Web Tips #7



*1.  A RARE BREAK FOR REMODELERS            
            
July 13th, 1999            
            
Remodeling stinks. (That's one of the absolute truths of home 
ownership.) About the only thing we've seen that makes remodeling
easier is Home Portfolio, a site that can save you scores of 
wasted trips to the hardware store. Specify anything you're 
looking for--from appliances to windows--and this hard-working 
site presents an illustrated list of products you can peruse 
from the comfort of your home, as opposed to the relentless 
discomfort of your local home improvement warehouse. 

Products are linked to manufacturers' and suppliers' Web sites. 
You can add your favorites to your own personal portfolio, so 
you never have to look for the same product twice. Ask anyone 
who has remodeled: This site deserves an award. 

http://www.homeportfolio.com


*2. IT'S LIKE A BUTTERFLY FOR YOUR NECK            
            
July 14th, 1999            
            
If you've ever shopped for a bow tie--for yourself or for 
someone else--you know that stores don't carry many of them, 
maybe two or three different types hidden among the thousands 
of long ties they sell. Which makes you wonder: Where on Earth 
did the folks at Beau Ties Ltd. manage to track down the 
HUNDREDS of bow ties they offer on their Web site? Here you 
find great-looking bow tie after great-looking bow tie. The 
selection boggles the mind and beats anything we've seen in the 
real world. And no clip-ons here, folks. If you can't follow 
the illustrated online tying instructions, you either have to 
order the $15 instructional video or have someone else tie the 
thing for you. 

http://www.bowtiesltd.com


*3. HERE ARE SOME GIFTS THEY DON'T HAVE            
            
July 16th, 1999            
            
Unless you really don't care about the recipient, it's 
embarrassing to give him or her a gift he or she already has. 
One sure way to avoid this gaffe (at least until this tip makes 
the idea wildly popular) is to do your gift shopping at Midnight 
Pass. Here you find gifts that defy categorization, imitation, 
and sometimes, real purpose--gifts such as fancy music boxes, 
beautiful ship models, rustic bird feeders, and ornate wall 
fountains. Truly a place to shop for someone who already has 
everything he or she NEEDS. And don't forget to click the Web 
Special link before you buy. When we visited, it offered $10 
off any faxed order. 

http://www.midnight-pass.com


*4. I LISTENED TO WAR AND PEACE ON THE WAY TO WORK            
            
July 15th, 1999            
            
You've probably heard of Books on Tape; the name is 
self-explanatory. What you may not know is how pricey a deal it 
is: Either you "rent" a taped volume for $14.95 for 30 days 
(bigger books, like Tom Wolfe's "A Man in Full," often require 
a second, lower-priced volume) OR you buy the tapes for between 
$40 and $50 or so. These are prices that should inspire a 
newfound appreciation for the joys of reading. But if you're a 
pressed-for-time go-getter, listening to books may be your 
only chance for literary enrichment. And far be it from us to 
discourage that. 

http://www.booksontape.com


*5. SPEEDING UP THE OUTLOOK EXPRESS SHUTDOWN          
 
Here is an Outlook Express question from John P.: 

"It seems to me that Outlook Express takes longer to shut down 
with every passing day. Is there some reason for Outlook 
Express to take longer to close than when it was first 
installed? Is there anything I can do to speed up the closing?" 

We suspect that your Outlook Express is slowing because it has 
to compress numerous messages as it closes. We had the same 
problem here. 

Here is something you can try. Run Outlook Express and choose 
Tools, Options. When the Options dialog box opens, click the 
Advanced tab. Now, set the Compact Files When There Is xxx 
Percent Wasted Space spin box to 100 and click OK to close the 
dialog box and save your settings. 

This high setting will tell Outlook Express to not bother with 
compressing files until there is 100 percent wasted space. This 
means that your files will almost never get compressed and 
Outlook Express will close more quickly.


*6. TOSSED SALADS AND SCRAMBLED EGGS            
            
July 19th, 1999            
            
Like you, we have no idea what the lyrics to the "Frasier" theme 
are about. But we do know that they remind us of the Seattle 
Space Needle--and we also know that the best way to experience 
the Needle from your desktop is to visit the Space Needle Web 
site, at 

http://spaceneedle.com/view/default.html 

Click the Virtual View link, take a ride up the virtual elevator, 
and then scan the panorama from the virtual observation deck, 
virtually 75 feet in the air. You can also try the Camera view, 
which sends you a refreshed image of Seattle every 90 seconds 
or so. And when you're through viewing, check out the rest of 
the site to learn all that's to be done--and consumed--within 
the Needle.


*7. IS THAT THE ORIGINAL GERMAN?            
            
July 20th, 1999            
            
Orthographers they ain't, but the folks at Gazoontite, at 

http://www.gazoontite.com 

certainly are concerned about your respiratory health. Shop for 
products (humidifiers, inhalers, and so on) designed to help you 
breath more easily. Read updated articles on asthma and 
allergies. Or find out how to get to the Gazoontite store in 
downtown San Francisco (should you be there and need air).


*8. IT'S NOT GUACAMOLE, YA MORON--IT'S ART            
            
July 21st, 1999            
            
Among potentially uncomfortable and unpleasant social 
predicaments, nothing tops having to admit that you know 
nothing about modern art--and then having to listen to someone 
who DOES drone on about the topic for hours, uninterrupted. 
Stop this horrifying nightmare from becoming reality by 
visiting Modern Masterworks, at 

http://library.advanced.org/17142/ 

Learn the names of the major movements and painters; find out 
what makes modern art "good" art; and expand your knowledge 
with links to reading lists, online discussions, and more. This 
site is part of ThinkQuest, an educational resource for 
teenagers, but trust us--you have a lot to learn from this site 
no matter how old you are.


*9. GET PAST THE ANGER            
            
July 22nd, 1999            
            
We don't like to get serious, but every so often, it's healthy. 
So for our health and yours, today we direct you to Suite101's 
Family Conflict Resolution page, at 

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/family_conflict_resolution 

If the members of your happy family suddenly find themselves at 
odds, you may find this site useful. This page features links to 
articles on conflict topics (caring for two generations at once, 
staying friendly with your ex-spouse, and so on), reading lists, 
chat rooms, and other potentially helpful sites. For all its 
interpersonal shortcomings, the Web IS one of the fastest ways 
to learn--or remind yourself--that you're not alone, which is a 
great comfort in difficult times.


*10. AN IDEA TAKEN TO ITS CYBERSPACIAL EXTREME            
            
July 23rd, 1999            
            
We've hooked you up with time-and-calendar sites before, 
but never one 
so complete as 

http://www.timeanddate.com 

View and print year calendars through 2004. Count down--second 
by second--to Y2K from ANYWHERE on the globe (and learn who's 
getting there first!). Find the time in any country and 
virtually any city. And--we love this--create your own bank of 
clocks--like the ones you see in the war rooms in those old WW II
movies--covering any cities you want. (Each little clock has its 
own second hand. Is that cool or what?)
