Today is going to be a little different so buckle up, buttercup.
Word of the Day (from Merriam-Webster again):
tempestuous (adj.) - something that is related to or resembles a violent storm; literally speaking, can be used synonymously with turbulent and stormy; figuratively speaking, it describes something or someone full of strong emotions
The relationship between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, despite being occasionally tempestuous, is ultimately a much more loving, healthier relationship than Harley and the Joker (diversity win!)
While I have been described as tempestuous, especially when I'm in the middle of an emotionally charged case, I've been practicing meditation and emotional regulation lately and have been considerably calmer. (don't test me, though.)
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Tell me something, friend: do you find yourself spending hours and hours each day scrolling the same three websites? No, just me?
Recently I've realized that the World Wide Web is far too large for me to be switching between the same few sites like a hamster on a wheel. As the Bat-Facts are mostly for me anyways, I decided for some unknown reason to spend two hours scouring the internet for a variety of FREE resources, websites, and databases, that are useful, fun, and worth revisiting.
So for today, the Things of the Day and the Resources of the Day are rolled into one, with the websites/databases arranged into categories and a little blurb beside each link to give you the gist of it. (Don't worry - all links have been vetted by me, so they should be active and free of malware; use good internet sense regardless).
*disclaimer: these are US/American-based, so results my vary*
Things of the Day and Resources of the Day
My Retro TV - set up like a vintage TV, you can scroll through the channels and see clips of shows, music videos, and news programs that fit within that decade of television. This links to the 70's, but they have others
Sporcle - quizzes in every category you can imagine, this is where random trivia meets competitive fun
The Useless Web - click the button to be transported to a truly hidden gem (or not) of the internet; some of them are fun, some are lame, so it's like a website lottery spin
Radio Garden - this interactive globe lets you listen on your browser to radio stations all over the world
For When You're Inquisitive:
Poem of the Day - from the Academy of American Poets, they provide a new poem each day along with the chance to learn about the poet; often has audio recordings of the poems as well
Astronomy Picture of the Day - just as the name suggest, each day the site updates with an astronomical photo and a little blurb written by a real astronomer
Alison - this is a free database of courses, webinars, trainings, etc. for practical and job-related skills (like parenting courses, anger management, caregiving basics, etc.)
Semantic Scholar - the one research database that I'm including on this list, and maybe one of the only uses of AI that I can get behind, as it uses AI to help sift through research articles that fit your search criteria
Nicky's Blog - this person creates really interesting games that help conceptualize important psychological experiences (such as a game about anxiety where you play as Anxiety itself), and writes thoughtful articles as well
Stellarium - it's a real-life, real-time star map! It's gorgeous, educational, and mesmerizing, definitely worth a look.
Wait But Why - another blog/website that breaks down complicated subjects with the help of stick figures
TED-Ed - a staple, a classic, a giant in the wold of educational content, any list about free learning sites would be remiss to not include TED-Ed (I think there's a petition for Bruce Wayne to give a TED Talk on how to be an effective philanthropist in today's climate)
The Marginalian- run by an MIT fellow as a labor of love, this blog is an aesthetically beautiful rumination on life and its intricacies that is both thought-provoking and visually appealing
Weird, Wacky, and Wonderful:
Atlas Obscura - the go-to guide for learning about and planning trips to some of the weird, wacky, wonderful places on earth
Window Swap - as promised, this website will show you the real view from someone's window somewhere in the world; so far I've gotten some gorgeous views that let me pretend I'm anywhere but Gotham
The River Styx - part philosophical musings, part interactive game, part visual novel, this site will help guide through the afterlife
PostSecret - real people sending in real postcards with real messages; you can send yours in, too, as it's totally anonymous (but fascinating. Some of the messages are....creative).
Oddee - Imagine the news, but weird; like if Gotham breached containment
Neal.fun - Neal is an honorary hero in my book for all the time he's spent on this website creating fun, creative, interesting, and visually appealing games/simulators
The Oatmeal - a colorful website replete with funny comics and games for whenever you're feeling bored and want to smile
CoolThings - a helpful collection of articles reviewing the newest and coolest gadgets and gizmos (for my handy lesbians and DIY-ers out there, I read an article about a level that lights up green when it's level, so you don't have to eyeball the bubble anymore)
The Internet Arcade - I'm putting this under practical and handy because the entire Internet Archive, including the Arcade, is a national treasure. The Arcade has real retro games that you can play right within the browser, but the Archive itself has literally almost everything you can imagine - books, newspapers, websites, software, movies, music, etc.
Snopes - in today's world where discerning real from fake feels almost impossible, Snopes is a fact-checking juggernaut (no, they haven't covered Bane's pregnancy rumors yet, but I'm sure that's coming).
Shut Up And Take My Money - this was hard to categorize because the items on here are weird and wacky, but if you are looking for out-of-the-box gift ideas or ways to spice up your own stash, this site is surprisingly helpful (and hilarious)
SkyScanner - an insanely helpful website for my travelers out there (one-way ticket outta Gotham, anyone?), SkyScanner helps you find the cheapest flights out there
(I also found some open-access research databases for peer-reviewed/scholarly articles if anyone is interested, just let me know.)
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Thanks for being here! Let me know if you have any websites to add; always on the prowl for a cool find.
gamechangershow
stormborns
theartofmadeline
titsay
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