·http://storyoftheweek.loa.org/

Chronicling World War II, the African American experience, nature writing, and dozens of other areas is all in a day's work for the Library of America. Its volumes have received critical acclaim from readers and critics. For the past few years, the organization has been offering up selected stories and features from its pages on this site. Each story here is available in pdf format and contains links to other compelling content, including video clips, interviews, and image databases. Currently there are over 100 stories online, including P.T. Barnum's "In France" and H.P. Lovecraft's haunting "The Music of Erich Zann." Visitors can sign up to receive a new story each week or suggest stories for possible inclusion. [KMG]

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·http://brtc.tamu.edu/

Texas A&M University has crafted this unique and wonderful collection of materials for use by the scientific community and anyone else with an interest in natural history and other matters. The collections here are maintained by staff and faculty at the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and they are updated on a regular basis. On the site, the Collections area contains separate links to thematic collections such as Fishes, Mammals, Parasites, and Genetic Resources. Each of these areas includes details about the collection, along with a link to the relevant database which contains detailed records about each specimen. The Database Search is a one-stop shop where visitors can perform detailed searches across all of the databases. Before leaving the site, News and Happenings is worth a visit, as it contains information about ongoing research activities, seminars, and outreach efforts. [KMG]

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·http://www.geogebra.org/cms/en/

If you're a mathematics educator, you'll find the GeoGebra site to be a perfect addition to your stable of online resources. On the top of the homepage, visitors can look through sections that include About, Download, Community, and Materials. Most visitors will want to download the GeoGebra application as it is the primary way to utilize the 44,000 learning activities offered on the site. After completing the download of this free, interactive geometry, algebra, statistics, and calculus software, click on over to the Featured Materials area. Here visitors can look over the newest materials, check out the Best Worksheets, and wander through the popular tags. Mathematics educators have contributed many of the items here, and a small sample includes "The 11 Patterns of the Cube" and "Introduction to Linear Equations." Finally, visitors can also use the Community area to ask questions and share resources. [KMG]

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·http://www.kc.frb.org/education/

The Federal Reserve Banks scattered around the United States all maintain a strong educational component as part of their outreach work within the communities they serve. This nice section of the Kansas City branch's site includes free economic and personal finance resources for educators, bankers, and consumers. The Resources area is a great place to start as it contains lesson plans that are appropriate for K-12 audiences. Moving on, the Consumer Education area includes resources on foreclosure trends, credit card protections, and helpful tips for shopping for a mortgage. Additionally, the site contains a place where visitors can sign up to receive updates on various branch activities and a link to the branch's RSS feed. [KMG]

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·http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=696&id=696

The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science releases new and helpful teaching materials on a regular basis. This recent addition to the Center's great resources deals with organic chemistry and cellphones. Crafted by Courtney Meyet and Richard Hooley of the University of California, Riverside, this case study guides students "through a systematic exploration of the synthesis and properties of polyphenylene vinylene." The whole experience starts with a classic article from Nature magazine and includes a PowerPoint presentation, a series of group questions, and other activities. The resources here are intended for an undergraduate audience and persons with an interest in organic reactions, organic materials, and polymers will find that this resource is most efficacious. [KMG]

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·http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/biosystems/

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) provides integrated access to biological systems and their component genes, proteins, and small molecules. It's a remarkable resource for persons interested in the biological sciences and the Using Biosystems area is a great place to get started. The About area provides a nice introduction to the records contained within this database along with some great examples, such as "find the pathways in which a given gene or protein is involved" and "retrieve 3D structures for proteins involved in a biosystem." The BioSystem Tools area features primers on some very powerful statistical tools made available here, including FLink, which handles large quantities of input and output data. The site is rounded out by the Other Resources area, which includes links to other databases, such as PubChem and BioAssay. [KMG]

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·http://www.csun.edu/science/geoscience/meteorology/index.html

Created by Professor Herr at California State University-Northridge, the Sourcebook for Teaching Science offers a trove of materials for science educators in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, and the geophysical sciences. This corner of his site brings together resources for teaching meteorology from a vast litany of institutions, including NOAA, the National Science Foundation, and National Geographic. The materials are divided into five areas, including The Atmosphere, United States Weather, and Teaching Resources. This last area is quite useful as it contains databases of lesson plans, a set of exercises dealing with the Northern Lights, and more. Visitors are encouraged to look around at other general resources offered here, such as the worksheets on developing a scientific vocabulary and the importance of organizing scientific information. [KMG]

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·http://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/

Metro Focus is a multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. The program includes commentary on current events, in-depth reporting, and news updates on areas such as education, transportation, and poverty. Visitors can look around at the organization's programs via the Topics tab at the top of the page and also just scroll through recent episodes which cover everything from the history of Brooklyn, the state of affordable health care in New York, and solutions to assist the chronically homeless. The Watch MetroFocus area affords access to hundreds of complete episodes. [KMG]

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·http://merrick.library.miami.edu/specialCollections/asm0400/

The history of women's clubs is fascinating and this rather unique digital collection from the University of Miami Libraries is a worthy look into how one such organization transformed the rapidly growing city of Miami and environs. The organization was founded in 1891 as the Housekeepers Club and over the next several decades its members worked on issues surrounding environmental conservation, city beautification, and women's suffrage. Here visitors can make their way through over 80 documents, including historic photos, club scrapbooks, promotional announcements, and posters. Additionally, the site is rounded out by a nice timeline of club activities from 1891 to the present day. [KMG]

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·http://wgbhnews.org/programs/innovation-hub

Want to know what's going on in the world of innovation? WGBH in Boston has you covered. The Innovation Hub program offers a fine cornucopia of the latest news from the world of innovation, including pieces on the legacy of the Estee Lauder brand, the skyrocketing costs of health care, and new ways of marketing various food products. First-time visitors might want to start with "The Population Problem" which looks at the two major problems facing the world: growing population and climate change. The site contains hundreds of past episodes that provide thoughtful and detailed commentary on events and topics that are relevant to the basic theme of innovation across many fields of activity, including public health, product design, workplace safety, and urban planning. [KMG]

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·http://www.aiachicago.org/

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago is the largest chapter of licensed architects, architectural interns, and allied professionals within AIA Illinois. When one thinks of the tremendously talented individuals who have left their mark on the city of Chicago, this fact is not so surprising. On AIA Chicago's website, visitors will find access to information about membership, chapter events, an in-house blog, and Chicago Architect, a chapter magazine. In the Resources area, visitors must browse information about the "AIA Guide to Chicago," which is a wonderful guide to the architectural wonders of the Windy City. This area also includes information on hiring an architect and a job board. The Chicago Architect magazine is a delight and any given visit might reveal a meditation on the possibilities of wooden skyscrapers, LEED-certified factories, or adaptive reuse projects. [KMG]

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·http://menus.nypl.org/

If you are hungry, it may not behoove you to spend too much time on this website. On the other hand, it might offer up a bit of inspiration for a new culinary exploration. In short, the New York Public Library has digitized over 17,000 historic menus containing over 1.2 million dishes. It's a gastronome's feast and anyone with a penchant for cookery will be delighted to learn of its existence. Visitors can look over the Catch of the Day area to find out about some of the seafood menus and look over Today's Specials to learn of unique dishes such as Lobster Plain and Clams A La Newburg. Just typing words into the search engine (such as "baked alaska" or "Chicago") will return hundreds of compelling results. Finally, visitors can elect to help out by transcribing the menus and also geotagging the locations and places mentioned in each menu. [KMG]

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·http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/historicresources.htm

In 2000, the city of Seattle began an ambitious project to survey and inventory historic resources across the entire municipality. The last such project took place in 1979 and taken together, these efforts offer excellent documentation of the built environment. The database here includes over 5,000 properties and visitors can search through the entire collection by address, parcel number, property attribute (such as date of construction), and a number of other fields. The Context Statements area is a great way to learn about the methodologies and basic findings utilized to cover each neighborhood. Historic preservation specialists will find that the statements are extremely detailed in terms of resources used to create such a narrative profile. The site also includes a Glossary of Terms that covers "acquisition type" to "year of construction." [KMG]

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·https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/simplenote/id692867256?mt=12

If you write a note on one device, shouldn't you be able to find it anywhere, at anytime? Yes, you should, and Simplenote makes this possible. This application gives users the opportunity to write down their notes and organize them with tags and pins. Additionally, visitors can share the notes and publish them for the consideration of others. This version is compatible with all devices running Mac OS X 10.8 and newer. [KMG]

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·http://rogueamoeba.com/intermission/

Do you want to turn back time? It can be a mighty task, but Rogue Amoeba makes it possible. This tiny application affords users the opportunity to pause and rewind live audio on their computers. It's a rather fine free device, but visitors can also purchase the complete version for $15. This version is compatible with computers running Mac OS X 10.7.0 and newer. [KMG]

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Tom Clancy, Best-Selling Master of Military Thrillers, Dies at 66
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/books/tom-clancy-best-selling-novelist-of-military-thrillers-dies-at-66.html?_r=0

Author Tom Clancy, master of the modern day thriller, dead at 66
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/02/us/tom-clancy-obit/

Tom Clancy: An appreciation
http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-tom-clancy-an-appreciation-20131002,0,4350645.story

Wired for Books: Interview with Tom Clancy
http://www.wiredforbooks.org/tomclancy/

Tom Clancy: Salon
http://www.salon.com/1997/06/04/clancy/

Tom Clancy
http://www.tomclancy.com/

Tom Clancy wasn't a man with years of military experience when he started writing military thrillers over twenty five years ago. Curiously enough, he was an insurance salesman in Maryland writing on the side, hoping that he might sell a few copies of the book that eventually became "The Hunt for Red October." Clancy was an unknown then, and it was hard for a major press to take notice of his work. The book was a success, however, and Clancy went on to write numerous other titles, many of which were adapted into television programs and movies which were, to put it mildly, quite thrilling. Clancy passed this Tuesday, leaving a legacy of works that captured the attention of people with a penchant for military intrigue and espionage set against the backdrop of the Cold War and its wake. During his lifetime, Clancy's books sold over 100 million copies. His passion for researching every last detail was intense, so he pored over technical manuals for months to get everything right. He once said in an interview that "I've made up stuff that's turned out to be real - that's the spooky part." [KMG]

The first link will take visitors an obituary for Clancy which appeared in Wednesday's New York Times. The second link will whisk users away to another encomium published by CNN.com on Tuesday. Moving along, the third link will take interested parties to a great appreciation of Clancy's work from the Los Angeles Times' Hector Tobar. The fourth link will take interested parties to a 1984 interview with Clancy conducted by Don Swaim of "Wired for Books." The fifth link leads to a compelling interview of Clancy from Salon that didn't go quite as planned. The last link will take visitors to the official Tom Clancy homepage, which contains information about his books and upcoming writings.