General Interest
H.L. Mencken, a journalist who was one of the most celebrated American writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was often referred to as “The Sage of Baltimore”. Writing in a number of Baltimore’s daily papers, Mencken developed an acerbic wit and a penchant for syllogisms that would serve him well for decades. As a defender and scholar of American English, Mencken wrote “The American Language: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States” in 1921. The work was very well received, and continues to serve as a helpful resource today. Bartleby.com has placed the entire work online here, and visitors are free to wander through its nine chapters, bibliography, and handful of appendices at their leisure. Visitors can also search the contents of the work from the homepage, or just move their way to such sections as “Americanisms in England” and “The Influence of Webster”. [KMG]
http://www.jonko.com/index.htm
In the twentieth century, humans began to explore the outer boundaries of the known university, delving further into the realm of cosmology, string theory, relativity, and other such heady and uncharted waters. One area of inquiry remains elusive to many mortals: car repair. Fortunately, there is Jonko.com, which is a nice way to learn more about auto repair, whether one is a practicing mechanic or mere curious neophyte. The site is easy to navigate, and the sections include repair forums, photo galleries of classic cars, and full-length articles. The “Auto Diagnosis Center” can be used to answer such basic questions about strange smells emanating from cars or problems encountered with starting the engine. The site also includes a number of basic tutorials that can help users change their car’s thermostat or check their coolant system circulation. [KMG]
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0607/feature1/index.html
Pandas have captured the imagination and interest of millions of people in the United States over the past several decades, and a number of well-publicized visits to some of the nation’s zoos have helped fuel this interest. Despite the fact that pandas are tremendously expensive to care for, many zoos continue to argue that the visits are important in terms of the cultural exchange opportunities they offer for Chinese and American scientists to work together. This online feature created by National Geographic explores the scientific and financial aspects of hosting pandas in the United States, and includes a photo essay, an essay on the subject, and an online discussion forum. Accompanying the photo essay are “Field Notes” written by photographers Fritz Hoffmann and Michael Nichols. These are a real treat, as they both talk about photographing these shy creatures, and also about the politics of doing such work in China. Finally, the site also includes a “Learn More” area which features answers to a number of questions (such as “Are pandas really bears?”) and a host of related links and suggested readings. [KMG]
Cooperation among industry and conservation groups can be rare indeed, and when the Wildlife Habitat Council was formed in 1988, it was certainly an unusual arrangement. Over the past several decades, the Council has worked to ease some of these tensions “to search for innovative joint ventures in environmental stewardship.” Visitors interested in such matters will appreciate the organization’s website, which brings together materials on brownfield remediation, nest monitoring, and wildlife management tools. Additionally, visitors can also learn about some of their recent industry partnerships, including the Cuyahoga Habitat partnership and the St. Clair River Waterways for Wildlife Project. The site is rounded out by a “Publications” area which contains a number of web-only articles by staff members and a list of books on sustainability and wildlife habitat management handpicked by WHC staff members. [KMG]
While the era in which most people sewed their own vestments has long passed, sewing is a skill and an art that some find relaxing and worthwhile. A number of trade organizations promote this craft, and the Home Sewing Association is one of these groups that has been thoughtful enough to also create a website that contains helpful information about all aspects of this activity. The “Sewing Enthusiast” section is a good place to start, as it contains sewing projects such as a bug bonnet, a hooded towel, and a laundry bag. For those new to the craft, there is a set of sewing guidelines that cover such elementals as notions, hand stitches, and fabric. For those thinking about starting a sewing business, their in-house newsletter “HAS Connections” will be most efficacious. [KMG]
Intended for the commercial bakery industry, Bakery-Net.com gives the rest of us, from culinary school students to baker wannabes - a glimpse into what's going on in the baking world. One of the features of the site is Modern Baking, a publication that even non-members can view in its entirety, as well as searching an article archive. In the June 2006 issue, read about the current popularity of cupcakes, since they are smaller than a whole piece of cake, or, from the archives, in "Extreme carrot cake", Chef John Kraus, pastry chef and instructor at The French Pastry School at City Colleges of Chicago, talks about how to transform this traditional dessert into something extraordinary. The site also includes industry headlines (from Modern Baking), formulas, classified and employment ads, buying guides, and the Baker's Rack - a showcase for bakery equipment companies, with links to their web sites and online catalogs. [DS]
http://www.idtheftcenter.org/index.shtml
These days, persons who find themselves the victim of an identity theft have a number of resources they can draw on to deal with their predicament. In 1997, things were quite different, and at that time Linda Foley found herself victimized by this crime. Several years later, Linda founded the Identity Theft Resource Center, and since then the Center has been commended for its work by the Department of Justice and Senator Dianne Feinstein. From the Center’s homepage, visitors can access victim information guides, learn about recent (and some “classic”) consumer scams. A great deal of this information is tailored specifically for different audiences, such as law enforcement and children. One area that may be particularly helpful is the “In the Workplace” section. Here, visitors can learn how to avoid identity theft in the workplace, and also browse through a list of prevention tips. [KMG]
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/explore/dgexplore.cfm?topic=cities&col_id=243
Interested in the New York home of Washington Irving? Want to see the urban fabric of 5th Avenue in 1911? Users need look no further than this lovely collection of historic images, offered here by the New York Public Library’s own Digital Gallery. This particular collection brings together a number of discrete collections, including street views photographed by Alice Austen in 1896, the aforementioned 5th Avenue series, and even more streetscapes captured by Percy Loomis Sperr in the 1930s and early 1940s. The collection that contains the photographs of Irving’s home on the Hudson River (and his grave), is well-worth a look, as are any of the 335 photos contained within the Sperr collection. [KMG]
