3 Current Events/Political/Science/News
It’s hard not to have information fatigue in the Information Age. People receive news on current events in real-time and it’s hard to keep up. This section provides some editorial filters designed to help you assess all the data coming your way. Organized by topic, you’ll find sites covering news, financial information, politics, international affairs, and fringe culture.
CURRENT EVENTS
WEBSITES
AlterNet.org
This portal compiles news from independent media sources, such as underground papers, alternative weeklies, and independent investigative journalists, to provide readers with news ignored by the mainstream media.
Arts & Letters Daily
Arts & Letters Daily is an influential website that posts links to articles, essays, and reviews about art and literature. Though the site is affiliated with The Chronicle of Higher Education journal, it is not stuffy and academic. Rather, it’s a key resource for bloggers, and articles posted on the site often influence many blog discussions.
Current Events
This website posts news feeds compiled by the World News Network. Readers can catch up on the latest news happening all over the globe. The site includes full text, video, and audio.
BLOGS
Austin Bay
www.austinbay.net/blog/index.php
The well-known NPR commentator and novelist shares his opinions about current events in this lively blog. The site is consistently updated and covers a wide range of topics. This is a good site to catch up on opinion pieces published in the national press.
BoingBoing.net
BoingBoing.net rightly bills itself as “a directory of wonderful things.” The site is one of the most visited blogs on a consistent basis, mainly because of the crackerjack efforts of its core stable of contributors, many of whom are published authors. Visitors won’t be bored perusing the site, looking out for some new bit of weird and wonderful information, usually with a technology element, posted by one of the contributors.
Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is a popular group blog created by columnist Arianna Huffington. Her celebrity status has helped her to wrangle high-profile contributors such as Barbra Streisand to post their opinions on politics, news, and culture.
MetaFilter
MetaFilter is one of the first group web logs that allowed readers (after fulfilling membership requirements) to post comments on interesting things found on the Web. This site is an excellent filter for finding both the usual news items and other, stranger stories that may have gone unnoticed on mainstream media.
VIDEOS
DemocracyNow.org
Public radio vets Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez host this daily news program broadcast in video and audio formats.
PODCASTS
Learn Out Loud
This site provides educational podcasts, audio books, MP3 downloads, and videos covering a wide range of current affairs topics. Topsellers include audio books on meditation, the laws of attraction, and money management.
The Mark Levin Show
Fans of conservative radio personality Mark Levin can download podcasts of his shows here.
The Michael Baisden Show
www.michaelbaisden.com/Article.asp?id=437448
Michael Baisden hosts a popular national talk show that addresses issues affecting the African American community. His website offers on-demand archives of all shows to registered users.
To The Point
Warren Olney’s podcast of his popular radio program on KCRW in Los Angeles. Olney interviews Southern Californian newsmakers and politicians who have an impact on a national scale.
WIKIS
Citizendium
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Main_Page
Citizendium is a wiki encyclopedia project hoping to codify all aspects of knowledge. Users are encouraged to participate in the Citizendium online community as well as author or edit articles.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Digg
Digg is a popular social bookmarking tool that allows readers to rate the news value of articles and share them with other readers. The more people who rate the same story, the higher it rises in popularity on the site. The site is an excellent way to take the pulse of what current events have attracted the most attention on any given day, or even hour.
Facebook is more than a social networking site. It has encouraged many news publishers to develop applications that mesh with the site, letting millions of readers access news instantly. News applications such as the “New York Times Quiz,” CNN, “The Daily Show,” and Grouptivity’s Social News are very popular on the site.
Mixx
Organized on the same principals as Digg.com, Mixx lets readers vote on stories from around the web. The site organizes new items based on popularity or subject matter. Visitors can also access video news on the site.
This site has a casual interface and is computer-oriented, giving readers links to stories from around the world that cover science and tech news. Readers can track an article’s popularity with handy arrow indicator graphics.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
CurEvents.com
CurEvents.com is a global current events discussion forum. Members must register to comment on articles posted in the forum, but registration isn’t needed to view posts.
Free Republic
Free Republic is a conservative discussion forum and website, offering members instant messaging software, blog publishing platforms, and organizing tools. Members must register in order to participate in the forums.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Second Life Reuters
http://secondlife.reuters.com/
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Reuters/89/104/25 (auditorium)
Reuters, the international news agency, has a news center in Second Life where residents can interact with Reuters staffers and journalists. The news agency posts in world news bits as well as updates on current affairs happening in real life.
Times Online Virtual Worlds News Portal
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/virtual_worlds/
The London Times Online site provides a comprehensive minisite devoted to news emanating from virtual worlds and impacting their residents. This site usually has the most recent reports on any new trends or developments occurring in Second Life or other virtual worlds.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
WEBSITES
Backwoodsman Magazine
Billing itself as the magazine for the twenty-first century frontiersman, Backwoodsman offers readers practical tips on living in rural areas or enjoying the survival wilderness lifestyle.
Defense Review
This online magazine reviews militaryissue firearms and ordnance.
BLOGS
Hillbilly Housewife
www.hillbillyhousewife.com/blog/
The Hillbilly Housewife offers tips on creating rather than purchasing consumer products. The author writes from a fundamentalist Christian point of view.
Survivalblog.com
Jim Rawles, a survivalist author and lecturer, created this blog to share information regarding disaster preparedness and self-sufficiency.
VIDEOS
Shots Fired DVD
This site offers a DVD trailer on what to do in the case of a mass shooting or workplace violence. The full-length DVD, presented by the Center for Personal Protection and Safety, is available for purchase on the site.
PODCASTS
Are You Ready? Video Series
http://odeo.com/episodes/22436403-Are-You-Ready-The-Brian-Lehrer-Show-Thursday-17-April-2008
Preparedness expert John Solomon of incaseofemergencyblog.com created this audio series for The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC.
WIKIS
WikiHow.com
This is a wiki containing articles instructing readers on how to do almost anything.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Flickr: Make Magazine Electronics
www.flickr.com/groups/make/pool/tags/electronics/
Home hackers can learn about new projects at the Make Magazine photostream for electronics.
Twitter: Red Cross
The Red Cross has a channel on Twitter that issues regular updates to users.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Life After the Oil Crash Forum
www.doomers.us/forum2/index.php
Members of this discussion board discuss strategies for coping with economic pressure or natural disasters stemming from fluctuations in oil production and prices.
Near Death Experiments
This board devotes itself to survival preparedness in a nonpartisan way. It encourages folks to share preparedness tips without indulging in fear mongering.
FINANCIAL NEWS
WEBSITES
Bonds Online
Bondsonline.com is a comprehensive site delivering information on fixed-income investing. The site lets you search for any type of bond based on parameters such as maturity, coupon rate, credit quality, and issuer. The site also has a lively forum that’s mostly devoid of disruptive personalities.
Bureau of the Public Debt Online
Run by the U.S. Treasury Department, this site is a clearinghouse for government debt information. Visitors can buy debt at auction directly from the Treasury by setting up an account on the site.
GStock Supercomputer
GStock is a subscription-based stock-picking service that analyzes and tells you the optimal time to buy or sell your stock based on recommendations from the company’s computer algorithm.
InvestingInBonds.com
InvestingInBonds.com is an excellent site for beginning investors looking for basic information and strategies. The site offers a glossary and well-written articles and charts.
SaneBull Market Monitor
SaneBull creates widgets that let you monitor all your investment information in one place. The site provides a variety of scripting tools for placing the widget on any Internet platform, including your desktop, Facebook, MySpace, and so on.
BLOGS
Cara Community
Bill Cara is an experienced trader whose site consistently lands on all the Best of the Web lists. Having his own brokerages, he’s sensitive to the type of information that’s useful to traders, and he posts data and opinion during the day while trading is still happening.
Random Roger’s Big Picture
Random Roger (aka Roger Nusbaum) is a portfolio manager who also writes for TheStreet.com. His blog focuses on long-term investment strategies, giving his opinion about market fluctuations.
Seeking Alpha
Seeking Alpha is a network of blogs covering domestic and financial markets. The site is well organized and includes feeds from other stock blogs.
Trader Mike
Trader Mike’s strength is analysis of marketing trading activities. Visitors like his annotated stock charts.
VIDEOS
Forbes.com Video
Forbes Magazine provides video on the latest financial stories on a daily basis.
PODCASTS
Wall Street Confidential
www.thestreet.com/podcasts/wall-street-confidential.html
Financial news personality Jim Cramer podcasts his opinions on the day’s markets on TheStreet.com. Cramer may not always be right, but he’s definitely entertaining.
WIKIS
Wikinancial
Wikinancial is a free investment community site that encourages you to learn from your mistakes. Users can test their stock-picking abilities and compare them with other users. There is no money exchanged in these trades.
Wikinvest
Wikinvest is an online community that lets users add opinion and information on the stock market by editing wiki pages on specific topics or companies.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Cake Financial
This online community gives users the opportunity to share investment decisions in a social network setting. Members can follow another’s portfolio and monitor the trades of top performers. Members can even conduct real-time trades via their brokerage account.
SocialPicks
SocialPicks is a stock-picking community where users can share information with one another and track investments. The site offers groups and a tool for voting on financial news stories.
Stockpickr
Owned by the financial news site TheStreet.com, this community of investors can provide advice and recommendations for ways to increase your investments.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
BoardCentral.com
BoardCentral.com aggregates and displays posts from top message boards on one site, eliminating the necessity of monitoring individual message boards for the latest stock tips. This service syndicates data from message boards at Yahoo! Finance, RagingBull, The Motley Fool, SiliconInvestor, and ClearStation.
The Fat Wallet.com Forums
www.fatwallet.com/forums/finance/
Members of FatWallet.com gather to share investment advice and offer perspectives on saving money.
Investors Hub
This forum gives investors access to all the market data while contributing to discussion groups focused on specific companies or strategies.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Entropia Universe
Mindark, a Swedish company, has created one of the first virtual game worlds to introduce an open economy, allowing residents to trade actual currencies to purchase virtual real estate in the game, as well as using banks to increase the currency’s value.
SL Exchange
This site gives residents in Second Life the opportunity to buy and sell goods using the virtual currency, Linden Dollars, that powers transactions in Second Life. Visitors can buy and sell almost any item for reuse in Second Life: clothing, avatars, furniture, real estate, and accessories.
GOVERNMENT
WEBSITES
GovernmentExecutive.com
This site is an online magazine for management-level government employees. The site includes blogs and directories.
Judicial Watch
This site is a conservative website that keeps track of stories about the Supreme Court and the U.S. judiciary. Judicial Watch takes an activist role as well. It files lawsuits in support of causes that it supports and publishes special projects like a financial disclosure report from all Supreme Court justices, appellate court, and district court judges.
The White House
George W. Bush’s White House staffers keep the public up-to-date on the issues of our times. Article authors are unnamed.
BLOGS
Project on Government Oversight
The Project on Government Oversight (POGO) investigates government corruption and misconduct at the federal level. The POGO blog posts the latest news on the organization’s activities and investigations.
SCOTUSblog
www.scotusblog.com/movabletype
The Supreme Court of the United States blog is staffed by members of a law firm called Goldstein & Howe, one of the few Supreme Court litigation firms in the United States. SCOTUS is one of the most popular law blogs because it regularly monitors all the cases under review by the Supreme Court.
White House Watch
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/06/18/BL2008061801546.html
The Washington Post hosts this blog by Daniel Froomkin that collects news items about the President and his staff from blogs, news outlets, and international media.
PODCASTS
White House Press Briefings
www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/02/20080227-5.html
Listeners can obtain unfiltered information directly from the White House Press Secretary by subscribing to this daily podcast.
WIKIS
Congresspedia
www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Congresspedia
Jointly created by the Center for Media and Democracy and the Sunlight Foundation, Congresspedia is a wiki devoted to providing accurate information on all U.S. congressional representatives. This wiki is part of a larger project to encourage civic engagement and highlight transparency in our government.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
If I’m President
This social networking site lets you share your political views by pretending to be a candidate. The site lets you establish your platform and share your views across a network of friends on the site.
MILITARY
WEBSITES
Milblogging.com
This site is a comprehensive index of current blogs written by military personnel. The site provides a feed of top stories posted from milblogs all around the world.
Wounded Warrior Project
This website focuses on the plight of wounded soldiers and their efforts to rehabilitate their lives. The site is an excellent clearinghouse for information and resources available to wounded veterans.
BLOGS
Global Guerrillas
http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/
Global Guerrillas is a blog by journalist John Robb about guerrilla warfare tactics in the twenty-first century.
Mudville Gazette
The Mudville Gazette is the command center for military bloggers. An active duty serviceman named Greyhawk runs the site and hosts other blogs for soldiers.
Sean Dustman’s Photoblog
http://dustmans.fotopages.com/
This is a photoblog by a sailor stationed in Iraq on his fourth tour of duty.
Related Site
http://docinthebox.blogspot.com/
PODCASTS
Military Podcast
www.militaryspot.com/military-podcast.htm
MilitarySpot.com publishes this directory of the latest audio prepared by military journalists or soldier podcasters.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
MyArmyLifeToo.com
Designed for the families of Army personnel, this Department of the Army site offers jargon-free content, resources, and tools for the families of Army members.
SmartSoldier.com
SmartSoldier.com is an online community operated by current military personnel and recent veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Services. The site provides an online resource for new recruits, currently enlisted members, and military veterans who want to work their way through the military system.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
VAJoe.com Military Forum
VAJoe.com is a comprehensive website for current and retired military personnel. The message boards provide a sense of community for all branches of the military and their families.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
America’s Army
America’s Army is a computer game based on the experiences of Army soldiers in combat. Players can join leagues and play against one another on the Internet.
MONEY MANAGEMENT
WEBSITES
American Consumer News
This site offers content on ways to manage personal finance and reduce unsecured debt. The site includes columnists addressing travel tips, debt elimination, and money management strategies.
Bankwide.com
This is an online magazine dedicated to offering tips on gaining financial stability and independence. The site offers community forums, research papers, and articles. Banking professionals can find news feeds from all the financial trade papers on Bankwide.com’s front page.
Money Hackers Network
This website publishes posts from consumer finance blogs from around the Internet. This site is an efficient way for users to keep abreast of all the finance blogs at the same time.
BLOGS
Chief Family Officer
A working mom named Cathy offers her tips on finances, food, and family. She frequently shares links to freebies or other discounts.
My Money Blog
The owner of this site posts money-saving ideas and news as he works toward his long-term net-worth goals. Visitors interested in learning more about saving for retirement should also visit blogs listed on this site’s blogroll.
PODCASTS
Dave Ramsey Show
www.daveramsey.com/radio/home/index.cfm?strMode=listen
Debt relief author Dave Ramsey shares his wisdom via his radio show broadcast daily on the Internet. Listeners can call in and get specific advice as well.
No Credit Needed Podcast
This is an archive of podcasts produced by the No Credit Needed blog about debt reduction and personal finance.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Wage Exchange.com
Serving the computer, technology, and advertising industries, WageExchange.com is an online community where these professionals can anonymously share their salaries and compile an accurate idea of average pay rates.
Wesabe.com
Here is a community-based money management site. Users upload their financial data, visible only to the account user, and Wesabe offers financial tips based on the experience of users with a similar balance sheet.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
The Finance Forums
This discussion board provides a forum for discussing financial planning and debt-reduction strategies.
POLITICS
WEBSITES
Political News Daily
Politics junkies can find all their favorite political news stories gathered in one place on this site.
United States Politics Guide
This site aims to be a comprehensive directory to all sites and blogs about politics. Users can find link listings for any aspect of American politics, including polls, blogs, speeches, discussion forums, columnists, TV, radio, and books.
BLOGS
Crooks and Liars
Crooks and Liars concentrates on the television news media. The site uses clever headlines and captions to mock live news reports and policy debates from Fox News, CNN, and international broadcasters.
Daily Kos
This group effort, hosted by blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, is one of the most popular political blogs on the Internet. The liberal site offers quotations, useful links, and insightful articles about the Iraq war, terrorism, and hypocritical world leaders.
Instapundit.com
Glenn Reynolds maintains Instapundit.com. His blog covers everything, but he’s primarily interested in issues involving individual liberty and advanced technology. People love to read Mr. Reynolds’ writing because, even if they don’t agree with him, they admire his quick, smart, and funny posts.
VIDEOS
The Living Room Candidate
http://livingroomcandidate.org
The Museum of the Moving Image created this special site to share presidential campaign commercials from the past.
PODCASTS
The Uncooperative Blogger Radio Show
http://uncooperativeblogger.blogspot.com/
Blogger Brian Bonner hosts this weekly Internet radio show from a conservative point of view.
WIKIS
Conservapedia
www.conservapedia.com/Main_Page
This wiki site aims to publish encyclopedic articles with a conservative perspective.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Polzoo
This networking site claims to be a social networking center for political participation, encouraging debate and action. Members can participate in live chats and share video.
RedblueAmerica
This social networking site unites members of both parties, giving a nonpartisan platform on which to discuss politics, and share text, video, and audio.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Debate Politics Forums
This discussion board offers visitors a chance to share their views on political issues in a nonpartisan, civil forum.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
The Metaverse Republic
This group proposes virtual dispute resolution mechanisms for Second Life. To further their cause, they established a center to discuss such a Second Life legal system on a private estate called Tabula Rasa.
SCIENCE/TECH NEWS
WEBSITES
Science Daily
This site offers the latest research news. Users can access articles, blogs, video on topics including medicine, biology, earth science, space and time, matter and energy, and computers.
Science News
This is the online edition of the weekly magazine published by the Society for the Science & the Public. The publication covers all aspects of scientific discovery.
Wired.com
Wired magazine’s website covers all the latest technology trends. In addition to posting articles from the paper version of the magazine, the site publishes several well-written blogs, tech and game reviews, and lots of multimedia.
BLOGS
Bitesize Bio
This well-written blog covers genetic engineering and microbiology issues from the perspective of the researcher. It’s a great introduction into the mechanics of working in a lab.
Slashdot
Slashdot describes itself as “News for Nerds.” Although the blog’s focus is on news related to technology, it is an excellent resource for news on the latest cultural development.
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is a group blog covering technology and Internet start-ups. The site maintains a thorough archive of new company reviews. It’s fun to look back and see how established Internet companies fared when they were just starting out.
VIDEOS
Sloan Science and Film
This is a special site highlighting the intersection of science and film in American pop culture.
PODCASTS
Science Magazine Podcasts
http://sciencemag.org/about/podcast.dtl
Science magazine produces weekly podcasts about interesting stories in the journal and on the website.
Science@NASA
Aspiring astronauts and astronomers can listen to stories about space exploration and rocket innovation. The agency posts a new audio file each week.
WIKIS
Useful Chem
http://usefulchem.wikispaces.com/
The Useful Chem blog created this wiki to list chemistry resources and index examples of the chemistry problems discussed on the blog.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
DNA Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com has launched this service that allows users to submit a DNA sample to the site for DNA analysis and comparison to results in its genetic database. Using this data, DNA Ancestry allows people to join others with similar genetic traits or surnames in groups to determine how they may be related.
Genebase Bio Net
Genebase.com is a genomics DNA social networking site, developed to supplement the company’s DNA Ancestry Project product. After receiving DNA information gleaned from using the kit, users can access Genebase databases and compare DNA results with other Genebase users for further study and investigation.
Nature Network
Nature Magazine has created a social networking site for scientists. Members can connect with one another, discuss research, and participate in forums.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
The Science Forum
This forum offers users a platform for discussing all branches of science. Regulars on the site are very patient and answer all types of questions.
ScienceForums.net
This bulletin board hosts debate and forums about the latest scientific research and news.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
International Space Museum
http://slurl.com/secondlife/SpaceportAlpha/128/128/0
Second Life residents have lovingly re-created spacecraft from all over the world, including orbiting satellites.
SciLands Virtual Continent
SciLands is a minicontinent created in Second Life by residents interested in science and technology. There are more than 20 science and technology related organizations in the SciLands, including government agencies, universities, and museums. Members collaborate on projects, host meetings, and share ideas.
Second Life Science Center
http://slurl.com/secondlife/InfoIslandII/115/204/24
Visitors in Second Life can explore Science Center exhibits such as a physics engine or discover links to other science sites in the metaverse.
Second Nature
www.nature.com/secondnature/index.html
Nature Magazine created a virtual world in Second Life called Second Nature where the publication hosts exhibits, talks, and experiments.
STATE GOVERNMENTS
WEBSITES
FollowTheMoney.org
This site focuses on campaign funding in state politics by tracking donations at the state Congressional level.
Stateline.org
Published by the Pew Research Center, this website monitors a variety of news sources to inform readers about issues affecting various U.S. states.
BLOGS
Capitol Inside
This blog covers Texas politics and government in a very intense way. Political junkies will enjoy the site’s comprehensive news feeds from every major Texan news publication. Edited by Mike Hailey, the site publishes original articles and opinion pieces about Texas legislators and state power brokers.
UNDERGROUND NEWS
WEBSITES
Adbusters.org
Adbusters.org site is the electronic arm of a print magazine aimed at challenging corporate consumerism and materialistic media messages.
Disinformation
The logo for this blog is “Everything you know is wrong.” A humorous group effort, plenty of actual information is hidden among the nuggets of wit.
The Raw Story
Raw Story is a news website that posts stories that do not get much attention in the mainstream media.
RealNightmare.org
This site monitors opposition to a national identity card in the United States and offers organizing tips and action plans.
BLOGS
Firedoglake
This blog is rich in multimedia demonstrating the erosion of American civil liberties from a progressive point of view.
TechnoOccult.com
This group blog covers fringe culture with an emphasis on the occult and science conspiracies.
Professor Hex
http://professorhex.blogspot.com/
Professor Hex posts news items about the weird, paranormal, or unexplainable, such as UFOs, Loch Ness monster sightings, and so on.
VIDEOS
GRITtv
http://lauraflanders.firedoglake.com/
This Internet news show features commentary on international affairs and human rights and includes interviews conducted by Laura Flanders and Amani Noma.
Mobile Broadcast News
http://mobilebroadcastnews.com/
This site features news stories created by a team of independent video journalists roving across the country on a bus. The site documents peace and justice issues in America.
PODCASTS
Coast to Coast AM
Long hosted by famous libertarian Art Bell, Coast to Coast AM continues to podcast weekly shows about conspiracy theories, UFO sightings, and the paranormal.
History Podcast
Jason Watts podcasts weekly about odd historical figures, places, and events.
WIKIS
Mind Control Wiki
Students of mind-control methods can learn about mind-control techniques and history from this wiki created by the authors of the Mind Control blog.
Related Site
http://mindcontrol101.blogspot.com/
Occult Wiki
This wiki lists entries on occult topics such as Freemansonry, cults, and esoteric philosophy. Because all entries are on one page, it is difficult to navigate.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Media Underground Net Forums
www.media-underground.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi
Media-Underground.net board focuses on news involving the occult and esoteric philosophy.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
The Conscious Lounge
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isle%20Of%20Genesis/247/39/32
Anarchists and libertarians flock to the Center for Conscious Education in Second Life where they will find like-minded individuals, classes, and a gallery space.
Witch’s Brew
http://slurl.com/secondlife/evalua/224/187/28/
Because virtual reality has always been a given in alternative and fantasy communities, it’s no surprise that Second Life has proven a haven for pagan and Wiccan practitioners. Many congregate at Witch’s Brew, a friendly pub, that lets patrons mingle, dance, and find information about other pagan sites.
WORLD AFFAIRS/DIPLOMACY
WEBSITES
Paul Hensel’s International Relations Data Site
http://garnet.acns.fsu.edu/~phensel/data.html
This site lists links to online data resources for scholars.
WorldPress.org
To foster a broader exchange of ideas and perspectives, this website reprints articles written by journalists outside of the United States.
BLOGS
Davos Newbies
Lance Knobel writes Davos Newbies. This site, formerly the Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is a center for sharing ideas. He posts commentary from a global perspective.
Foreign Policy Watch
This group blog provides thoughtful political analysis on issues affecting diplomatic strategy and international relations.
The International Relations Blog
http://int-relations.blogspot.com/
Authored by a person who calls himself Simmons, this site publishes international relations news commentary. Simmons writes a succinct response to each news link that he posts on the site, providing background information and a recommended course of action.
Security Dilemmas
http://securitydilemmas.blogspot.com/
Professor Seth Weinberger maintains this blog dedicated to examining national security and international relations issues.
VIDEOS
Earth TV
This site provides video feeds from closed-circuit cameras in more than 70 countries around the world. Viewers get an eyeful.
PODCASTS
America Abroad Radio
www.americaabroadmedia.org/radio
Listeners obtain international news created by independent journalists affiliated with the America Abroad Media organization.
Council on Foreign Relations
http://cfr.org/publication/by_type/podcast.html
The Council on Foreign Relations provides audio downloads, available several times a week, on the latest foreign policy news and analysis.
WIKIS
Wikileaks
This wiki encourages anonymous whistleblowers to post sensitive documents or information about governments and corporations.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
TakePart.com
This social networking site aims to engage and motivate social activists from around the world. The site provides users with forums and tools for meeting in real life to foster change in the world.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Foreign Policy Forum
www.foreignpolicy.com/resources/forum/index.php
Foreign Policy Magazine maintains a forum for readers to share information and debate foreign policy strategies. Discussion folders cover the latest current events as well as globalization, global politics, and U.S. foreign policy.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Diplomacy Island
www.diplomacy.edu/DiplomacyIsland
http://slurl.com/secondlife/DiplomacyIsland/128/128/0
Second Life residents can practice their diplomatic skills at conferences and other events on this island in the online game. Visitors can explore the island’s virtual embassy (for the Maldives), library, and Museum of Diplomacy.