Research and Education
Jointly maintained by Brad Leissa and musicologist David Vickers, this site is designed to serve as “a valuable resource for both Handelian scholars and enthusiasts.” They have done a splendid job, and the site contains copious information on the latest recordings of his works, along with timely reviews of these recordings. The site also features a thorough discography of both Handel’s operas and his oratorios, dramas, and odes. Moving on, visitors will also find a updated list of upcoming Handel concerts and festivals, supplemented by another list of related conferences and workshops. Additionally, the site has a number of web-exclusive interviews with the director of the Handel House Museum in London, the baroque trumpeter Crispian Steele-Perkins, and countertenor David Daniels. Rounding out the site is a section titled “Potpourri”, which features images of Handel on tobacco trading cards and a selection of his most memorable busts. [KMG]
http://www.sciencecourseware.org/eecindex.php
As part of a collaborative project between faculty members at the California State University-Los Angeles and the National Science Foundation, the Virtual Courseware website brings together a number of thematic instructional resources for science educators. Some of the resources include activities that deal with earthquakes and global warming. Within each module, visitors will find a number of self-guided tutorials and explanatory materials for instructors to use in their classrooms. One real gem here is the “Virtual Dating” section, as students and educators will get the opportunity to learn how geologists and archaeologists determine the ages of rocks and ancient artifacts. The site also makes the module on earthquakes available in Spanish, titled “Terremoto”. With a mix of activities, assessment exercises, and instructor materials, this website will be a great find for science teachers working with college or high school students. [KMG]
With offices in Paris and Washington, DC, The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) is a consortium of 33 public and private development agencies working together to expand access to a variety of financial services for the poor in the developing world. The agencies involved with this project include The World Bank, the European Commission, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For those who are less well versed in the world of microfinance, the “About Microfinance” section is a great place to begin, as is its counterpart, “Key Principles of Microfinance”. Included in the other sections (such as “Financial Transparency” and “Poverty Outreach”) are well-written briefs and reports that explain a wide range of related matters, including their poverty assessment tools, microfinance regulation, and documents on how to train people in the nuances of microfinance lending. Rounding out the site is a link where visitors can offer feedback or also just ask questions. [KMG]
http://www.brookings.edu/views/papers/fellows/sandalow20070122.pdf
Concerns about the United States’ dependence on oil are nothing new, and various policy solutions have been around for decades. A number of scholars and experts have been attempting to address the subject, and one recent paper from The Brookings Institution offers a number of thoughtful ideas on this important concern. Released in January 2007, this 25-page paper written by David B. Sandalow offers a number of ambitious proposals aimed at reducing oil dependency in the US. Some of his proposals will sound familiar, as he includes references to the inherent possibilities in widespread adoption of biofuels, the adoption of smart growth policies, and the potential benefits of plug-in hybrid engines. Sandalow also offers some more specific details on how the auto fleet might be transformed over time, and also how the fuel supply might be transformed as well. It’s a thoughtful work, and one that will be of interest to policy analysts and others who are concerned with this vexing issue. [KMG]
The National Theatre has a rather stellar pedigree, especially when one considers that its first production featured Peter O’Toole as Hamlet, who was under the direction of Sir Laurence Olivier. Distinguished for their commitment to crafting new and innovative productions of various plays, they have recently created the Stagework website, which works “to unpack the complex process of making theatre performances.” It does this admirably, and visitors will enjoy looking through the interactive features on the site. In the “Productions” area, users can learn about the process and steps that went into creating recent stagings of Henry V, The Crucible, and UN Inspector. The “People” section really gets down to the nitty-gritty of the theater world, as visitors can read detailed descriptions of positions including artistic director, composer, and production manager. Visitors to this section will also find an interactive model of the National Theatre. The site is rounded out by the very nice “Issues” section which includes interviews and discussions with the individuals involved in making these productions come alive, including various directors, playwrights, and novelists. [KMG]
http://www.educatorresourcecenter.org/
The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum has come up with a new resource for educators that go beyond a number of the traditional disciplinary boundaries. With interactive modules and learning activities that place a premium on inquiry and project-based learning and critical thinking skills, these resources make it easy to see how architecture, graphic, and media design can enhance the teaching of subjects that include mathematics, language arts, and environmental studies. These resources are designed for use by grades K-12, and visitors can search all of the lesson plans by subject or grade. The “Resources” section also contains links to external resources, curriculum guides, and videos from public programs. Additionally, educators can also offer their own ratings and assessments of the various educational materials they find on the site. [KMG]
http://dl.lib.brown.edu/kanto/
Around midday on September 1, 1923, Japan experienced its most devastating earthquake. It is estimated that over 110,000 persons died around the Tokyo metropolitan area, and 90 percent of the buildings in Yokohama were damaged or destroyed. As a witness to this devastation, William Dana Reynolds and his family arrived in Yokohama Bay eight days after the earthquake occurred. Reynolds elected to make his way through the area, and he compiled a photographic record of what he saw during his time there. Brown University has digitized this album and a number of other primary and secondary resources for use by historians and the general public. First-time visitors should read over the “About” section, and then read a few of the very fine historical essays on the disaster and the Reynolds family contained in the “History” section. Of course, visitors should not miss looking over the actual digitized materials, which are contained in the “Browse” area. Here they will find the complete 1923 photographic album created by Reynolds, supplemented by brochures, newspaper clippings, and postcards. [KMG]
Europe is a heavily urbanized continent, and over two-thirds of its population resides in urban areas. With these concentrations come a number of challenges, including providing public services such as transportation, community planning, and housing. In 1992, the Berlin Senate and the European Parliament established the European Academy of the Urban Environment (EAUE) to facilitate the exchange of experience between various decision-makers in cities, including town councils, local officials, and so on. On their website, visitors with an interest in these subjects can look over information on their workshops, seminars, and publications. The publications section contains reports from urban specialists on topics including urban noise pollution, prefabricated housing estates, and even loftier titles, including “The future of the metropolis”. Finally, most of the material offered here is also made available in German. [KMG]
