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Well I’m late with my monthly web site reviews so I’ll make up for it by blogging not just about one web site, but about a content rich wiki collection.

Wikipedia.Org and its sisterprojects are made unique by their free, openly interactive nature. These web sites are developed by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization intent on providing free collaborative content to the web in several languages.

Content contributors may include anyone with Internet access, though there are quality-control guidelines. Although many contributors are well-credentialed, some are not; that does not lessen the value of the content. Not everything that comes out of a university is golden. Similarly, not everything that comes from established information sources is golden. This is true of web content, television, newspapers and other venues of information.

As with any source, it’s important to analyze the information as objectively as possible by determining (1) the source of the information, (2) the financial backing for the method in which information is gathered and presented, and (3) whether the way it’s presented affects the message. In other words, it’s best not to be a passive reader. Confront the information you get. Accept that 100% of the responsibility for arriving at meaning does not lie elsewhere. Some of it lies with you and the extent of your critical analysis.

In the case of a wiki, moreover, readers can become active in a more direct sense by becoming writers and editors. They are free to contribute to existing articles or write new ones. The nature of wiki is what keeps it honest, balanced and informative. It’s peer-created and peer-reviewed.

Here’s an index of the Wiki web sites, a brief description and my impressions. The site links will take you directly to the English language versions except where otherwise noted.

Wikipedia - this free online encyclopedia is available in several languages. Wikipedia is an excellent encyclopedia and information primer. I’m calling it a primer because volumes can be written about many of the subjects covered in Wikipedia. Just the same, I’ve yet to be disappointed by a perceived lack of detail in any article I’ve read. I tend to use Wikipedia as my online dictionary for more complex terms I look up from time to time, like neocon. If you use Firefox as your browser, you can add Wikipedia as one of your search engine options.

Wikibooks - this open-content online textbook collection features everything from basic organic chemistry to more entertaining references like the Muggles’ Guide to Harry Potter. In addition to unique book content, the web site provides study collections for core subjects under Wikistudy; textbooks for vocational and professional exams under Wikiprofessional primarily for information technology, but that’s expanding; and university and college level course studies under Wikiversity for life sciences, social sciences, interdisciplinary studies and more. All these book collections are growing but already provide incredible amounts of information on various subjects. If you bookmark nothing else provided by the Wikimedia Foundation, don’t miss bookmarking Wikibooks. With hundreds, maybe thousands of free online texts, you could have an impressive educational text and reference library for free.

Wiktionary - Although there’s no shortage of online dictionaries, this free multilingual dictionary offers several unique features: word of the day, etymology and audio pronunciations for the majority of the entries, faster expansion due to its collaborative nature, and quick access to non-native words in their native languages. This is an excellent reference tool for every computer user.

Wikinews - news content is omnipresent on the web. Variety is less omnipresent given the fact that many major news sites are (1) advertiser dependent and (2) obtain their content from news agencies like the Associated Press. One of the things that has helped make blogging, especially political blogging, so famous is the immediacy and variety of sources. I believe that’s true as well, to some extent, with collaborative news sites like Wikinews. What drives the content here has more to do with what people want to write about rather than what the editors or advertisers perceive people want to consume. That’s not to say there’s no bias, but certainly there’s more of an opportunity for balance, in my humble opinion. At any rate, I’m a big proponent of obtaining news from a multitude of sources to avoid the slants and bias that may occasionally creep or stampede into the content. For the reasons I mention above, Wikinews, a product of citizen journalism, should definitely be one of your choices for news content.

Wikiquote - Like its sister sites, this site is unique in offering multilingual, free, collaborative content. Here you’ll find quotations from notable people and from witty characters and creative works. An additional helpful feature is that many of the entries link to Wikipedia articles offering more detail about the people or context from which the quotes are derived. Another nice feature is the quote of the day. I’ll choose one of my favorites for this blog entry:

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Benjamin Franklin

Wikimedia Commons - Offering a variety of free media files, Wikimedia Commons is an excellent repository (and archive) of images, video and sound bytes. Much of the content is public domain or has been submitted under the Creative Commons sharing license under which copyright holders may grant more open access to the public. If you have a non-commercial web site, you can find many images or other media here that you can add to enhance your site. Just give credit where credit is due.

Wikispecies - “Because life is public domain,” this web site offers free content regarding all species on earth and the multitude of classifications.

Wikisource - This online library includes fiction and non-fiction works, including some political speeches that could fit under either category. There are also a few biographies, some poetry, and ancient, medieval and modern texts. This web site is ambitious and ever-expanding and promises to be an exceptional archive. As with the other Wiki sites, there are versions of this site in many different languages which include translations as well as native-language text.

Today’s blog launches a monthly series on hot new or newly discovered web sites.

TheU.Com, primarily for students and parents, features MTV-style video tours and “report cards” on colleges and universities around the country. It’s a site by students for students. With a sizable database, it’s sure to include an institution that will meet your criteria.

Student blogs provide information on dorm living, academia, the campuses, the people, and surrounding neighborhoods. The reviews are frank and thorough, covering everything from costs to food and housing, and even the extent of Greek life.

I not only checked out the site, but also their review of my alma mater. Their assessment was right on the money — except for their evaluation of the curriculum, which they didn’t find progressive. Twenty years ago, when I attended, it was pretty progressive, but that might have had more to do with the department I was in: a Communications department with a program in critical analysis.

With rising tuition prices, why leave your college experience up to guesswork or, worse, to self-promotional school brochures? No high school student will want to consider any college or university without first hearing what current attendees have to say. It’s just common sense. Students currently attending will have insights you just can’t find anywhere else. In fact, it’s always a good idea to contact the department for the specific curriculum you want to follow and ask that you be put in touch with some of their students. They’ll usually be able to find someone willing to send you an email and some good information.

The schools you apply to will have their own financial aid departments that can assist with funding, but don’t forget to check the Internet. There are plenty of good resources here as well. You can start by reviewing the government’s site for Federal Student Aid.

When you’re ready to buy or sell textbooks, do be sure to stop by TextbookX. They have textbooks and general books at up to 90% off retail prices. Textbooks can definitely bite into your budget. Trade books are usually available in paperback for under US$20, but textbooks are almost always only available in hardcover and run anywhere from $50 to $150 each. Furthermore, most courses usually require more than one textbook. Some of my courses way back when had me reading a different book almost every week, although most of those, thankfully, were the slightly cheaper paperbacks. Still, that’s about 10-15 books for a one semester course, and it definitely got very expensive. Used books are definitely the way to go when they’re available.

Anyway, congratulations to the Class of 2006, and to advancing junior class members who’ll be on the serious side of launching their search for the right college or university.

If you haven’t decided on a major and you’re on the shy side, consider starting in theatre arts. That’s where I started. I know it may seem like a soft choice, but it wasn’t. I’d be at the theatre many times until 2:00 in the morning striking sets with the rest of the cast and crew after a show. Furthermore, nothing gets you more comfortable in your own skin than acting and voice lessons. I can’t think of a single profession where you wouldn’t benefit from a theatre arts background because almost anything you do requires you to communicate with others in a self-possessed and confident manner.

In my final year, before I went on to communications, I taught a workshop for law students to help against stage fright. Later on, I worked as a paralegal and remained in the legal field for 20 years, specifically in litigation, which involves presenting an argument in a public forum. Acting teaches you how to feel comfortable doing that, so pre-law students would do well to, at the very least, minor in theatre, with majors in more traditional pre-law disciplines like poli-sci or history.

Hmmm. I think I slid off my topic. Well, it’s late anyway. Time to go.

Every now and then, the different news broadcasts and print agencies resurrect information regarding people finding unclaimed assets, money from forgotten bank accounts, utility deposits that were never reclaimed after someone relocated, or even tax refunds. There are a number of reasons why someone might forget about claiming these funds, but very little reason to have to fork over money in order to reclaim it.

Many “for-pay” services a/k/a “finders” have surfaced claiming they can assist people in finding their unclaimed property. Some of these are just cons, so do your research on these “finders” before you actually hire one. While it’s generally true that the legit ones can help you find your property, however, it’s also true they will charge you a percentage to do what you may be able to do yourself for free.

The first thing you want to do is find out whether any State you have lived in is actually holding funds for you. This is a simple search. First, visit the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) and go to the “Owners” link in the middle of the page. Then, click on the “Find Property” link along the left side. (This web site uses frames, so I can’t provide direct links to those pages without taking you out of their navigation set up.) The “Find Property” link will take you to a site map and pull down menu. Find each State where you have lived and may have unclaimed property. You will then be sent to that State’s web site for reclaiming unclaimed property.

These web sites are generally established and run by each State’s treasury department. Each maintains a list of owners of unclaimed property. If you are not listed, that State does not have property it is holding for you. (Again, you should do this for every State you have lived in.) Each State has it’s own criteria for reclaiming property. For the most part, it consists of your having to complete an application or other paperwork and verifying your identity with a valid driver’s license or State photo ID.

Do you really need to pay someone to do that for you? You still have to provide the information needed to complete the State’s paperwork. You still need to prove your identity.

The different State web sites will generally also have links to valuable information about unclaimed property and using paid services to reclaim it. If you find little information on that issue at the State web site, you can return to the NAUPA web site. It contains valuable general information on locating and reclaiming your property. You will find there information regarding paid “finders”. After clicking the “Owners” link from the main NAUPA page, go to the “About Finders” link instead of the “Find Property” link listed along the left-hand menu. The short version of the information you will find there is this:

You might as well first try contacting the State holding your unclaimed property. Most states have divisions that can adequately assist owners in reclaiming their property. In most instances, you can easily meet that State’s criteria and reclaim your property without having to hire a “finder” and forking over 10-15% of your reclaimed property.

NAUPA is a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Association of State Treasurers. Neither the State agency nor NAUPA has a commercial interest in your unclaimed property. However, if you feel you need extra guidance and feel it would be prudent to hire a finder, be sure to get as much information as you can regarding the finder. Some States, like Oregon, require that their finders be licensed, which is excellent. If your State requires licensing, it will also maintain a public database to confirm that your finder is in fact validly licensed. Try running a Google search for that.

For example, I ran the search “licensing for unclaimed property finder” and learned about Oregon’s licensing requirements. I also learned that in Idaho no one can charge a fee for “finding” your unclaimed property unless it has been in the State’s possession for at least 2 years.

If you decide to hire a finder and your State has few regulations for that service, at a minimum try using someone who is well-established and possibly incorporated. Each State maintains public records on corporations where you can verify the owners and longevity of the company before you even consider doing business with them.

Any time you are forced to relocate suddenly, you will absolutely want to check your former State’s web site for unclaimed property. Many 2005 hurricane victims found small fortunes by doing so. Even if you haven’t moved out of the State, any relocation can detach you from your property, as certainly happened during the last hurricane season.

Here are the State web sites for unclaimed property for Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida. (It’s unfortunate that the Florida link for unclaimed property, http://www.fltreasurehunt.org/, looks so commercial, but it is a “.org” site and part of the Department of Financial Services. Treasure hunting is, after all, a time-honored Florida tradition, though it’s usually done under several fathoms of seawater, not on the Internet. (Truth be told: I think there’s more treasure to be found on the Internet.)

Good luck in your hunt, me hearties.