General Interest
http://www.writingcommission.org/
Despite the growth of certain "multimedia" educational experiences and technological innovations, writing remains an essential skill as a form of basic (and also complex) communication. In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of both the teaching and learning of writing, the College Board established the National Commission on Writing for America's Families, Schools, and Colleges in September 2002. In part the decision was animated by the Board's Plan to offer a writing assignment in 2005 as part of the new SAT, but additionally, there was growing concern that there was general decline in the quality of writing. At this site, visitors can learn about the members of the Commission, and view some of its latest press releases, which highlight some of its research findings. Visitors will also want to download and read some of its thought-provoking research reports, including "The Neglected "R": The Need for a Writing Revolution". [KMG]
http://www.leitesculinaria.com/
With a website that professes to provide helpful recipes and other such cooking advice, it helps to have an expert at the helm. Well, at the helm of the Leite's Culinaria site is one such expert, David Leite. Leite attended the Institute of Culinary Education and the La Technique program at The French Culinary Institute. He's also written extensively about food in general, and has had pieces published in The Washington Post and Bon Appetit, among other places. Fortunately for the Web-browsing public, he has also created this fine clearinghouse of some of his writings on food, complemented with a number of fine recipes. Some of the recipes included here include those for a Welsh broth, a shrimp risotto, and a cheddar-crust apple pie. Finally, visitors can sign up to receive an electronic newsletter. [KMG]
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Main_Page
The good folks at the Wikimedia Foundation are perhaps best known for their popular online open source encyclopedia, Wikipedia. They have recently decided to branch out by creating this beta version of Wikinews, which is essentially a free content news source. The project started in November 2004, and there are currently some 176 articles available here on a variety of topics ranging from the political situation in the Ukraine to the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize. As the main page states, "Our mission is to create a diverse environment where citizen journalists can independently report the news on a wide variety of current events." While they are still sorting out some of the particulars of the site (such as its general layout), visitors are welcome to visit their virtual "water cooler" to offer helpful feedback and commentary. [KMG]
http://www.anamorphoses.com/flash/index.html
The Canadian government has once again offered a glimpse into a world that relatively few people get to know intimately and served it to the general public via a well-constructed and lively website. That world happens to be the world of film production, all the way from the initial germ of an idea to the film's release. With its creative layout and format, the site begins by offering users a number of sections titled "Write", "Portray", and "Imagine", all of which correspond to the various stages of film production. Just to give visitors some sense of what awaits them, the first section ("Write") contains detailed information about bringing the play "Possible Worlds" to the silver screen, complete with helpful pop-up screens that talk about this process. What is perhaps most amazing about the site is that it also contains a number of the storyboards involved in making the film, a rare asset indeed. [KMG]
By now, the story is a familiar one, particularly for small towns and various exurban areas: A major retailer constructs what is referred to as a "big box" commercial building, and subsequently closes up shop several years later. While there is often a great public hue and cry over the construction of such buildings, few people have looked into what happens to these structures after they are abandoned. Julia Christensen (a MFA student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) has stepped into the fray to help answer that question. With the use of an interactive map of the United States, visitors can view the transformation of such structures from major retail outlets into flea markets, churches, apartments, and a host of other uses. For each site, Christensen has also included photographs of how the building has been reused and adapted, adding a nice dimension to her work. Planners, architectural pundits, and others will find plenty to keep themselves busy within this intriguing site. [KMG]
http://www.endicott-studio.com/
Founded in 1987 as a group of "artists without borders", the Endicott Studios "supports and promotes the works of an interconnected group of mythic writers, artists, and scholars". The Studio was started by Terri Windling, and today includes a wide range of writers and artists whose works are often featured on the Studio's website. The highlight of the site is the Journal of Mythic Arts, which is published three times a year, and may be viewed in its entirety here. Recent issues have been organized around certain themes, such as Creation Tales & Changelings and Magical Marriages. After reading some of these pieces (which include fiction works, poetry, and different types of visual art), visitors can peruse the Endicott Scuttlebutt area, which includes an online bulletin board of news and events and also a list of recently recommended books. [KMG]
