The Scout Report - March 27, 1998

The Scout Report

March 27, 1998

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

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.

An Acrobat .pdf version of this report is available for printing and distributing locally. For information on Adobe Acrobat Reader, visit the Adobe site.

In This Issue:

New From Internet Scout

Research and Education

General Interest

Network Tools

New From Internet Scout

Scout Reports for Social Sciences and Business & Economics, KIDS Report
Scout Report for Social Sciences
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/socsci/
Scout Report for Business & Economics
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/bus-econ/
K.I.D.S Report
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/KIDS/
The thirteenth issues of the Scout Reports for Social Sciences and Business & Economics are available. Each Report annotates over twenty new and newly-discovered Internet resources. The In the News section of the Social Science Report annotates eleven resources related to recent events in Kosovo, Yugoslavia. The Business & Economics Report's In the News section annotates eight resources related to tax preparation. The latest KIDS report, produced by students at Cherokee Middle School in Madison, Wisconsin, annotates seventeen resources pertaining to the topic of Science Experiments. [JR]
[Back to Contents]

Research And Education

AsianDOC--Asian Database Online Community Electronic Newsletter
http://asiandoc.lib.ohio-state.edu/
The first of two experimental issues of AsianDOC Electronic Newsletter is now available. The goal of this newsletter is to "support scholars, librarians, and researchers world-wide who are developing text and image databases in the various fields of Asian/EurAsian Studies or who are incorporating materials in Asian languages into larger databases, and to promote better communication among them." The first issue includes information on database projects and other Web initiatives, conferences and meetings, technical issues, print and Web resource reviews, and several interest group columns. This issue also provides two hyperlinked indexes to the contents through separate author and article title listings. AsianDOC Electronic Newsletter is edited by Maureen Donovan, an East Asian Studies librarian at Ohio State University, and is hosted by the East Asian Libraries Cooperative World-Wide Web. [AG]
[Back to Contents]

Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools: 1996-97--NCES
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/violence/index.html
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has released a report based on a survey conducted in the summer of 1997 on violence in US public elementary and secondary schools. The Principal/School Disciplinarian Survey on School Violence questioned 1,234 principals or school disciplinarians about the actual number of specific crimes in their school, their perceptions about discipline issues at their school, the types of disciplinary actions pursued, and the security prevention measures undertaken. The report includes tables and figures that allow for a comparison of crime in schools by size, socio-economic status, region, and grade level, among other characteristics. An Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) version of the entire report is available to download at the site. [JR]
[Back to Contents]

Barrier Free Education
http://barrier-free.arch.gatech.edu/
The Barrier Free Education site seeks to address visual, hearing, mobility, speech, and cognitive disabilities for middle and high school students in math and science. As noted at the site, the "principal philosophy of this site is that the academic community must assume a leadership role in creating an accessible environment." For example, some visually impaired persons have difficulty reading common measurement devices such as liquid and temperature gauges. Numerous manufacturers of tactile devices designed to address this problem, along with pricing and contact information, are provided. Other helpful resources include a guide to basic set-up options in Windows 95 to ease keyboard and mouse requirements for people with hand mobility challenges. The site is organized under the headings tools, lessons and interactions. However, grouping resources by disability as well might allow greater access for some users. [ATW]
[Back to Contents]

The Microbiology Network
http://microbiol.org/
The Microbiology Network is a free service sponsored by several microbiology companies with the objective of providing a communication resource for microbiology and biotechnology professionals. The site offers directories of user groups and microbiology-related mailing lists, and an extensive archive of useful information that includes programs, free databases, and newsletters. The site also hosts the Microbiology and Virology branch of the WWW Virtual Library. This well-organized site is a good place to begin looking for on-line microbiology resources and discussions. [CL]
[Back to Contents]

Public Administration and Management Journal
http://www.hbg.psu.edu/Faculty/jxr11/
Editors Jack Rabin and Robert Munzenrider from the Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg oversee "The First Peer-Reviewed Journal on the Internet Devoted to the Fields of Public Administration and Management." The journal targets both scholars and practitioners in public administration and management. The most recent issue (vol. 3, no.4) contains an article discussing the value of the Doctor of Public Administration degree. Submission information and previous issues can be obtained at the site. [JR]
[Back to Contents]

StatLib
http://lib.stat.cmu.edu/
StatLib is a system for distributing statistical software, data sets, and statistical information via email, ftp, and the Web. Mike Meyer, of Carnegie Mellon University, edits this site, which contains browsable and searchable selections of tools and data for numerous statistical applications. Data sets are thoroughly annotated. Statisticians and scientists conducting data analysis will find this site well organized and accessible. In addition, the site contains a directory of people in the statistics field. [DF]
[Back to Contents]

Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics
http://www.physics.ucla.edu/~cwp/
"There are more female physicists than people know about!" This claim is made by the producers of this well-documented archive of citation and biographical information about 20th century women physicists, led by UCLA Physics Professor Emeritus, Nina Byers. This archive contains information about more than 50 women in the past century (to 1976) who have made original and important contributions to physics. The archive was compiled by UCLA staff and others "active in fields in which contributions have been made." Details about important contributions, publications, honors, employment history, and references are provided for each woman included in the database. Visitors can search the archive by name or by specific physics fields. A database of the print references used to compile information about the women cited is also available. [AG]
[Back to Contents]

PlaceComm Discussion List
Archives:
http://earthsystems.org/list/PlaceComm/
The Place and Community Studies discussion list, sponsored by the Place and Community Studies Institute, is an interdisciplinary forum to discuss ways in which teaching, research, activism, living practices, and artistic production can be applied to valuing and sustaining our unique places--our natural and built environments, as well as our social communities. Part of the mission of the list is to foster dialogue and build bridges between people from all walks of life and, for teachers and scholars, between all levels and disciplines. To help build a strong community on the list, the list owner asks that all new subscribers post an introductory message describing their background and their specific interests regarding this list. [SC]

To SUBSCRIBE email:
PlaceComm-request@earthsystems.org
In the subject line, type the word subscribe
[Back to Contents]

General Interest

Galileo - Countdown to Europa 14
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/countdown/
Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter in December 1995, and completed its first 2 year orbital tour around the solar system's largest planet. Galileo then embarked on a two-year extended mission, called the Galileo Europa Mission (GEM). This mission entails gathering images and information on three of Jupiter's moons: Europa, Io, and Callisto. The GEM itinerary includes 8 close flybys of Europa, four flybys of Callisto, and two close encounters with Io. The third Europa encounter will take place on March 29, 1998 at 13:23 UT. This site provides updates, simulated images, links and information related to the Galileo mission, as well as a countdown to the upcoming encounter. Galileo's previous encounters with Europa produced evidence of a possible ocean beneath the surface ice crust, ice volcanos (non active), probable icebergs, and surface salt deposits. On the upcoming encounter, the spacecraft will pass by Europa at a distance of 1,649 km, which is 124 times closer than Voyager's closest approach. In addition, visitors can view live Doppler plots of Galileo spacecraft radio signals and watch the gravity of Europa change the frequency of the radio signal in real-time. These Doppler plots will be updated every minute on encounter day (March 29). [JR]
[Back to Contents]

Cultivating Canadian Gardens: The History of Gardening in Canada
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/events/garden/
The National Library of Canada currently hosts this on-line exhibition, which traces the history of Canadian gardening "through the books, periodicals, and printed materials collected" by the Library. The exhibit tells the story of Canadian gardening from 17th century accounts of gardening by the Hurons, to present day gardening experts' advice. The site contains an abundance of reproductions of illustrations, plates and cover pages of Canadian gardening literature as well as a selected bibliography. The site can be viewed in both English and French. Note that navigating though the different exhibition sections requires linking to the section titles and not following the arrows at the bottom of the pages. [SH]
[Back to Contents]

Food Safety: Organisms of Concern
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/foodsci/agentinfo/org/index.html
Food Safety: Organisms of Concern is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service at North Carolina State University. The site provides links to information on over 15 organisms that can cause foodborne illness. Included are links to facts sheets on bacteria, parasites, viruses and natural toxins. These links, prepared by University Extension staff, describe the characteristics of each organism, where it is found, how it is transmitted, diseases it can cause, symptoms of disease, and advice on how to control the organism to prevent food diseases. There are also links to information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration. [GW]
[Back to Contents]

Picturing Justice
http://www.usfca.edu/pj/index.html
Picturing Justice, edited by John Denvir, Paul Joseph and Rob Waring, provides insightful commentaries on the portrayal of law, lawyers and legal issues in television and movies. The articles cover current television series' and movies with a combination of analysis and opinion. The site publishes both reader submitted commentaries as well as many written by the editors. While the articles are not lengthy, they provide a fair amount of useful critical commentary on the treatment of law on television and in the movies. This site fills a specialized niche and it is well worth investigating. [CL]
[Back to Contents]

Money World
http://www.moneyworld.co.uk/
Money World is a comprehensive personal finance site from the United Kingdom that was developed by a group of journalists and finance professionals. The site provides information about the latest budget in the United Kingdom; it includes a tax calculator that allows individuals to calculate the effect of the new budget on their tax bill. Visitors to the site can find the latest UK financial news, stockmarket reports, delayed stock quotes, guides to a variety of personal finance topics, and an index to personal finance sites in the UK. Investors can compare the performances of unit trusts, investment trusts, pension funds, and offshore funds at the site. The Powersearch feature is intended to help investors narrow down their choices of investment vehicles. [THN]
[Back to Contents]

Y? The National Forum on People's Differences
http://www.yforum.com/
The Y? forum, the first of its kind to our knowledge, is a moderated and edited online environment that is "designed to give readers a way to ask people from other ethnic or cultural backgrounds the questions they've always been too embarrassed or uncomfortable to ask." The site provides guidelines for both asking a question and providing the answer; however, both are read by the editor before posting "for space and readability, and to paraphrase questions and answers to render them suitable for general viewing." The result is a space where readers can safely follow a dialogue on sensitive topics without the fear of having to wade through racist attacks, foul language, or "flame wars." Topics welcome at Y? include those related to differences in age, class, disability, gender, geography, occupation, race/ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. The Y? Forum was developed and is managed by Phillip J. Milano, an editor for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville. The site is not related to the newspaper. The site states that an unmoderated forum will be provided in the future in addition to the current moderated format. [SC]
[Back to Contents]

MovieLens
http://www.movielens.umn.edu/about.html
Those heading to the video store or movie theater this weekend who are unsure about what movie to see may want to consult MovieLens. MovieLens, from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota, is "a free personalized movie recommendation service" that uses technology called Collaborative Filtering. The service works by querying you about movies you have seen and what you thought of them. This information is then compared to other MovieLens users' answers and ranked to arrive at a list of personalized recommendations for you. Your personal selections may then be limited by genre, film or video format, and currency. Many recommended titles also provide links to promotion pages for the movies or the Internet Movie Database, which provide additional information about the movies that can help the undecided in their selection. [SH]
[Back to Contents]

Network Tools

Dr. Dobbs TechNetcast -- Video/Audio/Chat Show About Internet Technologies [RealPlayer, ChatTv or IRC client]
http://www.technetcast.com/
Dr. Dobbs TechNetcast, produced by Dr. Dobbs Journal and the Pseudo Online Network, broadcasts live shows every Friday afternoon covering a wide range of Internet topics. Past topics include C++, Dynamic HTML, Java, Web Graphic Design, and Internet Security. Each show, hosted by Philippe Lourier, features an expert special guest. The shows are archived and can be viewed using RealPlayer. Contributions can be made to shows as they are taking place via chat rooms or telephone. To participate in a chat users must have Windows with Pseudo ChatTv or any IRC (Internet Relay Chat) client. Chat rooms continue after the end of the show. Dr. Dobbs TechNetcast targets Internet professionals; however, anyone interested in the Internet would also benefit. [TB]
[Back to Contents]

Wotsit's File Format Collection
http://www.wotsit.org/
Wotsit's File Format Collection, provided by Paul Oliver, features a very large number of file formats. These include JPEG image files, wave sound files, Rich Text files, and common database and word-processing files such as Paradox and Wordperfect. Documents collected or linked at the site are primarily either original specifications from the creator or an improved version of the original. All of the specifications are very technical and are directed towards programmers. Users can subscribe to a mailing list for notification of site updates. [CL]
[Back to Contents]

Proceedings of the Second IEEE Metadata Conference
http://www.computer.org/proceedings/meta97/
Proceedings from the 1996 IEEE Metadata Conference
http://www.computer.org/conferences/meta96/meta_home.html
The Second IEEE Metadata Conference was held September 16-17, 1997, in Silver Spring, Maryland. Issues covered at the conference include metadata formats, metadata mining and extraction, and digital library metadata issues. This site, provided by the IEEE Computer Society, contains the proceedings from that conference. Central to the site are the full text of 26 papers presented at the conference as well as 14 papers from panel and poster sessions. Topics range from geospacial metadata to metadata modeling. A list of authors and a copy of the conference program are also available. The first IEEE proceedings, held in 1996, can be obtained at the second site. [MR]
[Back to Contents]

Copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-1998. 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
Aimee D. Glassel
Sheilah Harrington
Kathryn Harris
Laura X. Payne
Matthew Livesey
Christopher Lukas
Thiam Hee Ng
Mike Roszkowski
Geraldine Wanserski
Amy Tracy Wells
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
Managing Editor
Editor
Production Editor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor

Scout Report and Scout Report HTML Subscription Instructions

  • To receive the electronic mail version of the Scout Report each week, join the scout-report mailing list. This is the only mail you will receive from this list. Unsubscribing from the scout-report list can also be done at this site.

    http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/lists/

  • To receive the Scout Report in HTML format for local viewing and posting, subscribe to the scout-report-html mailing list, used exclusively to distribute the Scout Report in HTML format once a week. Unsubscribing from the scout-report list can also be done at this site.

    http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/lists/

The Scout Report's Web page:

http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/

Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) versions of the Scout Report:

http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/pdf/

The Scout Report
Back to the Scout Report page

Comments,Suggestions,Feedback
scout@cs.wisc.edu
© 1998 Internet Scout Project


Back to the Internet Scout Main Page