Week of October 7, 2001

Explorer Beware

Discover the beauty and danger of Poisonous Plants and Animals at http://library.thinkquest.org
/C007974. This site will help you recognize different kinds of poisonous species. It also explains how to avoid encountering poisonous plants and how to avoid a fatal bite. Read about any of the numerous plants such as hemlock, the plant that is famous for killing Socrates. Or learn about the Mexican cactus, which was once worshiped by Indian tribes. Next move on to poisonous animals like the deadly tarantula or the colorful poison dart frog, which releases poison through glands in its skin. In the Amusement section, you can read various myths and stories about animals, or check out some animal trivia. You'll find a new random fact.

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The Majesty of Mexico

Put on your sombrero and take a virtual tour of Mexico at www.demon.co.uk/mexuk/
meet_mex. You'll find a wealth of information about the country, its land, symbols and wildlife as well as about Mexican history, including the Aztecs and Maya. Leap forward to the 21st century to discover modern Mexico. You can explore Mexico's food and drink, festivals, holidays, music and much more. Hasta la vista, baby! (This site is no longer available.)

Please Pet the Netpets

If you are an animal lover, then there is a room on the Internet set aside just for you at www.chirpingbird.com/netpets/
html. At the Kid's Room you can meet all of the NetPets Kids, including Bluffer the Puffer Fish and Rio the Amazon Parrot. In the Pets Are People Too section, you can learn how to bathe a pet and how to know if your pet is sick. Don't forget to drop by the Fun and Games section where your computer will read your mind. (This site is no longer available.)

	Make Yourself Aware Being aware of the past is an important step in becoming an informed and productive member of society. However, after taking a couple of history classes, I have realized that knowing about current events is just as important as knowing about the past. And learning about what is happening in the world today doesn't have to be boring. The New York Times has a news site just for kids at http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com where you can read headline stories from the other side of the world or from your own state. Learning about current events will help you better understand what kind of problems people in different areas of the world face each day. By reading about how others handle political issues, criminal activity and medical advances, you can explore new ways to handle such issues in the future. No matter what you already know about the world, there is always more for you to learn. Make yourself aware. -- Amy Ask Amy a Question

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