Infoplease Atlas
http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/

Infoplease bills itself as the site providing 'all the knowledge you need;' their Atlas supports this billing, providing a wide array of geographic information. There is a clickable world map for accessing particular countries and their cities; country profiles with demographic and geographic data, a brief history of the region in addition to flags are provided from the linked Almanacs. Easy-to-use, this site should be your starting point for your geographic quests!

George and Ira Gershwin
The Official Web Site
http://www.gershwin.com/

The Gershwin brothers, George and Ira, wrote some of the most popular songs for films, musicals and 'folk opera' of the twentieth century. This site features the history of the brothers, including a timeline from Ira's birth in 1896 and George's arrival in 1898 through their life and accomplishments. The visitor will have access to Anthologies on selected films and shows. The Jukebox has some excellent renditions of Gershwin tunes by some of the artists who made them popular. Should you want to attend some of the Events, there is a calendar provided of shows and concerts as well as other happenings. Even if you were not previously a Gershwin fan, you'll definitely want to 'Clap 'yo Hands' after listening to a few of the songs and know that 'Love is Here to Stay,' Gershwin style!

The Lincoln Institute
Mood:  caffeinated
The Lincoln Institute http://www.abrahamlincoln.org "The Lincoln Institute concentrates on providing support and assistance to scholars and groups involved in the study of the life of American's 16th President and the impact he had on the preservation of the Union, the emancipation of black slaves, and the development of democratic principles which have found worldwide application." The 'Projects' portal of the website has sections on 'Mr. Lincoln's White House,' Mr. Lincoln and the Founders,' 'Mr. Lincoln and Freedom,' 'Mr. Lincoln and Friends' and 'Mr. Lincoln and New York,' together providing an intimate view of 'Abraham Lincoln and the people with whom he lived and worked.' This site is a must for both casual and serious students of the life and politics of this man who is 'remembered for his character, his speeches and letters, a man of humble origins whose determination and perseverance led him to the nation's highest office.'

Good Housekeeping's
Mood:  caffeinated
http://www.20q.net

"20Q.net is an experiment in artificial intelligence. The program is very simple but its behavior is complex. Everything that it knows and all questions that it asks were entered by people playing this game. 20Q.net is a learning system; the more it is played, the smarter it gets." After playing a few times, you will be amazed at how smart this program has gotten (one review claimed that its 'downright spooky'), how advanced it is in its 'learning.' Here's your chance to truthfully say you taught a computer!

As long as you're into playing games with the computer, try your hand at The Longevity Game (http://www.nmfn.com/tnetwork/longevity_game_popup.html). This site will give you an idea of how long you will live. Based upon answers input by you to questions on your life style and present age, you'll be able to see how your habits, both good and bad, affect your life expectancy. If you don't like your score, 'change your answers to see where making different choices could improve your numbers - they may lengthen your life. Happy Living!'