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Good Websites?

l0rca

I know so much karate
l0rca
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Messages
1,100
I was wondering what sort of important websites you guys go to, and would recommend. I'd like this thread to have only informative, and good webpages advertised, not "neat ones," like ebaumsworld. And if one has time, perhaps a small description.

www.everything2.com -- A writer's encyclopedia, but very different than Wikipedia. It's all subjective, and aesthetic. It provides good historical, and literary information, as well as some decent prose, and at rare times, decent poetry. Very unskeptical. I'd encourage good writers here to visit and contribute, but contributing to this website take a lot of motivation...

www.csicop.org - Great articles.

...That's all I have...
 
Good idea for a thread mercuryturrent.

I guess many will know:

http://www.snopes.com/

But for those that don't, it is a major urban legend site. If you've heard a story you think may be a bit tall, dodgy, been around the streets a few times and looks a bit more impressive since you'd previously heard it, then check this out. It's grouped and there's a limited picture and video library.

Here's a classic urban legend:

http://www.bonsaikitten.com/

A couple of other examples (you may even have heard or used them yourself) include the US woman who sued the electrical manufacturer of her microwave (after trying to dry her dog for an hour) because it didn't say you shouldn't use it for such things as pets. A dig at the attourney culture of grab what you can, sue who you can, check out the huge legal loopholes etc.

And the picture of a fully veiled Muslim woman on the photo on her driving licence (variously in the US, Australia etc.) so as not to offend her religion. A dig at political correctness.

I think urban legends do great damage as they travel fast and wide and have great influence and create added hate and overly unfair opinion where less or none should exist. I reckon most opinions, e.g. of one nation about another etc. is based on this. Do governments use them to bolster their bulldozing tactics and opinion? Thank goodness for blogging too.
 
I'm a big fan of The Libertarian Defender because it is atheistic, libertarian, skeptical and relativist. It is no longer active. However, I think the archives are certainly of interest. http://libertariandefender.blogspot.com

Atheist Resource, which is based out of the UK. It's a great site with a lot of interesting content. Also has a substantial collection of links, which lead to more edifying stuff. http://www.atheistresource.co.uk

For those of a liberal political bent, it's AmericaBlog. http://americablog.blogspot.com

For the film lover in all of us, it's IMDB. http://www.imdb.com
 
Sometimes you just feel like having something nutty.

http://www.crank.net/

The site is an extensive index of websites classed by increasing bizarreness, with an award given daily.

Crank Dot Net is devoted to presenting Web sites by and about cranks, crankism, crankishness, and crankosity.
Click to expand...
 
And sometimes you dont.
Here is a nice blog. I should do one of these someday but I like company.

http://oracknows.blogspot.com/

"A statement of fact cannot be insolent."
Ramblings of a surgeon/scientist on medicine and pseudomedicine, science and pseudoscience, history and pseudohistory, politics (and anything else that interests him).
Click to expand...
 
"Snopes" is terrific. I love reading about that stuff. First place that I ever read that The Amityville Horror is now an ADMITTED hoax.
 
Websites

Here's one that can be very interesting, addictive and educational. The (British) Guardian Newspaper has a part of its website called 'notes and queries'. People (like you) pose questions of interest or that you don't know the answer to. People endeaver to find out and reply. Lots of academics here.

It is sectioned into categories. Then there's a list of questions that have been asked. It gives the number (if any) of replies so far. You too can reply of course by clicking on the relevant bit. Answers vary from deep, serious and philosophical to funny and weird.

Have a browse at some of the categories and questions here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/0,5753,,00.html

or see an (appropriate to this site) sample here on morality:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,,-11245,00.html
 
So, um, say somebody wanted to sign up to prank a Woo/astrology forum. Any suggestions?
 
That Sam Harris site is definitely not safe for work. An exhibitionist, that guy is!

J/K :p
 
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SO, ahem, not that I would condone or participate in such an activity, But does anyone know of any woo/astrology forum that's just beggin' to be goofed on?
 
Websites

HeyLeroy et al.
I've signed up to Rochelle Gordon at:

rochelle@myhealthwealthandhappiness.com

she's a wonderful, beautiful, talented, psychic individual (damn it, that's 4 misses out of 4 from me, I'm rubbish at it). She's as bad as any I guess.

Be interested to follow you or someone's correspondence with someone like this.

This was part of a recent one I got.

“after working on your forecast for 2 weeks, I've had a psychic vision about November 27th, 2005 that could change your destiny
I was examining the astrological energies on November 27th, 2005 and how they will affect us, and literally, like a bolt from the blue, I received a vision so vivid, it was like dreaming with my eyes wide open.
The signs of incredible success were unmistakable, but I also saw negative energies, and I'm worried that they might keep you from taking advantage of the incredibly lucky forces in your favor. So let me get right to your reading, so I can explain everything to you.
I see the four Mystical Milestones of
the ancient "Passageway of Power" in your destiny...
MONEY, LOVE, HEALTH and JOY”

Also be interested in any ideas (I've heard there are groups that do this) regards responding to scams. Good 'get back' ideas.

Here's one I got last week, it's very typical:

Please Help Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Inbox
joy kabila <joykabila@msn.com> Mon, Dec 5, 2005 at 12:11 PM
Reply-To: joykabila@sify.com
Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Trash this message | Show original
MRS. JOY KABILA.

EMAIL: joykabila@msn.com ,

Phone+ 44-70-40112260


ATTN: Sir/Madam,

I am a 58 year old widow. My late husband President Laurent Kabila was the
former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C) popularly known
as Zaire whom succeeded the former dictator late President Mobuto Sese Seko.
Before his death,

He sent I and my three kids out of the country with a total amount of
(US$27.5 Million) sealed in a diplomatic baggage to London (UK), because the
faith of our country was yet to be decided due to the continuous Civil war
which is still on till date in respect to the rich natural resources the
country had (Gold and Diamond). On arrival in London (UK), because we are
political asylum seekers, we are not allowed to operate a bank account and I
was so scared but with the instruction of my husband, I deposited the money
in a security company.

Though I did not reveal the content of the baggage to the security company
nor did I declare the actual content to them. Because I wanted to be on a
safer side. I told them that the baggage belongs to my foreign affiliate who
is beneficiary of the item. Unfortunately, he was assassinated on the 16th
of february by one of his bodyguards. Presently his first wifes son JOSEPH
KABILA has succeeded him but does not know about this money.

I am now looking for a reliable and trustworthy person to help me transfer
this money into a foreign account overseas prior investment in your country
or any other conducive country overseas. I got in contact with somebody from
Denmark but he became unnecessarily greedy concerning his share in the
transaction. Luckily, I ran into your contact details and decided to contact
you and see if you can be of help to us.

Tentatively I mapped out 20%for your assistance,5%to facilitate any expence
we might incure in this transaction both local or internationa, Should this
meet your utmost consideration, please give us your earl reply through
e-mail( joykabila@msn.com ) or reach my elderly son MOYO KABILA
through the telphone number(+44-70-40112260) above and please include your
private telephone and fax numbers for easy communication. I will call you as
soon as i receive your e-mail.Feel free to ask questions you consider
necessary.

The confidentiality in this transaction cannot be over emphasized as we
trust and believe that you will oblige us the necessary security and
attention it demands. Please treat this transaction with absolute
confidentiality.All correspondence should be through my elderly son as i do
not speak english fluently.

Thanks.

(MRS) JOY KABILA
FOR THE FAMILY

.....
 
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