Wrenching, gorgeous, brutal, thoughtful, superb, riveting — these words fall far short when describing the power of this site. Sponsored by WashingtonPost.com, MediaStorm features multimedia “narratives” that speak to the heart of the human condition. The site has won Emmys and Webbys, and for good reason.

My all-time favorite “photo-essay” is “The Marlboro Man,” which is about Marine Lance Corporal James Blake Miller and his struggle to heal the scars of war upon returning from Iraq.

FactCheck.org is a project of the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center and the recipient of the 2009  ”People’s Voice” Webby Award. The nonpartisan/nonprofit organization’s goal is to reduce “the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.” In other words, it gets rid of the bull and gives you actual facts and figures. The day I visited, FactCheck cut through distortions by Democrats and Republicans regarding proposed healthcare reforms and Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates.

I was trying to choose the name of one of my characters and thought, “Hmmm…maybe I’ll name him after an ancient god.” It didn’t work out but I did find this Web site. If you’re looking for gods (and goddesses) who are Norse, Slavic, Polynesian, Celtic, etc., you can find them here. The site also has names of deities associated with love, sexuality, thunder, etc. http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/gods.htm

LiveScience.com is another one of those sites you can get lost in. Articles, commentary, videos, photos, etc., on a seemingly infinite number of topics having to do with science, technology, history, the environment and culture. The posts are anything but dry or ordinary. The day I visited, I clicked on stories about gay penguins, 10 events that changed history, the reasons why we get baggy eyes and a gallery of killer waves.

I grew up in NYC and thought I knew the city well. This aerial view proved me wrong. I don’t think anyone has ever had one so astounding. Click on “New Bonus Tours” for two additional views. Absolutely incredible! http://www.pixelcase.com.au/vr/2009/newyork/