This list is based on the rigorous reviews and opinions of our staff who subject
each website to an exhaustive examination
based on 21 criteria of excellence before inclusion. We hope you will enjoy this portal to the finest sites the Web has to offer!
based on 21 criteria of excellence before inclusion. We hope you will enjoy this portal to the finest sites the Web has to offer!
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Website
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Summary
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1
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Yahoo
is your Online Free Treasure Room! An outstanding search engine (especially
for "official" websites), it also provides a cornucopia of free
services: free email, maps, Yellow Pages, games, shopping, news, finance,
sports, live chat -- the list just goes on and on and on! By far (in our
opinion), Yahoo is the best site on the Web!
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2
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We
believe Google is simply the best tool on the Web for finding just about
anything (except possibly "official" websites). It is screamingly
fast, sleek, streamlined, and as comprehensive as a search tool can be.
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3
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Amazon is nothing less than a revolution in how the world shops. It is
a huge step forward in the achievement of an ideal competitive market.
It is user-friendly, vast, and reliable.
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4
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About.com breaks up the Web into major subject areas with a volunteer
human host for each of them. It helps you sift out the wheat from the
chaff on an enormous range of subjects.
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5
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Much of the greatest literature in the history of humankind will be found
in full text form (and free of charge) at this amazing site. In addition,
many useful reference tools are here (also free!)
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6
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Formerly
"DejaNews", Google Groups is a glorious experiment in free speech!
This oceanic database of over 800 million posted "Usenet" messages
from people all over the globe constitutes the largest bulletin board
in the history of the world! It's fully searchable, and you can post your
own messages free of charge. (Tip: don't use your primary email address
in your posts! To avoid spam, use a temporary email address.)
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7
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A
bold endeavor in online journalism, Google News provides you hundreds
of news sources (typically) for each of the major stories of the day.
Just find the story that interests you on the main page, and you will
see something like "227 related" or "535 related"
just beneath it. Click this to see the extensive range of news sources
available for the story you are after! (Its database of past news is also
searchable.)
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8
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For
fast-breaking news and responsible journalism, it's hard to beat CNN.
And the text content at this site is mostly free!
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9
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Ebay
is the world's biggest, longest-running garage sale, as well as its most
extensive auction house. Buy, sell, browse, bid, and be amazed at what
you find at this wonderful site!
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10
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If
you love software treasure-hunting, Download.com is the site for you!
This massive and well-rounded collection of shareware (try-before-you-buy)
and freeware (totally free software) is fully searchable and sortable.
And there's no wait for a package in the mail: download it NOW, install
it, and take it for a test drive!
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11
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Craigslist.org is a daring bulletin board system directed toward the major
cities in the US, Canada, the UK, and (soon) other countries. The magical
distinction of Craigslist is its use of anonymous email forwarding: your
email address is invisible to the public. A pointer (which expires after
several days) forwards all responses to you. Visit Craigslist if you want
to sell or buy something, if you want to meet new people (romantically
or otherwise), if you want to look for a job, or if you want to share
your ideas. Almost all of its features are totally free, except job listings
for employers.
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12
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Your inner-librarian will be delighted! Here you will find (free of charge)
Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Atlases, and an assortment of other
helpful resources.
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13
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One of the most remarkable online encyclopedias on the Web! All the
content is free, in the public domain, and quotable. Wikipedia is
maintained by an army of volunteers. Even so, its content remains of
very high quality. Wikipedia is a good example of how the Web can
function at is best! Be sure to visit whenever you have any question
that an encyclopedia might help you answer. You might be surprised how
often Wikipedia will come through for you!
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14
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Beliefnet.com
is an online community for people who practice spirituality in just about
any tradition in the world. The emphasis here is on mutual respect and
tolerance. Free inquiry and exchange of ideas is invited. Secular (non-religious)
philosophies and ideas are also welcome. Also, sacred texts from the world's
great religions will be found referenced at this site.
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15
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Anywho
is a great online phone book and people-finder sponsored by AT&T.
Use the Yellow Pages for businesses, the White Pages for people, and the
Reverse Lookup if all you have is a phone number.
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16
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Enter
your Zip Code and see the weather predictions for the next ten days (scroll
down), courtesy of The Weather Channel. It's easy and it's free!
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17
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Search.com is an outstanding example of a "metasearch engine":
a web search tool that employs over 1,000 search engines running in parallel
to help you find what you are looking for.
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18
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MSN's
Hotmail.com provides you with totally free email, pure and simple!
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19
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The
National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services has created this clearinghouse of information on all matters
related to your physical well-being. You'll find drug information (MEDLINEplus),
disease & symptom documentation, health recommendations, summaries
on every major system of the human body, and much more at this excellent
site.
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20
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CNET.com
(the parent site of Download.com) is a technophile's oasis! If you are
looking for desktop computers, laptops, printers, peripherals, software
cell phones, cameras, or just about any other kind of gadgetry, be sure
to take advantage of CNET's reviews and price comparison features. This
free site can save you hundred or thousands of dollars, depending on your
needs
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21
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The
London Review of Books is a respected journal for those who enjoy reading
the best books in the world! At times, the reviews themselves rise to
the level of great literature.
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22
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You
could spend tens and tens of hours browsing the huge catalogue of useful
websites at Refdesk.com. You'll find newspapers, photo databases, reference
tools, trivia, quotes, self-help advice, search engines, and much, much
more at this virtual goldmine of the Web.
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23
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Simply
put, the Mayo Clinic is one of the greatest hospitals and medical research
centers on Planet Earth. In that tradition, the Mayo Clinic provides this
excellent website devoted to the promotion of human health.
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24
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If
you give some of your time, money, and energy to help the disadvantaged
of the world, you would probably like to know that your contributions
are put to good use. GuideStar.org provides extensive information on nearly
all major charitable organizations. It will help you "heal the world"
responsibly.
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25
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The
official portal of the Federal Government of the United States, FirstGov.gov
puts you in touch with your elected officials and the agencies and people
they govern. Lots of good information here.
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26
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The
BBC has long been the standard for international journalism. At this site,
you can watch, listen, and read live and recorded content from the BBC.
(Be sure to catch the hourly World News Update!) But don’t stop
with the news! Be sure to browse the History, Science, Society, and other
categories to find rich content of unusually high quality. You could browse
this site for many weeks without exhausting its abundant resources!
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27
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The
Internet Movie Database (IMDB) is a movie-lover's paradise! Discover every
movie your favorite actor/actress has been in, discover every actress/actor
in your favorite movie! All the facts about all the films will be found
here.
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28
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Expedia.com
makes travel very easy and about as cheap as it can be. Your one stop
shop for low-cost air travel, hotels, rental cars, and tour packages!
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29
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MSN's
Slate is one of the premier online magazines. You'll find news, ideas,
reviews, and much more here.
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30
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Nutrition.gov
provides authoritative information about health and nutrition. You will
also find the USDA's National Nutrient Database here, which will allow
you to evaluate your diet with more knowledge than ever before!
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31
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Alternative medicine has found its voice on the web at Altmedicine.com!
Having received praise from many sources (including the prestigious medical
journal "The Lancet"), Altmedicine.com explores the best information
from many sources on alternative approaches to human health.
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32
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When
you need to get to know a city fast, Citysearch.com should be your first
stop! You'll find information and reviews of restaurants, hotels, places
to see, shopping, services, and much more about major American (and some
international) cities at this site.
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33
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Need
a job? Visit Monster.com, an enormous database & job listing site
for employers and employees to be!
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34
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Enter
your Zip Code and find links to your Congresspersons, your President,
and your state representatives! Project Vote Smart will help you become
an informed and effective voter.
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35
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The
online manifestaton of Scientific American magazine, Sciam.com presents
clear, intelligent writing on the most important scientific discoveries,
initiatives, and controversies of our time. Much of the content is free.
And you can search past issues!
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36
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If
you love sports, sports history, or sports statistics, ESPN.com is the
site for you!
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37
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MSN's
online encyclopedia Encarta gives you fast, free access to an amazing
range of facts. Much of the content is free, but some requires membership.
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38
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Findlaw.com
provides a fantastic set of tools for anyone interested in American Law.
Widely used by legal professionals, it can also be used profitably by
laymen. Learn the facts about the laws that govern you from this excellent
site!
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39
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One of the world's premier scientific journals, Nature, provides much
of its content online (and much of it free!) Check out subject areas on
Chemistry, Physics, Microbiology, Medicine and much more at this fantastic
site!
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40
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Though
it's not quite a substitute for your favorite local paper, USA Today's
"States" news will give you a summary of the major events in
all 50 states of the Union.
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41
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Who
would have thought that one of the best selections of fine art prints
online would be available at a poster shop?! Allposters.com is almost
like an online museum: but a museum at which you can buy what you see
(at reasonable prices). Not only fine art, but movie and concert posters
and many other things framable will be found here!
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42
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Time
magazine is one most respected news magazines on earth. And much of its
content is available free here!
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43
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Get
clear, printable maps, driving directions, addresses of businesses, and
much more at Mapquest.com
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44
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Find your favorite old or out-of-print books at this wonderful site!
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45
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From
Beethoven to the Beatles and beyond, you'll find Allmusic.com a treasure-trove
of musical knowledge.
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46
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The
National Institutes of Health maintains MedlinePlus for those interested
in reliable information on prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Even
so, you'll find many other valuable health-related resources here.
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47
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As
modest as it appears, the Open Directory is a true powerhouse in web-searching!
It provides search data to many of the most widely-used search engines,
and it itself is a first rate directory of the best of the Web.
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48
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The Library of Congress is gradually making more and more of its collosal
store of resources available on the web. Its website should afford you
many happy hours of browsing.
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49
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Online
Radio is here, and MSN's Windows Media is one of the finest sites available
devoted to it!
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50
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Your favorite comics may be online, and they may be here! The latest contributions
from Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes, Doonesbury, Cathy, Ziggy, and many
others will be found at this easy-to-use site.
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51
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A
first-rate online almanac, atlas, dictionary, & encylcopedia, all
rolled into one!
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52
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What's good is not always popular, and what's popular is not always good,
but on the Internet, popularity and quality go are found together often
enough. Alexa.com helps you find the most frequently visited sites in
many categories.
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53
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When
you're too busy to visit museums in person, you can visit them online!
This fantastic guide to online museums is a great place to start.
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54
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The
homepage of the United Nations presents a rich collection of information
about the state of humankind on Planet Earth. Practical strategies for
making this world a better place are laid out in substantial detail here.
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55
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The
Internet Sacred Text Archive presents the scriptures of the world's great
spiritual traditions. You'll find sacred writings from Zoroastrianism,
Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Confucianism,
and many others here (along with a few curious entries!)
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56
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Artforum
is one of the world's most widely read journals devoted to the fine arts.
Be sure to check out there "Museum Finder" when you visit!
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57
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Get
sound medical information and tips on a healthy lifestyle from this respected
site.
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58
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The
WWW Virtual Library relies on a consortium of experts around the world
to present the richest content available on the Web in a broad range of
subject areas.
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59
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MSN's
MoneyCentral will help you make intelligent decisions about investing,
taxes, loans, retirement, and all things financial.
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60
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Wouldn't
you love to track down some of your old school friends? Or maybe a favorite
teacher who made a difference in your life? This is the place to start.
Basic access is free, premium access is modestly priced.
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61
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The Hompage of the European Union is home to a vast collection of information
about all aspects of European government. The EU's goals and strategies
for achieving them are discussed in detail.
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62
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Nowhere
is it easier to start your own discussion group or bulletin board about
just about anything! Within minutes and with no cost, you can have your
special subject humming with lively (and often scrappy) discussion. Free
speech rules!
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63
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This foremost literary journal is surprisingly generous with its content:
access the full content of each edition online. Remarkable.
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64
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Not
only will you find jokes in abundance here, but each joke has a running
rating from site visitors! Be forewarned, not all these jokes are in good
taste!
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65
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Name the price you're willing to pay for airline tickets, hotels, rental
cars, vacations, or cruises. There's no guarantee your offer will be accepted,
but if it is, you will save some serious money!
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66
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Which
movie should you see this weekend? Rottentomatoes.com lets you read the
opinions of over 100 critics (for most movies) to help you decide. The
"Cream of the Crop" critics list may include your favorite critic.
The popular "TomatoMeter" gives you a running average of the
critics ratings for each film.
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67
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The
Internet Public Library, based at the University of Michigan, may be the
next best thing to having a University library attached to your house!
In some ways, it may be even better.
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68
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We
all know we should exercise, but what exercises are best for us? The American
Council on Exercise describes exercises that are safe and effective for
those wishing to stay in shape.
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69
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The
home of Quicken financial software, this site also provides free tools
to help you plan and manage your assets.
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70
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This
celebrated classical music magazine is available online, much of the content
free. Paying members will enjoy an extensive collection of additional
resources.
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71
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What
does the latest research say about vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements,
and other nutrients? The Micronutrient Information Center of the Linus
Pauling Institute provides detailed and well-documented information on
all these. (Incidentally, Linus Pauling was the only person in history
to win two Nobel Prizes!)
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72
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PC
Magazine has long been a favorite read of computer and technology enthusiasts.
For hardware and software reviews, as well as tips for improving your
computing experience, be sure to visit this site!
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73
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Yes,
you have to subscribe for access, but it's worth it to read the Times
of London online.
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74
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The
FedWorld Federal Job Search engine might land you in a new job quicker
than you had thought possible! It's free to use, and user-friendly.
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75
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One
of the world's finest newspapers, the International Herald Tribune is
also one of the few online newspapers that doesn't require registration
to read, free or otherwise! (Let's hope it stays that way!)
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76
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Over
20,000 free books on the Web, many of them classics! Search by author,
title, subject, century, or just browse for fun.
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77
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Play
Chess, Checkers, card games, or work Crosswords online at Pogo.com, a
free website maintained by Electronic Arts!
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78
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BizRate.com
may be "the largest, fastest, and most accurate shopping search engine
on the Web". Save money and find top quality at this site.
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79
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Billboard Magazine has chronicled the world of popular music and entertainment
since its founding in 1894! (Yes, that's 1894, not 1994!) Much of the
information at this site is free.
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80
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Translate
the content of an entire website from one language to another simply by
entering the site's web address! Or enter a block of text and translate
it from one language to another! To be sure, the translation is not perfect,
but it may be good enough for what you need. AltaVista's Babel Fish Translations
site has been serving up automatic translations for years, and it's free! (To see Babel Fish in action,
why not translate and display THIS website in any one of 10 languages with a single click of the mouse -- click here
to see our "Translation Bar"!
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81
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Most of us would like to donate money, time, energy, or ideas to help
the least advantaged people of the world. But it is a challenge to ensure
that our donations are used effectively and responsibly. Give.org, a service
of the Better Business Bureau, evaluates major charities and provides
reports on how responsibly they do their work.
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82
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"The Web's most extensive mathematics resource" will help you
remember all the algebra, geometry, trig, statistics, calculus, and diffie-Q
that you left behind years ago! And you'll probably learn a lot you never
knew along the way.
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83
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Webrings
are like pearl necklaces of websites on related topics. Webring.org helps
you find the webring that you'd like to browse or insert your own website
into.
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84
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CareerBuilder.com employs its network of more than 130 local newspapers
to help employ YOU! If you're looking for work, do stop by!
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85
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411.com is a combined online Yellow Pages, White Pages, People Finder,
and more!
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86
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This
site exists to help people make intelligent buying decisions. It is a
compendium of reviews from thousands of people on thousands of different
products. A good site to visit before any major purchase.
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87
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The Religious Studies Web Guide is an enormous collection of links to
major journals in theology and spiritual philosophy.
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88
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Arts
& Letters Daily is a favorite stop for those who love thinking, literature,
and dazzling ideas. It's always fresh and always relevant.
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89
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The
homepage of Nolo Press, the pioneers of do-it-yourself law, is also a
rich source of free legal information.
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90
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Classical music lovers of all different levels of experience and sublety
will love this site devoted to the history and ideas of great western
music.
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91
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Create your own "blog" to express your ideas to the world and
invite responses. This service is high quality, and it's free!
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92
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The New York Times online does require (free) registration, but it is
well worth that small investment of time. Keep up on events that shape
the world by visiting often.
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93
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Live online cameras are all over the world in fascinating and often unlikely
places. Look through many windows on the world LIVE at Earthcam.com!
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94
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The Better Business Bureau is online and ready to help in the continuing
struggle against shoddy business practices.
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95
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Harvard
Medical School's respository of consumer health information will be found
at this excellent site, along with many user-friendly articles on health,
disease, drugs, and the human body.
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96
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Keep
a journal online about anything at all! And browse the journals of others.
Livejournal.com is one of the most popular "blogging" sites,
and with very good reason.
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97
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The "Religion & Ethics" site of the BBC sets the world's
great spiritual traditions side by side and provides extensive information
on each of them.
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98
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This "daily digest of arts, culture, and ideas" is sure to provide
stimulation for aesthetes and intellectuals.
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99
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The
purpose of ticketmaster.com is simple: get the tickets you want easily,
in advance, and at a reasonable cost.
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100
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Project Gutenberg presents a collection of over 15,000 electronic books ("ebooks") available for free download! Most are older literary works in the public domain, many of the considered classics. An amazing and useful monument to the volunteer labor of thousands of participants! |
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