http://www.foreignpolicy.com/cubanmissilecrisis

Foreign Policy has distinguished itself for decades by offering up thoughtful and critical analyses of a broad range of pressing policy issues, including international affairs, intergovernmental relations, and public policy on a global scale. This website presents a 50th anniversary review of the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962. On the site, visitors can experience the events of the crisis via a unique and fascinating Twitter feed that recounts those fateful days in "real time." Also, noted foreign correspondent, author, and Cuban missile crisis expert Michael Dobbs adds a thoughtful perspective on those events through a site blog. The site also includes slideshows that tell the story of the crisis, along with a helpful section titled What Was At Stake in 1962?. Overall the site offers a great blend of social media and traditional reporting and commentary. [KMG]

http://www.bostonhistory.org/sub/mappingrevolutionaryboston/

The Bostonian Society has preserved many important buildings and structures in Boston over the past century or so. In the past few years, the Society's work has grown to include online offerings such as this excellent website. Created in collaboration with Wellesley College, this site presents an interactive set of maps and activities on Boston in the 1760s and 1770s. On the site, visitors can breeze through a nice introductory essay and then look over one of the four color-coded themes: Boston's places, making a living, people of Boston, and political crisis. Each of these themes corresponds to colored pins on an elaborate map that will help visitors learn about the events, economic activities, and people that made up this rich urban tapestry. Revolutionary War fans will be delighted to learn about the Political Crisis setting, which features locations like the Old North Church, John Hancock's house, and the storied Liberty Tree. [KMG]

http://www.nsf.gov/news/overviews/nano/index.jsp

The basic premise behind nanoscience is that manipulating individual atoms and molecules makes it "possible to build machines on the scale of human cells or create materials and structures from the bottom up with novel properties." This rather useful website from the National Science Foundation offers a great primer on nanoscience, complete with answers to basic questions like What is nanoscience? On the website, visitors can make their way through answers to this question and others via illustrative graphics, helpful descriptions, and short video clips. Near the bottom of the homepage, visitors will find areas like Nanoscience Discoveries. This area contains information about recent news from the field, such as work being done to create additional resources for those who rely on prosthetic devices and limbs. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://smithsonianscience.org/

The folks at the Smithsonian know a thing or two (thousand) about the world of science. This remarkable website brings together stories, photos, and videos of Smithsonian scientific research that "asks questions and explores issues relevant to today and pushes the boundaries of human knowledge." Along the top of the page, visitors can explore five sections, including Featured, New Acquisitions, Book Review, Video, and Meet Our Scientists. The Video area is a good place to start, as it includes profiles of the "rarest orchid east of the Mississippi" and a nice commentary from planetary scientist Tom Watters on how he knows the moon is shrinking. Moving on, visitors can look through this vast cornucopia by using the Categories area on the lower right, which breaks things down into topical groups such as anthropology, conservation biology, and physics. For those who love a good science read, the Book Review section takes a thoughtful look into recent books dealing with topics like America's Clovis culture and the history of sweeteners. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/collections/Oneida

Offered as part of the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections, the Wisconsin Oneida Language Preservation Project brings together original stories and curriculum with accompanying audio that teaches the Wisconsin Oneida language. Visitors can start by clicking on the About area to learn more about these unique items. The materials here are divided into curriculum levels (grades kindergarten through sixth) and include some songs as well. One unique feature happens to be the stories about Oneida culture collected as part of the Works Progress Administration project in the late 1930s and early 1940s. As this particular language is in steep decline, this project is an integral part of keeping these words, traditions, syntaxes, and so on alive for future generations. [KMG]

http://www.materialseducation.org/

The National Resource Center for Materials Technology Education (MatEd) is based at Edmonds Community College in Washington and funded by a National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education grant. MatEd was established to create "a national network of industry and educational professionals to increase the number and diversity of highly skilled technicians ready for employment." As might be expected, this site includes excellent resources designed for educators and students. The Instructional Resources area includes a teacher's handbook, a definition of materials sciences, and brief profiles of various materials covered here, such as ceramics and plastics. Moving on, the Students area contains links to career pathways in materials technology, along with links to relevant projects such as "Build a Snowboard." [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: ATE Central at http://atecentral.net.

http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/healthrisk/index.html

It's always great to learn about an interesting new resource for teaching college students about environmental health, and this one is quite handy. Created as part of the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College, the Environmental Health Risk Assessment site helps instructors and students "locate and use some of the numerous health-related tools and databases that can be found on the web." Here visitors can look over the Tutorial, which is designed to give interested parties a step-by-step example of how to perform an environmental health risk inventory. Also, the site includes an activity that can be used in the classroom, along with a list of vetted mapping tools available across the Web. The site is rounded out by four external links to related resources, including one that looks at the relationship between geology and human health. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.asla.org/guide/

To take a trip through Washington, D.C. is altogether marvelous. To take a trip through this fair city through the eyes of expert landscape architects is even better. This fine online publication is offered to the public by the good folks at the American Society of Landscape Architects. Visitors can make their way through different neighborhoods, including the National Mall, Capitol Hill, Georgetown, and Dupont Circle. The U Street section should not be missed, as it includes profiles of Howard University's Quadrangle and the African American Civil War Memorial. Each entry here includes photographs, external website links, information about nearby public transportation options, and narrative descriptions. It's truly a unique resource and one that can be part of an excellent visit to the District. [KMG]

http://www.vermonthistory.org/

The Green Mountain State has history aplenty, and the Vermont Historical Society (VHS) has been celebrating and documenting its many facets since 1838. Visitors should note that the About VHS area is a good place to start as it has a bit of background information about the Society's many activities. Scholars and the generally curious click on the Library area. Here they will find the online catalog, Civil War research resources, and access to hundreds of articles from the Vermont History Journal. Moving on, the Education area contains information for educators, including lesson plans and information about classroom visits. Additionally, they have some fine online exhibits, including "Baseball in Vermont" and "Faces of Vermont." [KMG]

http://cfsinnovation.com/

The mission of the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI) is "to transform the U.S. financial services marketplace to help underbanked consumers achieve financial prosperity." Their work extends to include developing programs and activities designed to promote and enhance underbanked strategy and practice. On their homepage, visitors can peruse their news updates, sign up for their newsletter, and also learn about their upcoming conferences. First-time visitors may want to start with the "Our Approach" area to learn about their advocacy work. Moving on, the "Our Insights" area includes a number of working papers on topics that include the development of alternative credit data, the potential use of mobile banking for underbanked consumers, and the latest data on prepaid card transaction behavior. Finally, their "Newsrom" area includes their most current press releases along with links to a range of social media. [KMG]

http://ubdigit.buffalo.edu/cdm/search/collection/LIB-APL001

The University of Buffalo has periodically published some great guides to the architecture of its corner of western New York. The University Libraries have digitized all 21 of these fine pamphlets and placed them online for public consumption. Visitors can search for items of note via the Advanced Search tab, or they can just click on the ones that look interesting. The "A Building Like A Superhero" piece is a great place to start. It profiles the massive modernist Bulger Communication Center structure on the campus of Buffalo State College. Moving on, "Buffalo Underground: An Excursion into the Depths of Scajaquada Creek" takes interested parties into the world of this most unusual culvert and its windy ways. [KMG]

http://www.dwell.com/

The Dwell website is a rich resource for vernacular design - inviting visitors to "explore modern homes through the eyes of the people who live in them." There's a Products section, but those who are not looking to purchase right away will find plenty of inspiration in the Homes section, where there are links to house tours, including apartments, off-the-grid homes, and renovations. In the Ideas section, there's Dwell 101, a design primer, as well as subsections such as Going Green and Kitchens. There's also a section of slideshows and videos that can be browsed by room type or topic - for example, see approximately 70 kitchens from locales ranging from Toronto to Brooklyn, with a stop in Portland, of course - and across the Atlantic to the UK and Denmark. All in all great fun for armchair home remodelers, and much less precious than Kinfolk (http://www.kinfolkmag.com/).
[DS]

http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/fireandice/index.html

The National Postal Museum recently created a rather nice in situ exhibit with this great online component to bring together materials on two marvels (and disasters) of modern transportation: the Titanic and the Hindenburg. The exhibit brought together unique items such as postcards and programs in one place so that visitors could learn about these rather fantastic forms of conveyance. The exhibit takes its name from the poem "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost in which he mused "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice." The sections of the exhibit include Life Onboard, Mail Ships, and Technologically Advanced. Visitors can scan through each section to view a number of items, such as a fabric purse from the Hindenburg and a photo of the elaborate squash court on the Titanic. Not surprisingly, the Rarities area contains some postal history treasures, including an envelope sent from the Hindenburg which was discovered in the wreckage. [KMG]

https://writer.bighugelabs.com/

Sometimes you just want the world to go away so you can concentrate on the things that matter. For writers, finding a quiet place of one's own can be a tremendous challenge. Writer cuts away all the details and distractions and allows writers to write. The basic black and green screen allows visitors the option to save their work, check on the word count, create a PDF, or print it out. It's simple in its design, and that's the point. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

http://www.picisto.com/

Picisto is a great way to modify, edit and create wonderful photo collages. Visitors can choose a layout, add text and shapes, and even buy prints of their creations if they so desire. First-time users may wish to check out the Create Collage link to get a feel for how the application works. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

Olive-oil prices: Drizzle and drought
http://www.economist.com/node/21563304

Olive oil prices to soar after Spanish drought devastates crop
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/23/olive-oil-prices-soar-spain?newsfeed=true

Council Establishes Olive Oil Price "Observatory"
http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-business/europe/council-establishes-olive-oil-price-observatory/28529

Letter from Italy: Slippery Business
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/08/13/070813fa_fact_mueller

Olive Oil's Dark Side
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2012/02/the-exchange-tom-mueller.html

Preserving Olive Oil Culture in Adatepe
http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/features/olive-oil-museum-adatepe-turkey/4748

In this millennium, when one talks of rising oil prices, one is generally referring to the oil that goes in an automobile. In the past few months, it has become clear that certain parties are referring to the type of oil that is commonly used on salads, in facial products, and to grease saute pans. Today, there is grave concern about the dramatic increase in the cost of olive oil, which is due, in part, to a drought in Spain. As an article in The Economist noted, Spain is "the Saudi Arabia of olive oil." Recently, the price of extra virgin olive oil has risen by over 50%, which means that consumers will be paying more for a myriad of products that use olive oil, including salad dressings. Over in the Golden State, however, olive growers are quite optimistic, noting that their catchment area might grab as much as 5% of the domestic market by 2017. [KMG]

The first link will take interested parties to a fine piece from last week's The Economist magazine about the olive oil price situation and related matters. The second link leads to an article from this Saturday's Guardian newspaper about the recent drought in Spain and its effect on the olive crop. Moving along, the third link will take visitors to an article from the Olive Oil Times about the recent creation of an olive oil price "observatory." The fourth link leads to a great piece of reporting on certain corrupt practices within the olive oil industry from The New Yorker. The fifth link leads to an interview with Tom Mueller, who recently finished a book on said practices titled "Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil". Finally, the last link leads to an intriguing piece on how olive oil culture is being preserved at Turkey's only museum dedicated to olive oil.