Learn Something
Here is a thought – learn something. Exercise that gray matter. Yea I know that net surfing to all the countless mind-suck sites has its own kind of cultural panache, but then so does using more than half of your brain. And here is the kicker, you don’t even have to get up off the couch. Yup stay right there, in your best couch potato pose with your Pepper Pad balanced across your belly, just point your web browser over to these couple of sites. Gawd ya gotta love modern technology.

Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org
I love it when the words “free” and “book” get together in a meaningful way. Project Gutenberg (PG) is the world’s oldest digital library. Founded in 1971, it is a volunteer effort to archive, and distribute cultural works via book scanning. PG tries to make these works free and long lasting by using open formats that can be used on almost any computer. What that translates into is thousands of copyright free books, all available for you to download or read online. Some of the works are even available in a pod-cast or MP3 file format so that you can listen instead of reading. Broken down by author and title PG has a searchable database (by title and author) that expands weekly. A quick scan of the Top 100 books reveals a who’s who of the classics. Works by Da Vinci, Poe, Twain, Austen, Doyle and many more - and that is just in English language section. PG archives books in every language imaginable. It is truly a global project and one of the world’s best uses of technology.

Expert Village
http://www.expertvillage.com
Want to learn to choreograph a sword fight, correctly open a bottle of wine, or make soap? Building on the internet premise that anyone with a computer can be an instant expert, Expert Village gives experts a place to display their knowledge. There is a wealth of how-to videos and articles here on any imaginable subject. Most of the articles and videos are short, giving just highlights of basic information. But there is enough expert knowledge presented to whet your curiosity for more. All in all Expert Village fills a niche where a little quick shot of knowledge is all that is needed. Who knew such a little knowledge could go such a long ways.
LA. Judge
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