Multimedia

	Macromedia - Macromedia produces a variety of applications for multimedia creation including Director, Flash, Authorware, Dreamweaver, and Freehand and this site contains a wealth of useful information about using these products. The ShockWave Zone (a showcase of Director-produced materials delivered via the web in Shockwave format) is worth the trip. Anyone that uses Macromedia's products (particularly Director and Flash) know that sometimes you need all the help you can get. The applications are wonderful when they work as advertised, but most of the products that Macromedia produces generally seem to have MAJOR problems. (Hence the reason they are constantly releasing new versions. That, and they also are very good at preventing applications from being backward compatible and therefore necessitating a several hundred dollar upgrade.) It seems clear that profit is the ultimate goal at Macromedia and if they release products that are rife with bugs or simply do not contain the features advertised, they are unconcerned because they know they own the market.
	Director Online User Group (DOUG) - As with all instances of programming or multimedia creation, it helps to have help. Using Macromedia's Director application is no different. The DOUG site is a great resource for learning more about Director and for finding ways to accomplish things in Director without having to reinvent the wheel.
	Adobe Systems Incorporated - Adobe, like Macromedia, is another major player in terms of producing multimedia development applications (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat). This site has lots of tips and tutorials on using Adobe products as well as information on trends in the field of multimedia development.
	QuickTime (Apple) - QuickTime technology, developed by Apple, is one of the best and easiest ways to use and edit digital video on a computer. From streaming video and audio to standalone videos that can be modified and tailored to meet the needs of the user, QT is the way to go, especially for creating cross-platform content. This site, like those above, is a great resource for how-to information.

All things Macintrash

<rant>There is unlikely to be a group of computer users more loyal and militant (can you say elitist?) about their choice of computer than Mac users. I used to love Macs but am compelled to use Apple's latest OS (that steaming pile known as "OS X": e.g., a foolish multi-user interface, amazingly sluggish performance, file permission errors to drive the sanest person over the edge, etc) at work and know firsthand that Mac users need all the help they can get. With < 2% of the market, there are, luckily, relatively few (and fewer with each passing day) who are fool enough to use the trash that Apple spews forth. Let's all hope Apple finally goes under with this one.</rant>

	MacInTouch - This site (as well as each of the sites below) is a main source of current information about changes and updates to the Mac OS and associated applications and hardware. The site is updated daily and is invaluable for keeping your system running smoothly.
	MacFixIt - This site is very similar to the MacInTouch site above. (It pays to have redundancy in any system.)
	MacCentral - This site is a repository of current information about the Macintosh world and incorporates the once-separate MacWEEK site.
	MacWorld - The best-known Mac-related publication has a fine web site that contains a wealth of information about current trends and changes. The product reviews are particularly useful as is Macdownload, a searchable repository of Mac shareware and freeware.

Science

	ScienceDaily - It's tough enough to keep up-to-date on what's going on in your own area of expertise and even more so for staying current in what's happening in all of science. This site helps a lot by providing news on current research and discoveries in all areas of science as well as links to other sites providing more in-depth information about specific subjects.
	The Talk.Origins Archive - Recent polls have indicated that around 50% of Americans surveyed claim they do not "believe in" evolution. A 1999 Gallup poll indicated that nearly 30% of those polled said that evolution -- the central unifying concept of all of biology -- should not be a required part of a high school science curriculum. Amazing ... Talk.origins is a Usenet newsgroup devoted to the discussion and debate of biological and physical origins. Prominent here is discussion of the creation/evolution controversy, but other topics of discussion include the origin of life, geology, biology, catastrophism, cosmology and theology. This site is useful for providing intelligent information on evolution that is understandable to everyone (that is, everyone that wants to understand).
	Science Magazine - Science is the premier scientific journal in the U.S., and it's site is filled with current information on all areas of science, particularly the ScienceNOW daily news section.
	Molecules R US - This is a very specialized site, but one that I use fairly regularly in creating materials for use in teaching. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) operate this site as an online portal to the Protein Data Bank (PDB) whereby a user can search this database that consists of files containing information on the three-dimensional structure of biological molecules (not just proteins). These files can be instantly converted to images for download, can be visualized as a 3-D model within a browser by use of the Chime browser plugin, or can downloaded and used in external applications such as RasMol or MacMolecule.

Teaching

	Access Excellence - Teaching is a difficult job, one that combines an intellectual understanding of the material with performance art. How best to get concepts across to students is often not clear and being able to benefit from the experience of others is always useful. This site, titled "the site for health and bioscience teachers and learners", provides a wide range of resources ranging from current news, teaching resources, a mechanism to exchange specific activities for covering difficult concepts, and basic information on areas of biology.
	ERIC: Educational Resources Information Center - ERIC is part of the National Library of Education which in turn is part of the U.S. Department of Education. ERIC is a national effort aimed at identifying, selecting and disseminating information about education and is a great source for information on all aspects of teaching, including at the undergraduate level. You should definitely check out the various clearinghouses which collect, abstract, and index education materials on particular subjects (i.e., higher education, information and technology, science, mathematics, and environmental education.) ERIC also has the world's largest database of educational information, all of which can be searched online.
	Beyond Bio 101 - This is a great publication produced by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that discusses the on-going transformation of undergraduate biology education in the United States. Chapters include "A World of Opportunity", "Changes In The Classroom", "The Laboratory Experience", "Faculty in the Crossfire", "Expanding The Talent Pool" and "The Many Paths to Success". This is must reading for anyone currently involved with undergraduate biology education.
	National Institute for Science Education/College Level One - This NSF-funded project is a "nationwide community of post-secondary science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) faculty, education researchers, faculty developers, and students." The stated mission of the program is: 1) to improve students' learning experiences and critical thinking skills by fostering innovation in introductory SMET education at the college level; 2) to engage and retain a growing and diverse student population in the study of science, mathematics, and engineering by eliminating cultural and gender barriers; 3) to increase college students' SMET literacy and effectively prepare students majoring in SMET disciplines for their future careers. The site has three main areas of content associated with enhancing collaborative learning in the college classroom: 1) Collaborative Learning (tools for encouraging active participation by students), 2) Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (tools for assessing student performance) and 3) Learning Technology (technological tools for improving student performance).
	Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) - ABLE is one of the major organizations for educators involved with laboratory-based instruction in biology. The organization sponsors an annual workshop/conference which have as their focus hands-on opportunities to see exactly how educators are approaching various topics in biology teaching. ABLE publishes proceedings of the workshops which are available for purchase. The proceedings can also be searched online by author and subject and selected articles are also available online. ABLE's newsletter, Labstracts, often contains useful teaching tips, some of which are available on the web site.

In all that copious free time ...

	Fender - Just as computer users often show strong preferences for particular brands, so do musicians. Fender guitars are wonderful instruments and this site (obviously) is devoted to information about them. The FenderForum is a bulletin board system run on the Fender site to facilitate exchange of information among Fender devotees.
	Harmony Central - This is THE online resource for information about all aspects of musical instruments (OK, mainly guitar, bass, keys, and drums). Great product reviews are available for all kinds of specific instruments and accessories as well as directories to other similar sites on the web. Harmony Central is also a main gateway to OLGA, the On-Line Guitar Archive, the main resource for sharing of guitar tablature.
	Dropzone.com - For those who believe in making a sport out of an emergency procedure, here's a great resource that includes gear reviews, skydiving news, a collection of online learning materials, discussion forums, and an auction site for purchasing used equipment.
	Skydive Twin Cities - The title says it all.
	The Official Los Straitjackets Website - OK, I don't visit this site frequently, but I do listen to these guys' music all the time. Mexican wrestling masks, Fender guitars, up-tempo surf-influenced music with no lyrics ... what could be better?
	The Official God F.A.Q. - Everything you always wanted to know.