Random Name Picker

1. Adam Baum
2. Kerry Oki 3
3. Bill Ding.... 
At some point in time we all needed to generate a random list of names (usually from an alphabetical list). This usually means writing the names down on a piece of paper then drawing them from a container, such as a hat.  
Well there are a few free electronic ways of doing this.  
The Fruit Machine from Classtools.net is a free online tool that allows you to generate your own list of names, then using either by clicking the Fruit Machine option or the Typewriter button a name will be randomly selected.

The Hat by Harmony Hollow Software is freeware, which when downloaded will allow you to (as the name indicates), draw names from a hat.  The program offers a few other nice features such as: 
• Importing names from an existing file such as your class list (txt format)

• Pick individual names

• Pick pairs of names

• Fully customizable (sound, animations etc...)
• Saving the results (Order in which the names were selected)
• Printing the results


Publisher's description (From Harmony Hollow Software)
“Just like drawing names from a hat to determine a random order for a group of people or to choose individual random names or pairs of names, complete with cool animation and optional sound effects. Great for selecting winners of raffles or sweepstakes or for parents or teachers to determine a random, arbitrary order in which to allow kids to do various things.”
Available at Download.com

WordWeb

Chances are that when writing a document or reading one you will stumble on a word that you do not recognize or unsure how to spell.




WordWeb is a free download that when installed will allow you to display the definition and synonyms of any word in any document (on or off-line). Simply hold the Control key + right mouse click the word and the WordWeb Window pops up with the definition.


“This thesaurus/dictionary can be used to look up words from almost any program. In addition to displaying sense definitions and synonyms, WordWeb can find sets of related words. The database has more than 150,000 root words and 120,000 synonym sets, many proper nouns, pronunciations, and usage tags. WordWeb works off line, but when online you can also quickly view Web references such as the Wikipedia encyclopedia.” (CNET Download.com)

Online Grapher

“Graphs and charts are great because they communicate information visually. For this reason, graphs are often used in newspapers, magazines and businesses around the world. NCES constantly uses graphs and charts in our publications and on the web. Sometimes, complicated information is difficult to understand and needs an illustration. Other times, a graph or chart helps impress people by getting your point across quickly and visually. Here you will find four different graphs and charts for you to consider. Maybe it will help explain what you are trying to show. Use homework problems, things you have a special interest in, or use some of the numbers you find elsewhere on this site. Have fun! http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/classic/

Create a Graph is a free online graph maker which allows you to create; Bar, Line, Area, Pie and XY graphs. By following the straight forward steps you move along the tabs, Design, (Direction, Shape, and Style). Insert the Data, including the title the labels etc... Preview your work and then Print it or Save it (in different formats so that you can include them in your presentations)!

Very simple and easy to use with a wonderful graphic interface!

Didn’t you know? Facebook is forever

A quick follow up on the issue of digital fingerprints, tattoos....

“I know a computer science professor who runs the same Facebook experiment every semester. He invites his students to stand up in front of the room and show everyone their Facebook page on the big screen. No one has ever taken him up on the offer.

Why? They’re embarrassed, of course.

Moments later, the irony sinks in. Every one of them seems happy to share all those funny photographs, witty Wall postings and status updates with everyone on the planet. They just don't want to do it in public, in person.” Posted: Friday, February 20 2009 at 05:00 am CT by Bob Sullivan in “The Red Tape Chronicles”

Online –Calculators

From the creators of online-stopwatch.com comes online-calculator.com. Here you will find an online calculator, not yet available in stand alone mode but it can be used in full screen view.For those interested in having simple way to physically show numbers from 1 to 50, there is an Online Abacus.
For those who like to throw a few darts around but are frustrated by the Math involved in it, there is a totally free online Darts Calculator. “This advanced Dart Calc has been updated - and will also work out your darts finishing! Is this the BEST online Dart Calculator on the internet? We think so :-) Check out our Darts Calculator. It’s easy to use, free, and you can use it full screen.” http://www.online-calculator.com/darts-calculator/

Online Stopwatch:

Online-Stopwatch.com is a free website that allows you a quick and easy way to time your projects. Users have the option of a “Countdown clock” or a “Stopwatch” with a variety of skins. If you download the swf version you will be able to run the timers in stand alone mode from your desktop (as long as you have Adobe’s Flash Player working on your desktop). The different formats are available on the download page.

Original Online Stopwatch App

Countdown Timer

Split Timer / Lap Time

Bomb Timer

Clock Timer

Egg Timer

Virtual Human Body Tour

Most of us have experienced the wonders of Google Earth, the different layers that allow you to visit virtual sites, including sites that have been rendered in 3D using Google SketchUp. (E.g. Ancient Rome).

Now imagine being able to do the same with the human body, i.e., view the skeletal system in 3D, full view or close up of a particular part of the human body, rotate vertically or horizontally. Now add in the muscular system, the respiratory system, nervous system and many others. Hiding or rendering a layer to a transparent stage is but a few options.
· “Created by Argosy Publications, an animation and illustration firm that specializes in medical and scientific animations, the Visible Body is a neat interactive web animation tool that lets users explore the human anatomy and all its various systems. Created by the company's specially trained biomedical visualization engineers over the past few years, the Visible Body is an accurate portrayal of the human body that we're told is already being used in classrooms.” Read Write Web
· “Argosy's Visible Body is the most comprehensive human anatomy visualization tool available today. This entirely Web-delivered application offers an unparalleled understanding of human anatomy. The Visible Body includes 3D models of over 1,700 anatomical structures, including all major organs and systems of the human body.” (Visible Body)

View the Demo video on YouTube