Research and Education
http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/digilib/agsphoto/index.html
The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee has rolled out a number of fine digital collections over the past few years that have covered everything from Golda Meir to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. This latest addition provides access to over 2000 photographs from the American Geographical Society Library (AGSL). The current collection is primarily focused on countries in Asia and the Middle East, and they hope to expand their collection in the near future to include additional regions of the world. Visitors to the site can search the collection by country, city, or search term of their choice. Highlights of the archive include some remarkable photographs of the waterfront in Alexandria, the markets of Bangkok, and photographs of the city of Kathmandu. [KMG]
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/structure/activities/6662.html
The geology teaching resources offered by the professional development initiative at Carleton College are uniformly quite strong, and this particular pedagogical resource is no different. Created by Professor Robert Burger at Smith College, this activity "is based on Quick Time movies and color digital photographs derived from sandbox experiments that produce normal faults in a variety of boundary conditions." At the beginning of the activity, students view movies in order to gain awareness of the evolution of normal fault systems. Visitors to this site will find the movies available for their use, along with detailed information on how to incorporate this activity into the classroom. Finally, visitors can also read the activity description and assignment in its entirety. [KMG]
http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/
Teaching critical thinking can be difficult, and it is nice to know that Professors Joe Lau and Jonathan Chan at the University of Hong Kong have created this site to help both teachers and students in this endeavor. Working with a grant from the government of Hong Kong's University Grants Committee, the two have created this website to provide access to over 100 free online tutorials on critical thinking, logic, scientific reasoning, and creativity. The homepage includes a brief introduction to critical thinking and access to the main modules, which are divided into thematic areas such as values and morality, strategic thinking, and basic logic. Visitors can also view the Chinese version of this site, download class exercises, and even take on "the hardest logic puzzle in the world." [KMG]
http://www.electoralgeography.com/new/en/
Alexander Kireev and Alexey Sidorenko have been interested in electoral geography for years, and they recently combined forces to create this very interesting and informative website dedicated to just that subject. On the homepage, visitors can take a look at the latest electoral maps added to the site. It's quite a diverse group of maps, as they have included a map showing the results of the Cyprus presidential election, a legislative election in Taiwan, and a firearms referendum electoral map from Brazil. Visitors can also take a look at the "Random Map" selection culled from their archives and also sign up to receive the RSS feed from the site. Additionally, the "Articles" section of the site contains scholarly works such as an article on Italian electoral politics since 1992 and the political geography of Russia's presidential election in 2004. Overall, it's quite a find, and the site certainly merits more than a few return visits. [KMG]
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB242/index.htm
Long-time Indonesian leader Suharto passed away in January 2008, and experts and others continue to debate his legacy. Recently, The National Security Archive at George Washington University published this electronic briefing book which includes a number of declassified U.S. documents which detail various aspects of his time in office. Visitors who look through the briefing book will find transcripts of meetings with Presidents Richard M. Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, along with Vice President Walter Mondale and others. Other documents in the book include works which detail U.S. perceptions of Suharto during his early years, along with coverage of the 1975 invasion of East Timor and the so-called "Mysterious Killings" of 1983-1984. Created by the Archive's Brad Simpson, this is an informative (and troubling) look into one of Southeast Asia's most prominent leaders of the last century. [KMG]
The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is designed to be "the world's central address for ethical decision in international affairs." It's a tall order for any one organization, and it's a mission that is in part fulfilled by this very well-designed and informative website. On their homepage, visitors can learn about upcoming events sponsored by the Council, take in some of their latest update reports, and also learn more about how to support their mission. First-time visitors will want to click on the "Themes" area to learn about the Council's primary interests, which include religion in politics, global social justice, along with ethics, war, and peace. Visitors can review resources such as podcasts, reports, interview transcripts, and audio conversations related to each theme. Additionally, the "Programs" area of their site contains information about workshops, the Morgenthau Memorial Lecture Series and their online magazine, "Policy Innovations". [KMG]
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
There aren't too many documents that combine annual statistics on arts organizations with crop acreage, but the Annual Statistical Abstract from the U.S. Census Bureau manages to do both with great aplomb. The Abstract has been published since 1878 and it serves as the "authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States." Drawing on data sources that include the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Abstract provides detailed tables, charts, and data sets on income, the labor force, education, energy use, foreign commerce, and hundreds of other topical areas. First-time visitors can take a look at the "Top 5 Data Links" and then move on to the "Summary Statistics" area. Of course, many visitors will want to browse through some of the topical sections offered on the left-hand side of the homepage. For those who want the entire Abstract, there's also a link to a complete version of this document for their sustained consideration. [KMG]
http://www.medtropolis.com/vbody.asp
Unless one is a medical resident, it can be quite difficult to get a close-up look at a skeleton, a brain, or even the inner workings of the digestive tract. Students of the medical sciences and others need worry no more, as this very fine interactive exhibit offers up dynamic images and cross-sections of these parts of the anatomy and many more to boot. The site contains four sections, including "Brain", "Skeleton", "Heart", and "Digestive Tract". In the "Heart" area, visitors can learn about the individual parts of the heart, view an animated heart, and also take a narrated tour of the heart that will "keep your heart beating." Moving on, the "Skeleton" section features the "Bones Narrated" tour, which will take visitors on a guided tour of the skeleton and its functions. For those who like to keep things interactive, there is also the "Build a Skeleton" feature that will test their knowledge of the human skeleton. Additionally, the "Digestive Tract" area includes a test of organ organization and a trip through the duodenum and other parts of the digestive system. It's worth noting that the entire site is also available in Spanish. [KMG]
