Favorite Online Things
For a challenge at lighthouse_the. Fortuitously I just did my Advent(ure) Calendar for our winter break because I was concerned that I'd get bored and irritated with so much down time and no celebrations. So some of the favorite things are from that, others elsewhere...
1) In the harsh desert of the American Southwest, climbers Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright summited 45 rock towers, biked 700 miles, and pushed their bodies to the limits, all in the name of an adventure they aptly dubbed "Sufferfest." 21 min. I’m not much one for extreme “sports” but really enjoyed this. First, the guys aren’t fancy in any way; they seem humble and charitable and also environmental, not surprisingly. Worth watching!
2) Walk around NYC Chinatown. A historical look at Chinatown in New York City; really good writing and photos, and one interactive photo/video part that I want to know how they did it, where it merges the current day view with the historical view! Worth checking out and made me nostalgic for NYC.
3) Pick a nature webcam to follow at Explore.org - many, many options. I like those that are live (patches of boredom punctuated by excitement). Check out Tembe elephant park, Zen cams (pipeline surfing, etc.) Or Bald eagles webcam: friendsofbigbearvalley.org [eggs expected to hatch in January]
4) Exoplanet Travel Bureau: Explore 360-degree visualizations of the surfaces of planets of other stars. This is both scientific and fanciful, and I liked the disclaimer that the visualizations were "artist renderings based on little data."
5) Geo Guesser. Drops you in a spot and you guess where it is. It's a long shot, but I came close a few times. Would be great as a party game but I can kill some time on it. Requires sign up.
6) Mix.com is the new version of the former StumbleUpon, where you put in your interests, click a button, and it randomly (supposedly) takes you to a website. I have found some cool stuff, especially if you add "art" and "science fiction" and things like that, you're more likely to get graphic stuff instead of just articles.
7) Atlas Obscura is a cool site that features weird and unusual places in the world; could be useful for planning travel but also fun to read just as cultural or historical oddities, food favorites in different places, or behavioral tidbits and event.
8) I love advice columns and Ask A Manager is a great one, even if you're not a manager (which I am). It's a lot of questions/answers about work culture, getting along with people, and career advice from a person who is very reasonable and well-balanced. Some of the pieces are funny, such as ones on bad workplace holiday parties.
9) The Greater Good Science Center is an awesome research institute that's all about positive psychology and ways to be happier and healthier, based on reseach. I've done some work with them and it's a nice mix of science, behavior, relationships, happiness, and tips for living.
10) Under the Skin, Russell Brand's podcast on Luminary. Yes, you do have to subscribe to get the full options, but you can check some of his out for free. It's hard to explain why I like these so much when I don't really like podcasts in general. He interviews smart and broad-thinking people, and he himself is a seeker but a surprisingly good interviewer considering he's such a strong personality.
1) In the harsh desert of the American Southwest, climbers Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright summited 45 rock towers, biked 700 miles, and pushed their bodies to the limits, all in the name of an adventure they aptly dubbed "Sufferfest." 21 min. I’m not much one for extreme “sports” but really enjoyed this. First, the guys aren’t fancy in any way; they seem humble and charitable and also environmental, not surprisingly. Worth watching!
2) Walk around NYC Chinatown. A historical look at Chinatown in New York City; really good writing and photos, and one interactive photo/video part that I want to know how they did it, where it merges the current day view with the historical view! Worth checking out and made me nostalgic for NYC.
3) Pick a nature webcam to follow at Explore.org - many, many options. I like those that are live (patches of boredom punctuated by excitement). Check out Tembe elephant park, Zen cams (pipeline surfing, etc.) Or Bald eagles webcam: friendsofbigbearvalley.org [eggs expected to hatch in January]
4) Exoplanet Travel Bureau: Explore 360-degree visualizations of the surfaces of planets of other stars. This is both scientific and fanciful, and I liked the disclaimer that the visualizations were "artist renderings based on little data."
5) Geo Guesser. Drops you in a spot and you guess where it is. It's a long shot, but I came close a few times. Would be great as a party game but I can kill some time on it. Requires sign up.
6) Mix.com is the new version of the former StumbleUpon, where you put in your interests, click a button, and it randomly (supposedly) takes you to a website. I have found some cool stuff, especially if you add "art" and "science fiction" and things like that, you're more likely to get graphic stuff instead of just articles.
7) Atlas Obscura is a cool site that features weird and unusual places in the world; could be useful for planning travel but also fun to read just as cultural or historical oddities, food favorites in different places, or behavioral tidbits and event.
8) I love advice columns and Ask A Manager is a great one, even if you're not a manager (which I am). It's a lot of questions/answers about work culture, getting along with people, and career advice from a person who is very reasonable and well-balanced. Some of the pieces are funny, such as ones on bad workplace holiday parties.
9) The Greater Good Science Center is an awesome research institute that's all about positive psychology and ways to be happier and healthier, based on reseach. I've done some work with them and it's a nice mix of science, behavior, relationships, happiness, and tips for living.
10) Under the Skin, Russell Brand's podcast on Luminary. Yes, you do have to subscribe to get the full options, but you can check some of his out for free. It's hard to explain why I like these so much when I don't really like podcasts in general. He interviews smart and broad-thinking people, and he himself is a seeker but a surprisingly good interviewer considering he's such a strong personality.