http://carnegietsinghua.org/specialprojects/?fa=list&id=1182&lang=en

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace created this initiative as a way to offer the public access to pieces written in China by Chinese scholars and experts. The hope is that these works will provide "the international community better insight into and understanding of the debates taking place in China on important foreign policy issues." Visitors to the site can look four main sections, which include Commentary & Analysis, Policy Research, and Testimony & Speeches. Some of the recent trenchant pieces include "Can Chinese Culture Take the Moral High Ground?" and "China's Traditional Values and Modern Foreign Policy." Also, visitors will want to read the profiles of the scholars featured under the Experts area. [KMG]

http://www.eoearth.org/article/AP_Environmental_Science_Online_Course

Offered up as part of The Encyclopedia of Earth project, this fine set of materials provides students and educators with items to be used with an AP Environmental Science course. However, the quality of the materials makes them useful to a range of science educators. Visitors can dive right into the Table of Contents, which consists of six units, including Environmental Quality, Global Changes, and Natural Resources. Each area includes a set of objectives, complemented with meaningful explanations of each concept, accompanied by graphs, charts, and other illustrative materials. Interested parties can also take advantage of a range of external websites which are offered here as source material for more detailed exploration. [KMG]

http://www.bioedonline.org/presentations/index.cfm#category32

The BioEdOnline website has been around for well over a decade, and hundreds of science and medical educators rely on its high-quality instructional materials to complement their classroom activities. This particular set of materials is related to teaching strategies, and contains five separate components. The items here include What is Science?, Enhancing Your Leadership Presence, Dynamite PowerPoint Designs. Each of these areas contains high-quality commentary, slides, and additional materials that can be utilized by instructors seeking to keep their skills sharp. [KMG]

http://www.biosciednet.org/portal/

The National Science Digital Library created the BEN Portal to bring together high-quality resources for biological sciences education. The site provides access to a range of BEN collaborators and is managed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Visitors will find over 18,000 reviewed resources covering 77 biological sciences topics here. As there is so much to sift through, first-time visitors would do well to click on the Using BEN link for a nice overview of how to search or browse the collection. From there, visitors can browse by subject, resource type, and audience or grade level. Some of the subject areas are very well-developed, especially cell biology, behavioral science, and physiology. Additionally, visitors can learn about BEN Scholars and their technology wiki. [KMG]

http://www.getbodysmart.com/

This remarkable online textbook was created by the folks at McGraw Hill Higher Education to complement several of their physical textbooks. The site contains eleven subject areas, including Skeletal System, Muscle Tissue Physiology, and Nervous System. Each of these fascinating areas contains interactive animations, along with elaborate links to additional resources, such as quizzes, fact sheets, and so on. Visitors should also note that the site contains other versions of this same material designed to be used on the iPad. The site is rounded out by a collection of anatomy and physiology quizzes that cover everything from the clavicle to the lumbar vertebrae. [KMG]

http://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/ebooks

The Office of the Historian at the U.S. Department of State recently released over 100 documents from the published "Foreign Relations of the United States" (FRUS) series. The documents are specially designed to be read on a number of new devices, such as the iPad, and there are some real gems here. Visitors can use the Volumes and Browse by Administration drop down menus to get started. First-time users may do well to click through the 1952-54, Guatemala area. This rather prodigious volume "fills in many details about the role of the United States in Guatemala in the early 1950s." As those familiar with the topic may know, this involved the CIA as they attempted to implement U.S. foreign policy in the region. Each set of documents comes with a preface, information about abbreviations, and an introductory essay. [KMG]

https://www.biodigitalhuman.com/

BioDigital Human presents a virtual 3D body that brings to life "thousands of medically accurate anatomy objects and health conditions in an interactive web-based platform." Visitors can get started by clicking on the appropriately named Get Started button. Here they will have access to hundreds of interactive features and customized views that look through all of the body systems. Moving on, the Annotated Screenshots area will teach users how to save and share these powerful tools for use in a range of settings. It's worth noting that while the Basic version is completely free, there are other levels of functionality available for a fee. [KMG]

http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive

This remarkable digital archive was sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co., and it contains thousands of documents that tell the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The visual interface for the site is most impressive: visitors can scan through the Spotlights area to look through topical collections that include Significant Cities, Vietnam, and Public Opinion. Given the number of items here, this is a perfect way to view a few tidbits at a time. Visitors can also use the drop-down menus to learn about Dr. King's legacy, events sponsored by the Center, and how to be a part of the Center's work. Finally, visitors can use the Learn tab to peruse a glossary of nonviolence and also look over a bibliography of relevant books, magazines, and online material. [KMG]

http://epfl.mdch.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/mdbv

A broadside is also called a "penny ballad," and it is a single sheet of paper printed on one side. It was a great way for people to get the word out about their cause or organization, especially in the 19th century. This collection from the Enoch Pratt Free Library brings together broadsides related to life in Maryland primarily between 1860 and 1865. These ditties and other pieces of doggerel include "White Wings," "Why Did They Dig Ma's Grave So Deep?" and "William Price." These verses deal with a range of themes, including love, temperance, and, of course, the Civil War. All told, the collection contains 130 items, and visitors will find it delightful to wander around these gems. Finally, the site also contains a narrative essay that provides useful context for these pieces. [KMG]

http://www.codecademy.com

How does one learn how to code? It can be complicated, but Codeacademy lifts the veil on the mystery behind this important modern craft and skill. On the site, visitors can go ahead and get started by typing in their username. After this, visitors can click on the Learn area to find out more about programming for JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and jQuery. An area at the bottom of the main page links to HTML/CSS lessons. Visitors with adroit skills can click on the Teach area to get involved with creating new code teaching modules. The site also contains a link to After-School Programming which will help young people get started with creating a programming club at their school. Finally, the site also features a Stories area, which features inspirational stories from people who have used the Codeacademy website. [KMG]

https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/handle/1811/37112

Steven Enich was a Serbian-American lawyer who practiced primarily in Wisconsin for many decades. He was also quite the photographer, specializing in photographs of buildings with great significance to the Serbian Orthodox community. He made a number of visits to the former Yugoslavia to do just that and he amassed over 5,000 slides. After he passed in 2004, his widow donated much of his work to the Ohio State University Libraries so that there would be continuing access to his work. Interested parties can browse the collection by title, subject, or issue date. There are 215 photos in the collection and visitors should not miss his images of the Belgrade Fortress and other prominent structures scattered throughout eastern Europe. For students of architecture and the like, this collection is quite a treat. [KMG]

http://myloc.gov/exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth

The prologue to this fine digital collection crafted by the Library of Congress notes that "Environmental issues affect everyone on planet Earth - the quality of the water and food we consume, the air we breathe, and the parks we enjoy." The images included here are meant to complement an ongoing in situ exhibit at the Library, and they include images from the famous editorial cartoonist Herblock and well-known photographers like Sam Kittner and Ansel Adams. Visitors can read the About area to get a bit of background on the exhibit and then check out the "Exhibition Items" area. Here they can view all 39 items, which include dramatic images of environmental degradation and Herblock's witty and poignant India ink drawings which made him famous around the world. [KMG]

http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/bodies-and-shadows-caravaggio-and-his-legacy

LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, presents this exhibition on the painter Caravaggio (1571 ? 1610) and his long-lasting influence on later painters. Caravaggio died young (age 38), and left a small body of work: only about 80 paintings. Lost or disputed Caravaggios are still being found to this day. For Bodies and Shadows, LACMA has assembled 8 Caravaggio paintings in one place - a record number - along with works by over 30 additional artists, such as Georges de la Tour, Gerrit van Honthorst, and Carlo Saraceni. The website features a video by artist Sandow Birk, who discusses a 21st century painting of his, based on Caravaggio's "Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy," and says that looking at Caravggio taught him how to paint. There are also curator-written blog posts discussing the show, that include additional images of Caravaggio paintings. [DS]

http://library.brown.edu/cds/sheetmusic/yiddish/

The Brown University Library Center for Digital Initiatives has crafted well over a dozen excellent collections for use by the general public. This fine addition brings together Yiddish language sheet music from the John Hay Library. Most of the materials here came from the collection of Menache Vaxer, a Yiddish writer. The collection was acquired by the library in 1968, and it included over 850 pieces of piano-vocal or instrumental music, dating from the 1890s to the 1940s. Visitors can browse 327 pieces of sheet music by creator or title, and they will have access to the complete scores. There are some fascinating numbers here, including "Mameniu: Or the Triangle Victims" and "Beware of the Devil's Power." [KMG]

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/digital/maps.html

Maps of the Keystone State are in abundance here, and there are some rare surprises among this bunch. The site was created by the Pennsylvania State University Libraries and it contains five separate areas for cartographers, historians, and others who love spatial relationships. First up is the 1861 Digital Atlas of Centre County. Centre County is home to State College, PA and the interface here allows interested parties to wander around at their leisure. After that, why not look at the 15 minute series topographic maps offered here? Of course, those with a love of the urban landscape should look over the extensive Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, which document cities from Harrisburg to Chester. [KMG]

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15799coll88

Long before the brights lights of Hollywood or the sparking majesty of the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles was a much smaller place. This engaging collection of documents from the Los Angeles City Archives offers some insights into the city from 1836 to 1872. The collection was digitized as part of the USC Digital Library,and it contains original land grants, maps, and early city ordinances. Visitors can look at the items individually or look into the specific collections. As one might imagine, many of the documents are in Spanish, but they do include English translations. Persons with a penchant for handwriting and signatures will want to look at the dramatic flourishes of Bacilio Valdez, Guillermo Chard, and other men of property who signed off a range of documents during this tumultuous period of growth. [KMG]

http://www.browserbite.com/

The BrowserBite application gives web designers the ability to test out their designs on different browsers without much fuss. This application uses complex image processing algorithms to detect differences in snapshots captured through different browsers. It's a rather useful tool, and the free version gives users access to browsers such as Chrome and Firefox. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/colorific-1/

The Colorific add-on for Mozilla Firefox can be used to turn a webpage into a horse of a different color. Visitors can use the add-on to invert colors, adapt brightness and apply color filters. This version of Colorific is compatible with all computers running Windows and Firefox version 17.0 and newer.

Airlines Accused of Gaming Tax Rules
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324595704578242193103307204.html

RTA alleges United, American Airlines using 'sham' office for fuel purchases
http://www.wbez.org/news/rta-alleges-united-american-airlines-using-sham-office-fuel-purchases-104905

Lawsuit: 'Sham' United office dodges sales taxes
http://www.suntimes.com/business/17558593-420/suit-sham-office-dodges-sales-taxes.html

The Impact of the Great Recession on Local Property Taxes
http://www.rockinst.org/pdf/government_finance/2012-07-16-Recession_Local_%20Property_Tax.pdf

Tax Policy Center
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/

The Urban Institute: Economy and Taxes
http://www.urban.org/economy/index.cfm

As cities and other units of government continue to go through serious financial woes, many of them are looking to increase their tax revenues. Some states have started to ask companies such as Amazon to require consumers to pay taxes. Additionally, cities and other municipal authorities have attempted to aggressively retrieve local property taxes from various businesses. Recently, the Regional Transit Authority in Chicago began looking into the possibility that both American Airlines and United Airlines may in fact be avoiding paying taxes by operating tax havens in small towns in Illinois. As it turns out, these two companies may have set up "sham offices" in the distant town of Sycamore, Illinois in order to save tens of millions of dollars in annual sales tax on the fuel they purchase for their planes at O'Hare Airport. This situation is not without precedent, as four cities in California are challenging a sales-tax agreement between the small town of Fillmore and the giant medical-products distributor Owens & Minor Inc. Both situations are worth keeping an eye on, as they may have broad implications for other cities around the United States. [KMG]

The first link will take visitors to a Wall Street Journal article on this matter involving United and American Airlines and their offices in Sycamore from this past Monday. The second link whisks users away to a piece from WBEZ in Chicago about the same controversy. Moving along, the third link will take interested parties to a piece from the Chicago Sun-Times which talks about the lost revenue, which totals $133 million for the city of Chicago and $60 million for Cook County. The fourth link leads to a policy brief from the Rockefeller Institute about how the recent recession has affected local property taxes. The fifth link takes visitors to the homepage of the Tax Policy Center, which is a joint project sponsored by the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution. The last link will take visitors to the homepage of the Urban Institute's Economy and Taxes homepage, which contains research on how to end the country's economic crisis.