Cultural Links

Digital Tradition Mirror

I am a big fan of traditional music - old songs from the 1800s, sea shanties, the like - and collect books on it when I can. But the best resource I've found on the Web so far is the Digital Traditions mirror, which has music and text for hundreds of songs. I'm not sure it's all in the public domain but it's a brilliant way to learn a new song.

Read more:   Digital Tradition Mirror

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  England  Folk Music  Music  Sea Shanty 

Viper Piper Tune Archive

Sure you can pay the $50 for Scots Guards I or II as well as a number of other really good bagpipe tune resources (the Worral and Mathieson books are great). But if you want a collection of off-kilter tunes - Star Wars, the Republic of South Africa national anthem - Viper Piper is a great tune source.

Read more:   Viper Piper Tune Archive

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  Music  Bagpipes  Scotland 

ibiblio Folk Music Index

One of the hardest things about finding a folk tune is knowing where it was published. Without a detailed index showing the song title you have (which may or may not be the song title you think it is), you can be lost. I stumbled upon this site when looking for information about the traditional Canadian tune, the Huron Carol. Here you get not only cross-references to other names for the same tune (like "Twas in the moon of wintertime", the opening line of one of the translations) but also links to recording and publishing information - like a reverse discography.

Read more:   ibiblio Folk Music Index

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  Folk Music  Music 

British Pathe Film Archive

There is something magical about reading history and imagining what actually happened: how steep was the hill at Fredericksburg that the Union charged, what was it like to lie down on the far side of a hill at which the Napoleonic cannon were firing, etc. The British Pathe film archive is a treasure trove of footage of history throughout the 20th century (and a bit of the 19th!). While the high-quality film footage is only available for fees, you can download lower-quality versions of any file for free. The keyword search - and advanced search, if you have specific dates or film criteria - makes it easy to find what you are looking for.

Read more:   British Pathe Film Archive

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  England  History  United Kingdom  Film  Cinema 

The Revels: Homeward Bound

If you are a fan of sea shanties, or American traditional music generally, you should take a look at the recordings the Revels have put out over the years. I first found them through the Skokie Public Library but a recent recording called 'Homeward Bound' includes John Roberts and Tony Barrand, two of my most favorite musicians. It's a brilliant disc, with a selection of common songs with some I'd never heard of before.

Read more:   The Revels: Homeward Bound

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  Folk Music  History  Music  Sea Shanty 

Charity Navigator

I have given to charities frequently over the years and often only to well-known groups. Yet on the street, or on the phone, the solicitations from "charities" never seem to stop. I've finally adopted the rule that I won't give to any group that won't send me information and for whom I can't find information on Charity Navigator.

Read more:   Charity Navigator

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  Opinion  Charities 

Defenders of Wildlife

We continue to ruin as much of our planet as possible and it's nice to know someone is out there doing something to protect wildlife. There will never again be a day when timberwolves run freely through the north, but at least we can hope for small areas where packs can live again with their natural prey.

Read more:   Defenders of Wildlife

Related Topics:  Animals  Annotated Link  Opinion  Wolves 

Facets Multimedia

There are a slew of sources for film - DVD, VHS, what have you - on the Internet. But Facets is an interesting source because of its extraordinary number of foreign films. Their online catalog is easy to browse or search.

Read more:   Facets Multimedia

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  Cinema  Film 

Wolf Education and Research Center

The timber wolf is once again found in sufficient numbers in North America that the debate is under way to remove them from the Endangered Wildlife Act's protection. The WERC has been instrumental in educating the public about wolves. It was founded by Jim Dutcher, author of "Wolves at Our Door". For those in need of gift ideas, you can "adopt" a wolf of the Sawtooth pack!

Read more:   Wolf Education and Research Center

Related Topics:  Annotated Link  Charities  Opinion  Wolves 

UVA Electronic Text Center

I've had the recent opportunity to noodle on a Pocket PC, with the Microsoft Reader installed. In the past, I've read "A Tale of Two Cities" and "David Copperfield" in e-texts, loaded from Project Gutenberg into a Handspring Visor (Palm OS) and been quite satisfied with the experience. The Microsoft Reader is a substantial improvment over that experience, and the UVA Electronic Text Center has a tremendous collection of books, available in Reader, PDF, and HTML formats. Rather than the free "samples" available through Microsoft or other sites, check out the UVA collection if you're looking for e-books.

Read more:   UVA Electronic Text Center

Related Topics:  Academic Library  Annotated Link  E-Book