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Gold globs (
) are the best. Bold are newer or better or momentarily more interesting.
THIS PAGE search digicams shop movies radio mac astrology
maps etc net - isp & web hosts ideas lexicons artJ R’s Favorite Links
newish
from here, good stuff goes to the upper parts of this page, and the mediocre ones to Also Ran way below.
I usually don't do this, because I never agree with anybody else's lists of best anythings. But here are the Webby Award winners and nominees for best web sites. No bird blog category but there's several on art.
A Review of Review Sites - very helpful page of critiqued review site links from Cool Tools.
Gizmodo - "so much in love with shiny new toys, it's unnatural" with a sizable Mac section.
Full episodes of South Park's first dozen years are free with easy access, unlike most TV [below].
Boing Boing TV - vids tech with two loud noisy ads; most stories are fascinating; some are stupid.
One of the more comprehensive computer-rlated gizmo testing sites is good old PC Magazine. Lots of very helpful consumer info.
Wasted time and money subscribing to Angie's List, which must be something somewhere, but not here in Dallas. After I joined at $7.50/month, a $15 one-time charge jumped out of — and goes — nowhere. The agreement goes on and on, so they can afford a lawyer, but not web person. The site is ragged primitive. I repeatedly listed "carpenters" or "foundation repair" but the interface automatically popped me back to "pick a category." Plus numerous niggling navigation problems. Foundation Repair is not even a category, and the listed carpenters only make expensive bookcases. A hearty Bronx cheer for Angie and her list.
the best
in order of interest and quality
The Consumerist - offers often updated excellent consumer-related information and stories.
One Look nets differing dictionaries, some even pronounce words. Other dictionaries [below]
Commoncraft explains things via small animated videos "in Plain English, but may be a tad commercial.
the rest
in no particular order
Jon Stewart's DailyShow is still funny, sometimes.
Lectures at UC Berkely, Princeton, Cornell, Seattle, pop Dartmouth, BioInteractive from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, U of Ediburgh Gifford Lectures, etc. On computer programs, the physical universe, gobs,
Painting Mass Media - the art of fair use with contemporary art by artists who sample media. Long, slow but fascinating video, complete with slide show and thematic sloguns as a young artist explores her dilemma.
Art
DallasArtsRevue has more than 1,100 pages of Dallas- (,Texas, USA) centric visual art news, views, reviews and a oft-updated calendar. Our Resources are helpful and our reviews are opiniated. We publish both positive and vicious nasty feedback, too.
Video/TV
It's just the five most recent episodes, but I finally tracked down full versions of House or else they finally put them online. Wish I hadn't seen all the recent ones, but next time I miss a new one, I'll go there and just glaze over during the quickish commercials.
Netflix' previews are absorbing and accumulating. Moviefone's are smaller, with lower res and volume.
I see a lot of movies. Most of them, I review. More than a thousand, so far.
Charlie Rose interviews are fabulous but limited, since they try to sell them. Jon Stewart's The DailyShow is sometimes funny. Maybe.
Netflix used to take serious care of customers. Now they treat us like we're stupid and don't care how damaged the DVDs they send us are. Still better than Blockbuster, but the gap may be narrowing. I haven't interfaced with WalMart, the world's greatest promoters of the Red Chinese, who torture more of its citizens than even we do.
I've been thinking iPod thoughts lately, even bought a Shuffle for my girlfriend, but it seems so limiting, so I tracked down a cheaper, more versatile, possibly better alternative, a Sansa Clip. It's only two gigs but only $50, though I spent nearly that on a Senheiser fold-away headphone. What may prove really nice is its 20-present FM radio, voice and radio recording capabilities, replaceable battery, both auto and manual equalizer, it's a lot cheaper than the Shuffle pod, still works with my iMac, and it's red. We'll see — and hear.
When I was a teenager I used to dream that when I grew up I'd have access to all the great cars, but they're all in Jay's Garage.
Soon all TV — like movies — will come down the net — Broadcast TV is dead and surely knows it by now, digital or analog. Cable is at the end of its long and usurious life. Satellites are so last century and junking up space, and YouTube is yesterday's state of science — but fun.
ABC, CBS, NBC, the CW have shows online with only one commercial every six minutes, so I can catch up and try new programs. Stupid old Fox doesn't show its better (either of them) shows on the net.
Online TV has one ad — not a string — interrupting programming less often than TV, but often it's the same stupid ad repeated. CW only advertises itself. ABC makes you push a button to continue programming, handy if you're left the room.
I tried a control option command, maybe escape (Mac) key sequence that not only jumped to the end of the current commercial but blipped through further interruptions but haven't duped it since. Maybe they fixed it. Network sites have a pause. Really popular shows cannot be found except on Amazon and Apple, for sale.
Digicams
I've been a photog for more than 44 years, so I read lens, camera and gismo reviews often, always hoping for something interesting or practical. I have a Nikon D200, and it's a fabulous camera, but like most dSLRs it's stupid, because it doesn't show a live view of what I'm shooting while I'm shooting it, like even cheap consumer digicams do.
Tripods 101 - wish I'd read this before I bought the cheap (crummy design), expensive ($100 but it's so clumsy I can't use the damned thing. I wrote an honest, clear-headed review for Amazon, but they have not posted it.), so-called Tilt-all tripod.
I've had a genuine Leitz Brothers Tiltall tripod since 1974 that was amazing till it recently became reluctant to bend one leg. Then the spring that tightens twisting and raising the central column, I knew I had to get a new one. So I bought another "Tiltall (my review near the ottom of that page)," except the brothers apparently sold the name, and who makes them now sucks at it. Tripods 101 is extensive and inclusive. One of those amazing educational experiences free on the web.
After blowing my first purchase on a tripod that was not what it advertised to be, I bought the new, black version of the tripod I've loved and used anyway all those years. It feels very familiar. I'd say intuitive, but more likely it's just what I'm used to. Soon as I black out its one big white logo, it'll be perfect.
Amazing compendium of info about Nikon Lenses
Nikon Cafe was belligerent when I signed in as a "40-year-vet," even though I am, so I have not gone back.
Another Nikon resource I stumbled on online is The Nikonians, which linked me to a great page of Nikon lens review links.
Less exacting are Megapixel, CNET and LetsGoDigital.
Others test lenses, but many don't know what they're doing or are trying to sell something. In this category is Photography Review dot com's tests "tested" by lots of readers, whose comments are highly subjective and only useful in the aggregate, if that.
Storing Your Digital Images is good advice.
The Online Photographer is fascinating and nicely old-fashioned.
SEARCH
Goo sends a lot of hits to DallasArtsRevue.com, but until very recently I preferred to find things net via Yahoo Advanced Search.
Now I use Google's Search, which includes all "my" sites in one seek.
Most sites work better if you don't phrase your search as a question. When you just have to, Ask.
SHOPPING
I have browsed and bought books, computers, monitors, software, hardware and music from
Amazon's cheaper, doesn't charge sales tax in Texas, is mostly honest (their prices change by availability and for no reason at all — sometimes in a list of several "similar items" there'll be more than one of the same item with different prices) and has almost everything.
Even if I don't buy it there, I learn what's best from their reviews. I do not buy from other companies through Amazon. Too much trouble. I've had a lens crushed, products not as advertised and one that never shipped. Luckily, Amazon is good about tracking down recalcitrant dealers, and I've got my money back every time.
Calumet Photograpphic is quick and has about the same prices as Amazon for the photo products they have. I've bought a couple things from them that Amazon did not have, and I have been very pleased. They're quick shipping, too. For the last six years, Ritz Camera has been very good to me. Adorama has been much more difficult. I wouldn't use them.
RADIO
Charlie Gillett's World of Music - outstanding weekly BBC radio of old and new World Music from everywhere. Listen online in 26.5 minutes.
Austin's KUT is usually worth the listen, especially on their wonderfully diverse mornings and early afternoons music programs.
Texas Radio Stations Online lets me listen live to stations all over this state. I get KNTU FM 88.1 in my car, but it's distorted in my bedroom and I can't get it a all in my office. D Magazine says it's the best station in Dallas, neatly overlooking amateurish DJs, Off Topic weekends, low power and 40-mile distance from Dallas. But for real jazz here, there's only KNTU and KNON FM-89.3 after midnight.
MAC INFO/Shareware
Nothing is as complete and up-to-date as
Calibrate Monitor and or Calibrate Your Monitor may help us see the right colors and tones.
ASTRO
Astrology on the Web tells when the next Mercury Retrograde will strike.
MAPS
Google Earth, MapQuest and City of Dallas Interactive Maps shows me aerial photographs of neighborhoods.
LEXICON
There are many dictionaries and encyclopedias online. My favorite encyclopedia is Wikipedia, but I'll be adding more here, since I often use this page to link to sites from other people's computers. If I were the only person to access this page, it's worth its while.
Divorce Predictor is uncomfy enough to get me off my ass and communicate with my girlfriend.
The Copyright Website reminds me about the circle c demons.
The Cranky Geek with John C. Dvorak and Sebastian Dvorak and Sebastian Rupley, where real people talk about techy stuff. Unfortunately, they go long, tedious and stupid. WebAlert [just below] is much better.
BIRDs in the Lower Rio Grande Valley
My nearly daily photographic bird blog is fun.
Morning Birding Suggestions in the Lower Rio Grande Valley
World Birding Center