vocab game + watching some ads = FreeRice

Gapminder

Go to gapminder, which visualizes global economic, demographic, and social patterns. The default setting is per income vs. life expectancy. Click on the big red circle {China} and then the largish lime-green circle in the upper right {USofA}. Play from 1975 to 2004. Be amazed at the pace of China’s development, and how much it looks like it’s going to gobble up the US and everyone else.

*Not quite as interactive, but equally powerful is the worldmapper. This project maps similar variables, using geography as a way to make your noggin hurt. Check out the ‘preventable deaths‘ map for example.

Shareware I like (Dan)

iFlash :: Super flashcard software. Does everything you might want such a program to do, and has an excellent look n’ feel. I I use it a few times a week for Chinese.
Hyperedit :: An ideal small program for doing quick edits to webpages, when you don’t have access to something more heavy-duty (Dreamweaver).

Iconographer X :: Rad icon-customizing software. Has all the art tools built in, can import from images, and more.

Freeware I like

Growl :: So. much. fun. Set up custom notifications for program actions, like completed disk burning, new email, whatever. I like to make it read aloud in a robot voice, or sing “Download.. Com-pleated!”