New Flight Tracking Website

HelloFlight.com allows travelers to get real-time locations of all commercial and most private aircraft on the U.S. air traffic control system. The site also gives information on weather and its effect on flight status, airport statistics and other information available from the FAA.

http://helloflight.com/

Gift Card Rescue

Did you get a gift card for the holidays from a store you don’t like and you know you’ll never use? “Exchange or swap your gift card for another card. You can also sell your gift card to us for cash, or buy discounted gift cards with free shipping.”

http://giftcardrescue.com/

Attention Job Seekers

The wonderful librarians over at the Chesire Library have put together a list of online help for job seekers. Sites included can help with career planning and finding jobs in Connecticut and across the U.S.

Don’t forget to check out the materials available to you through the LION libraries on the subject of job hunting, including how to write great cover letters and resumes, improving interview techniques and how to find the best job for you.

http://cheshirelibrary.org/databases/jobsontheweb.html

http://catalog.lioninc.org/search~S29?/djob+hunting/djob+hunting/1%2C68%2C625%2CB/exact&FF=djob+hunting&1%2C327%2C

More Hot Toys For Kids 2008

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has produced a list of best toys for kids this year covering all ages and includes topics such as music, construction, arts & crafts and science, as well as games, and active toys. Everything any kid could want. Happy shopping!

http://www.astratoy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=225&Itemid=467

Winter Activities For Kids

Apples4theteacher.com has been on the web for almost 10 years and creates and compiles new resources every day with a goal to help schools, libraries and teachers. In other words, you won’t find any mind-numbing video games on this site, just fun and learning-focused activities. Think of them as a daily vitamin for your children, especially on a snow-day.

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/winter/

Optical Illusions

If you thought staring at holiday gift wrap was mesmerizing, take a look at these optical illusions provided by the kindly people at Scientific American (they always have something interesting up their sleeves).

http://www.sciam.com/slideshow.cfm?id=art-as-visual-research

Best Toys Of 2008

You’ve waited patiently but wait no longer. Here are a few Best Toys of 2008 links. Knock yourselves out.

Dr Toy’s 10 Best Toys:  http://www.drtoy.com/awards/2008_3_1_list.php

Family Fun Best Toys 2008:  http://familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday-seasonal/specialfeature/famf1108-toy-main/

Best Toys By Age:  http://bestlearningtoys.blogspot.com/

Help For Small Businesses

Do you own a small business? Would you like to? Maybe not in the current financial crisis but there are those who say a downturn is an opportunity for anyone willing to take advantage of it. If you’re intrepid, or you already own a business and could use some advice, here’s a website from the Small Business Development Center that offers information on topics including: business plans,  small business trends, taxes and accounting, women and minorities, marketing, E-commerce guides and more.

http://sbdcnet.org/

The NOVA Interactives Archive

If you are interested in anything at all, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy on this site. In fact, you might forget to go to work in the morning as you get caught up in the interactive pages. It’s like having whole science and natural history museums in your computer.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/hotscience/

U.S. Presidential First 100 Days…

Good magazine has compiled an interesting list of accomplishments of the past 11 presidents in their first 100 days.

http://awesome.goodmagazine.com/goodsheet/goodsheet009First100Days.html