Totally off topic blog post…Alicia’s must visit website list

By Alicia Whalen

March 19, 2008

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I thought that I would share a few really great websites that I frequent outside of the usual suspects. Social media really does go way beyond Facebook and Myspace, and there are some amazing websites out there that I refer to often for inspiration, information or just fun! Here are a few of my pics…some might be biased to shopping, music and poultry – but I am sure that you will turn a blind eye to any biases!
A friend turned me on to www.lifehacker.com – a site that offers daily tips on how to more efficiently manage your time – both personal and professional, get ahead in business, and random websites you must check out. So, check this one out!
www.last.fm is a social media website focussed around connecting people with their music interests, but more importantly with the mainstream artists that they might not be exposed to. You register as a user, create your user profile, search some of your favourite artists and see your music collection grow based on recommendations from other users, and artists that are similar to the more popular artists you already listen to. This is kind of a mix of Facebook, U-Tube, and iTunes.
My friends Glenda Miles and George Stroumboulopoulos (ok so George is not really my friend but the host of a really cool Canadian talk show “The Hour” – and yes he has a really LONG name) introduced me to www.kiva.org which allows users to “loan” money to the poor in a “transparent and accountable” way. Kiva.com’s mission is to “to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty.” Look what the internet has enabled us to do – beyond retail – you can lend directly to those in need and see the results of your efforts without the middleman! (BTW – Glenda is really my friend and we have had a lengthy discussion around the benefits of Kiva as she supports it and “lends” on a regular basis).
From giving back, to pure entertainment…if you want a good laugh – log in to www.break.com to see reality “television” at its purest level. Break.com sorts published video’s submitted by real people by popularity each day, with the most viewed submissions featured prominently on the home page (Note – this site is PG). You can also sort through the massive inventory of funny, strange and somewhat disturbing videos by topic – but the best way to “use” the site is to start with the “best of” features of the day. Anyone can now produce a fun, totally irrelevant video, or a movie or a commercial, and distribute it online.
If I was shamelessly promoting myself, I would add www.chicksaway.com and www.acoupleofchicks.com to the list – but I will refrain…Oops!