll tell you.

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang/eng//id/199

Have you ever wondered what Madonna looked like as a high school junior?  How about A-Rod, Alec Baldwin, or Justin Timberlake?

Ancestry.com has just added to its already extensive collection of yearbooks - they boast 155 million entries at this point - and there are some fn celebrity pics you can browse even if you don;t register with the site.  Some fun browsing at

http://www.Ancestry.com/celebrity

Amazing stories about amazing dogs - a panel of celebrity dog-loving judges (Whoopi Goldberg, Orlando Bloom, Jillian Michaels, and Mark Hamill, among others) helped to vote in the winners!

A must-visit for dog lovers.

http://www.herodogawards.org/

The iPhone 4s goes on sale tomorrow - and advance orders broke the one day record, says Apple.  If you're one of the millions who have decided on the upgrade, CashForiPhones.com has some suggestions as to what to do with your iPhone 4 so it doesn't languish in a landfill.

• Use it as a universal remote - just add one of the range of apps and accessories to convert it
• Use it  as a personal media player instead of upgrading your iPod
• Use it as your camera - it already has some pretty impressive specs, and with a few add-ons, it makes a great camera
• Sell it - and use the proceeds to buy your 4S!

Learn about more recycling uses for your phone - and get directions on how to cash in if that's your choice.

http://cashforiphones.com

LOVE this one - if you have an outfit you've picked out for an important occasion, but aren't quite sure if it looks as good as it should on you - upload a picture of yourself wearing it to GoTryItOn.com, and get ready for popular opinion to give you a "yea" or a "nay!" 

You can also earn badges for giving really good advice to other would-be fashionistas, or by setting an example by always looking mahvelous... 

http://GoTryItOn.com

Launched in 1999, WebExhibits is an interactive, online museum of science, humanities, and culture.  Learn about some interesting topics, and enjoy some interactive activities that'll enhance your learning - it's all very visually attractive, too.

http://www.webexhibits.org/

So do you ever feel like you're battling with your hair?  Dove wants you to kiss and make up - so they're offering you a chance to meet with a celebrity stylist, take an all expense paid trip to NYC - and appear in a Dove commercial!   Check out the rules and details here:

http://www.DoveHair.com/Friends

A fun contest for you amateur photographers, with thanks to our friends at Dial-Global:

Justin Timberlake is hitting the big screen again next month with a lead role in the sci-fi thriller “In Time,” and he has teamed up with Los Angeles digital agency Talenthouse to launch a photography contest aimed at building buzz for the film. “In Time” is set in a world in which people don’t physically age past 25 and have to buy time to live longer. The new campaign, titled “Every Second Counts,” calls for photo submissions that represent the idea of making every second count. Timberlake will use the winning photo as his Facebook profile picture in November, and that photo and those from nine other finalists will be featured at a pop-up gallery at the Los Angeles premiere of the film. Closing date for submissions is October 10th.

http://www.Talenthouse.com

9/22/11:

CafeMom is an online community where moms come together to get advice and support on topics like pregnancy, health, fashion, food, technology, entertainment, and more.  It's fun, it's free, and it's just for moms...

www.cafemom.com/

9/19/11:

Here's one for you old-school video game lovers - it's RetroGamer.com, where you can play some old-school video games right on your computer. From “Pac-Man” to  “Frogger” and more, these retro games are still tons of fun to play - and they're free!   Check it out on your break...

retrogamer.com/home.jhtml

9/15/11:

This one's gonna make you hungry...  I'm not the world's best cook, but I DO have some favorite websites to consult when I'm inspired to get creative.  I love Epicurious (one of my daughter's favorites - and she IS an amazing cook!)  - and CookingForEngineers.com.

But I'm definitely adding Gojee.com to my arsenal.  The visuals are stunning, and some of the tools are handy - you can look for a recipe that caters to your cravings, or eliminates ingredients that trigger allergy symptoms for you (or that you just plain don't like!)  The recipes have been compiled from food bloggers all over the world, so there's lots of variety.  I tell you, though - I can spend a half hour just looking at the pictures!

www.gojee.com

9/12/11:

If you like to keep up with technology as it evolves and be the first to know - Venturebeat.com is a great site for you to check out.  It's technology news that keeps you up-to-date with what's new - and what's coming.  You'll find articles about smartphones, gaming, renewable energy, social media, networking, IT development, cloud computing, and more.  Want a preview of the iPhone 5, Windows 8, and the new music service Facebook's planning to offer?  You'll read about it at VentureBeat.  Interpreting innovation, so you can understand and apply it - VentureBeat.com.

venturebeat.com/

9/8/11:

This weekend, the world will observe the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York.  While many media outlets will cover the anniversary, there is one place, for people to revisit the attacks and the week after as events unfolded, without any filters. The Internet Archive, a California-based organization that collects audio, moving images and web pages for historical purposes, has put together a television news archive of that day’s coverage. More than 20 channels were recorded with more than 3,000 hours of television. Besides major U.S. networks like ABC, CBS, CNN and NBC, the Internet Archive has posted online TV recordings from Moscow, Paris, London, Baghdad, Tokyo, Ottawa and elsewhere. The archive begins 46 minutes before American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

www.archive.org/details/911/day

9/6/11:

Disorganized?  Here's help - and it works with all your media!  Plus - the little cow icon is irresistible...

www.rememberthemilk.com/

9/1/11:

A site promoting your good health - enjoy its articles, videos, and blog - and subscribe to its newsletter!

www.meyouhealth.com/

If you're really serious about becoming healthier, though, let the site help you with a daily challenge for you to complete:

challenge.meyouhealth.com/signup/

8/29/11:

If you're a crafter, you'll love this one - do you remember Craft Magazine?  They've got a great site for crafters looking for new ideas.   There are how-to videos, patterns, ideas for projects, and more - and achieve crafting glory by winning one of their contests!

craftzine.com

8/25/11:

Getting ready for Irene?  Here are some apps to help (thanks to our friends at Dial Global):

The Hurricane HD app is equipped with video updates for storms currently underway or forming. It covers hurricanes all over the world. The app costs $2.99 at iTunes.

The iMap Weather Radio app draws on your phone or tablet’s GPS and alerts users if they enter an area where a watch or warning has been issued. The app costs $9.99 at iTunes.

The Weather Channel app (free at www.weather.com) includes weather maps, animated radar maps, detailed weather conditions and forecasts, severe weather alerts and more.

Twitter will let you get free weather reports and alerts on your phone or computer by following certain Twitter sites such as The Weather Channel’s twitter feed @weatherchannel, MyWeather.com tweets @MyWeather, or AccuWeather’s @breakingweather. Or you can just search for “Irene” on Twitter and get all of them in one feed.

8/22/11:

So how's your brain?  Find out a little more about yours at TestMyBrain.org.  Learn about yourself with personalized results and feedback, while contributing to research on the brain and psychology.  Each of the tests featured takes about 15-25 minutes to complete, and will help you compare your cognitive abilities with those of other people.  As the site grows, it'll report more on brain research and education.

TestMyBrain.org

8/18/11:

Just a quick one this morning, for fun.  Not for those on a diet.

www.scandybars.com

8/15/11:

Forvo is the largest pronunciation guide in the world, the place where you´ll find millions of words pronounced in their original languages - more than 200 languages! More than just a handy reference site, Forvo allows you to add words you don’t know how to pronounce if they aren’t already on the site, rate and discuss the pronunciations you hear, and create your own Favorite Pronunciations list.  You can also track all of your added and pronounced words.  Bookmark it, and next time you run into a word you’re not quite sure how to say – in any language – go to Forvo.com.  All the words in the world – pronounced!

www.forvo.com

8/11/11:

Is there a nurse in your life who's made a significant impact on you or a loved one?  Johnson & Johnson is looking for nominations of exceptional U.S. nurses.  One lucky nurse will be selected to receive an expenses-paid trip to L.A. to appear on the CNN "Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" show and December, and the winner will also get to appear in a TV commercial that'll run on CNN.  12 semi-finalists will receive a certificate in honor of their nomination.  Nominations are being accepted through September 11 - voting begins at the end of September.

www.facebook.com/jnjnursingnotes

Looking for more information on becoming a nurse?  There's been a chronic shortage during the last 10 years - and the vacancy rate for RN's is more than 4%.  Read more about what it takes to pursue a nursing career here:

discovernursing.com

8/8/11:

There are thousands of dollars in unclaimed , forgotten money that state governments are tending - could some of it be yours?  Find out at Unclaimed.org.  Right now, at least $32.877 billion is currently being safeguarded by state treasurers and other agencies for 117 million accounts.  Why not check to see if you're due some of that?

The site is offered by NAUPA - The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Association of State Treasurers and the Council of State Governments.

www.unclaimed.org

8/4/11:

It's Shark Week - so today I've highlighted 2 sites that pay tribute to the shark!

First, for those of you that would REALLY like to learn more about sharks - an e-Bay auction is underway to benefit the Shark Research Institute’s conservation programs. Being auctioned are dinners or lunches with the world’s foremost shark experts and celebrities. This is an unprecedented opportunity to “talk shark” face-to-face, one-on-one, with a real authority on sharks! Bidding at press time ranged from $50 to $160. Bidding ends on August 11th. Find out more at www.sharks.org.

shop.ebay.com/srilevine/m.html

Then - on the lighter side -

FutureGamesofLondon is offering all its Hungry Shark games on the iTune App Store for FREE for one week in honor of Shark Week.
This is the chance for you to own all of the Hungry Shark games! That's Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, AND the new HD versions Part 1+ and Part 2+!
They’re also running a one week competition to win a custom-made Shark Hoodie (see photo attached of T.F.E.). They’re looking for the most outrageous, creative and original artwork of the infamous Shark Man – if you don’t know about Shark Man, check out the site.

www.futuregamesoflondon.com/

8/1/11:

National Plan Your Epitaph Day isn't till November 2nd - but those of you with a good sense of humor - and a respect for planning ahead - may enjoy Caught Dead In that, a website devoted to pictures of funny gravesfrom around the world.  It includes celebrity graves, and some that are pignant and funny at the same time - far from morbid!

caughtdeadinthat.tumblr.com/

7/28/11:

WARNING - this site could become addictive.  At Wordnik, you can not only learn words you may never have heard before, but see them used in examples from literature and articles...  hear them pronounced, discuss 'em, share 'em, love 'em.

If you love language - check it out!

wordnik.com

7/25/11:

WeBuzzApp.com is a great site for those of you who use Facebook for your business.  Add fun apps to your page that really help it stand out!  Add a poll app; an RSS feed; a photo gallery; a special offer app; a welcome tab, and more.  There is a fee for the apps - but your business gets its first app free of charge.  All the apps offered on the site are self-customizable, easily edited with no programming knowledge, flexibly priced, and supported by a multi-language interface.  If you use Facebook for your business, this is a great way to use the exposure more intersetingly.

webuzzapp.com

7/21/11:

WeChooseTheMoon.org is an interactive online experience that recreates the historic Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in real time. The site was created by AOL and the JFK Presidential Library a couple of years ago to celebrate the mission’s 40^th anniversary and to mirror the timing of the original launch. It’s divided into 11 stages that retell the ENTIRE mission through animation, archival photos, and audio - you can listen to the live radio stream and follow the status of the mission in real-time. The site has plenty of pictures and video for you to browse. There's even a timer to let you know when the next stage is starting and when the landing occurs. One great feature of the site is the coordinated Twitter feeds. If you can't sit with the site open all day and just listen, you can set up a column in Tweetdeck for tweets that are synchronized so they flow like a conversation, and that keeps you up to date with what’s happening. Once you’ve re-lived the mission, you can download a personalized certificate for display – great site for classrooms who are studying space exploration. It’s a chance to learn about one of the greatest achievements of mankind - Relive the Apollo 11 mission at WeChooseTheMoon.org.

WeChooseTheMoon.org

7/18/11:

From the folks at time - a site that helps you maintain a ahealthy balance in your life - mind, body, and spirit.  Articles on fitness, parenting, pregnancy, addiction, relationships and more are all here, along with news that relates to your health.

healthland.time.com/

7/14/11:

JetBlue has teamed up with PBS Kids to encourage your kids to keep reading all summer long.  They've launched SoarWithReading.com, a site that'll let your kids download a free reading activity kit, craete a summer reading list (they'll  have some help with that from Random House Books) and log their reading hours.  For every kid who registers at the site, JetBlue will donate a book to First Book - a non-profit that gives books to kids in need, up to 10,000 books.

To help promote the initiative, JetBlue is providing any kid that flies with them this summer with a free activity kit containing games that are based on PBS Kids programming.

In addition - there's a contest through the site.  Enter your favorite library to win up to $10,000 in Random House Books, and YOU to win a JetBlue family vacation to the Bahamas!

soarwithreading.com/

7/11/11:

Today's site was put together by the BBC - it's a cool way to put historical events and places in perspective - literally!  BBC Dimensions allows you to put in your zip code to juxtapose the size of historical events with your home and neighborhood.  The site will then overlay important places, events and things on a satellite view of where you live. Certain “Dimensions” can be transformed into short walks, so you can get a physical appreciation of the distances involved.  Could be a fun resource for Social Studies and history teachers!

howbigreally.com/

7/7/11:

Here's one just for fun if you're a Field of Dreams fan - or frustrated with the NFL lockout (although, even if you're neither you'll enjoy this!)  Funny or Die has produced a "sequel" to the Kevin Costner baseball flick that pokes fun at the lockout.  It stars Taylor Lautner, a bunch of NFL players, and Ray Liotta and of course Kevin Costner from the original.  Stick around after it plays for the "Making Of" short, too - it's just as funny!  A happy 6 minutes to start your day.

www.funnyordie.com/

7/4/11:

Happy 4th of July!

Thought this was an appropriate link considering the holiday - to add to your celebrations, it's a one-stop shop for all things patriotic:

www.patrioticon.org/

If you didn't get the answer to this morning's challenge question, here's an article that may interest you too:

foxnews.com/us/2011/07/04/10-things-might-not-know-about-our-independence/%27%20rel=%27nofollow

6/30/11:

leafsnap.com/

Tree lovers, rejoice!  If you don't know your ashes from your elms, no worries.  Now there's the LeafSnap app for your iPhone or iPad.  It lets you snap a photo of a tree leaf and submit it.  Using visual recognition technology, the app will search through a library of images of leaves collected by the Smithsonian, and return all kinds of information about the one you're trying to identify: a likely species name,  a hi-res photo, and everything you could ever want to know about its flowers, fruits, seeds, and bark.  Communing with nature has never been so easy!

6/27/11:

www.TechCrunch.com

TechCrunch is a leading technology site, dedicated to profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news. TechCrunch’s story began in 2005, when founder Michael Arrington launched a blog from his home in Atherton, CA, as a way to share information and get informed about people and companies that were making waves in the burgeoning world of Web 2.0. In less than a year and a half, TechCrunch was drawing several million page views every month and the attention of top entrepreneurs and VCs.  TechCrunch and its network of websites now reach over 10 million unique visitors and draw more than 33 million page views per month.as it continues to become one of the most influential news brands in the tech industry.  From Android to Apple, Google to Groupon, Twitter to Zynga - read all about tech news, new gadgets and more at TechCrunch.com.