Photos by Rosie

Abbey FM head of News Rosie Hillman has set up her own photography business after the demise of Abbey FM. She is a photographer based in Barrow in Furness in Cumbria and is ready to take photos of your band, your baby, your dog or your wares! She is not just limited to work in Furness and will travel anywhere in the country/world! She offers an alternative to that dated concept of the stiff studio family portrait session. Instead, if you like walking the dog on the beach as a family, she will come along with you and take pictures of the wind in your hair and the sand between your toes! She says. If you're a footy-mad family, then we'll go for a kick about in the park and I'll capture the goals you score and the smiles on your faces. You get the idea! For businesses or bands, organisations or groups, I'm passionate about helping you get the perfect images to promote yourself! Please do get in touch for availability and prices. on 01229 831569.

Contact Info

Email:
Website:	http://www.flickr.com/hillmanpix

Free Stuff

It’s always nice to get something for free, which is why www.free-stuff.co.uk is the gift that keeps on giving. This site is full of free offers for you to choose from including make up, supermarket vouchers and free wines.

Recycling Revolution

You hear a lot of talk these days about the environment - and the need to recycle in order to preserve precious resources. Sounds easy. But how much do you really know about recycling and how to live in harmony with the planet?

www.recycling-revolution.com is a website I've found that offers a really down-to-earth introduction to all things recycle related. And it's not as simple as you might imagine.

There are all sorts of rules and guidelines to adhere to if you want to make your recycling the most efficient, and ways to recycle you might not have thought about before - such as selling old clothes and toys in a yard sale or carboot sale.

This site was created by a lady trying to educate her husband on what can and cannot be recycled. It's plain and to the point and emphasises the fact that every little counts.

Samurize

One of those 'must have' tools if you are a gamer, overclocker or desktop modder.

www.samurize.com provides all the information you need about all your computers in one central location in the form of a "config," similar to a widget or gadget, that can be placed anywhere on your desktop.

To this you can add information such as CPU usage, disk utilisation, network traffic, system temperatures, top processes, memory information and loads more.

There are scripts or plugins which can display weather reports, news headlines, music controllers - you can even use the scripts to create a text file to be displayed on your desktop - for example a to-do list.

Combine this with an autohotkey command to update the list when you think of something new to do and you are well on your way to calling yourself a serious desktop modder!
This is for total tech heads only. It is designed for use on Windows XP and 2000, with Vista fixes due out in the next build.

If you fancy having a go and need more help than the rather dry text tutorial on the website, checkout

Publish Post

YouTube as there are plenty of great visual guides if you search for Samurize.

Autohotkey

RSI is a common complaint for regular computer users. In the case of computing it is caused by repeating the same keystrokes or mouse movements over and over again.

www.autohotkey.com is the URL where you can download a custom macro script writer which sits in your system tray and overrides Windows' default hotkeys so that you can design your own.
This looks incredibly complicated - but once you have stepped through the quick start tutorial you will realise it is really not that hard at all.

By loading up your script files with instructions to do pretty much anything you would want to do regularly, you can not only preserve your body from the strains of RSI but you can also save valuable time.

Want to open your favourite search engine? Write a macro so that you can do it on one keystroke.

Need to write your signature and contact details in an email or on a letter?

Yet again you can easily create a hotkey that performs this task at the press of a button.

A New Language

Learning a foreign language can be very difficult. And if you know someone who’s trying to get to grips with English, send them to www.my-english-dictionary.com. This site let’s you learn new words by showing you how it’s spelt, a picture of it and how to say the word.

Scatter Brain

Learning a foreign language can be very difficult. And if you know someone who’s trying to get to grips with English, send them to www.my-english-dictionary.com. This site let’s you learn new words by showing you how it’s spelt, a picture of it and how to say the word.

Magic Taxi

We all need to use search engines, whether it’s for work or play. And www.magictaxi.co.uk claims to be the web’s happiest website, because it donates 50% of its advertising revenue to charity. So next time you need to find an answer, log on and you could be doing your good deed for the day.

Pop Music

If you love to be kept up to date with the latest pop gossip, click on www.popjustice.com. This site gives you a daily account of what’s going on in the showbiz world, and insider news on what your favourite celebrities have been getting up to. There’s also news on the latest releases and upcoming gigs.

Expert Village

Need an expert? We cannot all know everything so it is good to know there is a place on the web where you can find someone who does.

Take a look at www.expertvillage.com as this site has lots of great instructional videos to help you accomplish a variety of tasks from using a block plane to applying the perfect mascara for your wedding day.

Click the categories tab to browse through the content by subject. Most films are placed in a series, allowing you to step through the various stages of a topic in small bites.
You must remember that these people are experts, not presenters, so a lot of the content is quite dry.

But the level of detail and knowledge contained in them is very impressive - and it is all totally free to watch.

Start Killer

At www.tordex.com you can download Start Killer which does exactly what it says on the tin.

If like me you often have a lot of programs and documents open at the same time, your task bar can get very crowded. This makes it hard to find what you are looking for.

Start Killer is a simple but effective tool to free up a little more valuable real estate at the bottom of your screen. After downloading and installing, when Start Killer is launched, it starts ridding your screen of the Start button.
When you close the program, your button comes back. And if you want occasional access to the Start button while you are working just use CRTL and Escape, or the Windows key on your keyboard.

GoodSync

Have you backed up your data this week? How about that laptop or PDA you so nearly left on the bus last night? Despite being simply lost without the data on our computing technology, so many of us just do not bother to back it up. This product makes it so simple to do this that there really is no excuse.

At www.goodsync.com you will find the excellent programme designed to give you a quick and easy way to keep all your information regularly synced up, so you need never lose it again.
This application is really quick and easy to use, whether you are synchronising the data between a laptop or PDA and your desktop machine. Or transferring folders onto a memory stick to take out on the road with you, or backing up your folders to an online storage facility

You need to state the two locations you want to sync up, including a URL if you want to work with an online source, and then just click analyse to have the programme review and mark up any changes to the data.

Nosy Neighbours

If you’re in the process of selling your house, it’s good to know how much other properties are going for in your area. Mypropertyspy.co.uk gives you access to property sale prices, dating back as far as 2000. Just type in your postcode and sit back for hours of compulsive viewing.

Around The World

If you’re off on your holidays you might want to take a look at worldtimeengine.com and find out what the time is at your chosen destination. Just type in any country, city, point of interest or postcode and picture that you’re there already.

Award Yourself

If you’re having one of those days where you feel insignificant, visit www.partycubicle.com. This site lets you print off certificates to make yourself feel important. So today you could just be an office worker, but by tomorrow you can be The World’s Greatest Love Machine. Just be careful where you hang up your certificate, because people at your work might not agree.

Funny Names

It might be childish, but most of us laugh when we see a funny name in a telephone directory. www.funnyname.com lists hundreds of hilarious names from the yellow pages for you to browse through. Some of the best names include, Lunatic Fringe and Running Waters.

PokeTalk

There are many great websites offering stuff for free these days. So how do you fancy a free 10-minute phone call to anywhere in the world? Try www.poketalk.com

At first glance Poketalk.com seems too good to be true, but aside from any incoming charges such as roaming fees for using your mobile abroad, these calls are totally free and you do not need a microphone or headset to proceed.

Calls are paid for by the sites advertising and all you have to do is sign-up and put in a request giving the number you are calling from and the one you want to connect to.

Within a very short while - it took about five seconds for me - you will hear your phone ring. Pick up and you will hear a dialling tone as you are connected to your call.

You are limited to 10 minutes, and not every country is covered, although the list is quite impressive. Check out the destinations tab to learn more.

It is worth noting too that in some countries you can only make calls to and from landlines. But altogether this is an astoundingly simple and useful service.

Finer day

Everyone is talking about social networking sites. There are oodles and oodles to choose from - but for some people the internet is a complicated and sometimes frightening place.

If you know someone who feels that way about the online world then perhaps www.finrday.com is the place for you to connect?

After logging in for the first time you will be prompted to invite your family or friends to join your closed network. There is a very clear video tutorial to help you do this.

All the buttons and text are presented in large contrasting fonts, making it super easy for those with poor eyesight to find their way around.

In fact the whole website concept was designed by a qualified care home worker who wanted to provide an online networking service for older people to enjoy and feel safe in.

It is early days for the site so some of the services are not yet available but you can send emails and share photos, simplifying the family communication tools into something that even your great grandmother should feel comfortable using.

The site has already been translated into Welsh, Polish and Punjabi

MobileLeap

Mobile connections are the new window to the online world, but not every website creator has done what they can to optimise their site for your roaming viewing. That is where Mobile Leap can help.

Check out http://mlvb.net

The site acts as a portal to all other sites on the web, stripping them out and reformatting them so that you can easily view pages on your handheld device.

Go to Settings when you first launch it to set the dimensions of your screen and how you want the information displayed. This enables you to include as much or as little detail as you think your mobile can take.

As well as having the images re-sized to more mobile-friendly dimensions you can also chose to run text only.

This and having all the ads and excess html stripped out will really help with loading times, especially if you are running a sketchy connection.

Punk At Heart

Who ever said that the spirit of punk is dead? www.punk77.co.uk gives you the complete history of UK Punk Rock. Featuring an A to Z of punk bands, rare record sleeves, fashion and lyrics, you can get lost remembering the days where anarchy ruled the waves.

Top Table

If you burn your toast, and undercook the chicken, now might be the time to seek some culinary help. www.topsecretrecipes.com brings the recipes of your favourite restaurants into your kitchen, by helping you create your own menus and learn the tricks of the trade.

The Queen’s English

Do you ever laugh when a foreigner makes a mistake while using the Queen’s English?

Engrish.com documents the hilarious misuse of English by the Japanese. Favourite include the Woops Hair Salon and Colon Chocolate Bars.

Frixo

www.frixo.com is a road / motorway traffic reporting site and it may be a useful resource for anyone travelling on the roads.

It gives users up to date information as the site gets updated every 3 minutes via feeds from various sources including the government's official Highways Agency site.

Frixo provides current Road Traffic Reports. It's a free service aimed at giving you live traffic news and information. Frixo specialises in traffic news and reports making it easy to use whether you're about to make a journey or out and about using our mobile service.

All you need do is select by city, motorway or a-road you want to travel on followed by the direction, then just click Get Report to get the latest live updates and traffic information. ( any delays, incidents and information will be outlined that will affect your journey).

DJing Tips

If you dream of becoming a DJ, there’s one website that is packed with tips and techniques that are sure to get you hitting the decks. www.djforums.com holds reviews of equipment and online video tutorials for scratching, mixing and maintenance. And if you’ve got any questions, just ask other visitors to the site via the forum.

4 weeks til Summer

Today is 1st March. Exactly 4 weeks today British Summer time begins when the clocks go forward an hour meaning lighter nights.

If only it would bring the good weather with it. I would like to look forward to more barbeques and friends round having a good time but we never get the weather for it.

This leads me nicely onto this site www.weather-forecast.com/locations/BarrowInFurness which will give you the weather fgor the Barrow and Furness area.

If you want the weather for elsewhere then try www.weather-forecast.com

A website a day

Usually I list website reviews on average about 4 days a week but starting 1st March I am going to try and do one every day (7 days a week) due to being inundated with good reviews. Its worth checking back each day.

I will also try and keep you upto date with local live music events and other things happening in my life at the moment.

Sing Your Heart Out

Ali Rigg from local duo Toungue Tide does a regular singing session at Forum 28 in Barrow every Tuesday from 3rd March.

The popular weekly sing your heart out is for anyone aged eight to 108 and takes place from 7pm til 9pm. The cost is £4 with concessions at £2.50

Ali and Jodi from Tongue Tide have appeared as guests of mine on various acoustic slots on the radio and you can find out more about them at www.myspace.com/tonguetideuk

Come Fly With Me

If you’re a bit of a nervous flyer, visit www.seatguru.com. This handy site is the ultimate source for airplane seating, in-flight amenities and airline information. This will you give you a chance to familiarise yourself and ease any of your pre-flight angst.

Warmth Of The Sun

www.aftersunrise.com is the perfect site for people who feel like they’re carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. You can watch videos of the sunrise on Miami Beach, while soothing sounds and feel good quotes will leave you feeling

Surf The Web

It can be difficult to help your children with their homework without giving them the answers. If you want to teach your kids how to surf the internet safely, use www.kidsclick.org. This is a great search engine designed to help children discover the internet.

Social Networking

Theres loads of social networking sites around such as twitter and facebook, bebo and myspace etc etc.

I havnt tried them all but some that I have tried I find very intruding and personally I canmt be arsed with "Twitter"

However you can find me on facebook just look for my email address and also at www.myspace.com/billclarkontheradio

Fabulous, Darling

If you’re planning on booking your summer break, and only somewhere fabulous will do, visit www.fabsearch.com. This travel site trawls glossy magazines like Vogue, Tatler, and Vanity Fair for their best travel tips and features and archives them online by source and location.

A short month

Its a month away from the start of spring. For me, time seems to have flown by since Christmas and if also like me you have direct debits and other bills to pay by the 1st of the month then don`t forget that February is only a 28 day month so it will soon come round.

Website reviews

I`m now struck deals with a few radio stations around the world who will use the websites reviewed on this blog as part of their station output so keep your website ideas coming and if they are any good then they may be reviewed on here then used on radio and then visitors to the sites will increase. Email me your websites and a short piece about them to the usual address or altenately leave details on 01229 808222

John Little Entertains You

You may well have seen John Little performing locally either as a magician, a singer and guitarist or heard him on the Evening Show on the now defunct Abbey FM.

John is a man of many talents and can put his mind to anything and if you are looking for a vocalist, guitarist, childrens entertainer, voiceover artist just real good entertainment then you cant go wrong with chatting to John little.

Find out more at his website www.johnl.co.uk. You wont be disapointed.

Music Magic

If you want to discover new music but don’t know where to start, visit www.thefilter.com. This lazy guide to building a music collection gets you to enter your three favorite artists, and then the site will generate a playlist of music it thinks you’ll love. You can also read reviews, watch music videos and download albums.

Pocket Rocket

If you’ve got an important website to remember, but no pen and paper, visit netrocket.com. This site stories 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.

Hoaxes And Headlines

If you don’t trust what you read in the paper, you’ll love www.truthdig.com. The purpose of this web magazine is to provide you with unbiased and insightful reports on current events and issues. You can also share your own views and opinions through an online discussion group

Supernatural Powers

Some people claim to have supernatural powers, but if you think its all magic and tricks, visit getrue.com. This site gives tricksters and performers a chance to display their talents, and explain the method behind their madness.

A Poem and a Pint

Tongue Tide (Aka Jodi and Ali) have appeared on the show a few times and if you are wondering what they are upto then read on.

Poem And A Pint on Valentines Day
We are performing the musical spot alongside special guest poet Kathleen Jamie on Saturday 14th February at Forum Twenty Eight in Barrow. The evening starts at 7.30pm and costs £6/£4conc We have just the song...!!!

Another evening of 4play
4Play is a full eclectic evening of top quality music from 'up north' (apart from Jodi of course who's a cockney to most of you, even though she's not at all from London; but Ali more than qualifies for us both anyway so go with it 'alright'!)
4Play is an opportunity to see acts that we recommend on the contemporary Northern music scene
4Play is never the same twice & good for the soul.
4Play is about the chemistry & brought to you by Twisted Promotions

www.myspace.com/tonguetideuk
www.myspace.com/liljoeacoustic
www.myspace.com/louisemarymartin
www.myspace.com/kayaherstad

Our second 4play event is set for the 21st February '09 with a great line up from start to finish and all for the great price of just £5.
Our out of town headline act is Kaya hailing from Liverpool, a very lyrical, quirky, Norwegian lady who has had some fantastic reviews one of which is... 'Kaya is the perfect balance of warm, charming & lighthearted and serious, powerful & mesmerizing'

That's all for now except.... the date for our 2nd Twisted Cabaret is 25th July... put it in your diaries now; places will be limited

Friday the Thirteenth

Superstitious or not.... Not me. Don't believe in it all. After all since when did someone walk under a ladder and a black cat lands on them..

Anyway if your superstitious about Friday 13th then normally it would only happen twice a year a few months apart but February and March days and dates are the same when February only has 28 days in it so not to put a damper on it but if you are superstatiotios about Friday 13th then its gonna happen again in exactly 28 days....

Hidden Talents

If you’ve got a talent that you’re desperate to share with the world, visit www.log.tv. This site is aimed at being a talent broadcasting network, and users are encouraged to upload film, TV, comedy and music, giving anyone the opportunity to become a star. Everything that’s submitted will be screened, so if you are broadcast on the site you know that you’ve got talent.

Soul Train

If you’ve got a passion for classic soul and funk, visit www.soulandfunkmusic.com. With information on legends like Marvin Gaye, Prince and Aretha Franklin you can spend hours searching through their album releases, interviews and reviews. There’s even an online station that is sure to please old school fans

Puppy Love

If you’re a dog lover, www.doggysnaps.com is the website for you. With hundreds of photographs, this website does exactly what it says on the tin. You can also upload pictures of your favourite pooch for the world to enjoy.

20 Days And Counting...

If you’ve ever felt like there’s not enough hours in the day, now’s the time to take a step back and think things through. www.20days.co.uk works out how many days the average Brit has off work each year, including holidays and weekends, and comes up with inventive ways to spend your time. So how will you spend your 132 days this year?

Off Road Parking

www.parkatmyhouse.com is an interesting and helpful site dedicated to helping you find affordable and fine-free parking.

The service works by letting homeowners rent out their empty driveways, garages and car parks to drivers needing somewhere to park.

You can arrange to use the space on a one-off or regular basis depending on whose parking spot your renting.

Full Of Flavour

If you consider yourself to be a bit of a Nigella or Jamie in the kitchen, visit www.eattheseasons.co.uk. This simple but effective website does exactly what it says on the tin, and tells you what foods are in season this month.

In February try eating bananas, oranges, parsnips and rhubarb.

One for the girls

With a plethora of great gadgets and tech available, girls these days are into much more than just dolls and dressing up.

www.wambie.com is a young girls' paradise, as it is all pink and sparkly, with horoscopes, games, stories and even a spattering of celebrity gossip.

This really is a very stereotypically girly girl site, with its cooking and skill games, so not one for the tomboys.

But if your little one loves princesses and fashion and cooking and makeup she will have a ball.
The only downside is the abundance of adverts, but I guess the site's creators are entitled to earn money for its upkeep.

Somehow you do not even need to register to play, plus they do not actually interfere with the gameplay at all.

MovieStorm

Even though the web reviews are finished on the radio for now I have been asked by numerous people to keep this blog going so theres more websites for you to try out.
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The more technology develops, the more it opens the doors of creativity to a wider audience. This website will turn even the most technically inept of you into an animated movie master.

You just need a little time and patience and a decent script. Take a look at www.moviestorm.co.uk

Take a wander around the site and check out the movies posted by people who are already using this software. There are some really cool little films. But do bear in mind they are posted by the public, so you may occasionally come across something which is not to your taste. Once you are hooked on the idea you need to register and download the software.

The first time you launch the application, it will check your hardware to see which settings you can run, and then download the standard core library of sets, models and props.

There is a reasonably extensive free library for you to play around with, and of course the obligatory extra packs you can pay for.

Some more experienced animators can even add their own elements. The software is quite complicated, but if you follow the step-by-step guide when making a template-based movie it should not take you too long to get the hang of it.

This is a great piece of free software worth persevering with, so start small and work your way up.

Rest In Peace

Have you ever had a pet that you loved so much that you want to cherish their memory forever? Well now you can at www.thepetcemetary.com, where you can upload photographs and memories that you have of your beloved pet.

Visitors to the site are also given the chance to leave their own personal messages on your pet’s grave, making it the perfect tribute.

Safe As Houses

We all want to protect ourselves and our families as much as we can, and now there’s a website that can help. Security. www.tipcentral.net is a website dedicated to ensuring your safety at home, work and on the move. It has ten categories including personal, travel, financial and computer safety so you can sleep easy knowing that you’re being looked after

Fashion Police

In the New Year most of us want to change our look. If you want to try a different style, try visiting www.thefashionpolice.net. This website will tell you what’s hot and what’s not, as well as which celebrity’s fashion sense you should be following. A good way to spend your lunchtime!

Cook By Numbers

If you’re more of a disaster than a Delia in the kitchen, visit www.legourmet.tv. This handy site stores video recipes so you can watch and pause them while you’re cooking. They update the site with four new creations every week so you can continually score brownie points with your other half, friends or flatmates.

Burns Night

It’s Burns Night coming up, a festival that’s aimed at celebrating the life and work of Scotland’s best-loved bard, Robert Burns. But how much you do know about the great man? Well you can find out all about him at www.rabbie-burns.com, where you can also read a selection of his poems, learn how to through a traditional Burns Night Supper and read up on the history of Burns’s beloved haggis.

Cancertalk Week

Cancertalk Week is this week and it's aimed at helping schools raise children and young peoples' awareness of cancer using free teaching resources.

Macmillan Cancer Support is asking schools across the UK to use the Cancertalk packs to plan a special assembly and hold a series of lessons on cancer, or just take part in fundraising for Macmillan.

To find out more visit www.macmillan. org.uk.

A Way With Words

Whether you’re declaring your undying love, or just can’t find the right words www.quoteland.com will help you always sound articulate. You can search by topic or keyword, making it easier to pass off these words of wisdom as your own. It’s also handy for any student trying to finish off an essay.

Bizarre Experiments

If you love hoaxes and strange experiments, then you’ll love this site. Log on to www.museumofhoaxes.com and click on the link on the right hand side and you’ll be transported to a list of the Top 20 Most Bizarre Experiments Of All Time.

The list of experiments here are truly bizarre and be warned that the faint of heart may want to stay away from some of the more peculiar entries.

Read all about elephants on acid, bulls controlled by remote, and housewives unintentionally subjecting themselves to beneficial brainwashing.

Mascot Stalker

We all have days where we hate everybody and everything. If you’re feeling wound up today, log on to www.ihate.org.uk and tell the world what’s getting on your nerves. Or, if you just can’t find the words to express how you’re feeling, take a look at what’s getting other people’s goat.

Up To The Minute

It’s never great being the last to know what’s going on in the world, so to keep your knowledge of national and international events up to date log on to www.newsnow.co.uk.

This site automatically searches over 30,000 websites every five minutes to give you the very latest information from around the globe.

Paper Planes, Trains and Automobiles

www.papertoys.com gives you a chance to relive your childhood days of making paper aeroplanes but on a much more grand stage.

This site shows you how to make everything from the Eiffel Tower to a Jimi Hendrix guitar with their easy-to-use guidelines. This is site is great for kids and big kids alike!

Top Secret

No matter what you do for a career, it’s more than likely that you dreamt about being a spy when you were a kid.

You can now live out your childhood fantasies at www.topspysecrets.com. This is a site full of spy tricks and secrets, including how to make your own invisible ink. A good excuse to release your inner child!

Classic Clips

Have you ever trawled the web for funny clips and thought, ‘there’s got to be a better way to sift through all this rubbish?’ Well you’ll be pleased to know that there is.

www.classicshowbiz.blogspot.com gives you nothing but the best US TV clips. Perfect if you’re in need of a bit of light relief on a grey winter’s day!

Our House

If you’re looking to relocate to a new area, www.upmystreet.com can help find the perfect place for you. Just type in the postcode of where you’re thinking of moving to, and the website will generate a complete profile of your chosen area. It will even go as far as to tell you what newspapers the people in your area read!

Lost Dog

A dog is not just for Christmas, it’s for life, which is why it can be devastating when you lose your canine companion. www.doglost.co.uk is the place to go when your pooch has gone missing. You can upload photographs and details free of charge within minutes and it’s also helpful if you’ve found a puppy you want to return to its rightful owner.

Ideas Machine

The first website review of 2009 on the show.


If you’ve got a great idea you’re desperate to share with the world, look no further than www.idea-a-day.com. This website let’s you post your idea, and if they think it’s good enough, they’ll display it as their idea for the day. And for those of you who are in need of inspiration, you can also look back through their archives at other people’s strokes of genius

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.