Useful Links

Amazon books (amazon.co.uk)

"It was once called the world's biggest bookstore. Today, books are just one type of item the giant online retailer sells in 32 different product categories... Amazon, like some of its competitors, is lowering shipping costs.". (PC Mag)

Answers (answers.com)

"Answers.com - the ultimate answer engine, with quick accurate dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, bios, tech terms, news, sports, weather, and much more - provides quick, integrated reference answers instead of just search engine links". (answers.com)

Anti virus (housecall)
online virus checker.

BBC

Calendar (timeanddate.com) - A simple calendar, you can choose the month and/or year, amongst other customisations.

CD DB (gracenote.com)
Online database of music CDs - that can automatically list individual tracks on the CD.

Charity

Complaints (consumercomplaints.org)
The links page of the Trading Standards Service gives links to the Advertising Standards Authority, BBC Online Watchdog, Department of Trade and Industry, Fairdeal Local Trading Standards, Food Standards Agency, HM Customs and Excise, National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, Office Of Fair Trading & other organisations.

Council (direct.gov)
All UK councils are listed in this government site.

Dictionary (dictionary.com)

"Need to know the meaning of a word? Try Dictionary.com, a multisource dictionary search service. And don't worry if you don't know how to spell the word. Simply guess, and you'll get a list of suggestions if you're wrong". (PC Mag)

Directory enquiries

E bay (ebay.co.uk)

"eBay is the go-to place for all things for millions of people. You can purchase new or used products, rate the person with whom you do business, and even set up your own online shop. It's more than a shopping site, it's an online community, and as such there are many rules in place, including security for perspective buyers and sellers". (PC Mag)

Encyclopedia (wikipedia)

"Wikipedia has grown to 750,000 articles, including entries based on late-breaking stories. Thanks to good oversight, this wiki-based encyclopedia is reasonably free of opinion masquerading as fact—though it's always good to check articles against other sources. A great resource, even if some entries are out of date or incomplete.". (PC Mag)

Films (imdb.co.uk)

"This site has everything you ever wanted to know about nearly every movie or DVD ever released. Each listing includes cast and crew members, plot summaries, box office info, even user reviews and trivia. There's even a TV component (iMDbTV) that follows current and upcoming TV shows". (PC Mag)

Football scores (soccerbase.com)

"A comprehensive football statistics site, primarily covering English and Scottish leagues.
Soccerbase contains the results of every English and Scottish league or cup match ever played. You can discover that Forfar 5 East Fife 4 really was a true scoreline, and thousands of other facts. The underlying database is the same that powers Racing Post stats, and is updated every 15 minutes. A real blessing is the speed with which the site can be navigated - there are few ads, and links to relevant players, teams, games and so on make research extremely easy. For the serious gambler there is useful betting data covering fixed-odds, spread betting and pools, but the site can provide entertainment for any statistically-minded fan". (Web User)

Google Earth

"Part tool, part toy. Google came up with this top-notch concept that marries its useful map program with actual satellite imagery. Type in a known address, and if the satellite photo exists, you can zoom in to within a few hundred feet of your search. Though some addresses aren't as accurate as they could be, and large sections of the planet have yet to be married to satellite photos, this free download is a lot of fun". (PC Mag)

Government

Health - (WebMD)

"Not just for hypochondriacs, WebMD is a great resource for checking symptoms, finding a physician, seeking out others with your condition, and researching medications and herbal remedies. The site also has a weight-loss clinic and a fertility center. All in all, it's a great resource to help you ask your doctor the right questions and to explore alternative treatments". (PC Mag)

League table

Local info
Location

Lottery numbers (national-lottery.co.uk)

"Search through a six-month archive to check numbers. There is also information on the Lotto, Thunderball and other games". (Web User)

Maps

Money

MP (theyworkforyou.com)

"This website gives access to data on your MP & your MP’s performance and appearances at Parliament, by simply tapping in your postcode. It also holds a collection of material from Hansard, the official record of everything said in the House of Common. The site doesn’t provide any radical information, with many of the sections linking towards other sites, but acts a useful starting block for those of keen to get involved with local politics". (Web User)

Odds

Photos (flickr.com)

"A photo-sharing site with a social-networking bent, Flickr offers a host of ways to see and be seen. You can tag your photos by keyword, let other users add notes and comments, upload photos from your camera phone, post to blogs and multiuser pools, and, by searching the tags, find new photos and people to share them with". (PC Mag)

Police
Recipes (epicurious.com)

"A refined guide for gourmet diners. Learn what to eat, where to eat and how to cook like the pros.
Definitely at the refined end of the market, Epicurious is a site for those who eat for enjoyment and don't care about the cost. The recipes veer towards the complex and for many you'll need a pretty good food shop. But for the serious gourmet, these are minor concerns and with many recipes sourced from top restaurants, there's sure to be something here worth the effort. Epicurious has over 10,000 recipes, all rated by readers. There are also special food features and even technique videos showing you how to open oysters and clean clams for example. ". (Web User)

Route planner (theaa.com)

Post codes

Search (google.co.uk)
The biggest search engine. This link goes to the UK version, which offers a choice of whether to search UK websites only.

Shopping
SoYouWanna
The time
Train times
Translator
What's on TV (radiotimes.com)

"The online home for TV listings magazine Radio Times, with listings information for over 350 TV and radio channels 14 days in advance.
For every programme in the guide, you can find a brief description and, for some, related websites and trivia facts. Register with the site to save a programme to a personalised schedule or turn your PDA into a listings guide and remote control for your TV with a free two-week trial. There’s also a request text message programme reminder for the truly square-eyed. Film buffs will enjoy the Film Reviews section, which has features over 24,000 expert reviews and film-related information for both TV and cinema". (Web User)

Wallpaper (caedes.net)

"You can make your PC a bit more pleasant with "desktop wallpaper" from Caedes.net. You can download any of the hundreds of artwork—photographs, fractal pieces, and illustrations—featured on the site and use them as your screen background. If you're artistically inclined, you can even upload some of your personal artwork to the site. Never stare at a boring screen again". (PC Mag)

Tags: internet list resources useful

Messaging

http://webmessenger.msn.com

I don't know why, but I've always had problems with messaging. There is now an online version, which works without installing any software.

Shoot the messenger
This program gives you greater control over the Windows Messenger Service. Windows Messenger Service is completely different from, and not in any way related to, "MSN Messenger", "Windows Messenger", or any other well-known instant messaging system.

Tags: messaging internet technical software

Extracts from Edinburgh Festival Stand-Up

Is it fair to say that there'd be less litter in Britain if blind people were given pointed sticks? Adam Bloom at the Pleasance

My parents are from Glasgow which means they're incredibly hard, but I was never smacked as a child ... well maybe one or two grams to get me to sleep at night. Susan Murray at the Underbelly

The dodo died. Then Dodi died, Di died and Dando died... Dido must be shitting herself. Colin & Fergus at the Pleasance

My mum and dad are Scottish but they moved down to Wolverhampton when I Was two, 'cause they wanted me to sound like a twat. Susan Murray at the Underbelly

Q: Who are the most decent people in the hospital?
A: The ultrasound people. David O'Doherty at the Gilded Balloon

I went to the airport to check in and they asked what I did because I looked like a terrorist. I said I was a comedian. They said, "Say something funny then." I told them I had just graduated from flying school. Ahmed Ahmed at C34

A lady with a clipboard stopped me in the street the other day. She said, "Can you spare a few minutes for cancer research?" I said, "All right, but we're not going to get much done." Jimmy Carr at the ICC

Sleeping with prostitutes is like making your cat dance with you on its hind legs. You know it's wrong, but you try to convince yourself that they're enjoying it as well. Scott Capurro at the Pleasance

You have to remember all the trivia that your girlfriend tells you, because eventually you get tested. She'll go: "What's my favourite flower?" And you murmur to yourself: "Shit, I wasn't listening ... Self-raising?" Addy Van-Der-Borgh at the Assembly Rooms

The world is a dangerous place; only yesterday I went into Boots and punched someone in the face. Jeremy Limb, at the Trap

Cats have nine lives. Which makes them ideal for experimentation. Jimmy Carr

I saw that show, 50 Things To Do Before You Die. I would have thought the obvious one was "Shout For Help". Mark Watson, Rhod Gilbert at the Tron

I went out with an Irish Catholic. Very frustrating. You can take the Girl out of Cork ... Markus Birdman at the Pod Deco

Got a phone call today to do a gig at a fire station. Went along. Turned out it was a bloody hoax. Adrian Poynton at the Pleasance

A dog goes into a hardware store and says: "I'd like a job please". The hardware store owner says: "We don't hire dogs, why don't you go join The circus?" The dog replies: "Well, what would the circus want with a plumber". Steven Alan Green at C34

Employee of the month is a good example of how somebody can be both a winner and a loser at the same time. Demetri Martin at the Assembly Rooms

Walking down Princes Street, soaking up the atmosphere, I saw a big sign that said: "Bus tours, ten quid." So I thought I'd give it a try... What a rip off. Ten quid to have a look round a bus! Seymour Mace at Café Royal

The right to bear arms is slightly less ludicrous than the right to arm bears. Chris Addison at the Pleasance

Ask people about God nowadays and they usually reply, "I'm not religious, but deep down, I'm a very spiritual person." What this phrase really means is: "I'm afraid of dying, but I can't be arsed going to church." Colin Ramone at The Stand

I was walking the streets of Glasgow the other week and I saw this sign: "This door is alarmed." I said to myself: "How do you think I feel?" Arnold Brown at The Stand

'Schindler's List' ... I got that out, thinking it was a porn movie. Well ... the title's in German ... and it did feature a shower scene. Ricky Gervais at The Playhouse

Thanks Chayton

Tags: humour list

Children's pictures

http://www.maddox.xmission.com/irule.html
"If you work in an office with lots of people, chances are that you work with a person who hangs pictures up that their kids have drawn. The pictures are always of some stupid flower or a tree with wheels. These pictures suck; I could draw pictures much better. In fact, I can spell, do math and run faster than your kids. So being that my skills are obviously superior to those of children, I've taken the liberty to judge art work done by other kids on the internet. I'll be assigning a grade A through F for each piece"

A trifle harsh maybe, but he has a point!

Thanks Scott

Tags: humour images

Management speak

Mission Statement

A mission statement is defined as "a long, awkward sentence that
demonstrates management's inability to think clearly."

All good companies have one.

Thanks Laura

Tags: humour Laura

Comedy - Fighting talk

@ bbc.co.uk

Fighting talk is a comedy programme on BBC Radio Five Live. It describes itself as

"A razor-sharp breakdown of all that’s happening in the volatile world of sport.

Sony Gold award winner Christian O'Connell, acts as ringmaster - or referee - over a panel of experts from around the world trying to stick their oar in and put their spin on events.

Christian gives points for informed comments but penalises any witless outbursts.".

An hour long programme broadcast at 11.00 on saturday mornings, this week it was hilarious. Lawrie McMenemy says of Robbie Savages' intelligence "last week he went out and bought 2 books, fair play to the lad, he's coloured one of them on already". :-D

If you've an hour to spare! There's a button to click near the top of the page to listen to the latest edition of Fighting Talk.

There's also a poll to vote for the best sports commentator ever.

Tags: humour bbc