BEST OF THE WEB for Tuesday: More Cool Stuff from Newspaper Sites

By: Kathryn Blaze Carlson Here are today's picks -- more fun in the sun.

Weather-O-Meter
Denver Post
Online Feature
By Denver Post Staff

I'm convinced that the definition of "weather forecaster" is as follows: a person who holds a job whereby he or she may be incorrect a majority of the time and still retain employment. Alas, it seems The Denver Post has also recognized this picnic-ruining trend and has created an online feature that follows just how erroneous that day's predictions were. Check out the Weather-O-Meter and find out which stations have the best -- and worst -- crystal balls.


Property Tax Madness
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Special Report: Multimedia Package
By Philadelphia Inquirer Staff

Tax man got you down? Look on the bright side -- it could be worse. And in Philly, residents don't have to look far to make themselves feel better (or worse) about their property taxes. "Here, the chaos and inequities wrought by a flawed, fragmented system are worsening as tax bills rise, the housing market falters, and the economy deteriorates," according to a special report by the Philadelphia Inquirer.?This multimedia package, which analyzed 500,000 tax records in Philadelphia and a handful of Pennsylvania suburban counties, describes the "wildly disparate property-tax rates that are widening the economic divide between have and have-not towns, and further balkanizing the region."

Executive Compensation 2008: How Much South Florida Makes
The Miami Herald
Interactive Feature
By Miami Herald Staff

In another comparison of the haves and have-nots, this interactive feature by the Miami Herald will either pump you up or kick you in the stomach. Enter your job title, years of experience, and salary to compare your earnings to those with enough time on their hands to have already done the same. Granted the database is South Florida-centric, but it's still oddly fun to poke around and find out what your competitors earn elsewhere. If you feel used and abused because of your less-than-stellar salary, toss some salt in your wound and check out the earnings of the 25 highest-paid execs in the region.

An Outpost of Rock
The New York Times
Audio Slideshow and Related Article
Slideshow by Ruth Fremson and Amy O'Leary
Article by Somini Sengupta

In India's northeast lies a British-era town that hosts a "love affair with Western music," acting as a hub for Bob-Dylanesque rock. This audio slideshow, featuring rockers and their followers, is a "peephole" into the musically infused town of Shillong. The related article aptly entitled "Town in India Rocks (No Use to Wonder Why, Babe)" is colorful and worth reading.

Chicago Vice
Chicago Tribune
Photo Gallery
Tribune Archive Photos

The Trib dusted off some black-and-white photos from their archives and put together this gallery that'll take you back to the days of bootlegging, Burlesque Row, and the 1929 St. Valentines Day Massacre. Sift through the album and get your dose of "crime, corruption, and crooked characters."
*
SEND TIPS TO ME AT:

kathryn_carlson AT hotmail DOT com