Here are a couple of very interesting, helpful websites that I've been reminded of recently.  They illustrate in a fun way the diversity and possibilities of the internet.

The first is http://www.meetup.com/ which calls itself the "World's largest community of local Meetups, clubs and groups" with its strapline "Do something, Learn something, Share something, Change something".  Visiting the site this morning splashes me into what, I imagine, is a pretty random set of meetup groups.  They include the New York "Ukrainian Language and Social Networking Group", the "Ferrara dal Savonarola ai Grilli Estensi", and (presumably because I've visited before and searched for local groups) "The Edinburgh Walking & Socialising Meetup Group".  Quoting the website "Meetup is the world's largest network of local groups.  Meetup makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face. More than 2,000 groups get together in local communities each day, each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities.  Meetup's mission is to revitalize local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference."  Possibly take it with a pinch of salt ... but interesting and helpful nonetheless.  Searching for groups within a 10 mile radius of Edinburgh produces a list of 50, and clicking on the "What's happening this week" tab highlights 19 meetings in the next 7 days and an option to receive a free Edinburgh Meetup newsletter.  Good use of the internet.

The other website is the Canadian Institute of Neurosciences "The brain from top to bottom: an interactive website on human brain and behavior" at http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/index_a.html.  I like this site a lot.  It's full of great information arranged under a dozen headings.  Examples include "Memory and the Brain", "Emotions and the Brain", "Mental Disorders", and, most recently, "The Emergence of Consciousness".  Each of these general subject areas gives you the option of looking at it in one of five ways - Social, Psychological, Neurological, Cellular, and Molecular.  Wow!  And if that isn't enough choice, each of these five options then gives the added sub-options of viewing the information at Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced level.  What a beautiful free resource to have on the internet and what a good way of being able to slice up the subject areas.  Great!

For over 250 other websites that I recommend, click on http://delicious.com/stressedtozest