Free Browser for Autistic Kids

The ZAC Browser is a free web browser designed specifically for the special needs of autistic children. The browser, which is currently only available for PCs, was created by a software designer for his own autistic grandchild.

Creative Commons Stock Photos

Compfight is a free online tool which makes the massively overwhelming Flickr pool of images into a source of possible stock photography (or as they say for "comps, inspiration, or research"). By allowing you to search for images by tags or descriptions, that are Creative Commons licensed, you can easily find photos that may be available for use free of charge (with proper credit, check the license first). A great option for small/non-profit clients with low budgets.

What Izzit?

IzzitGreen is a new community review site that allows visitors to rate their local businesses not only on the usual factors of service, quality, etc., but also on their environmental aspects as well (i.e. Is it green?). The site is currently only beta testing for the Boston area.

Become The Media

Italian art activist group Les Liens Invisible has created A Fake is a Fake as tool for parodying corporate websites. They provide free hosting space and WordPress templates that allow anyone to quickly and easily create their own alternate version of popular news destinations, the White House site, the Beijing 2008 Olympics site, and more. These sites can then be populated with whatever content you like and used as tools to educate, confuse, or amuse the unsuspecting. Find out more or start making your own Yes Men style detournement HERE.

Fill In the Blanks

The Insert ___ Here project by Eve S. Mosher encourages civic engagement by allowing people to comment on their environment using a printable arrow that can be customized as the user sees fit. The resulting images can be used to encourage discussion and hopefully eventual "remediation". Find out more or participate HERE.

Thanks Shelia!

Iraqi Journalist Killed

I was extremely saddened to hear of the death of Ali Shafeya Al-Moussawi, an Iraqi correspondent for Alive in Baghdad. Alive in Baghdad is one of the only outlets for Iraqi journalists to give a real view of daily life in their country via weekly videos. Ali Shafeya was killed in his home by Iraqi National Guard force. Get more details and find out how to help Ali's family HERE.

Green Hosting

For the first time in many years I need to find a new web host for one of my websites and I decided to review the socially conscious options. Happily it turns out there are a lot of green hosting services these days. I've listed a bunch of folks I found below. The hard part now is deciding whom to use (which is definitely better than having no options at all).

FYI most hosts that call themselves green have offset their energy consumption with pollution credits (also called going "carbon neutral") via businesses like green-e; AISO is the one exception I've found so far.

• Acorn Host is woman owned.
• Affordable Internet Services Online has actual solar panels (which you can watch via webcam).
• DreamHost is a hugely popular mainstream hosting service that is employee owned.
• Sustainable Websites gives you access to green marketing articles.
• ThinkHost will plant a tree for you.

I still haven't decided where to go do if you have any recommendations for any of them them or know of any others to check out please share your thoughts.

UPDATE
Thanks to scoid who pointed us to Ecologee.net, which has already done the hard work for us. The site tracks hosts that are using actual renewable energy (not credits) and is working to create an entirely "green internet"!

No S**t!

I love the Uncensor the Internet browser plug-in from Ironic Sans. It removes the asterisks used on websites to mask dirty words from sensitive eyes (like F**k, Sh*t, Etc.). It's available as a Greasmonkey script and as a standalone Plug-In.