Let's have some fun

This week we’re taking a break from Windows 10 to point out several useful and fun websites.

We’re also taking a break from politics and cat videos. These sites are actually informative, and Totally Great.

I’m Rubber…

Remember that rhyme? 

But what glue works best? It kind of depends on what you’re trying to stick to what. Visit the This to That website  and discover how to stick almost anything to almost anything else.

Need to glue some glass to some other glass? Easy peasy. Use some Super Glue. And in the site’s Trivia Section I learned

The first cyanoacrylate (super/krazy glue) was discovered by accident, when chemists at Eastman-Kodak accidentally glued two prisms together when testing new organic compounds for light refracting properties.

I hope they got a picture of that.

Your ultimate guide to shelf life

What the heck is in that Tupperware container in the back of the top shelf of the refrigerator?  If you can’t even identify it, you should probably toss it. If you  know what it is, but don’t know if it’s still safe, have a look at the Still Tasty website.

Search by typing in the name of the food — or beverage. Or look for answers by category. You’ll also find informative articles on the site, including one called 9 Foods That Last Forever:

(Spoiler alert: Honey lasts forever. So does hard liquor if you store it properly. And yes, they tell you how to store it properly.)

The site features answers to questions, most of which seem to relate to poultry for some reason. But there’s an opportunity to ask your own question if you don’t find the answer elsewhere on the site.

Questions and answers are here. Now, you know why you don’t want to defrost those steaks on the kitchen counter.

Speaking of shelf life, have you been to the online library?

If you belong to the Okanagan Regional Library and you have set up your library card with PIN, vast resources are available to you online as well as in the actual libraries.

Head over to the ORL site and log in with your library card number and PIN, and have a look around.

You can read magazines online. You can get newspapers from all over the world on the day they’re published. You can watch movies. You can learn a language with Rosetta Stone. The list is here.

Incredibly, the list includes free access to Lynda.com, one of the best sources for video tutorials on a wide range of subjects. Normally, you have to subscribe to Lynda.com to access this information. It’s a wonderful place to learn about software, marketing, project management, photography and more.

I needed some help with Microsoft Excel, and Lynda.com came through for me. Get started with Lynda.com through the ORL page.

If you don’t have a library card or you haven’t set up your PIN, look here for instructions or turn up at your library and ask for help. Enjoy your free window to the world.

Do you need help with your computer? I'm here to help you and your home or business computer get along!

Cate Eales runs Computer Care Kelowna, a mobile service helping home users and businesses get along with their computers. To arrange an appointment phone her at 250-764-7043. Cate also welcomes your comments and suggestions. Send email to [email protected].

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.