Time’s Top 50 Websites for 2008, Part 2
Last time I wrote about some useful websites that Time listed in their Top 50 websites for 2008. Here’s a few more that I thought were also useful and/or entertaining:
Wikitravel is just like Wikipedia–except that it’s about travel. It’s basically people writing about places they know about, giving information and tips so that other people who are planning to visit the place will make the most of their visit and avoid common pitfalls.
If you’ve ever used a financial management software such as Microsoft Money or Quicken, then you know the value and convenience they give you come tax time. Make it an online tool, throw in some analysis tools and you have Mint, an online tool that downloads your financial data from your different bank, credit card and financial accounts and gives you a summary of your cash flow and expenditures. Of course, since it’s online, your financial data and login information will need to be saved in a server somewhere, so regardless of the built-in security there will always be some amount of risk involved.
Have you ever seen a photo or a picture that made you say “wow” or “that’s interesting?” Well head out to ffffound.com and you’ll see a whole site full of these unique pictures/photos that were submitted by different people. If anything, it’ll help you get by a slow afternoon at the office 
Here’s a win-win situation: improve your vocabulary while helping stamp out world hunger. How? Go to freerice.com and play the vocabulary game: the site asks you to pick, from a number of choices, what is the correct definition of a word. For every correct answer, the U.N. donates 10 grains of rice.
You don’t always have to give away money to help other people. At kiva.org, you can lend your money instead for entrepreneurs in developing countries to use. You get paid back and you help somebody!
Time’s Top 50 Websites for 2008
While waiting to get my breakfast sandwich yesterday, I passed the time watching one of the morning shows that they were showing in the cafeteria tv. They were doing an interview with a lady who (I presume) was from Time Magazine and they were discussing Time Magazine’s picks for the Top 50 Websites of 2008. I caught a few of them before my sandwich was done, and it interested me enough to go to Time’s website and see the rest of the picks. Some of them turned out to be pretty useful and/or entertaining enough, so I thought I’d share them here.
A lot of people already know about this website, especially last year when gas prices were over four dollars a gallon, but for those who haven’t seen this website: it pretty much tells you where the cheapest gas is. Enter your zip code, pick a gas grade (regular, mid-, etc.) and it will tell you where the cheapest station is. It, however, relies on information from volunteers, so if your area has lots of volunteers, you’ll have more accurate information.
If you’re the type who hates reading manuals but responds very well to audio-visual instructions, then this is for you. As an added bonus, it throws in some humor so the how-to videos are entertaining as well
You can get ratings for hotels, but how do you know if you’re getting a nice room? Sure, you’ll know what amenities you’ll get, like beds, cable and wi-fi, but you wouldn’t necessarily know if your room has a nice view or which rooms are beside noisy vending machines. This is where TripKick comes in–it supplies these little tidbits that sometimes make the difference between an extra-special stay or a vacation made in hell.
Ever wondered how much nutrition you’re getting from what you eat? Just type in the name of the packaged food (say, “Planters Dry Roasted Nuts”) in Zeer and it will display the nutrition label.
A nice alternative to Google Street View and Microsoft Live Search. Worth trying if only for the sharper and “like-you-were-actually-there” photos.
Garage Sales
One of the things I liked when I moved to the US was garage or yard sales. I was introduced to this concept during my first spring here back in 2001. The basic principle–selling used stuff to the public–is not new to me; we were doing this for fund-raising back in college. It is also common for Filipinos to sell something they own, especially something of considerable value like electronics or furniture, to friends or neighbors. However, since Filipinos typically use something they buy up until the last part breaks (or when it gets stolen, whichever happens earlier), they rarely accumulate stuff to the point that they need to get rid of things just to “declutter” their houses. In this aspect, I think garage sales are unique to developed countries, especially within relatively well-off communities.
Before coming to the US, I have heard stories of people in Japan throwing TV sets away because electronics are so cheap. I thought this was so cool, imagine getting TV sets for free by picking them up by the sidewalk! I thought I’d never get to experience them, but luckily for me this sort of thing was also practiced here.
To those who haven’t been to one, the way a garage sale works is pretty simple: one family puts out flyers or announcements that they are having a garage sale (usually scheduled on the weekends). Then, on the scheduled days, they would put out stuff that they don’t need anymore or want to dispose of, in their garage or on their driveway. Each item for sale will have a sticker on it indicating its price. People passing by or people who knew of the sale would come up and look at the stuff, and if they like something they can get it for the sticker price or, as what commonly happens, ask if they can get it for a cheaper price.
To me this is one of the most elegant forms of human interaction, because everyone essentially wins–there are no losers in this transaction. The seller is happy because they got rid of something that they didn’t want and even got paid for it, while the buyer is happy because they got what they wanted and paid very little for it.
Come springtime, when people are shrugging off those winter blues and starting to do some major reorganizing around the house, you can see signs for garage sales start to crop up around neighborhoods. Over the years, we’ve learned a few tips and tricks to make garage-sale-hopping more efficient and fun:
- Make a list of what you need. This way you limit yourself on what you buy. Precisely because they’re cheap, it’s very tempting to buy things even if you don’t really need them. Typically your list will include things that you consider too expensive to buy new.
- Make a note of where the sales are going on. Neighborhood sales are preferable because then you have many choices without driving too much. Sometimes you can just walk from house to house. More affluent neighborhoods tend to have better stuff, so prioritize them. Plan your route so you don’t waste time traveling.
- Get there early. The best stuff goes fast.
- All prices are negotiable, so ALWAYS ask if you can get it for a lower price. If you are timid about haggling, try asking “what’s the lowest price you can sell this?” Don’t worry about what the seller might think; this is expected and perfectly acceptable in garage sales. And if you buy more stuff, you can ask for more discounts.
- Be aware of how much something costs new. You don’t want to pay for something that almost costs you the same as the new stuff.
- If there are kids selling lemonade (and there will be), buy some. They really appreciate it.