This page features some of my favorite websites, web tools, and resources for both able-bodied and physically challenged people (and some sites for computer-challenged people:)... most of these sites are current, but if something is outdated, or if you have a link to share, please e-mail me, thanks!  :-)

Pick a category...

Resources for people with significant physical disabilities (especially quadriplegics and/or their caregivers; links to supplies, assistive equipment, peer support, etc; and don't forget to checkout my "Life with an SCI" page, which has some important info for quads and wheelchair users):

Working 2 Walk 2008 -- [Added 2/1/2008] -- The 3rd annual Working 2 Walk (W2W) Science and Advocacy Symposium is being held in Washington DC, April 13-15, 2008 and is "... a 3-day event for leaders in the paralysis community who want to advocate for a cure, including family members, supporters, scientists, therapists, and anyone interested in joining this critical effort. The event focuses on education and empowerment to become effective advocates."  W2W results from the efforts of Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (see below:)...

www.Unite2FightParalysis.org -- (U2FP) -- Our mission is to unite and empower those physically disabled by paralysis, their families, and their supporters.  We commit our skills to provide resources, tools, information and activities to strengthen the cure movement, with a particular focus on helping those physically disabled by paralysis to advocate for themselves.  We further pledge to support the efforts of other organizations committed to the same objectives. We are committed to a “fight to the finish” that will bring full recovery to victims of paralysis.

http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Registries.jsp -- [Added 3/6/2008] -- Very Important!  Check to see how many (and who, and where) sexual offenders and/or predators are living near you.  I think it is especially important for women who live alone (or who are often home alone or often come home to an "empty" home) and parents with younger children to be aware of who is living near you.  You might be shocked by the search results.  As for how to protect oneself or one's family, there are lots of safety tips here, but one of the best is to get a dog or two (an economical way to acquire a dog is to adopt from the local animal shelter or humane society).  A dog is a great way to never have to come home alone to an empty home.  A dog can go for walks, or runs with women, and play with children in the yard.  Dogs have excellent hearing and their barking can make a criminal think twice about choosing your home (barking alerts people, which increases the likelihood that the criminal's plan won't work or go smoothly).  Plus dogs make great pets and are usually fiercely loyal to owners who treat them well, and can potentially fight off criminals, or at least help their owner escape an attacker.  Guys, if you're a husband and/or father, you know you can't always be home to help protect your family, but a dog or dogs can.  If you want to move, use the link to check areas of homes you might consider.  This link is below with other categories, but people with significant physical disabilities might be viewed as "easy" targets, so I'm including it here.

www.ucp.org/ucp_generalsub.cfm/1/9/6573 -- [Added 5/5/07] -- Disability Etiquette -- tremendous info for people who wish to know or need to know how to appropriately interact with and refer to people with disabilities (I'm a quadriplegic and I learned quite a bit there, and I hope I'm following protocol on my website, although much of what is here was written before I knew those things -- apologies in advance:)...

How and Where I Shop for Medical Supplies (Updated 5/5/07): There are about 8 medical product websites (Allegro Medical, Colonial Medical, Express Medical, Quality Medical, Emergency Medical Products, Jansen Medical, Great Medical Supplies, and CWI Medical) that are all pretty similar, yet some have products that others don't. I've purchased products from the first 5 listed above either because they had the best product or price (I always try to find a quality product at the best price). Anyway, if you need medical or wellness supplies, chances are you can find it at the above websites. Do yourself a favor and check them out for any supply that you aren't certain that you're currently getting a good deal on, but don't buy the first acceptable product you see. The above websites compete with each other (and others) and some have the same product at a better price. Also, shipping costs affect product costs, which might influence where you buy as well. Once I find a quality product and I'm almost ready to buy, I check Froogle.com to make sure I'm getting the best price (Froogle checks multiple places, including eBay, and I've bought supplies on eBay before also). I elaborate on the above 8 websites and share where I buy certain things below.

www.DonTheGlove.com -- Don The Glove -- This is 1 of 2 online places where I buy gloves (see med-express.com below for the other).  A new favorite (added 6/25/06). All of the 8 websites I mentioned (see "How and Where I Shop for Medical Supplies" above) have exam gloves, however they don't have the best prices. A good target price for powder-free latex gloves is about $4 (for a box of 100). If you can beat that price (show me:) you're doing well. If you can get them tax-free with FREE SHIPPING for about $4, you're doing extremely well. I haven't seen anyone beat "Don The Glove" for overall price and flexibility -- they don't insist you purchase 20 boxes at a time; they have a good individual price and also have a "buy 9 get 1 free" policy to encourage customers to purchase by the case of 10 boxes (use promo code "buy9" for that deal). 

www.med-express.com -- If your primary caregivers wear the same size glove, buying a case here (20 boxes, 100 gloves each) may give you a better overall price than "Don The Glove" (above).  The thing to know here is that they only sell by the case, which is ok if you will eventually use them and have room to store them.  No free shipping; but the standard shipping is generally quick and when added to the price of a case, the overall price per box can be cheaper than Don The Glove's price.  But if you need different sizes, or don't want a case, Don The Glove has free shipping on any size order.

www.allegromedical.com -- Allegro Medical -- one of my new favorites (updated 6/5/07). One of the other 8 medical supply stores (from my "How and Where I Shop for Medical Supplies" above Don The Glove) isn't carrying something I require, which led to the discovery of Allegro Medical. Many quads use Magic Bullet suppositories and Allegro has the best price I've seen. They also have a good price on Surgilube (a KY substitute; KY has been discontinued) with 4.25 oz. Flip Top Tubes, $21.95 for 12 tubes (at the time of this update). One excellent product they have at a great price is individually wrapped antiseptic towelettes which are great for caregiver "hand cleaning" when away from home.  My only "complaint" is they used to have free shipping on orders over $99 but apparently that is no longer (bummer!). However some of their prices are low enough that they beat their competitors price even after adding shipping (for example, Magic Bullets have been listed between $41.20 and $45 on Allegro's website, and one of their competitors sells them for $52).

www.colonialmedical.com -- Colonial Medical (added 6/25/06) -- they have some different things (checkout their aids to daily living category) and a good selection of certain categories, for example checkout their heel protection category and see numerous choices (however what I use for heel production came from Express Medical; which is a reminder to check around before making your purchase:).

www.exmed.net -- Express Medical Supply (updated 6/25/06) -- my original favorite for medical supplies. A very cool website with a large variety and usually good (sometimes great) prices, but not on everything (check around before buying:). Overall, it's an extremely well designed & maintained website; discreet packaging is an option at no extra charge, and they have FREE SHIPPING for orders over $95.00. 

www.qualitymedicalsupplies.com -- Quality Medical Supplies (updated 6/25/06) -- a VERY WIDE assortment of medical products, often at very good prices. The only "drawback" for individuals shopping here is some of the least-expensive items that are sold individually, have purchase quantity requirements (e.g. buy 5 to get this price) but that can also work in your favor (just not if you only want one). That said, FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $100 which does give incentive to purchase more than you need right now (assuming it's something that won't expire and you'll use eventually:).  I buy g-tubes here. 

www.buyemp.com -- Emergency Medical Products (updated 6/25/06) -- designed for paramedics & EMTs, they don't have too many things a quad needs to purchase regularly, but they have good prices on ambu bags (something I think every quad should have -- for about $20, it could save your life) and a good price on a neat little finger pulse-oxymeter (although check Froogle.com for pulse-oxymeters)...

www.jansenmedical.net -- Jansen Medical (added 6/25/06) -- a decent store with perhaps some variety not found in the above stores. I haven't bought anything here yet, but it's another possibility for your supplies.

www.greatmedicalsupplies.com -- Great Medical Supplies (added 6/25/06) -- they have an AMAZING SELECTION -- not necessarily the best prices (some good, some average) but the selection is HUGE (hint, click on "manufacturers" from their homepage and see an amazingly long list of medical supply makers). If you haven't found what you need from the above websites, or if you're looking for a "hard to find" item from a specific manufacturer, this could be the place.

www.cwimedical.com -- CWI Medical (added 5/5/07) -- the website that completes the primary 8 for medical supplies, they may have something you can use that's not found from above websites.  With just a brief search, I found a few things I don't recall seeing elsewhere, and they seem to have quite a few different products.  These medicine cups are cool (they can also be washed and reused) and the price seems good (I've never shopped for them before, but I think we got some from a local drug store) but you have to factor in shipping, especially if it's the only thing you buy.  Always remember to shop around and/or check froogle.com to see if the price you're getting seems good.

www.180medical.com -- [Added 5/5/07] -- 180 Medical sells closed catheter kits, male and female catheters, Bard and Hollister catheters, plus many other kinds of catheters. I personally haven't used this website, but it has a professional look and they seem like catheter experts...

www.CareCure.org -- "Welcome to the CareCure Community.  Our forums provide latest information on spinal cord injury and related conditions.  Register to post messages.  Read our Forum Rules.  Vote in our featured polls.  Visit to read articles about spinal cord injury.  See our member pictures.  Meet our newest members.  Check our latest Community Statistics and the State of Our Community.  Enter our Chat Room.  See new posts since your last visit and today's active topics.  Read instructions on how to use this site and ask questions in the Feedback Forum."

www.crpf.org -- The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (a merger between the American Paralysis Association and the Christopher Reeve Foundation -- click here for their resource center, located at www.paralysis.org, from which you can e-mail an information specialist)...

www.easystand.com -- [Added 1/11/08] -- "Easy Stand: Standing Made Easy" -- the benefits of standing upright are vast; and for people like me who physically can't stand up without significant assistance, EasyStand seems like a great option.  I would definitely be interested in what they offer, if I didn't already have a tilt table for standing.  But if you can't stand, I encourage you to checkout their website and find out how they can help (there are multiple ways to acquire a stander, see their funding link on their website for assistance)... also, one of their customers is also an IKAN Bowler User, checkout the video success story on Vicki on this page of their website!  :-)

www.passy-muir.com -- for info on speaking valves, the key to ventilator speech (for my speaking valve epiphany story, click here)... it's a major quality-of-life improvement for ventilator users, the ability to speak well and virtually without pausing...

http://coughassist.respironics.com -- home of the in-exsufflator, now called "CoughAssist," the alternative to suctioning and the key to clear lungs for ventilator users or anyone who has difficulty expelling secretions due to an inability to cough effectively (for my testimonial, click here)...

www.enablinginc.com -- This website features a product that enables low level quads (who have good arm function and some hand function) and paraplegics to transfer to the ground or floor and back to his or her chair, more easily than ever before.  A friend and fellow wheelchair user, Thom DeLilla, invented it.  It's called the "Bottoms Up Bars" and is now available at the above website.

http://www.quadcontrol.com/joystick.htm -- are you a quad looking for home-based entertainment, possibly by playing video games on a device like Playstation 2 or X-Box?  This link has a joystick/controller which is designed for quadriplegics to be able to play video games (if you try this and like it, I would appreciate the feedback, thanks:)...

www.needymeds.com -- looking for financial help with purchasing prescription meds, possibly low-cost or no-cost medicines?  This link appears to be a helpful resource for people who are eligibile (if you use that website and it proves to be beneficial, please send me a quick e-mail, so I'll know if it really can be a big help, or at least some help:)... see below two links also...

www.WeHelpMeds.com -- [Added 5/5/07] -- Ditto the above...

www.scbn.org -- [Added 5/5/07] -- Select Care Benefits Network -- America's leading source for help with FREE PRESCRIPTIONS (see above two links also)...

www.multimediadesigns.com -- home of Multimedia Max, my computer "Max" -- a voice software driven computer with environmental control units (Voc. Rehab often pays for this computer -- see below)... 

http://enablemart.com/productGroupDetail.aspx?store=10&dept=20&group=48 -- [Added 5/5/07] -- if you're unable to operate a computer by hand or voice, something called "HeadMouse" may be an option for you -- this link shows multiple possibilities (also see below)...

http://www.makoa.org/jlubin/morsecode.htm -- [Added 5/5/07] -- another alternative for operating a computer when one has little-to-no ability to move...

www.vocrehab.com -- nation wide assistance and vocational rehabilitation links (see the links page on their website for your state) -- Voc. Rehab services are designed to help a disabled/injured individual... "prepare for, enter, engage in, or retain gainful employment."  This means helping with transportation, possible van modifications, possible home modifications, job placement and/or job site modifications, often a voice-activated computer for quads, assistance for going back to school and/or continuing education, etc. 

www.rehabworks.org -- Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation... 

www.guldmann.com -- the lift people (they have different types of lift systems; a ceiling mounted power lift is how I get in and out of my wheelchair -- adds years to the careers of caregivers by saving their backs)...

www.surehands.com -- another transferring solutions company, for transferring people with limited mobility...

www.shepherd.org -- THE place to be if you have a spinal cord injury...

www.makoa.org -- THE most complete website for disABILITY Information and Resources...

www.survivingparalysis.com -- a resource for SCI quads...

http://www.heatherhill.com/forum3/index.htm -- ventilator weaning discussion forum...

http://www.perspectivesinnursing.org/v1n3/dixon.html -- great article on tracheostomy care and the transition from hospital to home with family caregivers...

http://promini.medscape.com/drugdb/search.asp -- look up info on any & every drug a doctor may prescribe; patient handouts, precautions, usage & doses -- inform yourself!

http://www.orthopoint.de/englisch/sci.htm -- an International SCI support & connection resource...

http://tankchair.com -- TANK CHAIR!  This is awesome!

www.disableddealer.com -- an AWESOME disability resource and place for buying & selling adaptive equipment (accessible vans, scooters, wheelchairs, even homes and RV's)...

www.wheelchair-van.com -- a good site for accessible vans... try voc rehab first (see above links) and BE PERSISTENT (they often help with transportation) before purchasing on your own...

www.amsvans.com -- Handicapped Vans, Wheelchair Ramps and Wheelchair Lifts: AMSVans

www.hdsvans.com -- a decent site for accessible vans... try voc rehab first (see above links) and BE PERSISTENT (they often help with transportation) before purchasing on your own...

www.loweredfloorminivan.net -- a decent site for accessible vans... try voc rehab first (see above links) and BE PERSISTENT (they often help with transportation) before purchasing on your own...

www.wheelchair-accessible-vans.com -- [Added 6/26/2008] -- "Affordable handicap vans offering nationwide service, financing, and front door delivery."

www.disabilitytravel.com -- [Added 5/5/07] -- If you have the ability to travel despite requiring the use of a wheelchair, this website is a FANTASTIC resource for people with significant physical disabilities who want to travel...

www.drink-aide.com -- staying well-hydrated is CRUCIAL for quads -- being hydrated helps all of your body systems -- and kidney failure is our number one killer.  I use a Camelbak Classic (70 oz. -- it's available at sporting goods & outdoor equipment stores for a little less than $40) which we attach to my sip 'n' puff, but if you don't have a sip 'n' puff, the Drink-aide is an option -- and it's good for bed (attaching to bed rails) too!

These next three featured items are listed on my homepage, but are important enough (for quads:) to also have here!

My new blog: emPOWERing Wheelchair Users! -- http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com -- [Updated here 8/27/07] -- here I share insights into how we're getting power wheelchair users back in the game of life!  If you are or may be interested in the below links which talk about wheelchair bowling and power soccer, checkout Five Things to Know about Power Wheelchair Bowling!  Also a must is to see my entry titled: Two Videos and a Slideshow on Power Wheelchair Bowling!  :-)

Manufacturing Genuine Thrills, Inc. -- Home of the IKAN Bowler®! -- [UPDATED 5/5/07]  Did you know that ALL wheelchair users can bowl? And that ANYONE who can operate a power wheelchair can bowl AND play power soccer?  It's true.  Checkout my above blog, which shares some important insights into our efforts to get power wheelchair users back in the game of life!  IKAN comes from the Greek word ikano, which means enable.  Wheelchair users: IKAN? Yes You Can -- with the IKAN Bowler® wheelchair bowling system. :-)  Manufacturing Genuine Thrills, Inc. is a long name, so we're "d/b/a" MGT, which means "doing business as" MGT, and we have the best Power Soccer Guard available anywhere as well.  Checkout out our website, www.ikanbowler.com, and the story of how we got started is below. 

- Wheelchair Bowling -- Wouldn't it be GREAT if there were a device or devices that would enable almost all wheelchair users to bowl?  Well, read this story of how we got started -- and see videos (although the best video is at the MGT website above:)...
 

Tools for All Computer Users (search engines, news, research):

www.google.com -- probably the BEST search engine on the ENTIRE PLANET -- be specific with your entries, google searches and cross-references all the terms you enter... 

www.froogle.com -- Google's new shopping search engine -- Froogle -- a GREAT start for finding the best available prices on whatever you need (I think they even check www.eBay.com -- another good place for careful shoppers to find bargains -- it's an auction website)... 

www.FindBookPrices.com -- [Added 5/5/07] -- Find Book Prices -- absolutely THE BEST resource for finding the best prices on books -- all books -- but I've found it particularly helpful with textbooks...

http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Registries.jsp -- [Added 3/6/2008] -- Very Important!  Check to see how many (and who, and where) sexual offenders and/or predators are living near you.  I think it is especially important for women who live alone (or who are often home alone or often come home to an "empty" home) and parents with younger children to be aware of who is living near you.  You might be shocked by the search results.  As for how to protect oneself or one's family, there are lots of safety tips here, but one of the best is to get a dog or two (an economical way to acquire a dog is to adopt from the local animal shelter or humane society).  A dog is a great way to never have to come home alone to an empty home.  A dog can go for walks, or runs with women, and play with children in the yard.  Dogs have excellent hearing and their barking can make a criminal think twice about choosing your home (barking alerts people, which increases the likelihood that the criminal's plan won't work or go smoothly).  Plus dogs make great pets and are usually fiercely loyal to owners who treat them well, and can potentially fight off criminals, or at least help their owner escape an attacker.  Guys, if you're a husband and/or father, you know you can't always be home to help protect your family, but a dog or dogs can.  If you want to move, use the link to check areas of homes you might consider.  This link is a little "out of place" but in case someone doesn't visit the other categories of links on my page, I wanted it here...

www.edmunds.com -- the ULTIMATE resource for car buying!  Check it out, and if you disagree, please show me a better website/resource for car buying, and I'll add it too!

www.epinions.com -- a good shopping website for comparing prices and empowering yourself with "unbiased consumer reviews"...

www.consumersearch.com -- "Reviewing the Reviewers" -- a good place for research on virtually everything... supposed to be the best site for "expert" reviews...

www.ask.com -- "Ask Jeeves" search engine: "where can I find inspirational quotes?"  Ask Jeeves!

www.whitepages.com -- need a phone number, or mailing address for a person or business?

www.mappoint.com -- get maps & directions to and from anywhere...

www.mapquest.com -- get maps & directions to and from anywhere...

www.gomez.com -- a service that rates e-businesses, a valuable tool when trying to determine which company or service to use...

www.consumerreports.org -- the online version of the popular shopping guide...

www.mysimon.com -- a good website for comparison-shopping, i.e. finding the best deals (on a wide range of products)...

www.pricescan.com -- another good website for comparison-shopping (wide range of products)...

www.bizrate.com -- another good website for comparison-shopping (wide range of products)...

www.shopper.com -- good website for comparison-shopping (computer electronics & accessories)...

www.expedia.com -- a good travel website (searches many providers -- but not Southwest -- see down three items!)...

www.travelocity.com -- a good travel website (searches many providers -- but not Southwest -- see down two items!)...

www.priceline.com -- a good travel website similar to the two above, but you can also "Name Your Own Price" -- click here to find out how...

www.southwestairlines.com -- occasionally fantastic airline prices (especially if shopped online more than two weeks ahead of time; in 2005 I've seen one-way tickets UNDER $60, and you can get one-way both going and coming back, of course:) -- NOT searched by the three above services!

www.snopes2.com -- will debunk just about all urban legends & virus hoaxes...

www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html -- for virus hoaxes, from the makers of "Norton AntiVirus"

www.symantec.com/avcenter/ -- for info on real viruses, from the makers of "Norton AntiVirus"

www.webhelp.com -- if you're having trouble locating something on the world wide web, this site has real, live human help (you basically "instant message" them what you're looking for and they'll reply)

www.yahoo.com -- great all around site, especially for people new to the web (all writing in blue is a link -- just click and go!).  The best free online card games, free e-mail accessible from anywhere in the world, and more -- do you Yahoo!?

www.hotmail.com -- another free, popular, web-based e-mail service accessible from any computer that has Internet access...

www.cnn.com -- for news and current domestic & global happenings; yahoo is also a great news site, with links to Reuters and all the nooks & crannies of Internet information...

www.about.com -- Want to know "about" something?  Another good information resource...

www.medscape.com -- for all things medical including research, drug information, patient handouts, and much more...

www.imdb.com -- THE Internet Movie Database -- anything and everything you ever wanted to know about who's in what and what else -- movies, actors, directors, and more...

www.azlyrics.com -- A to Z Lyrics Universe -- Can't catch the words to a catchy song?  Here you go!  (If you don't know the artist or title, type the chorus or a lyric line into google and see if you can find your song -- I've had success solving a few song mysteries that way:)...

www.tvguide.com -- Want to know what's on today, tomorrow, or the next day?  Links to local listings!  (Sports fans I use this to find out in advance which games will be broadcast locally -- put in your area code, then choose the time and day for advance listings).

www.RosettaStone.com/tv -- [Added 5/5/07] -- Fastest way to learn a new language -- so the commercial says!  If anyone tries this or used it previously, I'd love to know what you think of it...

http://www.ucp.org/ucp_generalsub.cfm/1/9/6573 -- [Added 5/5/07] -- Disability Etiquette -- I put this here because some people may wish to know or need to know how to appropriately interact with and refer to people with disabilities (I'm a quadriplegic and I learned quite a bit there, and I hope I'm following protocol on my website, although much of what is here was written before I knew those things -- apologies in advance:)...

Charitable Websites, just click for a free, sponsor-paid donation (please visit often/daily):

www.freerice.com -- [Added 11/25/07] -- a relatively fun way to fight world hunger -- they donate 10 grains of rice PER correct answer on a vocabulary quiz.  It's a GREAT website for students to improve their vocabularies for college prep tests (SAT and ACT)...

www.thehungersite.com -- the hunger site, donate 1.1 cups of staple food with your click...

www.thebreastcancersite.com -- the breast cancer site, click daily to help fund free mammograms...

www.thechildhealthsite.com -- the child health site, click daily to help children in need...

www.theliteracysite.com -- the literacy site, click daily to help give free books...

www.therainforestsite.com -- the rain forest site, save 11.4 sq. feet of land with your click...

www.theanimalrescuesite.com -- the animal rescue site, click daily to help feed rescued animals...

http://www.chunky.com/ClickForCansVote.aspx -- Campbell's Chunky soup has teamed up with the NFL to tackle hunger.  Visit daily and click the helmet of your favorite team and Campbell's will donate a can of soup to a needy person...

SPORTS (The University of Florida Gators, The Chicago Cubs, and ALL your sports needs!):

www.ufl.edu -- My beloved school...

www.gatorcountry.com -- Gator Country -- THE number one Gator site for the Gator fan that simply can't get enough Gator football, basketball, baseball, etc -- and recruiting -- at your leisure, or year-round.  On the message boards, find passionate Gator fans and some truly connected insiders who share appropriate information.  The free version of GatorCountry is good, the full membership yields info for serious fans -- and I'm a very satisfied customer. 

www.alligator.org -- the UF student newspaper online...

www.gatorsports.com -- the Gainesville Sun's Gator Sports page...

www.cubs.com -- official website of my beloved Chicago Cubs...

www.chicagosports.com -- for the Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks and all teams Chicago!

www.espn.com -- for ALL your sports needs!

www.cbs.sportsline.com -- also a good all-sports site...

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/polls -- the major polls (AP, Coaches and BCS) polls offered in an organized fashion with clickable links to details...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ -- also a good all-sports site...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/tv_sked/ -- college football's TV schedule, from now through the bowl games...

For locals to Florida, Central Florida, Lake County, and/or the Leesburg area:

http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Registries.jsp -- [UPDATED 3/6/2008] -- Very Important!  Check to see how many (and who, and where) sexual offenders and/or predators are living near you.  I think it is especially important for women who live alone (or who are often home alone or often come home to an "empty" home) and parents with younger children to be aware of who is living near you.  You might be shocked by the search results.  As for how to protect oneself or one's family, there are lots of safety tips here, but one of the best is to get a dog or two (an economical way to acquire a dog is to adopt from the local animal shelter or humane society).  A dog is a great way to never have to come home alone to an empty home.  A dog can go for walks, or runs with women, and play with children in the yard.  Dogs have excellent hearing and their barking can make a criminal think twice about choosing your home (barking alerts people, which increases the likelihood that the criminal's plan won't work or go smoothly).  Plus dogs make great pets and are usually fiercely loyal to owners who treat them well, and can potentially fight off criminals, or at least help their owner escape an attacker.  Guys, if you're a husband and/or father, you know you can't always be home to help protect your family, but a dog or dogs can.  If you want to move, use the link to check areas of homes you might consider.

www.ElectJimMiller.com -- [Added 3/6/2008] -- My Dad, Jim Miller is running for Lake County Commission.  Personally, I think he's well qualified and will bring needed knowledge and experience to the Board of Commissioners. The election is August 26, 2008.  I built his website. 

www.JudgeDonnaMiller.com -- My Stepmom, Lake County Judge Donna Miller's website, which I designed and maintain... she's been "delivering justice since 1995." 

www.lake-real-estate.com -- My Dad, Jim Miller's website, which I designed and maintain, with his input (he won't let me use use align-justify on his homepage, but otherwise I like it:).  If you have commercial or industrial real estate needs in Lake County, especially Leesburg or Lady Lake, checkout his website and call him!

www.LakeCountyGatorClub.com -- The Lake County Gator Club® website, for which I am the website administrator... GO GATORS!

www.lovextension.com -- "We'll be there when you can't!"  Their business is to visit people in Central Florida who live in nursing homes and/or shut-ins on behalf of loved ones who can't visit as often as desired, and they report details of the visit to the provider (I designed and maintain their website:).

www.dailycommercial.com -- The Daily Commercial, the local newspaper serving Lake & Sumter Counties since 1875 (they published my movie reviews:)...

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/ -- Lake County news via the Orlando Sentinel...

www.leesburgyellowjackets.org -- Leesburg High School (my alma mater)...

www.lakegovernment.com -- Lake County, Florida, government -- excellent resource site...

www.leesburgchamber.com -- city info, business members, events calendar, and more...

http://www.tvguide.com/Listings/... -- current and advance cable listings for your area, just put in your zip code and select your cable service...

http://www.weather.com/weather/local... -- Leesburg, FL, current weather with links to detailed forecasts and current Doppler radar, etc...

http://www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?house_id=3508... -- Check the showtimes for what's playing at AMC Lakesquare 12 Theatres and you can even purchase tickets online and pick them up at the theater's box office before the show!

Miscellaneous sites (government, weather, time, etc):

www.congress.org -- links to the happenings of our U.S. Congress, and to e-mail/write your elected officials (put in your zip code, and they'll link you to your representatives)...

www.donotcall.gov -- The National DO NOT CALL Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls.  Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days.  If they do, you can file a complaint at this Website.  You can register your home or mobile/cellular phone for free.  Your registration will be effective for five years.

http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Registries.jsp -- [Added 3/6/2008] -- Very Important!  Check to see how many (and who, and where) sexual offenders and/or predators are living near you.  I think it is especially important for women who live alone (or who are often home alone or often come home to an "empty" home) and parents with younger children to be aware of who is living near you.  You might be shocked by the search results.  As for how to protect oneself or one's family, there are lots of safety tips here, but one of the best is to get a dog or two (an economical way to acquire a dog is to adopt from the local animal shelter or humane society).  A dog is a great way to never have to come home alone to an empty home.  A dog can go for walks, or runs with women, and play with children in the yard.  Dogs have excellent hearing and their barking can make a criminal think twice about choosing your home (barking alerts people, which increases the likelihood that the criminal's plan won't work or go smoothly).  Plus dogs make great pets and are usually fiercely loyal to owners who treat them well, and can potentially fight off criminals, or at least help their owner escape an attacker.  Guys, if you're a husband and/or father, you know you can't always be home to help protect your family, but a dog or dogs can.  If you want to move, use the link to check areas of homes you might consider.  This link is above with my "for locals" category, but it has links to other State databases, and obviously it's important, so I'm including it here.

www.weather.com -- The Weather Channel online... a source of detailed weather related data, which can be specific to your zip code, can give an hourly forecast for the immediate near future, and can also project weather 10 days in advance (although much can change in a week:)...

www.accuweather.com -- A very cool weather website (no pun intended:) they have cool radars...

www.noaa.org -- the website of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.  When hurricane's approach, this website will give the latest projected path, official details, and vivid pictures of the hurricane...

http://centralflorida.redcross.org/ -- The American Red Cross of Central Florida's site (if you aren't in central Florida, find a chapter near you from here: www.redcross.org).  There is a wealth of information as to how to prepare for something like a hurricane, as well as disaster assistance information...

http://nist.time.gov/ -- What time is it?  The official U.S. time (clock) for all time zones...

http://travel.state.gov/ -- Everything you need to know about getting or renewing a passport...

www.census.gov -- U.S. Census Bureau -- has some very interesting facts & figures, including a population "finder" for any city or town in the United States!

www.petitiononline.com -- for legitimate, grass roots petitions...

www.classmates.com -- connect with your high school classmates...

Some of my favorite people (with disABILITIES):

www.KyleLen.com -- my friend and fellow quad, Kyle Len.  Kyle gets the top spot here ONLY because he's the new addition to this short list (no big head, Kyle:).  Anyway, like my friends below, Kyle has been very active since becoming a quad... he's an impressive young man, but website wise, he's like my friends below & myself, in that it isn't updated with everything he does.  But the above link offers a glimpse into his life...

www.ThinkBeforeYouDrink.net -- my friend and fellow quad Rhonda has a very important message, which is that choices have consequences -- sometimes very permanent and not-good consequences.  Please checkout her website and story at the above link...

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/hojoy/hojoy/hojoy.html -- My friend Hero Joy Nightingale, a person who will impress & inspire you...

www.MurGallery.com -- my friend Mike Murach, he's an artist who happens to paint by mouth -- I almost forgot -- he's a quad too...

www.threefeetdeep.net --  my friend Jennifer, a college student who became a quad the summer before her freshmen year...

www.wonderaboutjesus.com -- Jennifer's new site which ponders... "was he a God?  Is there a God?"

Please let me know if there is a problem with a link, or if you have a website that could be useful or fun for people... thanks:)...