chosen by your "librarian without walls," Marylaine Block marylaine at netexpress.net

August 27

12 Events That Will Change Everything - Scientific American
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=interactive-12-events
An interactive media version of the article that appeared in the June Issue of SciAm demonstrates what scientists think would happen in the event of the melting of the polar ice, a pacific earthquake, fusion energy, cloning of a human, a deadly pandemic, and more.

AllVoices.com - breaking news, current events, latest news and world events
http://www.allvoices.com/
Where "anyone can report from anywhere." Readers can rank each entry up or down; as more comments are added to a piece, it rises in the rankings.

Bed Bugs
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/bedbugs/
Bedbugs apparently have never had it so good, since they've started making their way into not only hotels, dormitories, and cruise ships, but into apartments and homes as well. Here are the basics on how to recognize the problem, clean it up, and avoid carrying them from one place to another.

Comics in the Classroom - 100 Tips, Tools and Resources for Teachers
http://www.teachingdegree.org/2009/07/05/comics-in-the-classroom-100-tips-tools-and-resources-for-teachers/
I always think it's useful for teachers to use things students care about to introduce and explain subjects they have no intial interest in. Here are a number of sites that offer lesson plans, recommendations of comics and graphic novels, and other teacher resources.

FDA Food Safety Modernization Act - S. 510
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s510/show#
This bill, which gives the Food and Drug Administration additional power to keep the food supply safe, was passed by the House and is now, like most useful legislation these days, languishing in the Senate. If you prefer your food without a side order of e-coli, listeria, salmonella, and other disease-causing bacteria, you might want to contact your senators about this bill <http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm>.

Healthcare Blue Book - Your Free Guide to Fair Healthcare Pricing
http://healthcarebluebook.com/
Health care is about the only industry where most consumers have no idea what the cost of services are, because insurance pays for them. But if you have no insurance, or have a high deductible policy, you may want to use this site to compare standard charges by local doctors, hospitals, dentists, lab tests, surgeries, and such

Homeschool.com
http://www.homeschool.com/
Addresses the needs of all parents who wish to homeschool their children. Includes FAQs and advice for those just getting started, a local support group finder, curriculum information, a guide to free teaching materials, discussion boards, articles, and other resources. As the site advises, don't forget to check out what your local public library offers.

Katrina: 5 Years Later - Then and Now
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2010/katrina.five.years/interactive/then.and.now/index.html
Side by side images of devastated areas 5 years ago and the way they look now.

Metacritic - Movie Reviews, TV Reviews, Game Reviews, Music Reviews
http://www.metacritic.com/
"Find the critics' consensus in one place, with a single “Metascore” [which] distills the opinions of the most respected critics writing online and in print to a single number." The overall score provides links to specific reviews.

Muslim Americans - Pew Research Center
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/483/muslim-americans
Maybe now would be a good time for us all to take a deep breath and learn who Muslim Americans really are, and their views about their communities, assimilation, Islamic extremism, etc.

OKTrends - the Official Blog of OKCupid
http://blog.okcupid.com/
This free online dating site uses its blog to explore the site's "observations and statistics from the hundreds of millions of user interactions we've logged" to answer questions like what kind of photo works best, the lies people tell, and other questions of interest to psychologists as well as those who want to improve their romantic chances.

Washington Monthly College Guide
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/index.php
Unlike others who rate colleges, Washington Monthly ranks them for the benefit they provide to society, measuring their success in recruiting and graduating low-income students, producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs, and encouraging students to give something back to their country. It also tells you about schools to avoid - the "Dropout Factories <http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/dropout_factories.php> with the worst graduation rates.

August 20

10 Must-Read Books for Geeks
http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2008/04/01/10-must-read-books-for-geeks-part-i/
Patrick Biz recommends the best books on a wide range of technology topics. Some of them will appeal to non-geeks as well.

15 On the Go Breakfast Recipes - Parenting.com
http://www.parenting.com/recipes-gallery/Recipes/On-the-Go-Breakfast-Recipes
"Quick, handheld snacks that your kids can eat on the way to school," including dressed-up yogurt, crepes on the run, Greek omelette in a pita, homemade granola bars, and more.

Arago: People, Postage & the Past
http://arago.si.edu/
You can tell a lot about America's history, art and culture by examining its stamps. Don't believe me? Just check out the slideshows of exhibits from the US Postal Museum. My favorite is the Alphabetilately, an alphabetical topical traipse through our stamps, but there are plenty of other intriguing topics, including American military history, American sports and athletes, celebrating Hispanic heritage, the art of Christmas stamps, women on stamps, etc. Search or browse by broad categories (America's History, People and Culture, Just for Fun, etc.).

Bird Checklists of the United States
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/
"Here we offer bird checklists developed by others that indicate the seasonal occurrence of birds in state, federal, and private management areas, nature preserves, and other areas of special interest in the United States."

Case Study Collection - National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/ubcase.htm
Covering all science disciplines, case topics include the impact of a meteor shower, chemical detection of cocaine-contaminated currency, using irradiated beef to protect restaurant customers from e.coli, exploring the Gulf of Mexico's dead zone, managing urban deer populations, the medicinal use of marijuana, the ethics of embryo design, the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter, and lots more. Each case study includes teaching notes.

Consumer Health Ratings
http://consumerhealthratings.com/
This site, provided by a former hospital CEO, aims to guide you to otherwise hard-to-find evaluations of health care providers - "the most comprehensive listing of organizations that rate or report performance on specific hospitals, health plans, physicians, nursing homes, home health agencies and other health care providers in the United States."

Fastcase Public Library of Law
http://www.plol.org
"one of the largest free law libraries in the world, because we assemble law available for free scattered across many different sites," including federal statutory law and codes for all 50 states, regulations, court rules, constitutions, cases from the Supreme court, federal appeals courts, and state courts back through 1997. Tutorials explain how to search for specific kinds of sources.

Free wi-fi hotspots, wi-fi cafes, coffeeshops, hotels, airports, RV parks
http://wififreespot.com/index.html
Just what you need if you're traveling and can't live without wi-fi access. Browse by state and city, or by continent, country, and city.

Seafood Selector - Environmental Defense Fund
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=1521
The Environmental Defense Fund's guide to fish that are "good for you and the ocean." You can print a Pocket Seafood Selector or Pocket Sushi Guide, find out about the best and worst choices, see health alerts, and get advice on fish you can substitute for fish on the Eco-Worst list

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know Google Maps Could Do - Lifehacker
http://lifehacker.com/5525758/top-10-things-you-didnt-know-google-maps-could-do?skyline=true&s=i
How Google Maps can help you plot walking tours and bike tours, find places nearby any point on your map, show photos taken nearby, provide GPS coordinates, and more.

Vaccines - Recs/Schedules/Immunization Schedules
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm
School starts early these days, and parents are required to bring their children's vaccinations up to date. Check out the schedules here.

Your Complete Guide to Cheap College Textbooks
http://www.couponsherpa.com/ask-coupon-sherpa/your-complete-guide-to-cheap-college-textbooks/
I raised a book-loving son who was turned off to buying books by the sky-high cost of college textbooks. See what alternatives are available to paying the (gulp) full price.

August 13

50 Healthy Foods for under $1 a Pound
http://www.wisebread.com/50-healthy-foods-for-under-1-a-pound
A frequent lament is that unhealthy processed foods are cheaper than the healthy ones, but Jeff Yeager, author of The Cheapskate Next Door, successfully lives by the grocery shopping rule: "Under $1 a pound, year-round." Here are 50 healthy foods he's been able to buy at that price in the past 6 months, including turkey, peanut butter, oranges, yogurt, potatoes, etc. - and even wine.

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity
http://www.searchlores.org/realicra/basiclawsofhumanstupidity.htm
These "laws" come with no scientific proof, but they may resonate with your own experience. Note that they do differentiate between simple ignorance, which can be remedied, and stupidity, which cannot.

The Browser - Writing Worth Reading
http://thebrowser.com/
The editor, Robert Cottrell, selects from his broad, eclectic reading, articles on a wide variety of topics; among the recent offerings are ones on Google Maps, the science of cakes, the "John Madden franchise," geoengineering, the Taliban, a diary of effects of the oil spill, etc. The archive is browsable by category and by region of the world.

Car Insurance - Dealing with an Accident
http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/08/10/car-insurance-dealing-with-an-accident/
For most of us, a car accident comes as such a rude shock that we may not know the legal and financial actions we should take and the information we need to collect. You may want to bookmark this short summary for future reference.

HealthyStuff.org
http://www.healthystuff.org/
Researching toxic chemicals in everyday products." Parents will be particularly interested in the sections on toys and on other children's products.

How Libraries Stack Up, 2010 - OCLC
http://www.oclc.org/reports/stackup/default.htm
Did you know that there are 4 times as many libraries providing career assistance as there are government one-stop career centers? That almost as many people have library cards as have credit cards? That libraries provide more movies for home consumption than any other source except Netflix? That there are 5 times as many visits to public libraries as attendees at all professional and NCAA sport events combined? These and other facts in this report are worth considering when officials decide whether public libraries are essential public services.

Mobile Apps - USA.gov
http://apps.usa.gov/
What government information might you want to be able to access from your mobile phone? Perhaps the location of alternative fuel stations? Calorie counters and alternative healthier food choices? Air quality indicators for anyplace you may happen to be? Travel information from the Transportation Security Administration? Medline for health care providers and patients? Check out the site to see what other services are available.

Notes on Reading Resumes
http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2010/07/20/notes-on-reading-resumes
While these guidelines are offered by a librarian, any job seekers could improve their resumes and cover letters by paying attention to them.

Resources for Genealogists and Family Historians - National Archive
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/
Offers guidance on how to begin genealogical research, and how to research people within specific ethnic groups. It links to numerous relevant National Archives databases - court records, military records, land records, immigration and naturalization records, and more. It also provides advice on preserving your own family archives.

Shelf Life Advice
http://shelflifeadvice.com/
How (and how long) to safely handle and store grain products, produce, fish, meats, dairy, and other foods.

When Good Goes Bad: 10 Most Dangerous Web Sites
http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/security/225800277/when-good-goes-bad-10-most-dangerous-web-sites.htm
Unfortunately, the most dangerous sites are the most popular, including Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube. Since you're not likely to give them up, you should at least read this so you'll recognize the typical hacks described here when you see them.

WhoRunsGov.com from the Washington Post
http://www.whorunsgov.com/
"The site offers profiles of government decision-makers that anyone can edit," after it's reviewed by the editorial staff. Search or browse by departments, issues, or officials (current or likely). Each biographical profile begins with Why He/She Matters.

August 6

2008 County Business Patterns
http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/
One of a number of tools produced by the Census Bureau to measure the country's economic activity. It provides data by county and metropolitan statistical area on the number of establishments by category, including number of paid employees and quarterly and annual payroll. Click on any category (manufacturing, retail, professional, real estate, etc.) for details about that category or for comparisons to other counties/MSAs throughout the US. Select earlier years to track increases or declines.

The Best Five Books on Everything
http://fivebooks.com/
"Every day an eminent writer, thinker, commentator, politician, academic chooses five books on their specialist subject." The British editors have eclectic interests, and topics covered include children's literature, financial crises, computer games, apocalyptic novels, British politics, graphic narratives, popular protest in China, football (e.g., soccer), women in Islam, and much more.

Best Magazine Articles Ever - Cool Tools
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/the-best-magazi.php
An ongoing, collaborative list of articles, chosen by Kevin Kelly ("Senior Maverick" and co-founder of Wired), with suggestions from his readers. It looks like all the articles, even the oldest, are available online.

Free Fitness Tools
http://womenfitness.net/freetools.htm
Fill in the blanks in these free calculators to find out your basal metabolic rate, body mass index, target weight, fitness, pregnancy due date, and more. You might want to visit the parent site, Women Fitness as well.

A Girl's Guide to Car Problems
http://www.divinecaroline.com/22302/30708-girl-s-guide-car-problems
Not just for girls but for anyone whose "automobile knowledge doesn’t extend much beyond the gas cap and ignition switch." The bloggers enlisted Phil Reed, senior consumer advice editor with Edmunds.com, to explain the probable cause of a number of car symptoms, and the action to take.

Google Lit Trips
http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/Home.html
"an experiment in teaching great literature in a very different way. Using Google Earth [download it here if you don't already have it], students discover where in the world the greatest road trip stories of all time took place... and so much more." Browsable by grade level. Among the books: Make Way for Ducklings, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Macbeth, The Grapes of Wrath, Into the Wild and more.

How the Great Recession Was Brought to an End
http://www.economy.com/mark-zandi/documents/End-of-Great-Recession.pdf
Though it will be of scant comfort to those who remain unemployed and broke to learn that it could have been worse, economists Mark Zandi [economic advisor to presidential candidate John McCain] and Alan Blinder argue that TARP and the government stimulus programs prevented a second great depression.

MainStreet.org
http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/
The National Trust for Historic Preservation offers strategies and resources for those who want to revitalize their communities. Includes info on legal resources, funding sources,tax incentives, resources for owners of historic homes, and more.

Manuals - Free User Manuals and Owners Instruction Guides
http://www.manualsonline.com/
The editors help you find "user manuals, how-to guides, installation instructions, and tutorials from thousands of manufacturers and hundreds of thousands of products." There are manuals for everything from autos and appliances to child car seats, baby monitors, home theater systems, cell phones, fax machines, gas grills, hot tubs, portable generators, paint sprayers, and lots more.

National Historic Landmarks Photo Contest
http://www.nps.gov/nero/nhlphoto/
If you're heading to a national historic landmark, be sure to take your camera. Submit your entries before September 10. Winners' photos will be featured in the 2011 national landmarks calendar. There's more info on the contest here, along with galleries of previous years' winning photos.

Supplement Side Effects - 12 Supplements You Should Avoid - Consumer Reports Health
http://www.consumerreports.org/health/natural-health/dietary-supplements/supplement-side-effects/index.htm
By law, the federal government is not allowed to regulate dietary supplements, so manufacturers are not required to prove that they are safe or effective, or to list the products' ingredients. However, scientists have been conducting studies on these products, and have linked these 12 to dangerous side effects.

Zipcode Zoo
http://zipcodezoo.com
Helps you identify animals, plants, birds, butterflies and more in your area. Includes a "Critter ID Forum," slide shows, videos, an Ask a Biologist podcast, and more.

July 30

Note: Patricia Clausnitzer has translated part of NeatNew into Belorussian. As best I can tell, given the fact that I don't understand the language, it's my explanation of how I choose the sites. If you know the language, or are just curious to see what it looks like, here's the link: http://pc.de/pages/neatnew-be

100 Geeky Places To Take Your Kids This Summer - Geek Dad - Wired.com
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/07/100-geeky-places-to-bring-your-kids-this-summer/
Summer is petering out and school is getting closer, but there's still time to get in some trips. This site points you to places that will appeal to your kids' curiosity - science museums, living history towns, the Crayola factory, LegoLand, National Center for the History of Electronic Games, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and many others places you may not have known existed. And, Geek Dad points out, don't forget your local library.

100 Things To Do During a Money Free Weekend - The Simple Dollar
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/07/17/100-things-to-do-during-a-money-free-weekend/
Trent Hamm proposed to his family, and his blog readers, the idea of an occasional weekend in which they would spend no money. Over time, he and his readers have come up with a lot of activities for those weekends, including baking homemade bread, having a neighborhood "cupboard potluck," scanning old photos, building a giant blanket fort, taking a walking tour through your town's scenic or historic areas, and lots more.

Book Lust Forever
http://nancypearlbooks.wordpress.com/
A blog from librarian Nancy Pearl, author of Book Lust (and model for the librarian action figure).

Bureau of Economic Analysis
http://www.bea.gov/
The basic sources of most of the data used to measure the performance of the US economy. In addition to regular series on GDP, corporate profits, consumer spending, and such, it also currently features data on federal recovery programs.

Civic Ventures
http://civicventures.org/
Aims to "engage millions of baby boomers as a vital workforce for change" through career training, an Experience Corps of volunteer tutors, community college grants, and "Local Next Chapter projects in dozens of cities." Includes surveys, articles, research reports, project descriptions, and the personal stories of volunteers.

The Full Wiki
http://www.thefullwiki.org/
This tool uses Google Maps to show all the locations mentioned in over 2 million Wikipedia articles.

Mr. Free Stuff
http://www.mrfreestuff.com/
You can follow this as a daily blog, search, or browse by product categories (though items in older posts may not be available any longer).

The Old Farmer's Almanac - Long, short range weather forecasts, daily weather history
http://www.almanac.com/weather
While I wouldn't rely too much on its long-range weather forecasts (it predicted that my region, with its record number of 90+ degree days in June and July, would be somewhat cooler than normal), the almanac continues to be a favorite source for info on weather history and patterns, gardening, fishing and birding, and more.

The Red Tape Chronicles
http://redtape.msnbc.com/
Blogger Bob Sullivan covers Internet scams and consumer fraud for MSNBC.com. Archive is browsable by categories like child online safety, credit cards, hackers, identity theft, scams, spam, etc.

Travelers' Health - CDC
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/
"information to assist travelers and their health-care providers in deciding the vaccines, medications, and other measures necessary to prevent illness and injury during international travel," including health information for specific countries, a vaccination checklist, travel health warnings, travel health kits, dealing with illness and injury abroad, and more.

Unemployment Lifeline
http://www.unemploymentlifeline.com/
The AFL-CIO provides this "one-stop guide that links workers to the resources in their area: from unemployment offices to veterans' services to child care. Enter your zipcode and the kind of services you need - food, housing, legal, veteran services, etc. - and you'll get contact information and links to nearby agencies that can help.

What's in the Patient's Medical Bill
http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/jul10/Breton.shtml
Health information specialist Tara Breton walks you through the mysteries of your medical bills and the American medical reimbursement system.

July 23

$5 Dinners
http://www.5dollardinners.com/
Cooking amateurs will especially like this blog which not only offers inexpensive recipes but often includes visual instructions for preparing them. Better yet, the inexpensive meals sound good - beef stroganoff, eggplant penne pasta, green chile chicken, caramel apple breakfast casserole, salmon tomato chowder, and lots more. Browse alphabetically, search by ingredients, or check out the sections on food allergies and home made baby food. The section on strategies addresses meal planning, couponing, and cooking tutorials.

AllThingsDigital
http://allthingsd.com/
The Wall Street Journal provides this "Web site devoted to news, analysis and opinion on technology, the Internet and media." It includes an archive of Walt Mossberg's weekly Personal Technology column.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
http://www.bts.gov/
This is air travelers can check on things like flight delays, airline on-time performance, Regularly Scheduled Flights with More than 50% Delayed Arrivals of More than 30 Minutes, etc. There's also lots of data on other forms of transportation, browsable by mode (transit, highways, bike/pedestrian, etc.) or subject (safety, infrastructure, environment, etc.)

Coolest Gadgets - reporting on the latest cool gadgets
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/
Browse by categories like Children's gadgets, gadget gift ideas, mobile phones, sports, remote control, home automation, home theater, etc.

How the Press Covered Health Care Reform - Pew Research Center
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1634/media-coverage-health-care-reform-debate-review
A comprehensive study of more than 5,500 stories on the health care reform legislation in the mainstream media from June 2009 through March 2010 helps explain how so much news could be reported, with so few people understanding the resulting legislation.

National Climatic Data Center
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html
Bills itself as "the world's largest archive of climate data." Of particular interest given our unusual weather in the past few years are the historical data on US Climate Normals, 1971-2000, Extreme Weather Climate Events, Temperature Extremes and Droughts, and Local Storm Events.

NestWatch
http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nest/home/index
"a nest-monitoring project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in collaboration with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, and funded by the National Science Foundation." Birdwatchers are invited to help monitor the success of nesting birds, contributing to a historical record that helps scientists better understand these species face.

The New Financial Regulation Law and Your Money
http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/the-new-financial-regulation-law-and-your-money/
A good explanation of what's in the bill and how it affects and protects you.

Road Scholar - Educational Travel and Learning Vacations for Adults
http://roadscholar.org/
Search the site or browse by location inside or outside the US, or by categories like Last Minute, Most Popular, Under $600, Outdoor Adventures, Women Only, Small Groups (sponsored by Elderhostel), etc.

StateMaster - US Statistics, State Comparisons http://www.statemaster.com/index.php
Allows you to visualize and compare a quirky collection of data on the US and individual states (including things like Miss America winners, toll bridges, alligator attacks per capita, top home run hitters by birthplace, hate crimes, naval recruits, roller coasters, people who carpool to work, etc.). Start by checking out your own state, and then choose from standard topics (health, education, economy, labor, etc.) and less usual ones like what your state is in the top and bottom ranks for. My state is #1 in refugees from Chad, and exports to Honduras, 4th in number of bookmobiles,

Top American Hospitals - US News Best Hospitals 2010
http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals
Ranks hospitals in 16 specializations on reputation, death rate, patient safety, and care-related factors, factoring in hard data on procedure volume, the balance of nurses and patients, technology, etc.

WGBH Forum Network
http://forum-network.org/station/wgbh
Courtesy of PBS, NPR and their member stations, this site offers " thousands of lectures by some of the world's foremost scholars, authors, artists, scientists, policy makers, and community leaders, available to citizens of the world for free." Topics include the history of the Boston Tea Party, performance and audience engagement, same sex marriage, putting a price tag on life, and lots more. Many of the speakers are authors discussing their books, including Kathryn Schulz (Being Wrong), Nassim Nicholas Taleb (The Black Swan), James Sullivan (Seven Dirty Words: the Life and Crimes of George Carlin), Tom Bissell (Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter), Herbert Benson (The Relaxation Revolution), and many more.

July 16

America's Best Places To Live 2010 - Money Magazine
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2010/snapshots/PL2718116.html
Money editors select these with an eye on affordable home prices, job growth, length of commutes, weather, clean air, etc. It's always interesting, though I'm generally dubious about selections that pay zero attention to whether the local and state governments maintain their infrastructure and successfully fund and deliver basic public services.

Atlas Obscura: Curious amd Wondrous Travel Destinations
http://atlasobscura.com/
You don't have to travel to any of these places to be intrigued by the notion of seeing "Martian landscapes," mazes, eccentric homes, "small worlds and model towns," etc. The names alone are charmingly evocative and downright poetic: the Old Man of the Lake, No Man's Land Luxury Sea Fort, the Hoodoos of Drumheller Valley, Waitoma Glowworm Caves, the Wilder Brain Collection, and so many more.

Big Think
http://bigthink.com/
"Over 1,000 video interviews [transcripts included] with the world's leading thinkers." There's someone to appeal to every interest here: Clay Shirky, magician James Randi, chess champion Anatoly Karpov, novelist Anne Lamott, game designer Katie Salen, physicist Freeman Dyson, Jules Feiffer, aerospace engineer Burt Rutan, Rep. Barney Frank, surgeon Atul Gawande, comedian Stephen Fry, Onion editor Joe Randazzo, documentary maker Ken Burns, and so many more.

Electrical Grid - National Geographic
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/07/power-grid/achenbach-text
A primer on how the electrical grid distributes power across our vast country, how it came to exist, why it's so susceptible to failure, and how it needs to be redesigned to meet existing and future power needs.

Fish Advisories - EPA
http://epa.gov/waterscience/fish/
Avid anglers should make a point of checking the links here to their state's fish advisories before they throw their catch on the grill.

The Giraffe Heroes Project
http://www.giraffe.org/
As I once wrote in a column called "Report Cards for GrownUps <http://marylaine.com/myword/report.html>, what we could all use is big splashy award ceremonies for our real heroes, like those honored here: "risk-takers, people who are largely unknown, people who have the courage to stick their necks out for the common good, in the US and around the world." You can read their stories, and even nominate your own "giraffes."

Government Book Talk
http://govbooktalk.gpo.gov/
A little known service of the federal government is publishing what it knows - and it knows A LOT. It comes in many forms: books, reports, maps, guidebooks, investigations, photo albums, military history, children's books, even educational games and flash cards to study for the naturalization test. The blog began in April, 2010, so there's not a lot here yet, and it isn't browsable or searchable as yet, but it's a fun guide to new and intriguing publications.

The Green Guide for Everyday Living - National Geographic
http://www.thegreenguide.com/
Useful to anyone who wants to avoid toxic chemicals, and leave a smaller footprint on the planet, this site provides a Summer Green Guide (tips on sunscreens, insect repellents, etc.); advice on home and garden (a paint buying guide, tips on organic lawn care, etc.); personal care ("the dirty dozen chemicals in cosmetics," allergens in fragrance, etc.), kids' products (buying guides for toys and diapers, etc.); travel (traveler's health kit, "eat locally - and wisely," etc.); and food (buying guides for plastic containers and safe nonstick cookware, etc.).

I Write Like
http://iwl.me/
This is fascinating: paste any of your writing (or anyone else's writing, for that matter) into the box, hit Analyze, and it will tell you which author's literary style it resembles. The site discloses nothing about method (word choice? sentence structure? paragraphing?), and I have no idea about the accuracy of its answers, but I pasted in selections from a variety of my columns (<http://marylaine.com/myword/archive.html>) and found them compared to Dan Brown, David Foster Wallace, Leo Tolstoy, George Orwell, and Kurt Vonnegut. (I kept trying in hopes I'd eventually be compared to a female writer.) Try it and see what happens with your writing.

Losing Libraries
http://www.losinglibraries.org/
The current budget crisis for states and local governments is taking a dreadful toll on public libraries, just as they're most in demand to help people find and apply for jobs and solve their financial problems. Check out the map of endangered and eliminated libraries, find out why it matters, and ways that people can help.

Mom Advice
http://www.momadvice.com/index.aspx
"Well researched and in-depth articles on frugal living, saving money, work at home opportunities, inexpensive recipes, and tips for organizing your life. Find answers, opinions and a community who understands." My favorite feature allows you to Search for family-friendly activities in your area. Among the articles: best board games, birthday party ideas, quick and easy recipes, planning a staycation, etc.

Science News Headlines from ScienceNOW
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/
Both current and archived news stories from the journal Science, browsable by category. The search function allows you to search not only the Daily News, but also Science Magazine and other features and journals.

July 9

10 Things I Learned Eating on $1 a Day for a Month
http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/10-things-i-learned-eating-on-1-a-day-for-a-month/
No, he didn't have to live on junk food or dog food or store brands, and yes, he was able to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. If you're intrigued by these reflections on his experiment, follow the link to read about his day-by-day eating and food shopping.

Bookworm - KCRW
http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/bw
A half-hour radio program showcasing "writers of fiction and poetry - the established, new or emerging - all interviewed with insight and precision by the show's host and guiding spirit, Michael Silverblatt." The searchable archive goes back to 1990. You can not only listen but start or participate in a discussion.

Celebrate America Photo Contest Winners
http://www.usa.gov/contest/2010photocontest.shtml
Enjoy the slideshow of these ten patriotic and scenic photos.

Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care - Understanding the Efficiency and the Effectiveness of the Health Care System
http://www.dartmouthatlas.org/
As you'll know if you read Atul Gawande's influential New Yorker article, "The Cost Conundrum" <http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande>, the way your doctor proposes to treat your problem will resemble the way other doctors in the community treat it - and the preferred treatments and costs vary widely from community to community. The Dartmouth Atlas project has tracked those geographic patterns for the past 20 years. On their site you can find information about medical choices, costs, and quality of care in your own state and in your nearby hospitals. You can customize the data for specific topics like end of life care, surgical procedures, "supply-sensitive care," racial disparities, etc.

Good News about Energy
http://blog.longnow.org/2010/06/23/good-news-about-energy/
The editors of the Long Now Blog, who are accustomed to thinking about "stories that might still matter fifty, or a hundred, or ten thousand years from now," did a concentrated search through recent news stories about energy and found many hopeful developments. Follow the links to read all about it.

Grow It, Eat It!
http://growit.umd.edu/
While parts of this site from the University of Maryland's extension program are specific to Maryland, there's a great deal of content any would-be vegetable gardener can use. Check out the blog also0.

Global Action Atlas - You Can Change the World
http://www.actionatlas.org/home
If watching the news about earthquakes and oil spills makes you feel helpless to DO anything, you'll like this site, which "enables you to support efforts across the globe to reduce human suffering, protect natural landscapes, and more."

Hazards - US Geological Survey
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/hazards/
This site from the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program offers seismic hazard maps and data, fault maps, earthquake history by state, and information on what to do before, during and after earthquakes.

How the Great Recession Has Changed Life in America: a Balance Sheet at 30 Months
http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/759/how-the-great-recession-has-changed-life-in-america
The Pew survey asked people about their post-crash spending, borrowing, employment, wages, and expectations about the future.

Obit Magazine - Life Stories, Obituaries, Essays, criticism and More
http://obit-mag.com/
A magazine that celebrates the fact that some of the best human interest stories - and the best writing - comes in the form of obituaries of the famous and should-be-famous. Browse through current obits, or by field of endeavor, "best sendoffs," retrospectives, or the daily "Mourning Roundup."

SeeClickFix - Report non-emergency issues, receive alerts in your neighborhood
http://www.seeclickfix.com/
So far just a few cities have signed on to this terrific idea: if you see a problem city government should know about and fix, you can use this service to file a public report online or by mobile phone. You might want your own city officials to sign up.

SimplyChecklists.com
http://www.simplychecklists.com/
Any complicated process works better with a checklist that tells you what supplies you'll need and what steps you'll have to take. The checklists here cover a diverse array of topics, including buying basics for your first kitchen, tornado preparedness, what to bring along to an appointment with a new doctor, running a garage sale, traveling with pets, preparing to buy a home, and lots more.

July 2

Beat the Heat - Lifehacker
http://lifehacker.com/tag/beattheheat/
A compilation of Lifehacker's best articles on surviving hot weather. Having just gotten through 19 straight 90+ degree days, I liked these ideas on no-heat meals, alternatives to air conditioning, etc.

Best Blogs of 2010 - TIME
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1999770,00.html
Time editors select and review an eclectic mix of 30 favorite blogs plus 5 former faves they now view as overrated. There's something for everybody here.

Cigar Box Nation - #1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, Music, Community
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/
In reading Mark Frauenfelder's Made By Hand I learned about communities entirely devoted to making for themselves whatever they happened to need. What some of them needed was home-made musical instruments. If that appeals to you, this is the place to get started.

The Citizen Scientist - the Official Publication of the Society for Amateur Scientists
http://www.sas.org/tcs/
Information and inspiration for those who believe ordinary people who are observant and curious about the world can contribute to science. It includes news, columns, projects, galleries, product reviews, and a nice selection of research resources.

Code for America - Connecting city governments and Web 2.0 talent
http://codeforamerica.org/
This site is now recruiting, as its 2011 Fellows, "the brightest minds of the Web 2.0 generation" to help transform city governments in the five cities selected for 2011: Boston, Philadelphia, Boulder, Washington, DC, and Seattle. If this is your kind of volunteerism, click on the application form.

Fireworks Safety
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/fireworks.html
The folks at KidsHealth provide tips to help your kids, and their hands and eyes, survive 4th of July fireworks fun.

GeoPlatform - Gulf Response
http://www.geoplatform.gov/gulfresponse/
"A new online tool that provides you with near-real time information about the response effort. Developed by NOAA with the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Interior, the site offers you a 'one-stop shop' for spill response information." You can choose and layer multiple data points, including the wellhead location, satellite, radar and aerial images, fishery closures, shoreline cleanup, estimated near shore trajectory, and more. There's a tutorial to help you learn how to manipulate the data.

Health Care
http://www.healthcare.gov/
The official government portal for your health care insurance options under the Affordable Care Act. Pick your state, answer a few questions about your health status, and find out what private and public coverage options are available to match your circumstances. Other portions of the site explain the law, inform you about prevention, and direct you to comparisons of hospital quality.

HomeOwnerNet - Home and Garden Resources
http://www.homeownernet.com/
A fount of ideas and instruction (verbal and video) on planning, how-tos and repairs, and supplies and materials. It also includes new product announcements and reviews. While you're there, check out your current project on its Home Owner Nut blog.

Informed Medical Decisions
http://www.informedmedicaldecisions.org/
Many critics have argued that health care providers don't always fully inform us about all treatment alternatives. The Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making aims to fix that by ensuring that "health care decisions are made with the active participation of fully informed patients." Among its offerings are Patient Decision Aids on topics like "Is a PSA Test Right for You," "Treatment Choices for Coronary Artery Disease," "Early Breast Cancer: Choosing Your Surgery," and more (available on loan by request as long as you agree to fill out a patient evaluation form afterward). It also provides links to medical providers and organizations servings as demonstration sites "that will contribute to our understanding of how to integrate shared decision-making and decision aids."

International Space Station Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=H8rHarp1GEE
Float along with the astronaut as he shows you all the parts of the space station, from Soyuz to shuttle. If the first half, a music-only tour, doesn't make sense to you (or you hate the music), skip ahead to the 3 minute mark when he starts explaining what parts of the space station he's traveling through.

Soundtrack Info Project
http://www.soundtrackinfo.com/
"designed to help you find information about movie soundtracks. Search by movie, song, composer, performer." You can also post your questions, and answer other people's questions as well.


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