Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/lewisandclark/lewisandclark.html
A premiere exhibition that focuses on western exploration, Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America is scheduled to open at the Library of Congress in July 2003. For the Internet community, the Library of Congress has provided an online exhibit featuring some of the artifacts that will showcase at the actual exhibition, along with background information on each piece. A few of the artifacts users will encounter on this site include a 1785 map of western North America drawn by Peter Pond, Thomas Jefferson's "Cipher for the Lewis & Clark expedition," Clark's compass and case, his drawings of Indian canoes, and Lewis & Clark's track map. Although a brief overview, this site is great for those wanting a sneak preview of the actual exhibit, and may spark enough interest to inspire some to attend the exhibition next year. [MG]
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Child Trends
http://www.childtrends.org/HomePg.asp
A nonprofit research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families, Child Trends conducts research and evaluation studies in areas including teenage pregnancy and childbearing, the effects of welfare and poverty on children, and parenting issues such as family structure and processes. A "one-stop shop for the latest trends in child and youth well-being," this Web site provides an extensive amount of information on youth issues, including essays and news releases, research briefs, fact sheets, and much more. Additionally, the site also contains a list of its current projects, categorized by research area. Easily navigable, this site is valuable for parents, social workers, teachers, child psychologists, and anyone else interested in youth related issues. [MG]
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Aneki.com: Country Information, Regional and World Rankings
http://www.aneki.com/index.html
Aneki.com provides statistical facts, figures, and rankings for over 190 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, North America, Central America, South America, and Oceania. Current listings are divided into four categories -- economic, social, technological, and environmental -- and are retrieved from sources such as the CIA World Factbook and Forbes.com. Although the site has "academic" and "miscellaneous" sections listed on its home page, data have not yet been added to these categories. In short, this is a worthy resource site that provides basic statistics and answers to general questions regarding various countries of the world. [MG]
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Migration Information Source
http://www.migrationinformation.org/index.cfm
Recently introduced by the Migration Policy Institute, the Migration Information Source Web site offers visitors a fantastic opportunity to stay on top of trends and changes in global migration. Looking at migration from many levels and on many planes, the site considers migrations on both national and international fronts. With a dropdown menu of the countries for which data is available (currently western European countries, Australia, and the US), the database is fully searchable, with more options on the way. Perhaps most interesting to those directly working in statistical, sociological, or ethnographic analyses of migration, the resource is broadly accessible and offers compelling glimpses of migrant populations, their reasons for moving, and their rates of assimilation into host countries. For those unfamiliar with field-specific terms employed in the site's reports, there is a detailed glossary of common terms and phrases. Closer to home, the Migration Information site presents an elaborate array of reports and studies on US-Mexico relations, with an emphasis on the ever-broadening trend toward northward migration in the Americas. [WH]
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TaxLinks
http://www.taxlinks.com/
One of the fastest ways to locate tax information of virtually any variety online, Taxlinks is well laid out and user-friendly. While much, if not all, of the information to which Taxlinks links is available elsewhere, its clean, logical interface makes it a good place to search for tax information in an uncluttered atmosphere. With only four buttons on its front page, Taxlinks is especially accessible to those easily intimidated by other public information sites. It offers both federal and state tax information and forms, as well as lists of federal tax revenue rulings from 1954 to the present. With its own search engine and extensive array of links, Taxlinks has something to offer everyone from seasoned professionals, to reference librarians, to newly-minted tax payers in search of vital information. [WH]
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National Geographic GeoBee Challenge
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/
This site is associated with the National Geographic Society's (NGS) Geographic Bee, an annual national competition where students answer a wide variety of geography related questions. To encourage learning along these same lines, the GeoBee Challenge is a brief online quiz of five geography related questions similar to the ones in the "real Bee." The intent is to promote geography learning and provide a fun method for teachers to include the subject into the classroom. The material has been prepared by the National Geographical Society and is appropriate for grades 4-8. Any question answered incorrectly is noted, and students are encouraged to try again. New questions are posted every day with the 3 previous quizzes also available. Fun, challenging stuff. This site is also reviewed in the July 12, 2002 NSDL Physical Science Report. [DJS]
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