http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/indexpro.htm

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has crafted this excellent collection of materials for health care professionals. The materials are divided into a dozen sections, including Lung Information, Sleep Information, Interactive Tools and Resources, and Continuing Education Opportunities. The Interactive Tools and Resources area is a gem, as it includes applications for mobile devices such as a menu planner, a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator, and an asthma mortality map. The Clinical Practice Guidelines area features reports crafted at professional development conferences that deal with cholesterol, obesity, and asthma. Additionally, the Continuing Education Opportunities area features guides to cultural competency and information about upcoming conferences and seminars. [KMG]

http://metrobostondatacommon.org/

Data visualization has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years, and the MetroBoston Data Common is a fantastic initiative in this area. The DataCommon is "an interactive data portal and online mapping tool that provides a wealth of information about the region's people, communities and neighborhoods through a wide variety of topics." New visitors may wish to start by looking over the About the Project area to get a better sense of what is available on the site. On the homepage, visitors can Explore Data through topic area or geography. The Regional Map Gallery contains information about population and housing unit change in the 21st century, along with other maps that document foreign language households and where students live in the greater Boston region. The Community Snapshots area features basic demographic profiles of cities and towns across the commonwealth. Also, visitors can use the Do-It-Yourself section to craft bespoke maps and charts using the existing data. [KMG]

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/members/itps-videos

The Association for Psychological Science (APS) is offering this terrific set of interviews and conversations with prominent psychologists to the general public. Currently, there are nine interviews available here, which visitors can read about to determine how to start. One particularly noteworthy conversation is between Nobel Laureate and APS Fellow Daniel Kahneman and Professor Richard Thaler of the University of Chicago. During the conversation, they talk about the relationship between psychology and economics, and offer thoughts on academic controversies and collaborations. The other individuals interviewed here include National Medal of Science winner Gordon Bower, Janet Taylor Spence, and Michael Gazzaniga. [KMG]

http://www.ala.org/acrl/

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) whose members are academic librarians and other interested individuals. Currently, ACRL's over 12,000 members account for nearly 20 percent of the total ALA membership. On the homepage, visitors can browse through areas that include Consulting Services, Awards & Scholarship, News & Press Center, and Online Learning. In the Advocacy & Issues area, visitors can learn about the ACRL's work in assisting the cause of specialized libraries and also read some advocacy papers and briefs. Moving on, the Publications area contains links to the Association's monthly news magazine, College & Research Libraries News and the bimonthly journal, College & Research Libraries. Additionally, visitors can sign up for news updates and connect via Twitter and other social media. [KMG]

http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sed/

What goes on in outer space? This is a fascinating question and an ongoing line of human inquiry. The Astrophysics Science Division of NASA conducts a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics and fundamental physics, and this site provides access to information on the Division's projects, publications, and research agenda. Visitors can dive right in by looking over the Press Releases & Feature Stories area on the homepage. Here they can learn about upcoming dark energy missions, long duration balloons, and the remarkable work of the James Webb Space Telescope. In the Missions & Projects area, visitors can search through over 40 projects, which include the Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission and the Broad Band X-ray Telescope. [KMG]

http://www.exploratorium.edu/chaco/

Located in the northwest corner of New Mexico, Chaco Canyon is a shallow, ten-mile canyon accessible only by washboard dirt roads. It is an area of tremendous cultural importance, as it was once the center of an elaborate system of buildings, roadways, and other construction. Intense building activity continued at the site until about AD 1150, and then it was quickly abandoned. Today, it is a National Historic Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On this site created by the Exploratorium in San Francisco, visitors can learn about this unique place via sections that provide insight into its layout, its history of human habitation, and also its various celestial alignments. First-time visitors can click on the Sense of Place tab to view a time-lapse video of the site. The Time area is remarkable, as visitors can read an essay titled "How Old Is It?" and then watch "Migration Stories," which talks about the experiences that humans have had there over the centuries. The site is rounded out by the Observation area, which allows users to learn about how the canyon's unique qualities have fascinated visitors, explorers, and others. [KMG]

http://www.nsa.gov/academia/early_opportunities/math_edu_partnership/collected_learning/high_school/index.shtml

The National Security Agency (NSA) has worked to craft these educational materials they are calling "concept development units" (CDUs). The units are divided into 11 sections, including Algebra, Calculus, and Data Analysis. Clicking on each of these sections will bring up a complete list of all the CDUs currently available. Each list offers a paragraph-long description of each activity, along with an indication of the appropriate grade level for each activity. Some of the activities include "Understanding Proportions and Scale Drawings," "Scatter Brained," "Fashion Sense and Dollar Wise" and "Squares in the Light." These are all terrific resources for educators, and the site also contains links to information about the Math and Related Sciences Camp (MARS) sponsored by the National Security Agency and links to other educational centers. [KMG]

http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/collections/maps/chigov/

The University of Chicago Map Library has worked diligently to digitize hundreds of their unique and rare maps in the past few years. Their holdings of maps that document the history of Chicago is quite strong, and this collection casts its gaze in that direction. These maps were generated by a number of government agencies, including the Chicago Zoning Commission, the Chicago Plan Commission, the Chicago Regional Planning Association, and the U.S. Geological Survey in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. There are over two dozen maps here, including detailed maps of the Sanitary District of Chicago, annexation maps, and mortgage risk maps compiled by the Chicago Housing Authority. Many of the maps are fascinating, particularly the 1946 map that presents a "generalized presentation of the physical elements of the city plan designed for a population of 3,800,000 by 1965." [KMG]

http://www.economist.com/theworldin/2013

What is the world like in 2013? It's a great question, and The Economist has a few answers. Each year, this publication publishes a guide to the trends and quandaries that will consume the attention of policy-makers, politicians, concerned citizens, and others across the globe. The materials here include political analyses, technology reports, and commentaries on culture. The pieces here are divided into sections that include Leaders, Britain, Europe, Asia, China, and numerous others. Visitors can look through each area for commentaries with titles like "Pakistan and Bangladesh make history," "Manufacturing the future," and "Vermeer via Bowie." The Latest Blog Posts area contains updates on everything from tea in Sierra Leone to the political milieu of the Czech Republic. Additionally, visitors shouldn't miss the Multimedia area for up-to-date reports on these topics. [KMG]

http://nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/infinityofnations/culturequest/

The vast array of Native cultures found across North and South America is staggering, and attempting to provide a general overview might seem impossible. This interactive "culture quest" created by the National Museum of the American Indian allows visitors young and old to learn about such cultures. First-timers might start by visiting the object gallery, which contains dozens of headdresses, clothing items, cookware, and more contemporary pieces from Native artists. Each object contains a narrative essay, along with photos and additional information. Visitors shouldn't miss the kultrung, which is a hand drum created by the Mapuche Indians of Peru. Moving on, the Culture Quest is a great way to travel to a variety of regions throughout both continents on a cultural excursion. Visitors will gain knowledge about each Native nation, its environment, and an object from its history. For each activity they complete, visitors earn a badge. It's a fun way for young people to learn, and it's also quite creative. [KMG]

http://extension.missouri.edu/

Many state universities have fabulous extension programs, and the University of Missouri is no exception. The website provides access to a cornucopia of material that will be of use to both those in the Show-Me State and those beyond its borders. A good place to start on the site is the In Demand area. Here, visitors can learn about building a compost bin, soil testing, plant diagnostics, real-time weather, and so on. Along the top of the site are nine sections that include Natural Resources, Nutrition and Health, and Business and Careers. Each of these sections includes news updates, high-quality fact sheets, and annotated lists of valuable external links, such as those to the Missouri Master Naturalist site. Back on the homepage, visitors can take advantage of the Calendar area to learn about upcoming events. Finally, visitors shouldn't miss the Wild Thing of the Week. Here they will find profiles of the acrobat ant, the viceroy caterpillar, and other things that run wild in Missouri. [KMG]

http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/digitalcollections/pacificNWstream/

The Oregon State University Libraries has created this wonderful collection of 1,000 different images taken between 1934 and 1945 that document 390 streams in the Columbia River Basin. The photographs were taken by U.S. Bureau of Fisheries researchers who were interested in the spawning and rearing habitats for spring Chinook salmon. Visitors can use the clickable map on the homepage to move around through the images, which cover areas like the Puget Sound, the Clearwater region of Idaho, and the Willamette River Valley in Oregon. Each of these separate maps has a finer level of detail, and visitors can even click on various tributaries to look for detailed images. Visitors can use the keyword search, or the geographic search, which allows them to scroll around via major river basins. The site also contains technical reports on the salmon's spawning patterns created as part of this long-term project. [KMG]

http://digital.gonzaga.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15486coll3

Housed at the Gonzaga University Libraries, the Howard W. and Nancy A. Wildin Music Collection contains over 20,000 pieces of original popular sheet music. The collection's items date back to the mid-19th century, and there are complete song folios within, along with materials created for specific theater and dance productions. Currently, there are over 200 items here, including "All Aboard for Dixie Land," "All for England, King and Queen," and "All I Can Do Is Just Love You." Users are encouraged to browse at their leisure, or perform an advanced keyword search across the entire archive. Students of musicology will love the collection, and those who wish to find some old ditties worthy of reviving will also find it quite nice. [KMG]

http://www.ice.mpg.de/ext/

The Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology is based in Germany and their work encompasses a wide range of inquiry into the relationships between everything from bugs and symbiotic bacteria to odor activation in drosophila. Visitors can wander through the News area to get a sense of the ongoing research projects and overall mission. In the Institute area visitors can learn the basics of chemical ecology, the management of the Institute and their cooperative agreements with other like-minded organizations. The Departments area contains information about separate research groups, which are focused on entomology, bioorganic chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular ecology. Scientists and others will want to look over the Publications area, as it contains hundreds of research papers which can be searched by department, year, or citation number. Finally, visitors can also search available job openings. [KMG]

https://acdc.amherst.edu/browse/collection/collection:ed

To say Emily Dickinson has an association with Amherst College is a bit of an understatement. Her grandfather, Samuel Fowler Dickinson, was one of the founders of the college and her father, Edward Dickinson, was treasurer of the school for over 35 years. In 1956, Millicent Todd Bingham gave Amherst College the Dickinson poems and Dickinson family papers she inherited from her mother, Mabel Todd Bingham. Many of these wonderful materials were digitized for this fine collation, and lovers of poetry and American literature will find this entire collection to be a real delight. Visitors to the site will find 850 documents here, including drafts of poems like "Further in summer than the birds" and "On that Specific Pillow." Visitors can search the collection by genre, contributor, subject, or date range. After selecting a particular item, visitors can also zoom in and out as they see fit to get a sense of Dickinson's handwriting and creative process. [KMG]

http://www.moma.org/explore/collection/lb/index

Although titled "The Complete Prints & Books," this website on the work of Louise Bourgeois, created by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), is actually evolving. The site will "eventually contain some 3,500 images": digitized versions of prints, illustrated books, and sculpture by Bourgeois, who died in 2010 at the age of 98. The main sections of the site are: Biography, Chronology, Essay, and Bibliography. The Essay is based on "A Drama of the Self: Louise Bourgeois as Printmaker" by Deborah Wye, from the exhibition catalog for the first retrospective exhibition of Bourgeois' prints, in 1994, at MoMA. The Chronology is a timeline of Bourgeois' long life, and is illustrated beginning in 1938, the year she created her first lithographic print: "St Germain," a holiday greeting card. MoMA plans to add material gradually, at least once a year.
[DS]

https://www.twindocs.com/EN/

TwinDocs is a novel way to upload documents to a personal storage device quickly. Visitors need to sign up for a free account and then they can get started. The TwinDocs application gives users the ability to access any document remotely from technology such as an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. The free version of TwinDocs gives users 1GB of storage and the ability to store 25 documents a month. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

http://www.professorword.com/

If you want to learn new words quickly, you can take a look at Professor Word. This bookmarklet gives users the ability to learn these words while surfing the Internet. The application can be customized to help users study for the SAT or ACT, learn English, or to just improve their vocabulary. ProfessorWord recognizes over 5,000 SAT and ACT vocabulary words, so it is a powerful tool. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

Counting Couch Potatoes
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21571471-measuring-tv-audiences-keeps-getting-harder-counting-couch-potatoes

How do television ratings work?
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question433.htm

FTC to take longer review of Nielsen-Arbitron merger
http://rbr.com/ftc-to-take-longer-review-of-nielsen-arbitron-merger/

Nielsen: Television Measurement
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/measurement/television-measurement.html

Top 10 TV Ratings
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/top10s/television.html

TV's 10 highest-rated World Series games
http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-10-24/finance/34699665_1_television-ratings-television-households-tv-households

How do you solve a problem like counting who is watching which television programs in 2013? It's a difficult conundrum, and one that consumes the attentions of major media groups and research organizations, including well-known institutions such as Nielsen. Recently, The Economist spent some time trying to look into how all of this works, and found out that it is increasingly difficult. For live events, it can be a bit simpler, but tracking who is watching various programs on mobile devices and so on makes things tricky. There is also a great deal of money involved: advertisers spend $75 billion a year on television ad placements. The first main problem here involves "time-shifted" viewing, which means that people are watching fewer programs live. If advertising is skipped by DVR, it is not counted, and ultimately this affects ad rates and the like. The second problem is that people watch TV on myriad websites and devices. One trade group, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement, is pushing for new research techniques. The hope is that Nielsen (or another company) will begin to use "big data" through a variety of streaming sources to get more sophisticated viewership information. [KMG]

The first link will take visitors to a piece from The Economist about the recent attempts to get a better handle on television viewing patterns. The second link will take interested parties to a great explanation of how television ratings work, courtesy of HowStuffWorks. The third link will take visitors to a piece from RBR.com about the pending review of the merger of the Nielsen company with Arbitron, the radio ratings company. Moving along, the fourth link will take interested parties to the official Nielsen page that talks about their work on television measurement and ratings. The fifth link will take users to a detailed set of lists from Nielsen about the top-ranked broadcast network programs in a number of markets and demographic groups. The final link will lead users to a fun article about the highest-rated World Series games in history.