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

---

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.

Food Tube

The internet is a fantastic resource for recipes but sometimes it can be difficult to follow the instructions.

www.foodtube.net with its wide variety of well organised cooking videos provides a solution. There is also a forum so there is a chance to ask questions of the regular contributors

Star Wars

Hmmm....

Couldnt resist it......

Today is National Star Wars Day...... May the 4th be with you..

Recipe Matcher

Do you ever come home after a long day of work, look in the fridge but cannot think of anything to cook with the stuff that is in there.

If the answer is yes, you might find this site very useful. www.recipematcher.com

Recipe Matcher is pretty easy to use. You type in what is in your pantry in the green box, then choose from the drop-down menu what kind of cuisine you want to cook.

Click "Show Me What I Can Make", it will then generate recipes you can cook with the ingredients that are in your fridge.

On the right-hand side it indicates the amount of ingredients you have - and on the left what you will still need to buy.

You can do the same with drinks and impress your guests with a cocktail.

If you choose to register and log in, the site gives you the option of saving your pantry and creating an electronic grocery list.

You can also save your favourite recipes as well as submitting your own.

Map24

It might be the least known of the mapping services but www.uk.map24.com is accurate and packed with impressive features. You'll find functions & symbols that you won't recognise from other map services, so prepare to spend some time getting used to it. Once you're up and running, it's straightforward to get a location or a route. The site recognises addresses and/or postcodes. If you type in part of an address it will bring up a list of possibles from which you can select the one you want. The service also automatically zeros into your location on the map. website.

DIY Fix It

www.diyfixit.co.uk is a delightfully designed site offering clear, concise advice. that gets the balance between information and entertainment just right. The advice is extensive without being overwhelming and their Fun section is to this site what a well-earned cuppa is after several hours of hard, back-breaking work. Plus, it has more links than B&Q have claw hammers. Put down that wallpaper steamer and visit this site now

Irfanview

I’ve not mentioned free photo editing software on the show before but I want to draw your attention to one in particular - and it is thanks to a guy called Irfan from Austria.

IrfanView is one of the most popular graphic and photo editing suites on the web and it has just had an upgrade. Check out www.irfanview.com

At 1MB it is a tiny download which is both powerful and efficient so it runs smoothly on older or slower machines too.

As well as the usual cropping, rotation and colour correction - IrfanView sorts out red eye and offers a variety of creative effects. A couple of features caught my eye. Load an image and press enter - the programme's screen furniture disappears to offer a full screen display. Now left click to go back and right click to go forward - an easy way to show off your photos at your own pace. There is a slideshow option too.

Another great feature is the ability to create a panoramic photo by stitching your snaps together. Many cameras are now sold with this sort of software but if you do not have it yet this is an easy way to make great vistas quickly.

Although IrfanView only works on PCs and not Macs at the moment, it does support a wide range of file formats. And this is where it performs another great trick! If you want to change a whole folder of pictures - say from Tiff to Jpeg - you can batch convert them all in one go.

Pet Friendly Hotels

Whilst spending some time in the Isle of Man last weekend I couldnt help but notice the amount of "Dog Friendly Hotels" This is ideal is you want a short break in the Isle of Man but don`t want to leave your dog behind.

If the idea of leaving your pampered pooch behind while you swan off on holiday brings you out in a cold sweat, perhaps this new website could be the answer to all your prayers. www.pet-friendly-hotels.co.uk is a guide to all UK hotels, Bed and Breakfasts and guesthouses that not only welcome dogs but also offer an online room booking facility. The simple site, created by a group of Somerset pet owners, also gives brief details of a hotel's facilities, ratings and room availability. We were rather impressed to get results for all our random searches - There's not much more to say about the site, its easy to use, its helpful and original.

Word On The Street

Wednesdays website review was about the word on the street. If you like to hear the news, rather than read it visit www.pimpmynews.com as it turns all the latest news and event stories into audio for you to listen to. You can also share clips with friends if there’s something you know they’d enjoy

Pocket Rocket

If you’ve got an important website to remember, but no pen and paper, visit www.netrocket.com . This site stores all your important web addresses so you can view them anytime and from anywhere. You can also set reminders if there’s an important email to send or file to download.

Isle of Man - A different way of life.

Spent time in the Isle of Man this weekend and whilst there took the oppertunity to have a drive round and see their way of life and how it differs from here in the UK.

They have their own laws and parliament as well as currency. People of the Isle of Man will accept English bank notes but people in England are reluctant to accept Isle of Man money. Why not. Its value is the same.



Saw some interesting places and talked to lots of the local yokels about the island. Its a great place. I`ve been before and either work or play, whatever the reason, I would go again.

These folk even have their own customs and whilst driving across the southern tip of the island heading west I came across Fairy Bridge which has its own folklore. It is considered bad luck to pass over the bridge without acknowledging the fairies known to be there. Some people write little messages and wishes on paper and tie them to the trees next to the bridge. Perhaps they are hoping for a little fairy magic!



Tynwald, is the Island's parliament, The annual ceremonial meeting in July on Tynwald Day, the Island's national day, continues to be held at Tynwald Hill, where titles are announced and a brief description of the new laws enacted by Tynwald during the previous year is given.

You learn something every day.

All in all a great weekend and now I`m back then things will get back to normal with my radio work.

Up My Sleeve

The next time you want to impress someone with your magical skills, you might want to steal some tips from www.magictricks.com . There are tricks for adults, children, beginners and experts so everyone will be a practising Paul Daniels by the end of the day. You can even watch video clips of the stunts to make sure you’re getting them just right

Top of Trivia

Wednesdays website review is about trivia.

If you’ve got a big pub quiz coming up or just want to sharpen your general knowledge then visit www.funtrivia.com . The site has thousands of facts ranging from the extremely interesting to the completely pointless. Either way, it’s a fun way to spend some surfing time.

Website reviews

I am being inundated with emails from people asking me if I can review their website on the radio and give it a free plug. As much as I dont mind doing this I must point out that there are certain limitations and restrictions.

Your website or any other website you would like to review must be either for fun, be educational or non-profit making. Basically providing its not a business website then it should be ok.

If you would like me to take a look at your website or you would like to get it promoted on the radio then email me with the website details and a few lines saying what its about and listen out to the show to hear it reviewed.

Pie and Mushies

Tuesday night I was joined by local blogger Rosie Mitchell to promote her new web blog all about Barrow. Its not just pictures but meaningful words as well.

Check out her website at www.pieandmushies.wordpress.com

Rosie chatted about her mission to take at least one photo a day and publish it together with the meaning behind it.

Click Here to download the interview.

Photos will be posted soon.

Brain Box

Sometimes its good to give your mind a bit of a mental workout. That’s why www.brainbashers.com is full of mind puzzling games and illusions for you to get your brain around. And don’t worry if you’re not the biggest brianiac around, there are puzzles for beginners as well.

On The Box

If you’re settling down for a night in front of the TV but don’ fancy whats on the box, there’s a website that can help. www.joost.com is a free TV site where you can select from a whole library of TV shows and make up your own evenings entertainment

Pump Up The Volume

If you’re always on the lookout for new bands and artists then visit www.urbanamplified.com . Their tem of specialists recommends unsigned bands whose songs and videos you can download. You can also browse albums to buy, read music blogs and enter competitions. And if you’re in a band looking for promotion then upload your music and keep your fingers crossed

Crime Fighter

If you consider yourself to be a bit of a detective, take a look at www.mysterynet.com . This website is great for anyone who enjoys putting clues together and solving conundrums. The site is a combination of online mysteries and games and there’s also a community games section so you can join forces with others.

Wine Buff

If you enjoy the odd glass of wine but don’t know your Chardonnay then why not try www.lovethatwine.co.uk . With honest reviews from everyday wine drinkers you’re bound to find the perfect drink for you. The site currently holds information on more than 10,000 wines, which are all available in the UK.

On The Road Again

Thursday Nights website review

When you’ve got a long journey ahead then being prepared is vital. www.5minutesaway.co.uk is a directory of services and facilities available to motorists within 5 minutes of each motorway junction. This handy website means you will never find yourself stuck for a petrol station, hotel or toilet ever again.

Bi-Lingual

If you fancy learning a new language and making friends at the same time then visit www.friendsabroad.com . This free site will give you the chance to test your new skills with millions of people from 250 countries speaking 80 different languages. It’s a great opportunity to speak to natives and learn local phrases

Going Green

If you’re finding it hard to stay green this year then help is at hand at www.dothegreenthing.com this site will give you just one thing to do a month to change about your lifestyle and help the environment. Keeping green will be easier than flicking off a light switch