Browsing the web

If you have a little time on your hands over the New year then I`ve added a few sites for you to take a look at.

• A DRIVE (www.adrive.com)

  How would you like 50GB of free online storage space with the option to share?

  To get your 50GB adrive.com - just click the big black button to sign-up and then click the link in the activation e-mail which you are sent to complete.

  Once logged in, managing your files is really simple, though the downloader/uploader runs on java so you will need to have that function activated to work successfully.

  Click on My Files at the top then use the Upload feature to begin backing-up data from your hard drive. You can also automatically back up all the files on your computer.

  Once your files have uploaded you will see a link giving you the option to share them. Click this link to add the file to your shared drive, and a URL will be generated for others to click on to access that file.

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• ANIMOTO (http://animoto.com)

  Picture sharing sites are all the rage, but do you wish you could add a little more pizzazz to your album distribution?

  How about adding a banging rock tune and having the pictures animate on and off in a video you can post on YouTube? But that would be far too much work, right? Wrong.

  Click Get Started to begin using this brilliant site. You will need to register to make either a 30 second short, which is completely free, or full-length film, which you have to pay for.

  Next, choose to upload pictures from either your computer or a photo sharing site. Fifteen shots is ideal for a 30 second short.

  Uploading them might take a few minutes, depending on your connection speed, how many pictures you have chosen and what resolution they are. Once they have uploaded, use the buttons at the bottom to rotate, spotlight or add more pictures from another location.

  Then add a banging tune. Click the Music tab at the side and choose either from their selection or a track off your own computer.

  Now you are almost done. The next screen asks you to enter a name and some details about your video, then just click Create Video and wait while the website does the fancy bit.

  You can start working on your next video while you wait, then click My Videos at the top to review your work. After playing the video you can choose to do a remix, altering the pictures and the music. A link to view your creation will also be e-mailed to you.

  Finally, use the buttons at the bottom to distribute your film either straight to YouTube or e-mailing your friends.

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• JOOCE (www.jooce.com)

  According to online application Jooce, 500 million people access the internet from cybercafes each day. And if you happen to be one of those people, or you just want a consistent experience when browsing the web from multiple locations, consider this place.

  The idea of this site is to bring the functionality of your personal computer at home to any computer you might happen to sit down at - even if you do not actually have a machine at home.

  You will be able to access files, e-mail, instant messaging, storage and lots of other applications.

  The first step is to register and reserve your own private space on their servers.

  Next up, enter your instant messenger account details and click the green arrow to confirm.

  Be warned, when you want to talk to a contact, Jooce will send them a message inviting them to sign-up every time you text them through their ordinary instant messenger client.

  Next, click the forward arrow to run through all the options and set up your desktop how you want. There is a useful tips run-through when you first start up, teaching you everything you can do with this application.

  As well as being able to use this virtual desktop in exactly the same way as a normal desktop - storing files, making folders and chatting to your friends - there is also a public desktop (known as a Joocetop) accessible through the green desktop icon at the bottom.

  Here you can allow friends to access and share files you have placed on it.

  It works in exactly the same way as the regular desktop, but through your Jooce instant messenger client, contacts can open up your Joocetop, and vice versa - making sharing files and information a breeze.

  As well as being a really useful tool, I love the way the interface looks and works. Though if you are stuck using an older machine on a low bandwidth connection, you might find all the animations make it slow to load.

National Transplant Trust

This is the last website review beofre New Year as things tend to change around a bit at Christmas and New year time with different presenters covering each others shows so that we can all gbet a bit of a break.

The National Transplant Trust is a UK organisation set up to support those who have had, or are waiting for a transplant. Take a look at www.thetxspace.com

There is something for everyone on this website, whether you are a patient, or a supporter or carer, or you know someone who has become a donor, or even if you work in the transplant sector.

On the site like-minded people discuss their experiences and offer support and advice to those going through a tough time.

Once you sign up, you will get an invitation e-mail to join the network. Check your spam folder as this is where the mail ended up for me.

Accepting the invitation and filling out your personal details gives you access to the groups and forums, or you can start your own network.

You get 20MB of free storage space for photos or anything you want to share. The site itself is simply presented and very functional and provides a very valuable resource to anyone who is affected by transplant.

80's Movies

This website offers a little bit of retro chic with an 80s movies tribute site. Thinking about it, can anything from the 1980s really be considered chic? .... You decide.

Log onto www.fast-rewind.com and you will notice straight away on the website that its styling is very much in keeping with the 80s theme.

There is a lot of really neat stuff on it, despite the slightly unsophisticated look of it. The information goes really in-depth and the site's creator has obviously put a lot of time into compiling it.

There is a featured movie trailer on the opening page with the sections easily accessed in a navigation panel on the left.

Once you have selected a movie, use the new navigation panel on the left to switch between reviews. These include the trailer, music and soundtrack, behind the scenes, trivia, locations and even bloopers and goofs.

If you are inspired to start watching some of these old classics there is impartial information on where to get them. There is even a guide to which releases have been given the HD and Blu-ray treatment.

It is a brilliant resource for all of us who cannot get enough of big hair and even bigger shoulder pads.

Gadget Blog

With the holiday season fast approaching you might want to know precisely what gift to get a gadget-mad relative.

Or you might just be interested in knowing what not to get them. Either way, www.gadgetblog.co.uk will provide the answers you seek.

According to the site's introduction, this is the 143rd best gadget site in the world. But who is counting?

I am not quite sure where they got that statistic, but it surely is a great read, stuffed full of fun and funky gadgets for you to feast your eyes on.

The in-your-face banner at the top of the page leads you to the top 10 gadgets you do not want for Christmas.

It features such wonders as the electronic snore stopper which shocks the poor sleeper every time it goes off.

The bathroom-ready "potty putter" offers keen golfers an interesting way to pass the time as they do their business.

On the plus side, there are many great gadgets featured too. Take a look at the "previously on gadget blog" panel on the opening page to jump to the features.

This site is well written, although the layout could do with a little more thought, but definitely one to bookmark if you like to keep up with what is hot in the gadget world.

Hassle-Free Christmas

With Christmas very close upon us you might be starting to feel the pressure of unwrapped presents and visiting relatives. So if you’re one of the thousands of people who have left everything a little late – help is at hand at www.worldofchristmas.net It’s packed with party ideas, recipes and decoration tips to make sure you have a cool yule this year

Family Tree

On www.ancestry.co.uk you cvan find out all about your family tree and ancestors. With access to government records and census reports dating back to 1841. It is perfect for anyone with an interest in tracing their family tree. You can build and save your own tree on the site
The Host(ess) with the Most(ess)

Be the best host around with the help of www.bartendersguide.com. It has an index of thousands of cocktail recipes with a featured drink each day, plus wine basics and popular recipes featured.
There is also a useful entertaining guide with ‘How To…’ guides on a variety of different party themes (obviously including a cocktail party!) plus poker rules, tips for playing Monopoly and Cleudo and many drinking games.

It’s a hosting godsend.

Serious Dieting

www.caloriesperhour.com is a useful tool for those very serious about losing weight. It has calories-burned calculators, where you enter an activity and your weight and find out how many calories you burn an hour doing it.

But it isn’t just limited to sports, there are literally hundreds of activities to choose from, from playing accordion to yoga, via applying make up and feeding the dog. There are also hundreds of useful tips and articles for the dedicated dieter.

Weekend web review - The Host(ess) with the Most(ess)

As Christmas is on the way in just over a week I thought I`d squeeze in a weekend website review that may help with the Christmas drinks

Be the best host around with the help of www.bartendersguide.com. It has an index of thousands of cocktail recipes with a featured drink each day, plus wine basics and popular recipes featured.
There is also a useful entertaining guide with ‘How To…’ guides on a variety of different party themes (obviously including a cocktail party!) plus poker rules, tips for playing Monopoly and Cleudo and many drinking games. It’s a hosting godsend.

Teachers.tv

Whether you are a teacher, student, or just someone who wants to learn more about the world we live in, you will find it at www.teachers.tv.

Based on content from the free to air digital channel called teachers tv. Here you can find hundreds and hundreds of great educational features that will help your children learn what they need to be successful in school.

The opening page highlights featured films and articles, but as soon as you enter any section you will find a handy navigation panel on the left which splits the films up into key stages or subject categories.

There is a short description below each film when you select it, which tells you what the content and target audience is. There is something here for everyone at every stage including documentaries about how some schools are overcoming education hurdles.

Whilst the channel is aimed at a UK audience the content is relevant the world over and really genuinely interesting. I strongly advise you take a look.

The Darwin Awards

www.Darwinawards.com is a site dedicated to the weirdest ways in which people have either accidentally or intentionally shuffled off this mortal coil.

There’s also a fascinating section on urban myths and tall tales.

Visitors to the site can also tell other readers about their first-hand accounts of the bizarre. However, you may want to take some of these with a rather large pinch of salt.

Small Talk

You need never be lost for small talk at parties again, after you’ve visited www.unkno.com. Here you’ll learn some priceless gems like:

“Did you know that the giraffe can store more water than a camel?”

and:

“Did you know that you are two inches taller when you wake up than when you go to bed?”

Eye on Earth

11.30pm Monday to Thursdays I review a website of the day on the show and tonights is described in such a way that a visit to http://www.eyeonearth.eu/ is a must if you are planning on taking a beach trip to anywhere in the EU. It will help you find your way to the cleanest spots in Europe.

Made by the European Environment Agency (EEA), the website allows users to check the EU water quality ratings for over 21,000 swimming spots in beaches, rivers and lakes around Europe.

It is laid out in a familiar click and zoom map style, so it is really easy to find the watery spot you are heading to marked on the map. You can switch between a graphical and satellite image version of the map by clicking between Road and Ariel.
The flags on the map represent either the EEA rating, or a user vote. See the key on the left for the options.

Once you zoom right in, you will see a tiny satellite picture of the location together with an option to leave your own vote.

As time goes by, this site should build into a really nice resource for beach lovers everywhere looking for a clean and safe spot to swim.

Ballroom Dancers

Tonights website review is about Ballroom Dancing.

Ballroom dancing is enjoying a bit of a renaissance in the UK just now, thanks to televisions shows like Strictly Come Dancing, where celebrities battle it out on the dance floor.

If you want to waltz your way through life, or do a little foxtrot after work, take a look at www.ballroomdancers.com

This website is stuffed to the seams with videos stepping you, quite literally, through the moves. Use the navigation panel on the left to open the dance styles.

Each dance has an overview of the foot placings, a text description of both the male and female role in the dance, and then a video to help you piece it all together.

Once you click the video icon, you will need to choose between a Flash or Quicktime player before watching the no-nonsense films. Watch them again and again until you get the hang of it.

The website is simple and easy to navigate, and without many frills, so you will have to save the artistic impressions for the dance floor.

qik.com

Have you been at a family event, like a wedding or birthday party, and thought to yourself: I wish so-and-so could be here? Well, now they can, as long as you have a mobile videophone.

It is really simple to sign up to this ingenious website. Just pop your mobile number in, and everything you need to stream live video to the net, will be sent to your phone.

It is still fairly new so the list of supported phones is modest but growing. Check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for more information.

If your phone works, you can start streaming video straight away to the www.qik.com site, or even direct it to a Twitter account.

Capture all those magical moments and send them out live on the internet to your loved ones around the world. Streams are recorded and stored in your profile section so you can look at them time and again.

But do remember that others can watch them too, unless you choose to make them private.

Buying And Selling

www.FindsYou.com is a useful new service that aims to match online buyers with suitable sellers.

So if, for instance, you need a pair of tickets to a Premier League game, stick up your details and the site will find someone who is offering them for sale. Likewise, if you have something you want to flog the site will quickly track down prospective customers.

Great Care

www.iwantgreatcare.org is a new, independent website that lets patients rate and review their doctors.

Its two primary uses are either to read the opinions submitted by other users or to write a review of your own local doctor or health specialist.

The site isn’t just confined to GPs but a whole raft of medial professionals. Reviews are short and based on three caring categories: trust, listening and recommendation.

Weekend web review - Free Directory Enquires

Don`t normally do this but since its the weekend and the end of the month I thought I would chuck a quick website review in for you.

Take a look at www.192.com and also www.thephonebook.bt.com

Both sites are free to use to obtain telephone numbers and it saves you paying out those extortionate rates to your phone company just to get a telephone number.

Find The Perfect Wine

Looking for the perfect wine for your dinner party? www.lovethatwine.co.uk has a powerful search feature where you can search for wine by colour, country, supermarket price, occasion and food type.

It has wine reviews and information provided by a team of enthusiasts and it also publishes honest, unbiased reviews from everyday wine drinkers. There is also information on over 10,000 wines available on UK shelves

Ask Cupid

Do you have a love problem that you need advice on?

Well log onto www.dearcupid.com where you can post a problem and get advice from other users. There are thousands of questions on just about every possible quandary of the heart. Alternatively, if you’re feeling wise, you can offer your pearls of wisdom and try your hand at being an agony aunt or uncle.

Say Bye to Migraines

Migraines can be seriously painful and lay sufferers up for days.

At www.migraine.org.uk you can identify what triggers your migraine, recognise early warning signs, find information on tried and tested treatments as well as those in development and from comp0limentary medicine.

There are also discussion forums so you can discuss your condition with other sufferers

Love Food Hate Waste

You might be surprised to learn that the average family wastes around £420 a year by wasting food that goes straight in the bin but now you can learn to love food and hate waste at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com You can download some great recipes from here.

Hospital Radio

Barrows Furtness General Hospital has its own hospital radio station and is looking for volunteers. Its a great oppertunity if you want to get involved in radio and its also the basis where a lot of presenters around the world have started out.

If you fancy a tatse of working in radio, chatting to people and presenting your own show or reading the news then this is a good starting ground.

Check out their website for more info. Have a look at www.radio-lonsdale.co.uk

Local Websites

It comes round quick. A couple of locally based websites for you t5o take a look at and I am responsible for them all being the webmaster. If you live in the Furness and South Cumbrian area then you may find these sites useful

www.southlakes-uk.co.uk over 3000 photos of the area from mid 19th century to modern day and a very busy message forum for ex locals who want to stay in touch with their roots

www.barrowpubs.co.uk is a potted look at the history of every pub and hotel thats ever stood in Barrow In Furness

www.838383.co.uk is a local taxi firm that I also work for

www.talkandchat.co.uk is a great chat forum to talk about anything you like,no matter where you are or who you are. Check it out and tell my moderators that I sent you.

Party Planner

www.eventful.com helps you plan your free time with precision.

You fill in your musical likes and dislikes and it notifies you when your favourite band is coming to town.

You can see whats going on in your area. You need never miss out on your favourite band again.

Social Networking crap

Did I mention that I finally got myself on facebook a few months ago and looking at it now it all looks a load of crap and full of bullshit I was debating on leaving it and deleting my account but it seems that everyone else is using it and I am sick of getting bombarded by people offering me stupid things. I couldnt care less.

However, if you want to add me as a friend on facebook then you can do it by searching for this email address bill @ ukradiojock.co.uk and if you do add me then explain in a message who you are otherwise it will get ingnored and treat like spam.

Talking of social networking sites you can also add me on myspace at www.myspace.com/billclarkontheradio

Persoannly I dont rate any but I think Facebook is the worst but thats just my opinion

How To….

Ever wondered how to open a bottle of beer with a bit of paper then www.sclipa.com has “how to” videos on literally everything you could possibly want to do from the very useful to the totally useless depending on what your definition of “useful” is.

The videos are from people from all walks of life from professors to your local yokel with a webcam.

Just Ask

www.askaboutgames.com is a new website that helps parents decide which video games are suitable for their children and handily explains the age rating system.

It also clarifies other information that can be found on games packaging. The advice centre also aims to answer parents concerns on how to that their kids play safe

Get some Skills

www.freeskills.com is online training resource for people who aren’t that confident on a computer. It offers everything from basic tips to advanced computer use and subjects featured include Microsoft products, the Internet and desktop publishing to name but a few. There’s also excellent tutorials and all the information is clear and very easy to read

Magic Eye

As an extra bonus I thought I would throw in this website review for your weekend.

Do you remember a few years ago when every newspaper or magazine you laid your hands on had one of those magic eye images in it? Well, if you’ve been missing them, you can feast your eyes on a whole host of images at www.magiceye.com and if you’re new to magic eye pictures, this site will tell you how they work and how you can train your eyes to see the hidden images.

Get Safe Online

There is always something new and interesting to do on the internet, but some people worry about safety, and quite rightly too. The world wide web gives those with malicious intent a territory without boundaries to work in. But it is incredibly easy to close the door on them if you follow a few basic safety rules.

www.getsafeonline.org tackles this thorny issue in a really palatable style without mess, fuss, or drama. It gives you straight-forward advice and tips about keeping your PC out of the hands of thieves and fraudsters.

A good place to start is the top ten safety tips link on the front page of the website which takes you to a 10-minute guide for beginners. I really like that they have separated the guide into PC, MAC and Linux, as the three operating systems are quite different and deserve to be handled in different ways.

There is advice for home and business users here, plus a handy test to see how safety savvy you are. Look under the highlights section for topic-specific articles, such as online dating and social networking sites like Facebook and Bebo

Parenting Tips

In this modern age of both parents working and not enough hours in the day, raising kids is even harder work than it used to be. But www.parenthacks.com could lend you a hand.

This site gives you daily doses of parenting tips, organised by childrens’ ages, activities, and common dilemmas, all submitted by fellow parents.

You can also learn how to stay organised, save some money, and stay healthy. And if you have any top tips of your own, don’t be afraid to share them!

Talking Pets

Have you ever wished your pet could talk? Well www.talkingpets.org is a place to check out.
Talkingpets.org houses a fun little widget that allows you to upload a picture of your treasured pet and make a fun talking postcard to send on to friends and family.

Just choose a picture, re-size and add an appropriate mouth. Then you can either type an original essage or use one of the pre-loaded passages of text. The voice will change depending on which name you choose.

The voices are a bit scary to say the least, but it is a fun way to send a personal message. And you can even add your creation to your Facebook profile to amuse visitors with a funny message.

Funny signs

If you’re the office prankster who likes to email crazy things to your colleagues, then you’ll love www.funnysign.com. It’s a gallery of more than 100 unintentionally funny American road signs. Some of the funniest are those advertising places of worship, such as: “Seeking a sign from God? This is it!” and “Don’t let worries kill you – let the church help.”

Talking Pets

Have you ever wished your pet could talk?

Well www.talkingpets.org is a place to check out.

Talkingpets.org houses a fun little widget that allows you to upload a picture of your treasured pet and make a fun talking postcard to send on to friends and family.

Just choose a picture, re-size and add an appropriate mouth. Then you can either type an original message or use one of the pre-loaded passages of text. The voice will change depending on which name you choose.

The voices are a bit scary to say the least, but it is a fun way to send a personal message. And you can even add your creation to your Facebook profile to amuse visitors with a funny message.

The Horses Mouth

Starting a new job or college course can be a daunting experience, especially if you are moving into an entirely new field.

Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who has been there before, and that is the premise of www.horsesmouth.co.uk

This social enterprise website is all about connecting people up to mentors who can guide them through the trials and tribulations they will face.

You can either become a mentor and pass on your pearls of wisdom, or you seek the support of an understanding person who knows what you are going through.

There are almost 5,000 mentors registered with the site covering subjects as wide-ranging as family and relationships to vocational training and choosing a career. But if you cannot find a mentor on your subject, the website invites you to send out a call for help.

You can scan the website's categories, or scroll through the available mentors to read their profiles.

To contact a mentor you will need to register, which requires a mobile number for them to send a verification code to.

The service is only available in certain countries, but there is a good global coverage.

Travel Guide

If the autumn is depressing you already, and you fancy booking yourself a holiday to cheer yourself up, never fear travel.co.uk is here. It pools information from hundreds of travel agents to provide you with at least three options for every holiday you choose. There’s also a nifty holiday shortlist feature that lets you store and compare different holidays as you browse the site. And if you’re looking for a last-minute bargain, it’s a great place to start.

Holiday Homes

www.myholiday.com is a new holiday home rental site that provides details of 40,000 cottages, villas, apartments and houseboats in 21 countries. Once you’ve found a property you like the look of you can book online or add it to a list of potential holiday venues. There are large photos of each property, so you won’t get any nasty surprises, and details of rental rates throughout the year and any extra costs. And if you’ve got a holiday homes of your own, you can list it for free.

Website reviews - Your website on the radio

If you have a good website that you would like reviewed here as well as live on the radio then get in touch by emailing bill @ abbeyfm.co.uk or by leaving details on this blog by clicking on "Comments"

Send as musch detail as you like with the link and I will take a look and reveiew it live on the radio.

Prize Finder

Do you love entering competitions and winning prizes?

Well www.theprizefinder.com is the site for you. It organises competitions by prize as well as closing date, so you can home in on those that offer a particular reward.

You can interact with other competition hounds in the chat room and on the message board, and check out the links to helpful sites - like anagram solvers, crossword hints and tie-breaker suggestions - for assistance in composing winning entries.

How Do You Do It?

Have you ever wondered how to lower your cholesterol, tone up your inner thighs or break the ice on a first date? Well you can find the answer to all these questions plus thousands more at www.ehow.com. It’s the online guide to doing almost anything!

Hot Deals

www.hotukdeals.com is where you can find details of ‘hot deals’ and discount vouchers – but with a twist. These deals and discounts aren’t publicised by the companies, but by visitors to the site.

It’s a great example of how people can use the web to help other people, from the kindness of their penny-pinching hearts.

If you like to do your grocery shopping online you can always find a voucher on this site worth at least as much as the cost of the delivery.

Nutritionally Sound

Nutriprofile.com is a free online service for anyone who wishes to improve their diet. You simply fill in a questionnaire, which takes about 20 minutes, and you get a report back within 24 hours telling you where you have deficiencies in your diet.

And most of us could do with a little help it seems, as research has shown that on average, Brits only consume two and a half portions of fruit and veg a day.

Have A Lie In

A special website review for today. As its the weekend then I don't normally do one on the radio but its the weekend that the clocks go back an hour in the UK which means that everyone gets to spend an extra hour in bed (well most of us). But if you`ve got a lumpy old bed, you might not find your lie in quite so relaxing.

According to www.sleepcouncil.com a good nights sleep and a comfy bed are vital to your health and well being and if your bed is over 10 years old then it might be time for a new one.



Early hours of the morning. Sunday... 2am in the Uk becomes 1am. Dont forget to put your clocks back an hour as British summer Time officially ends at 2am.

Great songs for playing on the radio at 2am.

R Kelly - If I could turn back the hands of time
Spice Girls 2 becomes 1.

Anyone got any others

Mad About Sport

www.sport.co.uk aims to be the most extensive sports website in the UK, which is no simple task. As you’d expect from a serious sports site, it offers a rich range of media, including podcasts, RSS feeds and video exclusives, as well as some excellent, in-depth articles for people with a bit of time.

Forums, polls and blogs offer plenty of scope for interaction, whether you favour football, rugby, cricket, golf or virtually any other sport.

netHACKZ

The internet has so much to do and so little time to do it in. It would be great if there was a place you could go to for down-to-earth tips and tricks on making your life online more productive.

www.nethackz.com is an excellent blog all about internet productivity.
Whether you use the net for work or play, there are hundreds of great ideas and suggestions to ease your online stresses.

I found, for instance, a page listing 25 mobile applications for people on the go and a video by the founder of Wired magazine, Kevin Kelly, talking about the next 5,000 days of the internet.

There is a range of things that is really essential reading if you like to spend a lot of time online.
Content is king on this website which has a typical blog style and layout. You will find recent posts on the main page panel, with a link to categorised sections a little lower on the right.

It has links to some really useful applications and websites thrown in to boot.

Weddings With A Difference

Planning a wedding is one of the most stressful things you can ever embark on, but www.somethingdifferentweddings.co.uk could make the process a lot easier. This site rolls a host of services and products into one handy place. Whether you’re in need of bridal fashion advice, need to hire a flash wedding car or you’re searching for a bespoke photographer, the site is a great source of ideas.

The chamber of Horrors

Been dreading it for a few days and been putting it off but finally plucked up the courage to go to the chamber of horrors today.

Actually, I mean the dentist but it amounts to the same thing.

Had toothache for over a week and couldnt tell which tooth it was in and think that both teeth should have been sorted but he removed one and left the other.

Pain is still there but its in the hole where my tooth was and the cheekbone is still swolen after 5 hours.

No wonder I`m petrified of the dentist and what makes it worse is if the pain don't go then I may have to go back and do it all over again.

Anyway, if I`m sounding a bit strange on tonights show then you know why.

vSide

Life is one big party according to website www.vSide.com So if you want to party like it is 1999, again, point your browser towards the download link and get ready to begin a whole new life, virtually.

VSide is a 3D virtual world where you can listen to music, chat with friends, shop at the shopping centre for clothing and accessories, or just hang out with mates in your apartment. Sounds a lot like real life, which begs the question: why would you need to do this in a virtual way?

Well the answer is fun, plus you will expand your musical tastes and broaden your networking horizons as people from all over the world mingle and chat in an informal atmosphere. The software is all pretty intuitive, with menus and clickies to perform actions like dancing and lounging on the sofa. There are some very funny dances if you scroll through the options. The people I "met" in the clubs and bars have all been pretty friendly and cool.

This is basically just a glorified chatroom, with a definite lean towards people who like music.

Watch out for the live DJ and music events where you can party all night without getting blisters from too much dancing.

One for the Girls

Girls tend to have a sizeable collection of handbags and shoes. www.handbag.com is a site to stuffed with fashion, beauty, celebrity and entertainment.

The site is laid out, with dropdown menus beneath the tabs so you can quickly jump to the content you are interested in.

The last tab houses "handbag tv", for those that want to just sit back and watch. It is well filmed and put together, with some great films if you want to look like a fashionista.

Overall the content is as gritty and frank as it gets for a girly rag. If you embarrass easily, you should probably avoid the "sex & life" section where tips are handled tastefully, but are still somewhat forthright.

All Cures

If you’re a bit of a hypochondriac or just can’t be bothered going down the local chemist, log on to www.allcures.com, which is the UK’s first online pharmacy. There are lots of big brands and a wide range of products available, as well as toiletries, beauty and alternative medicine. You can even arrange to have your prescription delivered to your door for no extra cost.

Mozdev.org

Living in the UK I am constantly being caught out by unexpected downpours and cold snaps in the middle of summer. But since I found the following site I know exactly when to stay indoors.

http://forecastfox.mozdev.org is the URL you need for this funky little forecasting tool that lets you see the weather at a glance while you are surfing. Clicking the installation link will punt you over to the Firefox add-ons site which is a familiar haunt if you are a regular Click viewer. It houses some essential tools for the popular browser. Just click to add, set permissions if you need to, and by the magic of the internet this neat little tool will be automatically added for your browsing convenience and pleasure.

When you restart your browser, you will need to set up your preferences, including telling the software where you live and how you want the information displayed and such like. Once you click OK, your forecast toolbar will be embedded in your browser window. It is updated as frequently as you have requested from AccuWeather.com, so you need never be caught without an umbrella again.

Google Moon

Whilst having a surf round the net I came across Google Moon at www.google.com/moon so I thought its time we strapped on our moon boots to take a gander.

Like the rest of the universe of Google sites of this nature, www.google.com/moon really delivers.

The interface will be very familiar if you have toured through Google Earth. The moon's surface is laid out before you with markers of where certain events took place. At the widest magnification click a marker to zoom in and explore other markers, complete with text information, links and point of view photographs from various lunar visits.

There is no download to endure so you can just dive in and have a look round. Use the thumbnails across the bottom to skip through the various entries directly.

A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words

If you like customising your photos, check out www.bubblesnaps.com, where you can upload your pictures and simply add your own comic-book-style speech captions, so your pictures really can speak for themselves. All you need is a photo and a little imagination, and you could be ‘entertaining colleagues’, family and friends with your witty pictures in no time at all.

Hangover Cure

It’s not a myth that your hangovers get worse as you get older, and if you want some relief from the pounding headache and nausea, check out www.hungover.net for a few tips from fellow post-session sufferers. There you’ll find a number of cures, like pouring a glass of water with five Berrocas dissolved through a hole into a small watermelon.

Real Age

Do you want to know how old you really look? If you can handle the truth, log on to GuessMyAge.net. Here you can submit your photo and let other users rate your age. Or if this all sounds a bit too ‘10 Year’s Younger’ for you, why not guess the ages of the site’s members - and you may be surprised at the results!

Sports Sister

www.sportsister.com is a new, online sports magazine for women, packed with useful and engaging news and features. There’s a dedicated health section called ‘clinic’ that offers advice from some of Britain’s top fitness trainers on how to prepare for anything from a charity walk to the London Marathon. Best of all is the comprehensive ‘What’s on’ listing - a weekly guide to women’s sporting events across the UK.

Complain Away!

If you like nothing better than a good rant but are scared you might lose all your friends if you do, www.weeklygripe.co.uk is the place for you. This site allows you to complain incessantly without anyone judging you, and you can say anything you like about anything you like!

Shop And Give

www.froggybank.co.uk is a generous new shopping portal that aims to reward consumers, charities and the environment in one fell swoop. Simply sign up with the site and then click through to the one of the 1,500-plus partner stores to shop.

Froggybank gives you 100% of its referral fee, which you can keep for yourself, donate to a good cause or use to offset your carbon footprint. There’s also a £2.50 reward for referring new members.

Cheat Guide To Winning

If you’re stuck on a particular crossword clue, or have been dealt a bad hand at scrabble, visit www.anagrammer.com. This is an online anagram machine, which will sort out jumbled letters into a point-scoring answer. It’s also got a function which will help you to solve suduko.

Home Videos

Watching home movies can get a bit boring after a while. So if you want yours to stand out from the rest of the crowd’s go to www.flipclips.com. This animated website will turn your home videos into flipbooks. This means you can carry them around with you to show to all your friends.

Cartoon Nostalgia

www.80scartoon.co.uk is a must-see for anyone who grew up in the 1980s. It’s home to a whole host of interesting facts, trivia and information on every cartoon you can remember from your childhood. There’s everything from ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’, to ‘Will o’ The Wisp’. Go on, embrace your inner child!

DLL-files

Here is a site I found when I was stumped by a missing DLL message.

DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library, and it is a file containing a library of executable functions or data required to run a programme.

But you do not need to worry about that. Take a look at www.dll-files.com

Just note down the name of the missing file from the error message, plug it into the search box on this site, then download and follow the instructions for installation. It could not be simpler.

Surf The Web

It’s easy to worry about what happens to your personal information when you go online.

So if you want to surf the web without disclosing who you are or where you are, log on to www.anonymouse.org.

Then you can visit any site safe in the knowledge that nobody will be snooping on you.

Walk It

The summer is finally here, so there’s no better time to strap on your walking shoes and take a stroll in the fresh air. But if you don’t know where to start, take a look at walkit.com.

This excellent online route-planning site for pedestrians lets you type in any two points in a British city and you’ll get a walking route map. Each route also includes an estimate of the number of calories the walker will burn, a journey time and the amount of carbon saved by not travelling by taxi, car or bus.

The Demotivator

Curbing your spending habits can be difficult, so if you want a bit of demotivation visit moneysavingexpert.com.

Use the Demotivator tool to work out how much you spend a year on non-essential treats. It will certainly take the spring out of your step.

Discount Codes

Everyone loves a bargain, and if you’re in the mood to save your cash then log on to sendmediscounts.co.uk. This handy site gives you a cheeky peek at any discount codes available at your favourite online boutiques. The offers range from free delivery to 50% off your total bill.

Save Energy, Save Cash

If you want to do your bit for the environment, and save yourself some cash, visit energysavingtrust.org.uk. By filling in the Energy Saving Trust’s survey you can see how much energy you could be saving in your home, which could reduce your heating bills by up to 15%.

Wafflebox

Monday Nights website review

Social networking sites are all about staying in touch. You can text people, leave messages pinned to their board, or send them pictures of what you are up to at the moment. But would it not be nice if you could just call them up for a quick waffle?

www.wafflebox.co.uk is an awesome idea. It basically allocates users with a voicebox telephone number that people can call to leave short audio messages. Now you can sign up from anywhere in the world.

The number is a UK 0845 number. UK users are charged an 0845 rate, which makes it pretty inexpensive for people to leave messages - and totally free for you to receive them.
You can even embed Wafflebox in your social networking site - such as Friendster or Facebook. It is really easy to do and adds a neat little widget to your profile that should keep your friends and contacts amused for hours.

Website reviews

Monday to Thursdays around 11.30pm I will chat about a website that has been reviewed and promote it on the radio. All sites that are reviewed will be mentioned on this blog so if you don`t quite catch the web address when listening to the show then you can always come here and have a scroll around and find it.

If you have a website that you would like reviewed then just get in touch with meand tell me a little about it and I will have a look and may use it on the show.

Some websites I review don`t always make it onto the show for a number of reasons but if I think they are worth a mention and I cant fit them in on the show then they will still get mentioned on this blog.

Get in touch now if you have a great website you would like reviewed

Friday: I’m Out Of Pocket

It’s a little-known fact that petrol retailers add a couple of pence to the price of petrol and diesel on Fridays, when it’s busiest at the pumps. Stay one step ahead and buy your fuel the day before. And to keep tabs on who’s offering the cheapest, check out petrolprices.com.

Plaxo

With so many ways to communicate it is difficult to keep on top of all your contacts, especially with people moving house and changing e-mail address and telephone numbers so frequently. Losing touch will be a thing of the past if you sign up to Plaxo. (www.plaxo.com)

This is basically a contacts management service which connects you with your friends and family and helps you all keep up to date with each others' changes.

There is so much more to this site, have a good explore of the features. I do want to draw your attention to the option to link up your account with other sites that you subscribe to - such as YouTube, , your blog, or any number of photo sharing and social networking destinations.

Eat For Free

If you need to tighten your purse strings, but you don’t want to give up your luxury lifestyle, sign up to tns-global.com. This mystery shopping agency means you can get free meals in restaurants, stays in hotels and drinks in pubs. All you have to do is fill in a form about your experiences.

Order In

Going to the supermarket can be a nightmare with rocketing food prices, horrendous queues and irritating checkout staff. So if you want to take the hassle out of shopping, visit mysupermarket.com. It will tell you which shops stock the cheapest versions of your favourite foods as well as what offers each supermarket has at the moment.

Make A Mix-Tape

Anyone nostalgic for the days of making mix tapes for friends should appreciate mixtape.com This music-sharing site lets you upload up to 12 tunes from your MP3 collection as if recording them onto an old C60. You can then send a web link to selected people so they can listen to your mix in their browsers, without needing to download anything.

RUSSELL - Barrows Dog Walking Legend

This is something I would have liked to review live on the show but due to circumstances beyond my control I`m sorry but it cant yet be done. However, having known Russell for a number of years I personally feel that the website below is in good taste and is worthy of a mention on my blog at least. Having spoke to Russell he seems more than happy about the website even though it was put together by someone else.



The author of the site is quoted as saying. "It started about three weeks ago when a group of friends were slightly inebriated and discussing our love of this little tin pot, one
horse town called Barrow and we got on to talking about local characters and Russels name cropped up as he is well known locally by just about everyone in the town and is a local legend.

After talking about Russells zest for life and the love of his town and local area. this has given him celebrity status among Barrovians.

So what if he's not George Clooney? He is still that lovable friendly face and voice that we all know This is a man who is happy doing what he does, every day of his life withtotal commitment and a smile. how many of us can say that?

How many people say " I wish i'd done this or that" or "i hate my job".........not Russel.

He is affectionately know him as Mad Russ but you really have to wonder, are we the mad ones?

A facebook group was set up to celebrate and show appreciation

for a truly genuine man, one of the cheekiest and hardest working characters
to go down in Barrovian folklore.A shortcut to his facebook site is at www.southlakes.addr.com/russell

Visit the site and join the group if you have facebook, maybe
leave a russ - related story or perhaps even any photos of the man himself in order to pay homage to a true Barrovian. But please keep it and respectful because we feel that this man aptly sums up the mood and and community spirit of Barrow itself. We do not intend any offence to Russel whatsoever, we are seriously trying to give him the credit he deserves as seeing Russ out and about brightens everybodys day.


Russell - we salute you.

Late Night Phone In and Debate

This coming Sunday we look at the following issues. Email your comments and listen out theis Sunday from 11pm

THIS WEEK WE ASK,SHOULD THE STATE DO MORE TO HELP BRITAINS 6 MILLION CARERS..

WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENTS NEW “GANG SPOTTER” GUIDE BOOKLET FOR PARENTS AND WE ALSO CARRY ON FROM WHERE WE LEFT OFF LAST WEEK ASKING THE QUESTION “WHO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING OUR DATA SECURE”.

Cari Flower

Shes back to play acouistically this Tuesday night from 10pm live on Abbey FM. The last time she was on the show was on Tuesday 6th May and made a massive impact on the listeners. She is going away next weekend so we managed to slot her in last minute. Tune in from 10pm this Tuesday and listen to Cari Flower. More info on her at www.myspace.com/somecariflower

Lift Magic

Have you ever stared at yourself in the mirror, imagining how much better you could look with a little nip and tuck?

Well now you can see for yourself at liftmagic.com. Just upload a headshot of yourself and lift and enhance to your heart’s content.

Old Skool

You’ll find vintage shows, films, cartoons and adverts aplenty at tesla.liketelevision.com. Check out all your favourite golden oldie films or relive your favourite childhood TV commercials again and again.

Connection Speeds

If you are wondering whether you are actually getting the connection speeds to the internet that your service provider has promised, pop yourself along to TSTools and find out for yourself. http://st.tstools.co.uk
Operation could not be easier, despite the slightly scary looking front page. Just choose the download location to test from, pick a download size to test, and click it to start.

Remember to close any bandwidth hogging software such as downloads, games, software updates or streaming radio and video before you start, as this will impair your results.

The next screen tells you exactly what your download speed is. It is very useful if you think your ISP might be overloading its network and giving you poor service as a result.

A Drive

Tonights website review is called A Drive

Now, how would you like 50GB of free online storage space with the option to share? Yes, I thought so. Well at adrive.com just click the big black button to get your 50GB and sign-up and click the link in the activation e-mail which you are sent to complete.

Once logged in at www.adrive.com then managing your files is really simple, though the downloader/uploader runs on java so you will need to have that function activated to work successfully.

Click on My Files at the top then use the Upload feature to begin backing-up data from your hard drive. The site is still in beta but the FAQ says they will be adding a feature to automatically back up all the files on your computer soon.

Once your files have uploaded you will see a link giving you the option to share them. Click this link to add the file to your shared drive, and a URL will be generated for others to click on to access that file.

Billy Bradshaw

Little Billy from the Bradshaws which is part of the late show has asked me to check out his website and tell you all about it. You dont need me to do that as you can find it all out for yourself by taking a look at www.thebradshaws.biz and when you sign that guest book then tell them I sent you.

Under a Fiver

www.underfivepounds.com bills itself as retail therapy without the guilt. And Yes, all the stuff on the site is under a fiver. Sections include House and Home, Ladies and Gents Clothes, childrens wear, gifts, gadgets and jewellery

Pun Names

If you love funny pun names like Hugo First and Gladys Over then check out www.punnames.com The site was started by a group of friends who began thinking up funny names over a few beers. The list got a bit out of hand so go check it out and see what you think.

Better Barbies

The sun is shining and cooking indoors starts to feel all wrong. It’s tempting to fire up the barbie, but if you’re far from being a pro, it can be more hassle than it’s worth. Polish up your al fresco culinary skills at www.bbq.co.uk. One look at the site and you’ll know how to smoke foods on the barbecue, choose the right cuts of meat and perhaps most importantly, avoid food poisoning!

Toilet Humour

If you love toilet humour then you’ve got to pay a visit to bathroomlife.com. There’s a guide to doing your business at work, as well as a survey to check if your bathroom habits are normal. And who knew there were over 100 words for passing wind!

Community Save

www.communitysave.co.uk is a new, energy price comparison service with a difference. The premise is to get you the best deal for your gas and electricity bills while helping to raise money for charity. For every household that switches energy supplier – all of which is taken care of by Community Save – a charity of your choice is rewarded with a donation of £10. The site is 100% impartial, easy to use and free. You can either register the charity you would like to benefit or donate to the featured charity on the site.

Keep Kids Healthy

Every parent wants the best for their child and if you want nutritional advice and healthy recipes take a look at www.keepkidshealthy.com. This site gives you all the information you need to know about keeping your kids fit and healthy. There’s also plenty of safety advice and parenting tips to make you a yummy mummy or doting daddy

Don’t Waste Food

IExperts say that the average annual grocery bill for a family of four is set to rise to a whopping £800. So you can’t really afford to waste anything. If you find that you’re always throwing food away then you’re buying too much. For tips on smarter shopping log on to www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Bobs Taxi Tales

I know I have mentioned this before in the past and it has also been reviewed on the show but its still well worth a visit so go check it out at www.taxistorys.blogspot.com and tell him I sent you.

If you want to have a listen to the previous radio interviews about this blog with the webmaster then you need to click HERE and download the audio

Local websites

Take a look at one of my websites and find links to other local sites as well as the history of every pub and hotel in the town and over 3000 photos of the artea dating from mid 19th century

www.barrowinphotos.co.uk

Giant Snacks

If you’re currently counting calories, you might want to steer clear of this site. But if you want to see how you can cram as many as possible into a snack, check out www.pimpmysnack.com Highlights include the giant Crème Egg, the Jaffa Cake or the sickly Hobnob cream.

Insanity Test

Have you ever worried that you might be going a bit mad? Well you can find out once and for all at www.penddraig.co.uk/pen. Simply click on the ‘online tests’ link and take the ‘insanity test’. With 176 questions in all, you’ve got to be pretty crazy to even attempt it in the first place. But at least you’ll know for sure.

Web Doctor

Getting an appointment with your doctor can sometimes be a struggle. But www.webmd.com could be the next best thing. There are links to information about specific diseases and conditions, as well as medical videos and news. Best of all, the interactive symptom-checker lets you diagnose problems simply by clicking on an area on an image of the body and selecting symptoms. Once you’ve pinpointed the illness, you are then given advice about possible treatments.

Chronicle Future

No one can predict what’s going to happen in the future, but one website is willing to take a guess. www.chronicle-future.co.uk shows you what they think the headlines of the future will be. Just select the year you want to see and Chronicle Future will give show you what is likely to be splashed across front page.

TGI Friday

Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is on the way! But if you’re stumped for ideas on how to spend your valuable time off take a look at www.itstheweeknd.org. This site has plenty of ideas on everything from stag nights to family weekends away. There’s also downloadable offers to make your free time a little less expensive.

The Lake District

When you’re having a stressful day at work, thinking of flowing waters, beautiful scenery and quiet surroundings could help. www.lakedistrictdesktops.com lets you download different desktop backgrounds of the Lake District to help take your mind off those long meetings and annoying emails.

The Great Outdoors

Summer’s on the way so it’s time to burn the coals and have a barbeque. But if you’re a barbequing beginner you need www.thesmokingring.com. This handy site is packed with tips and downloadable recipes to help you become the master of outdoor cooking.

Be Wise

Do you ever wonder what your purpose is? If you’re struggling to answer some of life’s biggest questions, visit www.wisdomology.com This is a place where users can come together and have meaningful conversations about their mind, body and souls. You might not agree with what some people have to say but at least you’ll get a chance to express your own opinions

Fun Advice

Website reviews have returned so check this one out If you’re one of those people who loves to give their friends advice take a look at www.funadvice.com. Other users write in with their problems and want you to tell them what to do. The questions people ask include everything from how to mend a broken heart to who was the lead singer of Nirvana? It’s also a handy web address to know if you’ve got a question that you need an answer to.

Local website about the Furness area

Whilst I am covering the mid morning show then maybe you want to while away a feww hours looking at a site dedicated to the Furness peninsula and it has a very busy message forum as well as over 2000 photos of Barrow and the area dating from mid 19th century to modern day and is updated regularly.

The site is at www.southlakes-uk.co.uk and whilst you're at it have a look at www.barrowpubs.co.uk which is a history of every pub and hotyel that has ever stood in Barrow In Furness

And why am I giving you these two sites to look at..... Two reasons....

They're local to the Furness Area
They are both my own work.

You guessed it. I am the author, creator and webmaster of them both.

GPS Speed Sentry

If you are missing the website reviews whilst i`m temporarily on the daytime program I can recommend this website which i reviewed on the late show not too long ago.

www.tchartdev.com is the site you need if you dont want to get caught by a speed camera again. Not only that but the software will give you all sorts of other information such as your height above sea level as well as calcualte your milage, average speed top speed etc etc and dislay it all on the screen of your GPS unit.

been caught speeding lately? sick of getting points deducted? tired of donating your money to the government money making scams that are termed "safety cameras"?

tchart development does not endorse driving at excessive speed but like many we have been nabbed going slightly over the speed limit. gps speed sentry was developed to provide a subtle warning mechanism that you are exceeding the speed limit. this is particularly helpful on those long road trips when you should be watching the road and not your speedometer.

gps speed sentry is more than just a gps enabled speed monitor/car computer. it monitors your current speed and warns you when you are near or go over one of 6 user defined speed limits, the latest version of the software can also provide warnings about approaching speed cameras.

it also allows you to view other gps derived information on a series of displays. other information includes current/top/average speed, a trip meter, an odometer, elevation, position, bearing and much more.

The information displayed by gps speed sentry includes;
- current speed (in knots, mph or km/hr)
- average speed
- top speed
- trip meter
- odometer
- 3d compass view also shows bearing and direction
- speed graph also shows current speed limit
- elevation graph
- current latitude and longitude coordinates (in various formats)
- number of satellites locked & in view
- satellite sky plot
- satellite reception bars
- gps fix type (fix/no fix/2d/3d)
- data validity
- coordinated universal time (utc) date/time & local date/time
- ordnance survey great britain grid reference
- maidenhead grid locator

Go check it out and try the software and if you like it then you can register it

Long Awkward Pause

Last website review of the day for a couple of week and a break from the late show as I am temporarily on the move covering Murfs lunchtime show from 10am til 2pm.

You know what’s like, a friend points their camera in your direction and asks you to say “cheese”. So you fix a grin on your face and wait for them to press the button, hoping that they’ll make it snappy so your face doesn’t go stiff. www.longawkwardpose.com reveals what happens when that friend doesn’t take the picture and just leaves your sitting there gurning. It’s cruel but funny!

Women Republic

www.womenrepublic.co.uk is dedicated to everything a woman needs to know. This site holds information on a huge range of topics including travel, health, relationships and dieting. Their aim is to provide honest help and advice for women of all ages and positions in life.

Mistakes And Errors

Bob Monkhouse famously said ‘We all make mistakes. That’s why they put rubbers at the end of pencils’. But if you like to laugh at other people’s mistakes, visit www.regrettheerror.com. This site holds hundreds of mistakes that broadsheets have made and the retractions they’ve had to make.

Cheap And Cheerful

Its a great time to start planning your holidays. And if you’re planning a trip to Europe, you need www.great25.com. This handy site has hundreds of events for you to enjoy for less than 25 euros. it’s great for any one who’s travelling on a budget.

ReQall

I do not know about you, but I usually think of important things I need to remember to do when I am out taking a walk, or on the train, or basically anywhere that it is really inconvenient to make a note or leap into action.

That is why www.reqall.com is a big hit with me. ReQall is the site that offers to be your constant companion and memory jogger, so you need never forget anything ever again.

Once you have registered, click the link to settings at the top to set up the various sections, including your notification preferences about how and when you want to receive reminders.

The idea is you input anything you want to be reminded about like birthdays, shopping lists, deadlines for work etc. The website's clever software recognises certain keywords, such as "buy" and automatically adds the reminder to the right section, like the shopping list.

You can share your ReQall database with other users, giving you the chance to gently remind your other half to pick up milk on the way home from work without seeming like you are nagging.

But it is for users in the UK, US and Canada that the site really comes into its own. Here you are offered toll free numbers to call so you can add notes while you are out and about, and they are converted to text and stored in your database as well as sent back to you by text.

You can add up to five telephone numbers linked to your account and there is even the option to put in a pin number if you need to use another number like a telephone box.

Online Radio

Tonights website review is about listening to the radio online is very common these days but it can be quite consuming trying to search for your favourite on the net or you don’t even know where to begin. Take a look at www.radiopaq.com as it contains just about every station in the uk and you can search and listen just by clicking on a link on the site. Even Abbey FM is there so you have no excuse for not listening to the late show anymore.

Planet SciCast

If you had told me that science can be fun when I was in school I would not have believed you, but when I was in school there were not websites like this to enjoy.

Take a look at www.planet-scicast.com as here you will find films and experiments on all things scientific.

The interesting thing about the content here is it has been submitted by users of the site, so it is really varied and often very entertaining, such as the young lad making a turboturd out of sulphuric acid and sugar.

To navigate, use the panel on the left. If you think you have the talent to contribute to the site take a look at About SciCast. There is even a competition running at the moment which you can find more about on Submit Film.

As well as the videos, there are some great experiments you can try yourself. All experiments come with an illustrated step-by-step guide, so give in to your curiosity and expand your mind. And obviously make sure youngsters are properly supervised.

The Compulsive Traveller

The site's mission statement reads "Travel video stories from 65 countries that inform, educate and entertain", and they certainly do that.

Take a look at it at www.compulsivetraveler.tv

As well as being well filmed and edited they feature some really interesting content that sits somewhere between travelogue and historical or natural world documentary.

A featured country is displayed on the opening page, just click the arrow to play the top film and there are links to further films from that country laid out below.

Click People, Places or Categories to link to the various ways you can browse the site's content. Clicking All Videos at the top will bring up a huge page of thumbnails linking to every film in the archive.

Now all you have to do is make a cup of tea and sit back and enjoy.
Travel without the jabs, long flights or airport delays. It is enough to make you compulsive about it.

No Smoking

This website is aimed at no smoking day and wants to reduce the 3.5 million deaths caused by smoking each year.

www.tobaccofacts.org is a website that doesn’t preach or tell you what to think but they do give you the hard facts about what tobacco does to your body. For more information visit your local G.P.

Am I Right?

If you’re a fan of strange jingles and misheard lyrics take a look at www.amiright.com

This online music forum holds a large collection of funny albums and song parodies for you to laugh out loud and sing along to. To put it simply: any silly song is welcome here

The Price Is Right

If you’re a beer loving traveller you need to visit www.pintprice.com

Select the country you’re about to visit and this handy site will tell you how much the price of a pint is. Just make sure you avoid Italy whereb the average pint could set you back over £3.50p

Sweet Dreams

We’ve all had strange dreams but if you want to know what yours mean then take a visit to www.askfreud.org Just type in a brief description of your dream and see what the psychologist makes of your unconscious thoughts

Garden Helper

If your back garden looks more like a waste ground than a tropical paradise then you need www.garden-helper.com This free online database is a lifesaver for anyone who wants to learn how to garden. It will help you plan what to grow, learn what different plants look like and share your own tips with fellow gardeners

Saving… Not Spending

www.myvouchercodes.co.uk is a website which is so good you could save yourself a fortune. The site lists a range of discount codes and printable vouchers to redeem on your everyday shopping. So the next time someone asks how much your new clothes cost you, you might want to let them in on this little secret

Girly Summer Holidays

Going on a girly holiday can be one of the best ways to unwind and forget all your troubles but before you go on your travels take a look at www.wanderlust.co.uk as it’s a girls guide to travel and will give you a little extra confidence before setting off. It’s packed with top tips to help you stay safe and get the most from your time away

Summer Solstice

Today is summer solstice, which means it’s the longest day of the year. And if you want to celebrate the day in style, visit www.new-age.co.uk. This site tells you the exact time the sun rises and falls today and where to go to see it in all its glory. There’s also a gallery of stunning photographs taken at the summer solstice at Stonehenge over the past five years.

Old Man

If you’ve ever wondered what you’d look like as a little old man visit www.theoldtimersmachine.com and upload your photo and choose your outfit before getting a glimpse into the future. Its also useful if you’ve got a friends birthday coming up and want to give them the fright of their life.

Random Acts of Reality

Being an ambulance driver in a big city can be exhausting and very stressful. Now you can follow one drivers relentless work day at www.randomreality.blogware.com After reading just a few entries you won’t know whether to laugh or cry at the bizarre patients these poor paramedics encounter

Asthma

Asthma is a condition which affects the small tubs that carry the air in and out of the lungs. If you suffer from asthma visit www.healthy-house.co.uk The site is dedicated to helping you create a healthier environment at home so you can breathe a little easier.

Summer Holidays

With Summer on the way you might be thinking about where to go on your travels. If you’re planning to visit a country where you’ll need to have immunisations then you’ll need to leave at least six to ten weks before you travel. To make sure you’ve had all thew right jabs you need to visit www.travelhealth.co.uk

Friday the Thirteenth

Are you superstitious. I want to hear from you. What are your superstitions. Today is Friday 13th June 2008. People have all sorts of beliefs and one of the most strangest ones I have heard is this.

Hold your breath when walking past a cemetery in case you breathe in a spirit.

Thinking about this, I hold my breath everytime I walk past a tramp in case I breath in a spirit.

Email Converter

www.spinvox.com is one of those websites you could lose hours looking at. This site accurately converts voicemails and memos into text messages or emails and if you hate texting you can let spinvox send spoken messages out as emails or text messages

Free Lawyer

If you need a lawyer but can’t afford the hefty bills that come with one, visit www.freelawyer.co.uk This helpful site will provide you with all the information you need and has advice on housing, motoring, employment and consumer law

Computer Advice

If you’re a bit of a technophobe, you might want to take a look at www.helpwithpcs.com The site has lots of useful information on how to you’re your pc running smoothly as well as other handy tips and tricks

Painful Migraines

Having a migraine is far worse than having a headache. The pain you can experience can have you laid up in bed for days on end. A look at www.migraine.org.uk gives sufferers advice on tried and tested treatments as well as how to spot the early warning signs of a migraine

What is your greatest Fear?

Leave comments to this post as I would be interested to know what is your greatest fear or phobia?

Today was the day I had been dreading all week as I had to visit the "Chamber of Horrors", aka The Dentist, for a tooth extraction. My one and only phobia is the dentist but when I got there I thought that its best that I get it over with so I lay there with my mouth wide open (and that's not a pretty site) whilst they put three lots of injection in it.

The tooth removal was pretty straight forward but it left me with a bruised cheek which is still sore as I start my radio show tonight so expect me to sound a little slurred on the radio and blame the dentist. Hopefully the bruising will go down in a day or two at the most.

So now you know. Its the dentist that scares me. Whats yours?

Website reviews

I`m on the lookout for some good useful or useless websites to review. if you have a good one then get in touch with me either by email or leaving a message on my voicebank on 01229 808222

Wireless Hot Spots

Having wireless capability on your laptop can be very handy and if you want to know where you can get online for free then visit www.myhotpspots.co.uk This handy website will be a godsend when you’re next out and about with your laptop and need to get online

Cleaning Tips

If you’re more of a slob than a domestic goddess then you need www.howtocleananything.com This helpful website tells you how to spring clean your home all year round. Thre’s also a list of cleaning providers and a forum for you to leave your own handy tips

Cute

She is 6 years old today, had her since she was a pup, cant believe time goes so fast. She was born this day on a farm in Ulverston.

Blast from the Past

Polaroid cameras may be a thing of the past but one website wants to cherish its memory forever. www.instantizer.com lets you convert your digital photographs into Polaroid style images so you can write captions underneath.

Petrol Prices

Owning a car can be expensive at the best of time but if you think you are paying over the odds for your fuel visit www.petrolprices.com Just type in your postcode and this handy site will tell you the cheapest and most expensive fuel prices in your area.

Buzz Hawkins and The Bradshaws

I had a great night in Chipping with Buzz Hawkins and The Bradshaws. Looking forward to another show soon. If you want to see Buzz Hawkins performing live with The Bradshaws then find out more at www.jennifershawevents.co.uk and tune into the late show to hear them at 11.15pm and an hour later at 12.15am

The photo shows Buzz Hawkins. Agent Jennifer Shaw and Myself

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The next event if you want to see them live is

Saturday 7th June -
Chorley Little Theatre,
Dole Lane, Chorley,
Lancs, PR7 2RL

Tel: 0845 1309517 (local rates)

or Malcolm's Musicland, Chapel Street, Chorley Tel 01257 264362 - £10.00

Cult Classics

Did you ever fall in love with a cult TV programme only to find they cancelled it after only one series?. www.tvcream.org is a site dedicated to the memory of rubbish TV shows that you hated to love. Just search through the archives to find old gems such as Going for Gold, Mary Mungo and Midge as well as Bagpuss and loads of other cult classics

Add, Subtract and Multiply

Getting your head around numbers and figures can be quite stressful which is why www.calculator.com is here to help. You can choose from a number of different settings to help you work out how much you pay back on a loan, mortgage or lease. He site is a godsend for anyone who has difficult with mathematics

In Case of Emergencies

For most of us the worst part about dying suddenly would be never getting to tell friends and family how much we loved them. But for others it could be never telling enemies what you thought of them. www.justincaseidie.com lets you leave a message which the site will send on your behalf if you pass away.

The way it works is that you set a time limit, and if you don’t log back in and cancel the message then it will be automatically sent out

Really Worried

Be it money, health or global warming, we all have our worries and, according to this new site, spend more than five years of our lives dwelling on them. www.reallyworried.com helps you reclaim some of that time by providing a place to seek help and offer advice on any worrying topic. Like a more supportive version of Yahoo Answers, users can read, reply to and tag each other’s worries; rate and subscribe to responses; and invite their friends to join. With its calming purple colour scheme, welcoming community and links to professional bodies such as Relate

Screaming Bee

Ever heard your voice on a recording, like an answerphone message, and thought: "I don't sound like that, do I?"

People rarely like the way their voice sounds when they hear it played back - well with our next piece of free software you can do something about that.

Point your browser to www.screamingbee.com and download the free version of MorphVOX,.

No registration needed and the set-up is very simple. The software will step you through an optimisation process on installation, and then you can start playing around with the sounds.

You will need a microphone installed, for obvious reasons, and the free version comes with three basic voice types: male, female and little people.

If you want more options you can download additional voice packs but you will need the pro edition which is not free after the trial period.

This software is simply a bit of fun - though it can be used in conjunction with any voice communication programme you use.

Winking Skull

The human body is an amazing piece of architecture. Man has been studying anatomy since at least 1600BC, when the ancient Egyptians first began to map the way our bodies work.

Whether you are studying anatomy, cramming for an exam, or just have a curiosity to find out more about what makes you tick, www.winkingskull.com is an amazing website.

Navigate through each region of the body by clicking the links in the navigation panel on the left. Every part of the body is covered, literally from head to toe, and beautifully illustrated with interactive diagrams that peel away the layers of our anatomy for all to see. You can click the labels on and off so you know exactly what you are looking at.

If you register, which is free, you can even use the site's extensive self-testing exercises, which ask you to place the labels on the diagrams in an allotted amount of time. Skilled labellers could rank among the website's most brainy users.

Wondering How To....

Are you the curious type? Well the web is alive with how-to guides and step-by-steps, but there is nothing quite like seeing a process demonstrated live - www.wonderhowto.com is rich with great video content, caught my eye.

At WonderHowTo you will find a multitude of how-to guides in video form, covering everything from making a 3D dragon that follows you with its eyes to squeezing a spot in the proper way - how pleasant.

There is a clip of the day at the top of the homepage and then under that, three columns of fresh, hidden gems and hot video picks for you to peruse.

When you are through looking at the recommended picks, you can dig deeper using the category menu.

There is so much here to see, pulled from literally every corner of the web, it is a delight. And likely to suck up half your day, so be warned.

And of course like any site of this type, there is some adult content to be found, so best not to let minors browse here alone

Time Lines

If you’re writing a historical essay or reading up for a pub quiz or just want to improve your general knowledge then visit www.timelines.ws This site holds information and historical dates since time began. A Must see for any historian

Band to Band

Throughout the years band members have had a tendency to move about from group to group. www.bandtoband.com has decided to map out a rock and roll family tree showing you which records artists have appeared on in the last 60 years. This fascinating website is a must see for any die hard music fan.

Hassle Me

No matter what day in the week it is then no doubt you have a million and one things to do. If you need reminding what needs doing then go to www.hassleme.co.uk The online service will nag you so you don’t forget to do these tasks

Psychic Powers

If you want to test how good your phychic powers are try visiting www.espgame.org This is a two player game where you are paired with somebody you don’t know. You can’t communicate with your partner and the only thing you have in common is that you both see the same image. You both have to pick the words to describe the picture you are seeing while trying to second guess what the other person has written. This can be a surprisingly eerie game.

Trolley Dash

Price comparison websites are a great way to save money but www.mysupermarket.co.uk allows you to shop online at one store, calculate what the costs would be at rival supermarkets and then order your goods at the cheapest checkout

Buddy Mapping

With the growing popularity of social networking sites and online gaming communities, people's circles of friends can often extend across the continents.

www.buddymapping.com helps you keep tabs on your virtual contacts.

Using the architecture of Google maps this site allows you to create your own personalised maps and then invite friends and contacts to pin themselves to their location, adding a picture, e-mail or web address and even a link to their MySpace or Facebook pages.

Just register using your e-mail address and password to begin, then give your map a title and description and a dedicated URL extension that makes sense.

Once done you can e-mail this URL to others in your community, or link to it from a forum or website.

Participants only need to click the orange button to add themselves to the map, no registration is needed, and you will begin to build up a picture of where you all sit in the world.

File Storage

Wednesdays website review of the day was all about storing those important files for safety as computers have become an essential part of our daily lives. The information we keep on them is valuable, sentimental and often vital.

So what happens if you lose your computer in a fire or theft?

As scary as it is to think about, disasters do happen and you have two choices in life. Bury your head in the sand and hope it does not happen to you, or back-up, buddy.

The safest option is to store your data off-site, and http://mozy.com offers that very service all wrapped in a user-friendly interface.

Now, Mozy does provide a paid for service for both home and professional users and if you have a lot to back-up it is worth considering the fairly inexpensive monthly fee.

But you can store up to 2GB completely free if you are a home user. Click the MozyHome tab at the top to find the free sign-up button.

There are a few personal details to fill in and the final registration page offers you more free space for referrals, which is a nice touch.

After confirming your e-mail address you get a link to download the back-up software.

Next step, install and then go through the configuration wizard, which will bring you to a page where you can select the back-up sets you want, such as e-mail and contacts, financial information and photos and images and even your browser bookmarks.

If you are on the free account the capacity bar at the bottom will tell you when you are over the limit.

The next dialogue tests the speed of your connection and then you are told how long the back-up will take to complete. Be warned it will likely be a long time for the first back-up, but will be a lot quicker after that.

Finally, make your choice about when you want the back-up to start then click Finish to finish.