July 15, 2006, issue

     My high school class of '56 had mixed feelings at our fiftieth anniversary reunion. We loved re-connecting but were sad because the beautiful Bitterroot Valley of Montana where we grew up has become over-popular with the wealthy, and now has McMansions littering every slope and rise.

     Our class fanned out to look at their old homes, and returned with the stunned look of people who have had their childhoods pulled out from under them. The Brooks Hotel is a Christmas ornament shop, and the Masonic hall is a ballet studio. The Methodists have moved, and the little white Methodist church with its row of hollyhocks is being painted yellow. It will sell quilts, and the hollyhocks are gone. I didn't get a chance to tell the painters about them, but quaint is in, bigtime, and the new owners should maybe replant those hollyhocks.

     Our class socialized, breakfasted, picnicked, and talked. One classmate gave me a hug and said, "You haven't changed a bit." I told her, "You haven't either . . . though I think we've all gotten nicer." Some call it maturity; some call it mellowing. It's one of the few real benefits of age.

     Janette

----Table of Contents----

1. Old-Time Ice Cream Sodas
2. In Hurricane Country
3. Holes in Your Security?
4. A Wonder Drug?
5. A Guide to Prescription Drugs
6. Camping With Cactus Juice
7. Latest Scam
8. Birdzilla
9. Green People
10. Tour the Stars and Planets in 3-D
11. Scent of Green Bananas
12. Recipe: Chocolate Coconut Cookies

1. OLD-TIME ICE CREAM SODAS

     The Internet is birthing the greatest explosion of knowledge in human history . . . and here's an example. Ed Sanders knows how to make an ancient beverage called mead. And he can tell you how to make the kind of ice cream sodas you may remember from your childhood. These tidbits of knowledge, which once might have died with him, are now available to all on his site on the Internet.

     In other parts of his site, Ed will tell you how to lubricate antique cars. He also has current auto race information. And information for parents teaching phonics. And I suppose we should not be surprised that this Renaissance Man operates a used book store with books on a multitude of topics.

     Aren't you glad I introduced you to Ed? Click below and say hello:

http://www.edsanders.com/form0001.htm

2. IN HURRICANE COUNTRY

     If you think a hurricane is heading your way, you want to keep close tabs on it. The Internet naturally aims to be helpful . . . assuming you have a cell phone, BlackBerry, or other portable device that can give you the constant updates you've paid to receive. Weatherbug, for example, will use a Global Positioning System to keep track of exactly where you are in relation to that storm. Which doesn't of course have to be a hurricane. It can be any old storm you want tracked. WeatherBug says it will also "customize features like alerts, locations and ad-free backgrounds."

http://weatherbug.com/

     The Weather Channel says it's ready to help with "free tropical storm alerts and local weather always on your [computer] desktop." And it will do much more if you purchase its special services. They say, "When severe weather warnings are issued in your area, the Weather Channel alerts you by phone (or email / text messaging)." You will, they think, "sleep better knowing you will get alerts even if you are asleep." They gave me a sample of the voice that would come booming into my bedroom in the middle of the night. It didn't make me feel that I would sleep better, but it might make you sleep better. Particularly if you've been nailed in the past.

http://www.weather.com/

3. HOLES IN YOUR SECURITY?

     Microsoft has just released security updates to repair 18 flaws in Windows - 13 of which are rated "critical," meaning your computer could be hijacked if you don't have them. The Good News: You probably have an automatic update arrangement with Microsoft, and these patches were installed when you restarted your computer. If you don't get automatic updates, it's easy to sign up for them. Go to the following address:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/bulletins/automaticupdates.mspx

     The Bad News: Microsoft no longer supports Windows 98 or earlier versions of Windows. Which means you may be wandering the Internet with big holes in your security. If you have that problem, here are two suggestions:

     (a) Go to

http://froogle.google.com/

     Put into the search box "Windows XP." You'll be surprised at the low prices you see. But, of course, you want to buy it from a reliable merchant. To see if the merchant you've selected is reliable, put into the Google search box "about blip-de-blip.com," naming the merchant's website. (The word about is key to this operation.) You'll get the merchant's website first and then valuable information on how people like this merchant.

     (b) If you can't afford an updated version of Windows, be sure you get McAfee Site Advisor, which is free. Actually, you should have it no matter what version of Windows you use, and no matter what other protection you have. It is the single best protection you can have on today's Internet! Find it at

http://www.siteadvisor.com/

     You'll note that the downloads section of Site Advisor keeps mentioning Firefox. If you use Internet Explorer, the site does briefly mention "IE," and that's what you click on.

4. A WONDER DRUG?

     A new French drug, Accomplia (official pharmaceutical name rimonabant), is expected to be released on the American market later this year. The Good News: In European and U.S. trials, people taking the drug lost 20 pounds in a year, as opposed to 5 pounds lost by study participants taking a placebo. Other good news: Accomplia cut back on people's appetites without any serious side effects for most study participants.

     The Bad News: Acomplia did not rescind the laws of nature. The people who lost weight did so by taking in fewer calories than they used - which is the only way people ever do lose weight. Each fad diet tries to convince us it's "magic." For example, when I was looking for information on Accomplia, I landed on a website advertising "fat burner" pills. Of course no pill or food burns fat. Only taking in fewer calories than we use burns fat - which we all know, but we keep hoping some magic substance or magic diet will rescind that particular law of nature.

     The Super News: Accomplia apparently helps block addictive behaviors. Which has the medical researchers acting like a nest of ants that has just found your sugar bowl. A study has already indicated that it helps people quit smoking, and they've started a study to see if it also helps people with alcoholism. They think it might reduce heart attacks and strokes and delay onset of diabetes. It apparently helps eating addictions as well, an important breakthrough. For reliable, scientific information on Accomplia (and not the stupid "fat burner" stuff I got through Google), go to the find-it-all site for the U.S. federal, state and local governments:

http://firstgov.gov/

     Putting "Accomplia" into the search box doesn't work, because that's just the popular name of the drug. Instead put in the official name of this drug, "rimonabant." And check out the amazing list of studies they've got going. You'll notice that most of those studies are just getting under way -- which means there's not yet any proof rimonabant will help alcoholism or reduce heart attacks and strokes. But, since studies already indicate it helps people lose weight and quit smoking, it's safe to say we'll be hearing much more about this one!

5. A GUIDE TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

     The HealthSquare.com website is a consumer oriented health information website with detailed information on more than 1,000 prescription drugs. Plus detailed information and color illustrations regarding the diagnosis, cause and treatment of most major health problems.

http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/COZ1104.htm

6. CAMPING WITH CACTUS JUICE

     There are hundreds of "About" websites, which deal with every subject you can imagine and some you can't. Usually they're excellent . . . but not always. I clicked on their "Camping.About" site and got an ad for cactus juice. Finally looked at the lefthand margin, where they did list every permutation of camping advice. The basic camping information reached through the lefthand steering column was excellent. Do use it if you haven't had much experience camping. As for the rest? "Camping offers" included "German for beginners." "Used camping gear" had only ads for new gear. "Colorado camping" had only ads for Colorado real estate. And so it went. I think they need a sheriff in this part of Dodge City.

http://camping.about.com/

     On the other hand, Camping-USA has good information about the location of campgrounds, gear to take, camping with pets, and much more. In my opinion, "Camping.About" is good for basic techniques, and "Camping-USA" is best for everything else. Between the two you're covered.

http://www.camping-usa.com/

7. LATEST SCAM

     I swear, these people are EVIL. They've found another way to get you to click on an e-mail link, so that your computer will get infected. This is what the messages I found in my e-mail inbox said:

"A friend has sent you an ecard from 123Greetings.com.

Click on the following Internet address and open your greeting card."

     This might not fool you, but it will fool a lot of people who don't deserve what is going to happen to them when they click on that link. So let me say again, the only safe thing to do with an unsolicited e-mail from a stranger is to hit your delete key and wave it bye-bye.

8. BIRDZILLA

     I once walked in the woods with a dedicated birder. "Look up there!" she cried, and "Did you hear that?" She opened a whole new dimension during that walk in the woods. I saw and heard things I formerly had no idea were there. And by "things" I of course mean birds.

     If you want to get started in birding, Birdzilla is a great place to begin. If you're more knowledgeable, it has detailed information as well. And, as you know, if you're interested in a specific bird, you can Google its name for more detailed information.

http://birdzilla.com/

9. GREEN PEOPLE

     They call Green People "the world's largest directory of eco-friendly products." If you've had difficulty in finding various organic or eco-friendly products, this directory should be a real help.

http://www.greenpeople.com/

10. TOUR THE STARS AND PLANETS IN 3-D

     I was looking for something like this when I did the "summer stars" section a couple of months ago, but never found it. I came across this in my recent wanderings. Suddenly and belatedly there it was, and here, belatedly, it is. Celestia sends you spinning among the planets and stars. It's a great program for home schoolers and the kind of thing the scientifically inclined will enjoy spending hours, days, months playing with as the most delightful of toys. Nonscientists who do not know how to play with scientific toys may find it boring. It's easy to download, so you can see for yourself. And if you find it's not your thing, it's easy to get rid of. Go to the Start menu at bottom left of your computer screen. Find Programs, find Celestia, right-click on it and select "Delete." And say, "So long, it's been good to know you," to the universe.

http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

     And here's the "Mother Lode" site for those who find Celestia a delightful plaything:

http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/

11. SCENT OF GREEN BANANAS

     This issue's food site is a blog. The Scent of Green Bananas' author has some fascinating topics, such as:

     "When life gives you marshmallow lemons" and "Oi, where did all the green mangoes go?" For a sample of a delightfully unusual mind, a well developed sweet tooth, and some gorgeous photos, go to:

http://scentofgreenbananas.blogspot.com/

12. RECIPE: CHOCOLATE COCONUT COOKIES

     I selected these cookies because the Scent of Green Bananas put me in mind of the tropics, and because these cookies are SO GOOD FOR YOU, the dark chocolate containing antioxidents as it does. (My tongue is only partially in cheek; dark chocolate really does contain antioxidents.) Coconut is probably good for you too - they just haven't yet discovered why. The recipe is from:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1710,146184-228192,00.html

Ingredients:

1 c. sweetened condensed milk
4 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Method:

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In top of double boiler, combine milk, chocolate and salt. Cook over boiling water, stirring frequently, until chocolate melts and thickens. Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

     Makes 2 dozen cookies.

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WARNING!

     If your e-mail box sometimes gets full, you are in danger of falling off the subscription list of Tour the Sites. Not because I want to lose you, but because, if your box is full when I send out a newsletter, you are automatically kicked off the list. I don't like that policy, but I don't have any say. If you change your e-mail address or get a new kind of spam filter, you may also fall off. So do keep an eye on your newsletters, which should arrive around the first and fifteenth of each month. If you haven't gotten one for a month, let me know and I'll be happy to put you back on the mailing list. Because I'd really hate to lose you.

Janette
Newsletter@tourthesites.com

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