Monsoon Online: The Definitive Source for Monitoring and Forecasting the Asian Monsoons
http://www.tropmet.res.in/~kolli/MOL/index.html
Two professors of climatology have produced this site. Monsoon Online is dedicated to the study and forecasting of monsoons in Asia. The material here is relatively complex. For example, it offers technical descriptions of several methods for forecasting these storms. However, everyone might benefit from some of the information in the “Monitoring” section. Here you can view current weather and climate patterns in Asia.

PBS Nature: Indian Weather
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/monsoon/html/body_intro.html
This companion site to the PBS program Nature offers a good general overview of how monsoon storms form in the Indian subcontinent. It explores the effects these powerful storms have on the land and its inhabitants. Be sure to take a look at “Making of a Monsoon” and “Rain of Life and Death.” Another section lists additional sites you might want to visit.

PBS Frontline—India: Hole in the Wall
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/india/thestory.html
India is one of the “high tech” hot spots of the world. However, the majority of this nation’s one billion citizens have little opportunity to take advantage of this boom. This site explores “Hole in the Wall,” a project that brings technology to a wide cross section of Indian society. This fascinating project is helping to overcome the “digital divide” between the haves and have-nots by reaching out to poor street children, particularly girls. Check out the “Kids-eye View” section to learn more about the project and about the value of learning computer skills. In “Reporter’s Notebook,” a reporter covering the story tells you more about the project. This is a fun and engaging glimpse into the other side of the digital divide in this country of wealth and poverty.

Pittsburg Post-Gazette: Where Did Jobs Go? Look in Bangalore
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04081/288539.stm
This series of articles outlines the transfer of jobs to high tech centers in such locations as Bangalore, India. The first article focuses on the rapid growth of call centers and other high tech businesses in Bangalore. It outlines the issues surrounding the loss of jobs in the United States, in Pittsburg in particular. It also explores the reasons why many American companies have chosen to move some of their operations overseas. Other articles in the series are “It Hurts If It’s Your Job Going Abroad,” “All Day, All Night, the Phone Calls Come in,” and “Facing the Challenges of a Global Work Force.” The articles are illustrated with photographs and maps.

National Geographic—Everest 50: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the
First Ascent of Mt. Everest
http://nationalgeographic.com/everest/
This is a great site for exploring the tallest mountain in the world. National Geographic has collected a wonderful set of resources for you to browse through. Photos, videos, games, news articles, and lesson plans will help you experience the challenges of climbing this mountain. Read stories about the adventurers who conquered Everest and about the native dwellers of this incredible region. Take your time to work you way through the wide variety of information.

PBS/NOVA Online Adventure: Everest
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/everest/
PBS and NOVA have collected a variety of terrific resources to support two of their most popular TV programs about Mt. Everest. The materials related to those shows, Lost on Everest and Everest: The Death Zone, are well worth investigating. The information points to the dangers posed to the people who challenge Everest. The site highlights the personalities of those who have dared make the ascent over the years. It also reveals the dangers of high-altitude exploration and investigates the culture of the Himalayan region. You will find photographs, maps, and diagrams of climbing routes, weather patterns, and much more.

MSNBC—The People Bomb: China’s Unrelenting Population Problem
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3072059
This engaging and informative site explores the challenges China faces due to having of a population that could reach 1.6 billion by 2050. The site asks what might happen if this enormous population were to consume resources at the same rate as the United States. It considers the effects of the rural population continuing to stream into cities. Click on “How Countries Use Resources” and “How Nations Handle Growth” to learn more about these topics. “Planet Earth: Six Billion Strong” will give you an overview of global population problem. “Yangtze River’s Collision Course” tells of the challenges created by the overuse of this resource.

Population Reference Bureau, 2004 Population Bulletin—China’s Population: New Trends and Challenges
http://www.prb.org/Source/59.2ChinasPopNewTrends.pdf
This downloadable PDF file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. This Population Reference Bureau report analyzes population growth in China. It explores rural-urban population challenges, health issues, and much more. The material is almost all text, with few illustrations and photographs. This report is probably most suitable for teachers and students interested in advanced topics.

PBS/NOVA—World in the Balance: Forces Impacting Population in Rich and Poor Nations
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worldbalance/
This PBS site highlights population and environmental challenges worldwide. It explores the pressures placed on the environment by increasing populations around the world. Interactive activities let you see and hear about important issues. Investigate population-control campaigns in China. Compare material life in different countries. Read interviews with population experts. The excellent maps and photo essays will engage you. Finally, there are teacher resources for lesson plans that use the information presented here, and the related television program, in the classroom.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Overview of Tokyo
http://www.chijihon.metro.tokyo.jp/english/PROFILE/index.htm
This official Tokyo Web site gives a good overview of Japan’s most populous city. First check out the pages under “Tokyo’s Geography, History, and Population.” You will find concise descriptions of the history and government of this exciting city. The third subsection talks about Tokyo’s population trends. Tables and graphs will help you understand trends in the population that are related to age, employment, and other factors.

Statistics Bureau and Statistical Research and Training Institute: Statistical Handbook of Japan
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/c02cont.htm
This site outlines the major factors influencing Japan’s population today. It investigates population density and overcrowding in various cities and regions of the country. Population pyramids and other types of graphs will help you understand birth and death rates. They will also help you learn more about the aging of the Japanese population and changes in the size and composition of households.

Play Fair at the Olympics: Respect Worker’s Rights in the Sportswear Industry
http://www.fairolympics.org/background/olympicreporteng.pdf
This downloadable PDF file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. This fascinating report is produced by Oxfam International and The Clean Clothes Campaign, among others. These organizations concentrate on the rights of workers worldwide. This report gives an overview of the sportswear and athletic shoe industries. You will find information about worker abuse in sweatshops and government cooperation with multinational companies. You will learn about marketing strategies and how products travel from the developing world to U.S. stores. You can read about the cost of sponsorship (Michael Jordan and Nike, for example) and how it affects the wages paid in poor countries. Excellent graphs, tables, and photographs help illustrate the points being made. While this report is rather long, it is well worth exploring.

The Washington Post—Curriculum Guide: Sneaker Supply and Demand
http://washpost.com/nielessonplans.nsf/0/9F52FEC2D8EDA1DB85256BBF004DEC33/$File/01-137Shoesb.pdf
This downloadable PDF file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. This online lesson plan for teachers includes such activities as “Sneaker Economics 101” and “Sneaker Supply and Demand.” Other useful materials include vocabulary lists, illustrations, and comparisons of different kinds of athletic shoes. And a variety of links will introduce the user to other online resources.