General Interest
Not many websites can claim a dispensation or official approval from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, but this site can claim just that. Created by David Brooks of Canada, this site contains not just some of Vincent van Gogh's oeuvre, but all of it. That’s an impressive amount of material, and it includes 874 letters, 133 letter sketches, and all 10 of his graphic works. Visitors are most welcome to scroll through the homepage to find sections that contain all of the aforementioned material organized by subject matter, date of creation, and a smattering of works inspired by Van Gogh as well. Brooks has also added a set of brief commentaries on Van Gogh's paintings and his own "InSites" into such classic pieces as "Orphan Man with Top Hat" and his 1887 "Self-Portrait". [KMG]
http://www.nabe.com/index.html
Founded in 1959, the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) has a mission that is both simple and to the point: "To provide leadership in the use and understanding of economics". As such, there is a wide range of material presented on their website that will both interest and delight those with a penchant for business economics and its various applications. First-time users may wish to start by looking over their in-house newsletter, the NABE News, or take a look at some of the articles in the latest issue of their journal, Business Economics. One of the most valuable features on the site is the "Links" area. The area contains links to other helpful sites organized by topic, such as macroeconomic data, regional economic data, economic think tanks, and of course, economics blogs. [KMG]
http://shakemovie.caltech.edu/
At times unsettling, and always fascinating, this latest educational and scientific venture from the good people at Cal Tech offers detailed visualizations of recent significant seismic events in the Southern California region. As might be expected the site offers detailed explanations of what visitors will see when they load each movie, and the most recent bit of seismic activity is displayed front and center on the homepage. On the left-hand side of the homepage, visitors can consider a list of past seismic events, complete with information on the magnitude of each event, the closest city to the event, and the date and time of its origin. If any of this gets overwhelming, visitors can quickly move to the FAQ section, which answers such basic queries as "What do these movies show?" and "What causes earthquakes to happen?" The site is rounded out by a "Science" tab, which leads to a detailed, yet jargon-free, explanation of how the data related to such events is both collected, and subsequently visualized. [KMG]
http://www.icnl.org/knowledge/ijnl/index.htm
In an admirable attempt to "reflect the evolving worldwide conversation about civil society", the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law created the International Journal of Not-For-Profit Law (IJNL) in 1998. Since that time, the Journal has worked with their in-house editing team, guest editors, and a deep pool of contributors to create a number of special themed issues. The IJNL is published several times a year, and recent volumes have paid special attention to the Middle East, comparative approaches to civil society, and public benefit organizations. Visitors can view the complete text of each issue, and search their online archive, which dates back to September 1998. Visitors are also welcome to email the editor with any suggestions that might have for future volumes or special issues. [KMG]
http://mckinleydeath.com/about.htm
To some, President William McKinley may disappear into the ranks of those American presidents whose accomplishments are little-known, if they are known at all. Drawing on the work of recent scholars (and their own keen interest in McKinley), the creators of this website seek to provide information about McKinley (and his assassination, obviously). In this process, they have transcribed a host of important resources, including articles, essays, editorials, news columns, sermons, and so on. These resources serve both as a lens into McKinley's life as well as American history and culture. With a homepage that features a crisp design, visitors can look over such sections as "Quotes About", "Documents", and "Resources". For those uninitiated into the world of McKinley, the "Quotes About" area is a good place to begin. Here they will find quotes about the man himself, his assassin Leon Czolgosz, his successor Theodore Roosevelt, and the assassination. The "Documents" area is a section that is well worth visiting, as it contains a wide range of materials related to McKinley's assassination, and a number of pieces of reporting from the time that are quite valuable. Finally, the site also has a series of indexes, which will help users structure their time on the site in an efficient manner. [KMG]
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/History/subcollections/ChildHomeEcAbout.shtml
The world of American domesticity in the late 19th and early 20th century was one that placed a premium on oversight of many aspects of the home. While many instructional devices (such as books and manuals) were created to instruct women in the fine arts of cookery, laundry, and other areas, there were equivalent materials created for young girls. As part of their ongoing work, the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections project has created this digital collection that brings together several of these manuals from this period. All told, the collection contains five such works, including Elizabeth Hale Gilman's "Things Girls Like To Do" from 1917 and her oft-cited work from 1916, "Housekeeping". Each work can be viewed in its entirety, and visitors can also perform searches across the entire collection. [KMG]
http://www.echo-web.com/html/echo-202-free/echo202.htm
Created by a team of medical professionals and health-care specialists, the main Echo Web site contains a wide range of resources dealing primarily with diagnostic ultrasounds, sonography, and the field of echocardiography. One of the most helpful of these resources is the Basic Principles of Ultrasound online course, which is available here at no cost. The course itself is divided into six different sections, along with a bibliography and FAQ area. Visitors can use the online course to learn about the basic principles of ultrasound, the basic science behind related devices and instruments, and the ways to use these devices safely. Instructors might also do well to use this website in conjunction with lectures on the subject, or as away to give students an additional resource to consult at their leisure. [KMG]
http://www.hotelmotel.com/hotelmotel/article/articleList.jsp?categoryId=1235
The world of hotel and motel management is one that has its peaks and valleys, much like any other part of the tourism industry. A number of print publications have been expanding their online offerings as of late, and Hotel & Motel Management is definitely part of this trend. Recently, they began to place some of their archived articles online, including those that deal with on-site dining operations, pest control, and transportation. Another section that is most intriguing is the area of the site that contains the well-written and timely articles on human resources and training in the industry. With pieces on the benefits of training front desk staff and taking advantage of a diverse staff, this resource could be well used by instructors in a hospitality classroom setting or for those seeking professional development updates. [KMG]
