General Interest
With a sponsor such as NASA and a tagline that reads, "Search for Life in the Universe", the bar is set fairly high for the online Astrobiology magazine, and the results are quite nice. Produced by Helen Matsos, the magazine has been in existence since 2001, and contains thousands of short pieces about a compelling variety of topics, including life on Mars, extrasolar life, stellar evolution, and climate. From the site's homepage, visitors can peruse articles, view a list of "hot topics", and sign up to receive new editions of the magazine as they are published electronically. The site also has several thematic areas, including the compelling one dedicated to art of astrobiology. Here, visitors can look at visualizations of terrestrial climate, representations of Mars in pop culture, and other such items. The site is rounded out by a very well-designed search engine and an "On this day in..." feature that provides information about important dates in astrobiology. [KMG]
The work of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been going on since 1914, and this site offers access to information about the agency's regulatory activities and public outreach programs, such as the National Do Not Call Registry program. From the homepage, visitors can file a complaint with the FTC, learn about the world of antitrust regulation, and read transcripts of their most recent hearings and workshops. The section dedicated to offering transcripts of recent conferences and roundtables is very helpful, and contains remarks and presentations given on such timely topics as "Perspectives on Marketing, Self-Regulation, and Childhood Obesity". The general public will definitely appreciate the section titled "Consumers", which contains edifying information about avoiding identify theft and vacation package scams. Finally, the site also contains much of this same material in Spanish. [KMG]
The endless hues and shades of colors fascinate many persons, including interior-designers, fashionistas, and those who study the workings of the human eye. This particular site is "a place to view, rate and review some lovely colours & palettes." The site contains a number of user forums where people may gather around the electronic glow of the screen to discuss and debate the merits of different colors, along with a place for users to submit their own fanciful and innovative colors. On the right-hand side of the home page, visitors can browse through the top-rated colors, newly added colors, and new palettes. Many of the colors have rather curious names, such as "wegobysundawn" and "victory or ignorance." Of course, there is space provided for visitors to give their own opinions on each color or palette. Overall, a compelling site, and one that will delight those with a penchant for the uses of color. [KMG]
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/kislak/kislak-home.html
The Library of Congress has a number of important documents and historical items due to the kindness of persons who have amassed broad collections over the years, and then subsequently donated them for the use and consideration of the general public. One such gift is that which is profiled in this fine online collection. The Jay I. Kislak Collection includes a number of rare maps and books, and is largely focused around the early years of European exploration and early Florida, the Caribbean, and Mesoamerica. Moving through the collection, visitors can view a selection of these fine documents, including a 1493 transcription of Columbus's account of his 1492 voyage and a handbook for priests created by Dominicans working in the Guatemalan highlands. One real find on this site is the interactive presentation of the famed 1678 work, The Buccaneers of America. Through this presentation, visitors can listen along to a reading of various passages from this extremely dramatic account of Alexander Exquemelin (who is thought to be a French surgeon who worked with buccaneers) and view the pages of this original document. [KMG]
Based at Santa Clara University, the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics concerns itself primarily with investigating such topics as character education, global leadership, business ethics, and health care ethics. From the Center's homepage, visitors can peruse many of these topics, and also locate useful teaching resources that will be of use to those who hope to incorporate some of these themes into their own courses. The Publications area is worth a look as it contains articles on such topics as "Is it Ethical to Shop at Wal-Mart?" and "Dying with Dignity." For visitors who plan on visiting over an extended period of time, there is a section on the homepage that allows them to quickly access the most recent materials added to the site. The site is rounded out by a thematic organization of helpful external links, organized around such topics as ethical theory and public policy. [KMG]
From its online beginnings in 1995, the Documenting the American South initiative at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has created a number of helpful digitized collections that document the Southern perspective on a wide range of areas of American history and culture. One of the project's latest additions is the First-Person Narratives of the American South collection, which contains diaries, autobiographies, travel accounts, and ex-slave narratives written by Southerners. The collection contains dozens of these invaluable primary documents, including Eliza Andrews' "The War-Time Journal of a Georgia Girl, 1864-1865" and Sara Agnes Rice's "My Day: Reminiscences of a Long Life". Visitors may feel free to browse the collection alphabetically, as they will no doubt find much of interest, particularly if they are generally interested in the history of the American South. [KMG]
