·http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/chemistry/5-95j-teaching-college-level-science-and-engineering-spring-2009/index.htm

How does one teach science and engineering at the college level? It can be a daunting question, particularly for newly minted PhDs, but this rather fine course from the OpenCourseWare initiative at MIT offers high-quality suggestions. The site includes a syllabus, calendar, readings, video discussions, assignments, and other related resources. In the Syllabus area, visitors can learn about the basic lesson plans for the course. The Readings area has some great material, including sections on Teaching Equations, Course Design, Lecture Planning and Performing, and Political Barriers To Educational Change. Visitors should look over the Video Discussions area, which includes conversations with Professor Sanjoy Mahajan about the material. Finally, the site includes links to helpful books and other materials that will be most useful for those seeking further edification. [KMG]

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·http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/

The Editor's Desk (familiarly shortened TED) at the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, brings out daily "fresh information from all over the Bureau," coupled with intriguing data and links of note. On the site's homepage, visitors will find sections like Topics, Archive by Year, Archive by Program, and About TED. The Topics area includes a panoply of subjects, such as Benefits, Projections, and Technology. The Recent Articles area contains links to pieces on job openings, payroll employment, and large technology firms. Additionally, the site contains an On Interest area which features statistical overviews of major trends in employment, health care, and collective bargaining. [KMG]

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·http://nsdl.org/page/iTunesU/

The National Science Digital Library (NSDL) is very well-regarded among educators and other professionals, and not surprisingly, has a great presence on iTunesU. On the site, visitors can download a wide range of audio, video, and other multimedia resources on a range of subjects like electrical engineering, biology, and anatomy. The What's New area is a good place to start, as it includes short films for young people, including "A Dolphin's Return" and "Against the Current." The thematic areas on the site include Physical Science and Technology, Life Science, and Earth and Environmental Science. Also, visitors can look over the Top Downloads area or browse by contributing partner organization. [KMG]

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·http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/MnCtImpRes

Municipal improvement resolutions may not be everyone's cup of tea, but this digital collection should win over skeptics of all sorts. The people at Ball State University's Digital Media Repository have digitized over 1,000 items. The records include city ordinances, resolutions, and other materials from the City Clerk's office in Muncie, Indiana. Their creation dates range from 1892 to 1922 and their subjects include street, alley, sidewalk, and sewer improvements in the area. The archive is a very compelling look into urban development as it shows an increased interest (and at times, resistance) to all sorts of improvements from property owners, local businesspeople, and elected officials during this dynamic period in Muncie's history. Visitors can look over the Recent Additions area or perform a specific search. [KMG]

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·http://www.nacmebacksme.org

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) has created the Backs Me campaign to get out the good word the support NACME offers minority students interested in engineering. This useful site includes sections such as What is Engineering?, Engineering Careers, Becoming an Engineering, and Paying for College. New visitors should begin by looking over the video messages left by NACME scholars on their affiliation with the organization and what it is meant to them. Moving on, visitors can also look through current and back issues of the "Engineering Your Future Newsletter." The Engineering Careers section should not be missed, as it provides some basic information on the various aspects of career development involved with agricultural engineering, aerospace engineering, and other specific fields. [KMG]

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·http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm/index

The basic premise of Alaska's Digital Archives is quite simple: to provide a single easy-to-use way for institutions across the state to share their historical resources. A vast swath of history is covered here, from the world of the Inuit to the rough and tumble gold rushes in the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can wander through the FAQ area for a bit of an orientation, check out the Help area, and learn about institutional Partners before moving on to the materials themselves. There are over a dozen collections here, and the items within them include moving images, oral histories, physical objects, and photograph albums. Users shouldn't miss the Sitka Tribe of Alaska & Sitka Historical Society collection. Here they can look over interviews with tribal citizens and listen to audio of paddling commands. [KMG]

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·http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=675&id=675

The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science has worked with dozens of scientists over the years to bring forth a range of wonderful teaching resources. The case study method is well-known in the field, and the offerings on the main website cover biology, ecology, zoology, and other disciplines. This particular case study was authored by Kyla Flanagan of the University of Calgary and Jalene M. LaMontagne of DePaul University, and it looks at how scientists and others might work to preserve the habitat of the caribou in northern Alberta. On the site, visitors can read an abstract of the case study, peruse its objectives, and then dive right in. Users will find a set of Teaching Notes, Supplemental Materials, and comments from those who have utilized the materials. It's a rather useful teaching tool, especially for those in the biological sciences. [KMG]

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·http://www.lacma.org/video

LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, makes available a variety of video content on its website. Videos are organized into broad categories, including On View Now, Conservation, and Artist Interviews. Currently, On View Now contains short pieces such as Stephen Prina talking about the exhibition "Stephen Prina: As He Remembered It" and "Shinique Smith: Firsthand," an installation at the Charles White Elementary School in downtown Los Angeles. A whole series of videos documents Michael Heizer's "Levitated Mass," a huge sculpture permanently installed on the LACMA grounds, composed of a 456-foot-long slot topped with a 340-ton granite megalith. Since this is Los Angeles, another section, Film Directors, includes interviews with Debra Granik, talking about the film "Winter's Bone"; Martin Scorsese on film preservation, museums and Hollywood; and Clint Eastwood, "An actor's path toward becoming a director."
[DS]

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·http://content.lib.washington.edu/alaskawcanadaweb/kuskokwim.html

Once upon a time, there was gold in those hills around the Klondike. The celebrated gold rush of 1897-1898 excited the attention of millions around the world, and thousands of prospectors and suppliers flocked to the area. Many quickly found out that a lack of transportation infrastructure hampered the export of the natural resources. Later, in 1914, an act of Congress authorized the President to fund construction of a railroad in the Alaska Territory to transport passengers and goods. President Wilson created the Alaska Engineering Commission (AEC) and the Commission sent a party on the "Kuskowim Reconnaissance" to explore potential routes. This site from the University of Washington Libraries brings together hundreds of photographs from these explorations, along with the 41 maps created by the group. Visitors can use the interactive map to look at all of the photographs before reading some of the reports created by the AEC. [KMG]

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·http://nysparks.com/

There's a great, wide world of New York to explore. This site is correspondingly vast, covering everything from campgrounds to historic preservation initiatives. It has a broad range of material for the general public (like practical information on campsites) and information on scholarly activities, such as historic preservation plans. The Historic Sites area is a good place to start, as it contains an interactive map of the notable sites that dot the state. Teachers and students alike will find much to appreciate in the Environment area. Here they can look over lesson plans, learn about nature centers, and consider the Watchable Wildlife area, which contains information about the fauna in each natural region of the state. Also, businesspeople might check out the Business area to learn about possible partnerships with the department, including contract work and so on. [KMG]

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·http://library.brown.edu/cds/quixote/

The Brown University Library Center for Digital Scholarship continues its fine work with this exquisite trove of illustrations from "El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote De la Mancha," or as it is commonly known in English, Don Quixote. This particular collection brings together illustrations from this celebrated tome created before the turn of the 20th century, including renditions by artists like Manuel Peleguer, Gustave Dore, Robert Smirke, and Thomas Stothard. The artistic techniques here include woodcuts, copper engravings, linocuts, and xylography. Users can browse around by date or by name. Actually, 1819 is a good year to start, as the web-browsing public will find exciting images of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in the midst of battle and conversations between Teresa and Sancho. [KMG]

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·http://www.allc.org/

The European Association for Digital Humanities provides umbrella support for a range of professional organizations and institutions that maintain digital projects about European history and culture. The group was founded in 1973 with the purpose of supporting "the application of computing in the study of language and literature." On the homepage, visitors can browse through nine sections, including Elections, Publications, and Education. The Publications area is a great place to start, as it includes access to the astute "Digital Humanities Quarterly," which is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal covering all aspects of digital media. The Education area has a great section titled DH Curricula & Syllabi. Here educators can look over a clutch of digital humanities syllabi contributed by the City University of New York and individual professors. Additionally, the site includes information about the operations of the organization, complete with contact information. [KMG]

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·http://www.nps.gov/history/1812/

Hundreds of organizations have found creative and unique ways to celebrate the bicentennial of the War of 1812. The National Park Service has crafted this dynamic site to bring together a range of historical, educational, and programming resources related to this military conflict. After reading the helpful introductory essay here, visitors will want to delve into sections such as People, Stories, Preservation, and For Teachers. The Stories area is a real find, as it includes wonderful explorations of the temporary White House (the Octagon House) and African American sailors. Curious travelers looking to learn more about visiting War of 1812 sites should look through the Find a Park interactive map. The For Teachers area includes a range of instructional resources and lesson plans, including "Baltimore and the War of 1812" and "Twisted Strands: Rope Making." [KMG]

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·http://dcbythebook.org/

DC By the Book is an innovative project created by Tony Ross and Kim Zablud of the DC Public Library. This rather novel work "explores the richness of non-Federal civic life in Washington and its character as a city, as brought to life by fiction." The entire work is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Studies' Library Services and Technology Act grant program. First-time visitors can jump in by entering an address or zip code into the search engine, while more experienced users can also add book listings to be incorporated into the map. The Project Book List is a great place to look around, as it includes the master list of the more than 200 books included thus far. Visitors can also use the Search Listings to browse around or read the list of Contributors for information about who has added geographical bits of data to the project. Every city should be so fortunate as to have such a wonderful mashup of literature and geography. [KMG]

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·http://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/TXFC/

The University of North Texas (UNT) Fashion Collection is "dedicated to the preservation and documentation of historically significant fashion." It's a terrific resource for students, researchers, and the general public. The collection got its start when Stanley and Edward Marcus worked to ensure that these items came to UNT in 1972 to support the growing fashion design program. Currently, there are over 15,000 items in the collection, some of which have been photographed and included as part of this online collection. Currently, over 500 items are available for browsing by decade, country of origin, and other themes. It's fun to look at the dresses, particularly the work from the 1980s by Oscar De la Renta and earlier works from the Roaring 20s. [KMG]

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·http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/pompeii_and_herculaneum.aspx

The dramatic events that consumed ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum have fascinated archaeologists, historians, and others for millennia. It is fitting that the British Museum is offering this fine site to complement its ongoing exhibit on the subject. First-time visitors may wish to click on over to the Highlights area. Here, in exquisite detail, they can view a gold bracelet in the form of a coiled snake, a carbonized wooden castle, and a mosaic of a guard dog. The blog is a delight, as it contains updates from the curators on the nature of the exhibit, its overall design, and so on. The site also features a range of products associated with the exhibit, such as catalogs, art objects, and posters. [KMG]

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·http://www.magpointer.com/

Are you tired of reaching over your PowerPoint presentation with a pencil, pointer, or other device? Now, thanks to MagPointer, there is a simpler way. This application gives users the ability to enlarge, focus, zoom, or highlight specific elements or areas of their slides. It's a great way to enhance an existing presentation and the free trial version here can be used for 30 days. This version is compatible with Windows operating systems. [KMG]

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·http://movie-creator.com/

The Bolide Movie Creator is a great way for neophytes to get started on a bit of video editing. The application can be used to easily drag and drop video clips and segments, add text comments, incorporate music tracks, and include separate photos as part of the mix. New users will want to check out the Screenshots area to get a sense for how the entire package works. This version is compatible with all computers running Windows XP and newer. [KMG]

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Dinosaur Skeleton to Be Returned to Mongolia
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/06/arts/design/dinosaur-skeleton-to-be-returned-to-mongolians.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1368583581-8iqGihyFZvLuKvv3WI169Q

US to return more smuggled dinosaurs to Mongolia
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22491967

Mongolia to get dinosaur skeletons back
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2013/05/12/mongolia-to-get-dinosaur-skeletons-back.html

The Dino Directory
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/dinosaurs-other-extinct-creatures/dino-directory/index.html

Dinosaur Videos: Discovery Channel
http://dsc.discovery.com/video-topics/other/dinosaur-videos

Dinosaurs Fairyland in Outer Mongolia
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dinosaurs-in-outer-mongolia

Throughout history, many skeletons have been displaced for one reason or another. When it comes to dinosaur bones, repatriation is of the utmost concern to the international community of paleontologists and researchers. Recently, the United States announced that it would return a set of over two dozen illegally smuggled dinosaur skeletons to Mongolia, ending a dispute that involved a curious auction in Texas and other unusual developments. The most well-known skeleton here was a Tyrannosaurus baatar, which is over 70 million years old. This particular item was brought to the United States via a a confessed looter who sold the item at the aforementioned auction. Commenting on the affair, John T. Morton, director of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted that "There's an increasing awareness in the public and the art world that there's a real cost-paying consequence to this kind of theft and black market sales." [KMG]

The first link will take interested parties to a New York Times article from last week that talks about the strange journey of these important dinosaur skeletons. The second link leads to a a piece from the BBC News site about the return of these skeletons to Mongolia that includes a mention of a proposed dinosaur museum back in Mongolia. Moving along, the third link leads to a more detailed piece from this Sunday's Columbus (OH) Dispatch about the return of these fossils to the Mongolian government. The fourth link will whisk users to the Natural History Museum's wonderful Dino Directory. Here visitors can use the online guide to view images, facts and figures about over 300 dinosaurs. The fifth link leads to the Discovery Channel's epic clutch of videos about dinosaurs. The last link leads to a description of the fascinating "Dinosaur Fairyland," an infrequently visited dinosaur theme park in Inner Mongolia.