Advocate, The: Digital Queeries - web sites and online products and services - Brief Article

Switch hit

No room is perfect without coordinated light-switch plates--that's the idea behind Home Plates, your online source for handcrafted switch plates and accessories. Everything from the whimsical (Dorothy's ruby slippers) to the profound (Raphael's angels playing blackjack) can be found here. There's also a great collection of pride plates; the wide selection includes rainbow flags and AIDS ribbons. Looking for that perfect gift? Home Plates offers a custom plate service: You mail the company a photo of anything (that ex with the big nose?), and it will return a handcrafted plate in two to four weeks. http://www.homeplatesonline.com

Scouting online: no jamboree

With all the controversy surrounding the Boy Scouts' policy excluding gays, it's no surprise that the Scouts' Web site makes no mention of homosexuality. Take a virtual hike through the official Scouting site for an up-close look at this venerable institution in need of a little modern thinking. You also can find contact information for local troops to find out if they're following the national policy. http://www.scouting.org

Hot Web site

King County, Wash., is home to Seattle, Microsoft, and a remarkably complete GLBT public health site. The site, which has pages punctuated with pictures of county residents, starts with a straightforward "Definitions" page, which spells out frequently used GLBT-related terms. The real meat of the site, however, is made up of the sections dedicated to gay and bisexual men, lesbians and bisexual women, transgendered people, and gay youth. There's also a simple true-false quiz to test your knowledge of general health issues. http://www.metrokc.gov/health/glbt

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