General Interest
http://www.6billionothers.org/
Yann Arthus-Bertrand is well-known for his multimedia projects which have taken photographic journeys across the globe, and this latest project continues in that visually rich tradition. His latest project, which is documented on this lovely site, looks at the lives of people from all around the world. Visitors to this site should start by listening to Arthus-Bertrand speak about his inspiration for this project, which came to him while speaking with a villager in Mali. After that, visitors can listen to some of the interviews which have been recorded so far, including conversations with Silvia in Brazil and Gianmaria in Italy. Additionally, the site contains a podcast that is available to download. Such an ambitious project might be the envy of many a journalist or social scientist, and it is a site that warrants several visits. [KMG]
Ricky Leon Murphy decided to create this website when he was working towards a master’s degree in astronomy, and he still keeps it updated regularly, along with the assistance of his wife, Chanthirar. The site has been the recipient of several awards over the past few years, and visitors looking for basic and accessible information about the world of astronomy will not be disappointed. Near the top of the homepage, visitors will see a number of thematic areas, including “Our Galaxy”, Cosmology”, “Exoplanets”, and “Astrophotography”. In the “Our Galaxy” section, visitors will find a number of short and informative essays on our own galaxy, along with pieces about the evolution of formation of other galaxies. Visitors will also appreciate the wide range of images available in the “Astrophotography” section, which happens to include both professional and amateur images. [KMG]
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0703/feature5/index.html
“Papa” Hemingway hunted them frequently, and was furious when they got to the end of his fishing line before he did. Herman Melville wasn’t a fan of them either, and he referred to them as “pale raveners of horrible meat.” The “them” in question happens to be sharks, and they continue to suffer from an image problem, even as their numbers dwindle almost uniformly in the world’s oceans. It may strike some as strange then that they are doing rather well in the calm waters around the Bahamas. This online feature from National Geographic explores the sharks that live in these waters, and it also takes on the delicate balance between creating new developments around the islands and providing a safe haven for these often misunderstood creatures. Visitors should start by reading the introductory essay by Jennifer S. Holland and then continue on to the exquisite photo gallery that includes eighteen images of various sharks from photographer Brian Skerry. Finally, the site also includes a nice map and a multimedia area that includes clips on tiger sharks and mangrove nurseries. [KMG]
In the summer of 2001, noted author Eudora Welty passed away in her home state of Mississippi. Throughout her ninety-years she made significant contributions to the art of the short story and other literary forms, and she remains the subject of scholarship and admiration in many quarters. Fortunately, the Eudora Welty Foundation was established in 1999 to celebrate her works and also to make sure that her various writings remain an essential part of academic curricula in high schools and colleges. On their site, visitors can view an interactive timeline of Welty’s life and also peruse a calendar of events sponsored by the Foundation and other related entities. Most visitors will benefit greatly from a trip over to the “Resources” area of the site, which includes a complete bibliography of her works, along with information on the Eudora Welty House and links to other Welty societies and organizations. [KMG]
http://www.allianceonline.org/
As its name suggests, the Alliance for Nonprofit Management is “devoted to improving the management and governance capacity of nonprofits.” To that end, their website complements their mission quite well, and those working in this field (or those who hope to do so) will find some high-quality resources here. First-time visitors will note that the homepage primarily contains information about upcoming conferences and professional development opportunities, so they may want to take a quick look here, and then move along to the “Resource Center”. Here they will find working papers and toolkits that can help their organization with such matters as fundraising, crafting successful grant proposals, and attracting new volunteers. One area that should not be overlooked is the significant set of resources dedicated to providing information on attracting and retaining “baby boomer” volunteers. [KMG]
http://www.presentersuniversity.com/
Everyone has to give presentations at some point in their career, whether they are in the field of criminal justice or animal husbandry. Fortunately for all such persons who might be experiencing presentation anxiety, there is the Presenters University website. While this “university” does not grant any honorary doctorates, they have assembled a fine selection of articles on presentation “do’s and don’ts”, along with a section where visitors can “Ask The Professor” about their most vexing presentation quandaries. The most useful material on this site is contained in the “Courses” area. Here, visitors can read such timely pieces as “Storytelling-A Leadership Development Tool”, “Themes in PowerPoint 2007”, and “How to Write and Deliver a Dynamite Speech”. [KMG]
http://www.leadersinstitute.com/teambuilding/team_building_tips/index.html
Anyone who has been to summer camp knows how difficult it can be to get a team of people working effectively on any number of projects, including the construction of a canoe or developing a plan to craft leather wallets. It can be even more trying to create team-building exercises for adults in any number of professions, including health care experts, vehicle maintenance specialists, and so on. This website provides interested parties with access to a number of team-building tools, including articles on developing efficient meetings, ethical conflict resolution, and performance review systems. The site is rounded out by a brief selection of team building games, including one that draws on the use of tennis balls and another that involves paper plates. [KMG]
http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/2007/jeffwall/
The best part of this Web exhibition of Jeff's Wall's painterly photographs is being able to read Wall's interviews and essays while you are viewing thumbnail representations of his pictures. These texts are based on interviews conducted with Wall since 1985, collected from a wide variety of publications, that you may not happen to have tucked under your arm when viewing the pictures full size in the gallery (although these writings have been compiled in "Jeff Wall: Selected Essays and Interviews", an anthology published to accompany the show). It's hard for Web reproductions to do justice to Wall's photographs, despite the fact that back-lit display on a computer screen is somewhat similar to Wall's technique of presenting his pictures on lightboxes. This points out another great value of the Web exhibition - to build interest in the physical exhibition, now on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York; and traveling to the Art Institute of Chicago in June; and San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art in October. [DS]
