“Smithsonian magazine and Smithsonian.com place a Smithsonian lens on the world, looking at the topics and subject matters researched, studied and exhibited by the Smithsonian Institution — science, history, art, popular culture and innovation — and chronicling them every day for our diverse readership.” I have been a reader of the Smithsonian Magazine for at least 20 years and I still look forward to digging into a new issue when it arrives. The online presence of the magazine offers a healthy chunk of what is in the printed version, and they also provide a free email newsletter. Well worth the time to check out this site.

Brain Pickings was created and is written by Maria Popova. From her About page she writes “I am a reader and writer, and I write about what I read here on Brain Pickings — my one-woman labor of love. It is an inquiry into what it means to live a decent, substantive, rewarding life, and a record of my own becoming as a person — intellectually, creatively, spiritually — drawn from my extended marginalia on the search for meaning across literature, science, art, philosophy, and the various other tentacles of human thought and feeling.” I have been a subscriber to her newsletter for several years now, and it is a weekly highlight to read. Some articles focus on a single theme in depth, while other post’s can meander and skim on multiple subjects. Well worth checking out.

I have been using the National Weather Service website for years now. It is part of my morning routine to check the weather and the news before I begin my day. Just enter your zip code for your local forecast. The site also offers radar, weather records and education, alerts and safety information. I have sampled other weather sites over the years and the NWS has the most accurate weather information and forecasts I have found on the web.

The Motley Fool provides “a variety of solutions to improve many areas of your financial life, including your investment portfolio, personal finances, real estate holdings, company, and career.” I have used this site off and on for years to consult for various financial matters. They offer comprehensive information on stocks, how to invest, credit cards, bank accounts, loans, retirement planning and much more. Worth a visit.

Filmsite.org “is an award-winning website for classic film buffs, students, moviegoers and anyone else interested in the great movies of the last century. Detailed plot synopses, review commentary and film reference material are just some of the features available on the site.” They feature dozens of best of lists, a history of the Oscars, movie quotes (second worst quote: “Nobody buts Baby in a corner.”) greatest scenes, biography’s of stars and directors, and reviews. A comprehensive, fun and addictive site.

I was first introduced to the Merck Manual around 20 years ago when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. My dad gave my wife and I a copy so we could better understand what my parents were dealing with, but also for our own reference. The manual is both detailed and concise. For ailments they list an overview, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and prognosis. From their website, their Mission Statement reads: “We believe that health information is a universal right and that every person is entitled to accurate, accessible and usable medical information. And we believe that we have a responsibility to protect, preserve and share the best current medical information to enable more informed decisions, enhance relationships between patients and professionals, and improve health care outcomes around the world.” A noble cause and a valuable web resource.

“The most popular and longest-running sustainable-lifestyle magazine, Mother Earth News provides wide-ranging, expert editorial coverage of organic foods, country living, green transportation, renewable energy, natural health, and green building.” That is from their about page and sums up the magazine pretty well. I have subscribed to the free newsletter they offer for years now and a sampling of articles I saved in my favorites include topics such as how to build a raised garden box, making aged cheese at home, wilderness survival cooking, fermenting and how to choose the best tools for an acreage. The website offers DIY projects, gardening tips, recipes, videos, podcasts, how to articles for homesteaders, livestock advice and much more. Check it out, and don’t forget the free newsletter.

Another monthly feature will be a website review.

This month the feature is The Art of Manliness. I have subscribed to the AoM newsletter for quite a few years, and have enjoyed the advice, tutorials, history lessons, reviews, and just general information about how to be a better, more complete, confident and stronger man.

The “about” page summarizes the scope of this excellent site better than anything I could write: “The mission of AoM is to get men not only reading and listening to our content, but ultimately implementing what they learn into their lives; through our articles, podcasts, books, and programs, AoM aims to help men, as Theodore Roosevelt put it, “Get action.” We seek to help men grow up well, reach their potential, become better friends, mentors, husbands, fathers, and citizens, and live a life of eudamonia — skill, flourishing, excellence, and virtue.”

Well worth your time to check it out. Don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter!