The Scout Report

October 31, 1997

A Publication of the Internet Scout Project
Computer Science Department, University of Wisconsin

A Project of the InterNIC

The Scout Report is a weekly publication offering a selection of new and newly discovered Internet resources of interest to researchers and educators, the InterNIC's primary audience. However, everyone is welcome to subscribe to one of the mailing lists (plain text or HTML). Subscription instructions are included at the end of each report.

Scout Report for Science and Engineering
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/sci-engr/
The fourth issue of the Scout Report for Science and Engineering is available. It annotates over twenty new and newly discovered Internet resources in the physical and life sciences and engineering. Its In the News Section annotates ten resources concerning global warming. [JS]
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Images from NARA NAIL
http://www.nara.gov/nara/nail.html
Press Release
http://www.nara.gov/nara/pressrelease/nr98-03.html
US archivist John W. Carlin recently unveiled the first group of digitized images of some of the National Archives and Records Adminstration's most significant documents. As part of NARA's Electronic Access Project, these 5,300 documents are the first of approximately 120,000 items that will be digitized and available electronically through the National Archival Information Locator (NAIL--discussed in the February 2, 1996 Scout Report) searchable database over the next year. Among the initial offerings are Civil War maps, plans, engineering drawings, diagrams, blueprints and sketches of forts; photos from the Kennedy White House; Department of the Navy photos from 1900-58; groundbreaking Lewis Hine photographs of child labor abuses for the National Child Labor Committee, 1908-1912; and Environmental Protection Agency photos depicting images related to environmental issues of the 1970s. Note that the images (in thumbnails and full-size) are only accessible through a NAIL search and are identified by a red bullet. [MD]
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Edsitement
http://edsitement.neh.fed.us/
This new site, provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Council of the Great City Schools, and MCI, is highlighted by its strategy of using a limited number of quality humanities web sites (provided by such organizations as the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Latin American Network Information Center at the University of Texas) in the creation of lesson plans that integrate Internet resources into the high school learning experience. The first series of lesson plans (learning guides), Crossing Borders, contains six sets of lessons in which the websites chosen are central to the learning experience. The excellent quality of the sites chosen (see top websites) and the thought that has gone into incorporating these sites into lesson plans make Edsitement a compelling and educational place to visit. [JS]
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A Digitized Library of Southern Literature: Beginnings to 1920--Documenting the American South
http://metalab.unc.edu/docsouth/southlit/southlit.html
The well known Documenting the American South Project (discussed in the April 18, 1997 Scout Report) has recently added this section, highlighted by twenty-five full texts, available in SGML (standard generalized markup language) and HTML formats. Included are A Diary From Dixie, by Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut, five works by the African American writer Charles Waddell Chesnutt, two works by Ellen Anderson Gholson Glasgow, Tales, by Edgar Allen Poe, and Up From Slavery, by Booker T. Washington. Images of covers, title pages, frontispieces, and illustrations may be available, depending on the work. In addition, there are explanatory introductions for selected authors. The site also includes a list of "the one hundred most important Southern literary texts" compiled by the late Professor Robert Bain, and an article from the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. [JS]
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Amphibian Embryology Tutorial [QuickTime]
http://www.library.wisc.edu/guides/Biology/demo/frog2/welcome.html
Provided by Professor Jeffrey Hardin of the University of Wisconsin Department of Zoology, this multimedia tutorial is designed for the undergraduate student. It is divided into four major sections, Fertilization, Cleavage, Gastrulation, and Neurulation. Each stage of development contains an introduction and then several sections illustrating it. Several QuickTime movies effectively illustrate some of the key concepts pertaining to amphibian embryology. There is also a hyperlinked glossary of terms. [JS]
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The Specialized Scholarly Monograph in Crisis Or How Can I Get Tenure if You Won't Publish My Book?--Papers From a Conference
http://www.arl.org/scomm/epub/program.html
This conference, held September 11-12, 1997 and sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Association of American University Presses, examined the crisis in specialized monograph publishing, and explored alternatives that new technologies might provide for the dissemination of this information that is so crucial to the tenure and promotion process in academia. Fourteen conference papers are available, including "The Pace of Scholarship, the Scholarly Career, and the Monograph," by Stanley Chodorow, "Why do We Write Stuff That Even Our Colleagues Don't Want to Read?," by R. Stephen Humphreys, "Promotion: A Triple Whammy at Research Universities," by Peter Nathan, and "University Publishing in the Electronic Age: A Collaboration Among University Presses, Libraries and Computing Centers," by Sheila Creth. [JS]
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Internet Software Guide for Engineers
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/9631/software.html
A consultant for 100Folhas Web Design created this listing of downloadable software for use by engineers primarily in the fields of hydraulics, hydrology, and environmental applications. A significant portion of the environmental software is provided by the EPA and USGS. Resources are also provided for Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic for Applications, Numerical Methods, Pascal, Fortran, and Object Oriented languages. [KH]
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RAVE--Research of Articles and Decisions in Public International Law and European Law
http://www.jura.uni-duesseldorf.de/rave/e/englhome.htm
Sponsored by the Ministry of Sciences and Research of the Land of Northrhine-Westphalia (Germany) and the Paul-Mikat-Foundation, Dusseldorf (Germany), this site contains bibliographic citations to over 4,000 pertinent articles and decisions. RAVE is composed of two main sections: Public International Law and European Law. Citations are available from the early 1990's and can be browsed or searched via an Excite engine. A systematic index is available for browsing, as is an alphabetical one (although the latter is unfortunately not hyperlinked). A list of periodicals and abbreviations is also provided. Users can opt to view the site in English, French, or German with citations given in the language of their origin. Hyperlinks to decisions or documents are provided when available. [JS]
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Worldwide Nurse
http://www.wwnurse.com/
Nurse-zine
http://www.wwnurse.com/Nurse-zine/
This nursing related site contains numerous items of use to health-care professionals. Users can search or browse to find links to medical resources (including over 30 medical search tools), medical software downloads and reviews, and a discussion board. Worldwide Nurse also publishes Nurse-zine, a biweekly e-newsletter featuring recommended websites, software reviews, and current nursing related news. The newsletter is available at the site or via email. [MD]

To subscribe send e-mail to:
Majordomo@UserHome.com
In the body of the message enter the following:
subscribe wwnurseupdate
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PreText
http://www.pretext.com/
This ezine, produced by Seattle Washington Internet content provider Pretext, Inc., concentrates on various aspects of the digital revolution. The first issue, Digital Libraries, features an interview with Brewster Kahle, inventor of wide area information servers (WAIS), and founder of the Internet Archive. Other articles discuss the possibilities of the Internet as a universal library, the ramifications of the digital revolution on public libraries, and the future of the librarian in the digital age. The next issue, due out in early November, is titled "The End of Privacy." [JS]
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INC 500
http://www.inc.com/500/
The Inc. 500 is Inc. Magazine's annual list of America's fastest-growing private companies (discussed in the November 22, 1996 Scout Report). "Rankings are based solely on percentage growth of revenue over a five-year period." The list is compiled from company applications to the magazine; eligibility rules are available at the site. The list can be browsed or searched by name, state, or industry. Each listing contains growth rate, profitability, number of employees, type of business, location, and year founded, and has a link to the company's home page when available. Selected previous lists back to 1982 are also available. [MD]
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Two from NASDAQ
NASDAQ Newsroom [ShockWave]
http://www.nasdaqnews.com/
NASDAQ Trader [frames]
http://www.nasdaqtrader.com/
Both the Nasdaq News and Nasdaq Trader sites are developed by NASD (National Association of Securities Dealers) NASDAQ News is designed to be an "online news resource for reporters or anyone interested in learning about the NASDAQ Stock Market." At the site you can listen to hourly reports about the NASDAQ market (ShockWave plug-in required) and learn about how the NASDAQ Stock Market works. The site also contains press releases about the NASDAQ market, a list of upcoming IPOs (initial public offerings) and a list of delisted companies. The NASDAQ Trader site is divided into Trading Data, Trading Services, and Market Data Services. The Trading Data section provides monthly and quarterly NASDAQ share volume reports for all market participants trading in each NASDAQ stock, daily NASDAQ 100 index and changes in the names and symbols of NASDAQ stocks. Trading Services provides descriptions of trading products and services, trading and technical support, and instructions on how to become a NASDAQ market participant. The Market Data Services section contains information on obtaining data from market data vendors. [THN]
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Lunar Eclipse Observer
http://www-clients.spirit.net.au/~minnah/LEOx.html
Created by Byron W. Soulsby, an amateur research astronomer who operates the Calwell Lunar Observatory in Canberra, Australia, this site is designed for anyone with an interest in lunar eclipses, from serious researchers to the casual astronomer. Users can find numerous items of interest, including analyses of lunar eclipses in 1995-97, information on the topography of the moon, a number of animations and images of eclipses, and a collection of links to other relevant sites. In addition, the author invites amateur astronomers to submit their observations of the July 1999 partial eclipse and participate in his research on the geometry of the upper atmosphere of the Earth. An online registration form is provided for users to register. [MD]
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Tufts University Nutrition Navigator
http://navigator.tufts.edu/
The Nutrition Navigator, published by the Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy, is a database of evaluated and categorized nutrition-related web sites. Each site indexed by the Nutrition Navigator has been carefully evaluated by a nutritionist and rated numerically in various categories. The site reviews contain brief descriptions, an indication of the intended audience, and other information. These evaluations are searchable, but the search results are not returned in order of the numeric evaluation. The evaluations are, however, organized for browsing by interest category (Educator, Parent, Health Professional, etc.), and are arranged in order of numeric evaluation. The detailed, useful reviews outweigh any inconvenience experienced due to the limitations of this search engine. Although there are relatively few items in the database at present, as it grows it should become a highly valued nutrition metasite. [CL]
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Science Friday [RealAudio]
http://www.sciencefriday.com/
Science Friday is the web site for the science talk show of the same name that airs on public radio, Friday afternoons. Users can obtain descriptions of programs, browse archived Science Friday shows (available in RealAudio format), or participate in chat room discussions on Science Friday topics. The Kids Connection includes links to the show, a special room where students, teachers, or parents can post comments and questions, and a mentor page where kids can ask scientists, professors, and researchers for an answer to a science question. Behind the Scenes introduces the individuals who produce Science Friday. [KH]
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Abbey's Web
http://www.utsidan.se/abbey/abbey.html
The cactus-spined font which serves as the title for this web site aptly suits the prickly American author to whom it is dedicated. Writing about nature and the American West that he loved and cherished, Edward Abbey's prose gave voice to the sublime or cantankerous subject. The best-known works of this "twentieth-century polemicist and desert anarchist" include Desert Solitaire and The Monkey Wrench Gang. Christopher Lindh edits this site which serves as both an excellent introduction to the author's work and a repository of quotes, links and bibliographies for more avid Abbeyophiles. Users can access Abbey quotes, order books, download a spinning monkey wrench cursor, read related letters by Robert Redford and Kirk Douglas, or order a commemorative refrigerator magnet. [DF]
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States.org
http://www.states.org/
States.org, provided by the Federation of American Research Networks (FARNET), Electronic Commerce, Law, and Information Policy Strategies (ECLIPS--Ohio Supercomputer Center), Arizona State University, and the National Science Foundation, has a simple mandate: to "[provide] a single clearinghouse for tracking state information infrastructure strategies and activities." At the heart of the site is the state database, which allows users to query by state or by category in the broad areas of: government uses and regulation of the National Information Infrastructure and advanced telecommunications; relevant local and state projects related to education, telemedicine, and other relevant subjects; and strategic plans for NII/advanced telecommunications. States.org is such a new site that at this time many searches result in no hits. However, this site has great potential to become a valuable meta-resource. Under presentations, users can read the States.org presentation made to the Internet Society Conference held in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia in June 1997. Note that the site will be unavailable October 31, 1997. [JS]
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Alexa
http://www.alexa.com/
Alexa is a free software package (Windows NT/95 only) provided by Alexa Internet that provides information about the web site you are visiting and then recommends other sites "based on the actions of the entire Internet community." The information that Alexa provides about a web site includes the popularity of the web site, site ownership, institutional information and site statistics, when available. The program also provides an Instant Messaging Service which allows users to check if their friends are online and then send them messages in realtime. Alexa also contains an archive of the World Wide Web so users can still view web pages that have since been removed. Finally, there is a link from the Alexa toolbar to the encyclopedia Britannica site for quick access to reference tools. [THN]
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ColorSafe 1.5--A Web Safe Color Plug-in for Photoshop
http://www.boxtopsoft.com/ColorSafe/
ColorSafe 1.5, a product of BoxTop Software, Inc. (discussed in the August 15, 1997 issue of the Scout Report), offers an excellent tool to create web safe graphics in Adobe Photoshop. ColorSafe 1.5 was released October 29, 1997 as a shareware ($49.95) for the Mac and will soon be released for Windows 95/NT. This Photoshop plug-in "extends the 216 color web safe palette to millions of non-dithering optical colors and patterns with fully interactive color pickers from CMYK to HSV to RGB." Although made for Photoshop, ColorSafe 1.5 is also compatible with Illustrator 6.0 - 7.0, PhotoDelux 1.0, Fractal Design Painter 2.0 - 5.0, Deneba Canvas 5.0, Macromedia xRes 2.0 - 3.0, Microfrontier ColorIt! 3.0 - 3.2, Equilibrium DeBabelizer 1.6.1 - 1.6.5, and others. The download comes with additional palettes and a free plug-in called WebClipper to ensure that colors (from the web safe palette) in a graphic will match exactly after an adaptive color reduction has been performed in Photoshop. [TB]
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Volume 1, Number 27: The Scout Report for October 28, 1994
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/archive/10-28-94.html
Boardwatch
http://www.boardwatch.com/
Internet Conference Calendar
http://conferences.calendar.com/
Boardwatch, the "Guide to the Internet, World Wide Web and BBS," first came online in October 1994. It is one of the most intelligent (as well as opinionated) Internet related magazines available. Though it concentrates on Internet service provider (ISP) issues, it also contains excellent technical hardware and software articles. It includes an ISP directory that allows browsing by area code as well as national and international backbones, and of course offers its classic "BillGatus of Borg" May 1996 cover (one of the most irreverent magazine covers this side of Mad) for sale as a wall poster or T-shirt. The Internet Conference Calendar, provided by Automatrix, Inc. was and still is one of the largest clearinghouse Internet related conferences available. [JS]
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Copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-1997. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the Scout Report provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on all copies. The InterNIC provides information about the Internet to the US research and education community under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation: NCR-9218742. The Government has certain rights in this material.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, the National Science Foundation, AT&T, or Network Solutions, Inc.

The Scout Report (ISSN 1092-3861) is published weekly by Internet Scout

Susan Calcari
Jack Solock
Jeannine Ramsey
Teri Boomsma
Michael de Nie
David Flaspohler
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The Scout Report - October 31, 1997

The Scout Report

October 31, 1997

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