Katie Kienast

The best blog ever (pt. deux)

2010-08-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

Seriously, this girl can write.

This blog is run by a good friend of mine and she also happens to be crazy enough to go into business with me.

Check her out. She's pretty awesome.

Free images

2010-07-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

'Cause sometimes ya just need 'em......

Fun sites

2008-12-07T23:22:00.000-08:00

Here are a few fun sites I have found on the internet, enjoy:)

Stumbleupon.com is a site that bring up a random web page upon the users request. Some very interesting things pop up...............there is a lot of stuff out there.......lol

I often misunderstand song lyrics.....so I find this online lyric database very useful.

Just in case you are worried about sounding like a dumb ass by misquoting a famous quote........ here is a site that you can reference before you open your mouth.

Oh and I love The Onion, it cracks me up. Just including it for the heck of it.

medical sights

2008-12-07T23:11:00.000-08:00

In case you needed to do some research involving your personal health, or someone close to you, here are some good places to start.
WebMD is a good place to go for general information about the medical problem. Also, it is a useful link for researching a prescription drug. Additionally, the site provides a list of local physicians in case a person is in need of one.
Another online site to turn to for explanation or help is Medhelp.org. In addition to online databases this site includes an ask a doctor function, which allows you to ask a doctor about a medical question one might have (duh). Questions are posted and answered in an open forum. And no worries, the site also provides background information on the doctors who are answering the questions.

After visiting both of those sites you might need a medical dictionary to understand some of the terminology. I know I did.

Sign up....Sign in

2008-12-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Below are a few web pages that I think are very useful internet tools for journalists.

Twitter.com in an online site that allows people to send short messages or 'tweets' to the subscribers of the person who is posting the information on the site. The messages can be received online or via cell phone. On a side note, Poynter.org posts 'tweets' on this web site, along with many others.

Another useful site is Linkedin.com. This site is basically a fusion of a facebook page and a resume. On this site you can post your picture, work information, abilities, education information, etc....

Finally, if you need to interview to someone who is across the country but (as a journalist) you prefere face-to-face interviews, then Skype might be a good program for you. Skype is a free program that you download for it site. This program can be used to speak with other Skype users via text, verbal communication, and webcam. Not only can you see the person you are interviewing (and vice versa), but the program allows you to record the conversation and save it to you computer. Jackpot.

Research........

2008-12-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't need to do a bit of good research every now and again. Luckily, the internet has made research more rapid.

When I am trying to find out information, I usually start at Wikipedia.org. While, this is a good place to start, the information in Wikipedia can be altered by the general public, so it is not very credible. However, it does list useful links to other creditable sites.

Another good place to turn is The New York Public Library's online database. The search function allows you to select certain databases to search. There is also an advanced search function.

An excellent site to visit for information is the Education Resources Information Center website, or ERIC.
"ERIC is sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education." ~ERIC website
This online database also provides users the option to set up a free account that allows them to customize the site.

And of course, after looking through all of the online databases, who couldn't use a good dictionary, theasaursus, or online translator.

This is just awesome

2008-12-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I love music, but I hate making play lists. Sometimes I just want to listen to music effortlessly. Enter Pandora. Pandora radio is and online radio that customizes stations for you by your preference of music, and I am not talking about just artist/ genre. You really have to check this out.

SIUC budget office

2008-12-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

I was literally amazed at the amount of information that is available on the SIUC Budget Offices web page. Any fiscal information you could want about SIUC, or any state funded school, can be found here. Crazyness!

People Finder

2008-12-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

Find out personal information about individuals with just a name! It is seriously scary how much you can find out about people through this site.

Dead beat dads and moms

2008-10-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Find out who these people are and just how much they owe here.

2008-10-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

Need to find out if your neighbor likes kids? If you live in Illinois, try looking them up here. Or for a list of offenders nation wide, click here. Or here.

Need to research a court case in Jackson County, IL? Search here.

2008-10-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

Find any newspaper in the country!

One of the best resources for journalists. Period.

Fact or fiction? Find out here.

This percent calculator may come in handy!

Need election news? Try the Illinois State Board of Elections web page.

The BEST BLOG EVER!!! No one compares

Links

2008-09-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Click here to get more information on investigative reporting.

Covering the cop beat? Go here for help!

Need to brush up on shield laws? Click here.

Do you know your rights in Illinois? If not, click here.

Want to utilize the internet more effectively as a journalist? Click here.

Click here for a list of possible sources.

Need to find someone's number? Need to find a name associated to a number? Need to find a cell phone number?