http://www.pbs.org/now/

Long known for his ground breaking work in public television and radio (including collaborative efforts with the late Joseph Campbell and others), Bill Moyers hosts the NOW program on PBS. Designed to complement the actual television program, the website contains copious information about each week's program, including a full transcript of the proceedings. The program itself is divided into four segments, crossing into the thematic areas of politics, science, society, and community. Recent segments have covered the Earth Conservation Corps, the future of Burma, and the thorny subject of race in America. Additional highlights of the site include teacher resources (such as lesson plans), online polls, and an online discussion board, where recent topics have included Martin Luther King, Jr. and poetry. Finally, visitors can browse through the online archive which extends back to January 2002. [KMG]

http://www.fema.gov/kids/tornado.htm

Tornadoes, like most natural disasters, can be harrowing events for all persons in any given region, and most certainly for young children. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed this website to inform children about the nature of tornadoes. From the site's homepage, visitors can read about the experiences of young people who have been present during major tornado-bearing storms. Along with these firsthand accounts, visitors can read about the Fujita tornado scale, watch media clips of tornadoes, and learn about those locations in the home that may provide the best shelter from the effects of a tornado. No doubt many young people will be concerned for the wellbeing of the family pets during such an event, so they will find the section that deals with pets quite valuable. Here interested parties can learn about how best to evacuate various pets safely and what items may help ensure their survival in case of a major disaster. [KMG]

http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/current/whistlergalleries.htm#

Master of many mediums, James McNeill Whistler is the focus of this fine interactive gallery and multimedia web presentation, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, and designed in conjunction with an ongoing exhibit at the Freer Gallery. This partnership seems quite natural, especially considering that Charles Lang Freer was a personal friend of Whistler, and at the time of his death had collected over 1200 of Whistler's works, including numerous oil paintings, pastels, and prints. The online exhibit begins with an introduction to Whistler's life, and points out his (at times) eccentric manner and his longstanding feud with the legendary 19th century art critic, John Ruskin. The artwork section of the site is thoroughly engaging, as 50 representational objects out of the more than 1200 held in the Freer collection are available for detailed consideration. They are divided by medium, subject, and place, and also feature the particulars associated with each object, such as its accession number, date of completion, and dimensions. Visitors will not want to miss out on the lovely interactive timeline, which covers Whistler's entire life, and includes a portrait of the artist at age 13 (executed in 1847) and concludes with his passing in 1903. [KMG]

http://arts.state.wi.us/static/folkdir/index.htm

While many persons may think of Wisconsin as a state dedicated solely to the pursuit of cheese and all things dairy, the cultural fabric throughout its borders is quite varied. Throughout this site (produced by the Wisconsin Arts Board), visitors can learn about the various folk traditions that live and breathe across the state and discover how their art is connected to cultural life in Wisconsin more broadly. Searching for different artists is quite easy, as the database of material may be searched by ethnicity, location, art form (such as Judaic needlework and Latvian weaving), and different themes. Along with photographs of the artists and their chosen medium, some profiles feature audio clips (where relevant) of the artists in performance. Some of the more lively clips include performances by the Queens of Harmony and Frank Montano's performances on his own wooden flutes. Needless to say, this is a good way to learn about the broad swath of cultural diversity and folklore traditions within the state of Wisconsin. [KMG]

http://www.tate.org.uk/audiovideo/

While some people may be unable to visit the Tate Gallery in London on a regular basis, they will now be able to access many of their fine sponsored talks, events, and lectures via this nice website. Using the RealOne Player plug-in, visitors can listen to any number of artists talk about their work, or listen and view various proceedings on culture and technology. The broadcasts are archived under a number of themes, including painting, photography, music, cultural theory, film and video art, and music. Some of the more interesting proceedings archived here include conferences titled Thinking the City: Multidisciplinary Views on Urban Life and Culture, Tate Britishness: Cultural Identity and Visual Culture, and A Figure for Europe? Additionally, talks with over forty artists are also available for the consideration of the web-surfing public, including such icons as Peter Blake and Anish Kapoor. [KMG]

http://www2.nypl.org/home/Hudson/index.html

The Hudson River was one of the most prominent waterways in the frontier mythology of 17th and 18th century America, and its bends and curves have been immortalized by dozens of artists, authors, and explorers. With funding from the New York State Education Department, the New York Public Library has created this delightful website that brings together a number of rare images and texts from the 19th century for the consideration of those interested in this waterway's storied past. The Collections section of the site should not be missed, as it contains a number of prints of the river's locales (created by an Irish watercolorist and a French traveler), travel narratives of the Hudson River region, and two period guidebooks from 1828 and 1859. One other feature of note is the highly engaging panorama created by William Wade in 1845 that depicts both sides of the Hudson River between Albany and New York City. Here visitors can move up and down the river with the help of the panorama, looking for prominent natural landmarks and aspects of the environment present at this particular moment in history. [KMG]

http://www.uncf.org/

Established in 1944 (from an idea presented by Dr. Frederick D. Pattison), the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) was designed to enhance the quality of education (and the availability of access) for minority students across the United States. Currently the organization supports nearly 65,000 students who attend UNCF's 39 member institutions and 950 other colleges and universities throughout the country. At the website, visitors can learn about UNCF's member institutions (which include schools such as Morehouse and Clark Atlanta University), learn about internships programs, corporate partnerships, and elect to donate money to the UNCF. Currently enrolled students will want to make sure to look at the scholarship section, as it contains the particulars about applying for a diverse array scholarship programs, such as the Gates Millennium Scholars initiative. [KMG]