A somewhat disjointed collection of writingincluding medieval poems, an essay on the lyrics of Patti Smith, and a musing on an Impressionist painting RiverText's Cafe Net offers readers a very mixed bag. Since most of the newer items are still under construction, I advise skipping directly to the Cafe, which features an eclectic mix of text-with-art pieces of varying quality. In general, the site makes nice use of frames, and much of the artwork is rich and textured. However, many of the prose pieces are either rambling and unfocused or overly esoteric and academic. Highlights include The Vision of MacConglinney and the Cafe Busch. - Rachel Saidman
Ignore the fact that the home page resembles a product of the Christian Childrens Fund, and you have a well-intentioned, well-rooted site thats not for the uninitiated, and which might even require prior research to appreciate. With careful navigation, however, you will find most of the necessary info right here. Documents and photos abound from the years 1975-1979, when Democratic Kampuchea was being strangled by Pol Pot and company. The numerous photos are for those with the stomach, and the library of documentation is for those with the conscience. - Ismael Marrero
Sin Fronteras (Without Borders) is an advocacy groups for the migrant workers who do the back-breaking work that keeps this nation well fed. Ofcourse, theres a long history of the exploitation of Mexican labor in American farms, stretching from the late 1800s to the WWII-era Bracero Program. This site puts todays news in perspective and strives to give dignity to the people who work so hard under such extreme conditions. I was surprised there was less information about the UFW, which, although a separate organization, was instrumental in raising the consciousness of Chicano farm laborers everywhere. Nevertheless, there is a lot to be learned here. If you can, I recommend you peep at the Spanish version, as some of the poetics do get lost in translation. - Daniel Alarcon
Women in America is a scholarly site of the highest order, but its also quite accessible. The site offers two ways to find out about women in America in the 1840s: search the index by author or by topic. This allows you to either examine an author as a complete observer or compare different perspectives on the same issue. The topics range from marriage and courtship to race, employment, and fashion. Women in America is part of a larger University of Virginia site on De Toquevilles Democracy in America. Its certainly useful and illuminating to see the diversity of ideas different observers had on American women. - Daniel Alarcon
Having read Orwells 1984 is not a prerequisite for appreciating this site; in fact, anyone with an appreciation for paranoia is welcome. This is a no-frills, text-heavy rant against the New World Order, sometimes cogent (the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter depends on where you were born....) and sometimes absurd (we will one day get food from a rock....). Youll also find useful tips on such necessities as bug-proofing your phone, so that they cant spy on you. The best section is clearly the War Page, still under construction, which hopes to document every war and ethnic conflict in the world since 1948our capacity for murder is stunning. If youre in the market for some good old-fashioned hyper-mistrust of the government, this is a good a place as any. - Daniel Alarcon
On April 26, 1986, a massive explosion rocked the Chernobyl nuclear power station in what was then called the USSR. The Soviet Union may have disbanded since then, but all of us will be affected for at least the next 100 years by that blast at Chernobyl. This site examines the effects of the Chernobyl disaster in excruciating detail. Whether you're interested in the schematics of the power station, the effect of radioactive fallout on agriculture, or mutations and cancers in children and livestock, you'll find the bleak answer here. If you want beatific reassurances that our worries are over just because Chernobyl is no longer on the front pages of the world's newspapers, you're out of luck. - Gary Barker
Not surprisingly, this Smithsonian Institution museum is "dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of Native Americans." The professional presentation of information and graphics makes navigation a breeze. The museum spans more than 10,000 years of heritage and contains one million objects from the indigenous races of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Not interested in plunder, the museum includes an online disclaimer: "Human remains and funerary objects, religious and ceremonial artifacts, communally owned tribal property, or any holdings acquired illegally are returned upon request." Respectful, but strangely commercial, as almost everything here is an advertisement for products for sale. Nonetheless, it's pretty to look at. - Gary Barker
Faces of Adoption features several dozen articles and guides for families and individuals hoping to adopt children or teens, particularly those with special needs. This site has almost too much information and may seem initially daunting, but anyone interested in parenting via adoption will probably stick around and suck up all that information like a hummingbird sucks up nectar. Co-sponsored by the National Adoption Center and Children Awaiting Parents, Faces of Adoption also has its fair share of faces, in the form of photos and profiles of children whose biological parents are unwilling or unable to care for them. Search the database of adoption-ready children by age, race, sex, and number of siblings. But remember, many of these children have physical, mental, or emotional problems. - Gary Barker
The National Trust for Historic preservation was created in 1949 to "save America's diverse historic environments." Its Web site is a comprehensive and thoughtful resource for anyone interested in preservation, restoration, and related trivia about our built heritage. The site offers highlights of articles from Preservation Magazine (members, who pay a fee of $20.00 per year, get the whole enchilada). Also available is a dandy service that locates historic hotels throughout the country; the information comes complete with history of the hotel, amenities, rates, and reservation information. There's a lot to see here, so take your time and enjoy. - Patria Arequipa