The 2008 Consumer Action Handbook Is Online

If you were reading The Senior Surfer around this time last year you might recall that we mentioned the fact that the 2007 Consumer Action handbook was available online. Well, in case you didn't already know it, they've made the 2008 edition digital as well. That's right, you can view the entire 2008 Consumer Action Handbook right now online-all 176 pages of it!

This is a service of the Federal Citizen Information Center of The U.S. General Services Administration.

Here are some of the important topics discussed in the handbook:

• Identifying and Stopping Fraud

• Preventing Identity Theft

• Choosing A Healthcare Facility

• Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage

And countless other issues, no doubt of great importance to you. You'll also find information on the site for ordering a free hard copy of the handbook too!

What's Your Baseball I.Q.?

Baseball season is here once again, and if you're a true fan, it's not a moment too soon. To celebrate the start of the new season, The Senior Surfer is linking to several online quizzes that will test your baseball I.Q. Think of these quizzes as spring training for the baseball lover's brain.

Ready? Step up to the plate...

• The Baseball Quiz from PBS.org

• The Major League Baseball Quiz from Infoplease.com

• The Legends of Baseball Quiz from PARADE.com

...and take a swing!

View An Impressive Collection Of WWII Posters Online

Do you consider yourself a World War II buff? Then get ready to be awed by the World War II Poster Collection from Northwestern University Library. No need to make the trek to Northwestern-you can see all of the more than 300 posters online! According to the Library's Web site, these are the posters that were "issued by U.S. Federal agencies from the onset of war through 1945."

The impressive digital archive can be searched in a variety of ways including: by date, title or topic. Additionally you'll find background and technical information regarding the collection and learn how you can purchase reproductions of the posters-though it's important to note that the library itself doesn't sell them. (Read their FAQ section for more details).

This one's truly a remarkable find on the Web for the World War II enthusiast!

Have You Discovered GRANDtimes.com Yet?

As a senior citizen what are the issues you're most concerned about? Do you worry about personal finances and retirement? Have questions about senior-related topics like grandparenting or healthy aging? If you're looking for a place on the Web that's loaded with authoritative information on these topics and so many more, head on over to GRANDtimes.com.

You'll want to pay particular attention to the Article Archive section of the site. Some of the articles you'll find there include:

• Issues when Grandparents Become Parents

• Make the Right Moves with a Pension Payout

• A Sensible Approach to Online Dating by Older Adults

And too many more to list here, of interest to the 50+ crowd. Many of these articles are actually excerpts from published books, by the way!

Featured Google How-To Video: "Aliens find businesses with Google Maps"

Here's a fun and humorous way to learn about a couple of the useful features of Google Maps. In the Google produced video below you'll see how a family of aliens that land in Palo Alto, CA uses Google Maps to find a local place that serves great yogurt-follow the steps presented and you can do the same in your area!

Just double-click on the Play button to watch "Aliens find businesses with Google Maps."

Tour The Louvre Right From Your Desktop

If you're reading this from a cybercafe in Paris and you want to tour the world famous Louvre, Qu'est-ce que vous attendez? Log off and get to it-it's definitely something you don't want to miss on your visit to the "city of light." The rest of you read on!

Did you know that even if you're nowhere near Paris, you can still tour the Louvre? You'll be happy to learn that their official museum Web site is offering virtual tours of the Louvre that are nothing short of spectacular.

Enjoy 360 degree views of many exhibition rooms and galleries from the museum including:

• Near Eastern Antiquities
  
  


• Egyptian Antiquities

• Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities

You can even take virtual tours of exterior sections of the museum like the Cour Napoléon or the Cour Carrée. Viewing these wonders right on your computer screen is the next best thing to being there in person!

Online At Easter Time: 3 Essential Sites

Looking for some great online resources to help you celebrate Easter? Here are 3 essential sites to help you get the most of this joyous holiday:

• The Beliefnet Guide To Easter - From Beliefnet.com, the popular spirituality site, comes this comprehensive guide that covers everything from Easter-themed candy to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  

• The History of Easter - History.com presents an online exhibit that explores the origins of Easter and discusses the various symbols associated with the holiday, among other topics.

• Best Easter Recipes - What will you serve your friends and family this year for Easter? Maybe this list of top 20 Easter recipes from AllRecipes.com can give you some ideas.

Have a happy and healthy Easter!

Take A Virtual Trip To Early America

Want to know an easy way to journey back in time to 18th Century America? Immerse yourself in the primary source historical documents, vintage maps, and multimedia presentations you'll find at Archiving Early America. This easy-to-navigate site is quite simply a history buff's dream come true on the Web.

Here are some of the highlights especially worth noting:

• Freedom Documents - Digital images of the original Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and U.S. Constitution are presented along with their complete texts.

• Movies - Want to know more about the life of Benjamin Franklin or what George Washington's face really looked like? Check out the short films you'll find here.

• Maps of Early America - The 13 colonies, The Battle of Bunker Hill, The Northwest Territory 1787...just a few of the maps featured in this category.

• Town Crier Forums - If you're passionate about early American history you probably want to discuss it with others-these message boards let you do just that.

And so much more. If you're a fan of early American history this is a must-see site!

Discover Google How-To Videos

Google introduces so many new and innovative features, you might find it challenging to stay on top of and learn how to use them all. Thankfully, they're making it easier by periodically posting helpful how-to videos about their products and services on YouTube, the video sharing site they own and operate.

Occasionally, for the convenience of our readers, The Senior Surfer will feature one of these helpful videos right here on our site. Today's featured video is "Google Toolbar For Internet Explorer" which highlights 3 things you can do with this useful Google product and tells you where you can go to find out more about it.

Press the play button below and enjoy!

A Simple Mouse Trick They Never Told You About

Sometimes the answer to a problem is right under your nose or in the case of today's tip, right on top of your mouse. We're talking about the scroll wheel, a useful tool that's all too easy to overlook. In a previous post you learned how it can be used to magnify a Web page, but did you know it can be used to scroll up or down the page too?

Try this now: Take your index finger and slowly roll the scroll wheel backwards and forwards. See how easy this simple trick is? It's yet another way to move up and down a Web page without having to rely on that narrow scroll bar on the right of the screen!

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day Online

Can't make it to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City today? Just catch it online while surfing the Web. The official Web Site of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade will be offering live streaming video of the event!

And here are some other reasons to go online this St. Patrick's Day:

• The History of St. Patrick's Day - Read up on St. Patrick, watch videos about the history of Saint Patrick's Day and take the "All Things Irish Quiz" at this online exhibit from History.com.
  


• St. Patrick's Day Recipes - Need corned beef recipes? Look no further than the ones you'll find at AllRecipes.com.
  


• The Leprechaun Watch - Think leprechauns are just the stuff of legend? You might change your mind if you spot one through this web cam set up by Irelandseye.com.

Have a happy and healthy St. Patrick's Day!

Are You Up To The Mensa Workout Challenge?

Need an idea for a great way to challenge your brain online? How about taking the Mensa Workout quiz you'll find on the Web site of Mensa, the international organization for people with a high I.Q.? The quiz consists of 30 questions and they suggest you try to complete it in 30 minutes or less.

Remember, it's just for fun! As clearly stated at the site, the quiz is not to be considered an I.Q. test, and regardless of how well you score, it won't get you into the exclusive organization. However, it will provide you with a rigorous mental challenge, especially if you try to complete it in the allotted time.

How many questions will you get right?

Where To Find Free Painting Lessons Online

Remember all those promises you made to yourself about starting a new hobby or getting back into an old one? What happened to those dreams? Fortunately, the Web can help give those dreams a much needed boost. Take painting, for instance. Did you know that there are Web sites that offer free painting lessons? Simply Painting, the official Web site of Frank Clarke (of the "Simply Painting" television series fame), is a good example of such a site.

At Simply Painting you can take free painting lessons in three different mediums: watercolor, acrylic and oil. Offering detailed instructions and pictures of how the paintings should look at every step of the process, these lessons are sure to please. If you like the lessons you can even upgrade to a paid membership for even more features (see the site for details).

Go ahead and let these free lessons stoke your passion for artistic expression. Who knows? You might be the next Rembrandt yet!

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Events Leading Up To WW II

As noted in the This Day In History feature on the left-hand column, today marks the 70th anniversary of the Anschluss or the day Germany annexed Austria. It represented a major step on the path to World War II.

In addition to this article from TheFreeDictionary.com what other resources are available on the Web for interested History Buffs curious about the events leading up to World War II?

Here are a few notable resources:

• World War II: Causes and Outbreak - From Infoplease.com

• "Buildup to World War II: January 1931-August 1939" - From HowStuffWorks.com

• World War II Timeline - From the Web site of the University of San Diego
  

Know of a Web resource about what led up to World War II not mentioned here? Add it in the comments section!

Bring The American Museum Of Natural History To Your Desktop

By all means, if you can arrange to make a trip to New York City to visit the world famous American Museum of Natural History in person, do it-it's simply fantastic and the experience of a lifetime. However, if you can't get there in person, you'll be happy to know that you can visit some of its most famous exhibits "virtually"-right on your computer screen, that is.

Log on and take a 360 degree virtual tour of these noted Fossil Halls:

• Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs



• Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs



• Hall of Primitive Mammals



• Hall of Advanced Mammals

Incidentally, if you're looking for more online activities to share with your grandkids, you'll want to add this one to the list!

Elder Blogger From Spain Getting Lots Of Press

Did you hear about Maria Amelia Lopez the 95 year old blogger from Spain whose blog, A mis 95 años/95 years old blogger is getting lots of attention on the Web? NowPublic.com for example, calls the 95 year old blogger an International Hit, and several other online media outlets are reporting on her success as well. To read even more media coverage about Maria and her blog simply log onto the blog and click on English in the upper right hand column.

Becoming more popular by the day (well over a million visitors as of this writing) this blog of personal wisdom written in Spanish is proof that the blogging phenomenon knows no bounds-age, language, or otherwise!

When are you starting your blog?

If Your Name's Not Einstein, Go Ask A Scientist!

When your precocious grandchild comes to you with a perplexing question like "why doesn't time move backwards?" or "what are the main differences between Newtonian and Quantum Physics?" do you answer like Einstein or mumble "humada, humada" like Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners? If your response is more Kramden than Einstein, try turning to the Web for help.

Here are a few sites where actual scientists and other experts do their best to answer those questions you can't:

• Ask A Question at the MadSci Network

• Ask A Scientist at The Cornell Center for Materials Research

• Ask the Experts at Scientific American

Remember to read the terms and conditions at each site and keep in mind that not every question will be answered. Next time your grandchildren ask one of those imponderable science questions tell 'em "let's go ask a scientist!"

Did You Forget To "Opt-Out?"

Has this ever happened to you? You used your primary e-mail address to register at a site on the Web that really interested you. Then, you started receiving e-mail newsletters you don't remember signing up for. What gives? Chances are, you might have signed up for them without realizing it-you forgot to "opt-out" of the e-mail newsletters offered at the sign-up process, in other words.

This brings up an important point you might not be aware of: Some sites will sign you up for e-mail newsletters and the like by default and put the onus on you to "opt-out" of the offers. Next time you sign up for something on the Web follow these simple steps:

1. First, decide if this is something you really want to use your primary e-mail address for. If not, use an alternate or even temporary e-mail address.



2. Next, make sure you read the terms and conditions and privacy policy of the site. Sometimes, buried in the legalese of a site is the disclosure that your e-mail address will be shared with third parties.



3. Finally, take a closer look at the sign-up screen. See any boxes with check marks in them? Read what's next to those boxes very carefully. If you don't want to receive what's being offered there, make sure you click on those boxes and remove the check marks-that's how you can "opt-out" of e-mail newsletters and other offers before they reach your inbox.

Just a reminder that in cyberspace too, you must always read the fine print!

Get More Out Of Picasa

Assuming you're a big fan of Picasa, the free digital photography software from Google, (covered previously on The Senior Surfer), it's probably because it's so simple to use and noticeably improves your photographs-but are you getting the most out of this program? If you haven't visited The Official Google Photos Blog, the answer is probably "no."

Brought to you by the Picasa team, The Official Google Photos Blog is loaded with helpful tips and "secrets" about Picasa that you might not be aware of. What kind of useful info are we talking about? Here's an excerpt from a recent blog entry:

If you spend a lot of time in Picasa, here's a keyboard shortcut that may come in handy: When you're in Library View, move your mouse cursor over any picture thumbnail, hold down the 'ctrl' key, and then press 'alt.' You'll instantly get a full-screen view of that picture.

Want more tips about Picasa like this one above? Just make The Official Google Photos Blog a regular read!

How To Use Your Mouse Like A Radio Dial

Imagine if you could listen to radio stations from all over the world right on your PC with just a few clicks of your mouse? Well, you don't have to just imagine it, you can actually do it and there's a Web site that makes it easier than you think!

When you want to find radio stations that you can listen to right over the Web, simply log on to Radio-Locator. Billed as "the most comprehensive radio station search engine on the Internet," the site offers links to over 10,000 radio station Web sites and more than 2,500 audio streams from radio stations all over the world.

The site lets you search by location and call letters, among other criteria. Here's an example of how you might perform a typical search:

1. Go to Radio-Locator.
   
2. Under find Internet streaming radio click on choose format. A menu of formats will pop up. For this example we'll select news/talk and then click go.
3. From the list of results you're presented with you can either click on a call sign link that will bring you to a particular radio station's Web site or just click on the accompanying bitcaster icon to start listening to that station's broadcast.

Enjoy listening to all sorts of radio stations on your PC while surfing the Web!

5 Social Networking Sites Especially For Book Lovers

Think social networking sites are the exclusive domain of pimply-faced teenagers? Think again. As proof, consider all the social networking sites that are popping up for book lovers. After all, do teenagers read books?

If you're passionate about books and looking to meet like-minded people online, check out these sites:

• LibraryThing

• Shelfari

• GuruLib

• aNobii

• Revish

Finding people with similar literary interests just got a little easier!