The Scout Report - February 26, 1999

Scout Report for Social Sciences and Business & Economics
Scout Report for Social Sciences
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/socsci/1999/ss-990223.html
Scout Report for Business & Economics
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/bus-econ/1999/be-990225.html
The eleventh issues of the second volumes of the Scout Reports for Social Sciences and Business & Economics are available. The In the News section of the Social Sciences Report annotates eleven resources on the border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Business & Economics Report's In the News section offers ten resources on the national ergonomics standards recently proposed by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) [MD]
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National Academy Press [.pdf]
http://www.nap.edu/
Provided by the National Academy Press (NAP), the publishing arm of the National Academy of Science, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council (reviewed in the November 12, 1997 Scout Report for Science & Engineering), this outstanding resource will quickly become a favorite of scientists and researchers in a variety of fields. While there are numerous sites offering excerpts of new books and just as many containing the full text of out-of-copyright works, this site is unique in that it provides the full text of over 1000 recent, new, and even prepublication books from the NAP. The books are offered in several versions, including HTML, image format, and .pdf. Users may browse titles by subject or conduct a keyword search. Subjects include: Biology, Computer Sciences, Education, Mathematical Sciences and Statistics, Science and Ethics, and many others. Users can check the New Online page for the latest published and prepublication books added to the site or sign up for a free email notification service. [MD]
[Note: Site title has changed since the original Scout Report review. Site formerly referred to in the Scout Report as "National Academy Press Reading Room."]
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Year 2000 Reports Database -- SEC
http://www.sec.gov/news/y2k/picky2kr.htm
Important Information:
http://www.sec.gov/news/y2k/y2kreps.htm
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently released this searchable database of Y2K readiness reports in order to disclose the preparatory efforts of the securities industry. The database contains more than 13,000 reports from the broker-dealers, transfer agents, investment advisors, and mutual funds required to file with the SEC. Reports include descriptions of the company's, agent's, or fund's state of Y2K readiness, costs to address the Y2K problem, Y2K risks, and contingency plans. Complete database documentation, search instructions, and contact information are provided at the Important Information page. [MW]
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New Additions to NAIL Database -- NARA
http://www.nara.gov/nara/recdata.html
The seventeenth batch of digitized documents and photos was added to the National Archive and Record Administration's (NARA) Archival Information Locator (NAIL) (last described in the Scout Report for December 18, 1998) on February 24. Perhaps the largest addition to the NAIL Database to date, descriptions for this latest batch have been divided into two pages to minimize download time. Digitized documents and images include: selected documents from the Ernest Hemingway Collection, selected photos from the National Park Service, lantern slides from the US Forest Service, almost 400 multi-page documents from President Kennedy's National Security Files, documents and photos from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, documents from Alcatraz, and hundreds of additional digitized images. The site also links to descriptions of 492 recently-released sound recordings of White House telephone conversations by President Johnson in the fall of 1964. [MD]
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Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative--ATF [.pdf, 470p.]
http://atf.treas.gov/core/firearms/ycgii/ycgii.htm
The Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) recently placed this October, 1998 report online. The report examines the illegal youth firearms market in 27 different communities, based on the results of crime gun traces conducted by the ATF. Part I of the report summarizes the general findings and describes gun tracing efforts and new initiatives by local law enforcement agencies. Part II of the report contains uniform statistical reports for each of the 27 jurisdictions covered, including number and type of guns recovered, crime types associated with recovered firearms, and source states for traced crime guns. Users may download the entire report, the table of contents, highlights, or individual city reports in .pdf format. Additional resources at the site include information briefs on firearms, youth crime, and the core areas of the ATF's mission. [MD]
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Public Agenda Online
http://www.publicagenda.org/
Public Agenda, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization devoted to public opinion, policy analysis, and citizen education, has recently relaunched its Website. Public Agenda Online provides eighteen issue guides that cover topics such as crime, education, environment, immigration, social security, and welfare. Each issue guide contains an overview of the issue, a news digest of recent stories, background data, various perspectives on the issue, resources for more information, and analyses of related public opinion drawn from major public opinion polls. The site also posts highlights of research reports, presents "critiques on the current state of polling," and offers a weekly email alert service, Public Agenda Alert, which shares the latest in public opinion and public policy research. [AO]
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Chicago Wilderness: An Atlas of Biodiversity -- EPA [.pdf, 64p.]
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/chiwild/
This new publication from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers an engaging and attractively illustrated overview of "nature in the metropolis." Almost eight million people live in the greater Chicago area, but this region also contains pockets of prairie, oak savannas, wetlands, and other areas that represent some of the last remaining examples of the natural communities that once covered the Midwest. Many of these areas reside in the six-counties of the Chicago Wilderness, home to over 100 rare plant and animal species. This report, downloadable in .pdf format by chapter, explores the features and denizens of the ecosystems of the Chicago Wilderness and describes ongoing conservation efforts. In addition to photographs, the report contains numerous graphs, tables, and maps. [MD]
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Persepolis and Ancient Iran: Catalog of Expedition Photographs -- OI
http://www-oi.uchicago.edu/OI/MUS/PA/IRAN/PAAI/PAAI.html
Over the past month the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago (last mentioned in the June 30, 1998 Scout Report for Social Sciences) has made the second through seventh installments of photographs and captions to its catalog of expedition photographs of Persepolis and Ancient Iran. The site will eventually contain 999 images, which are being added on a building by building basis over the next few months. The site is divided into four sections, "summarizing the major areas of investigation: the architecture, reliefs, and finds of the Palaces at Persepolis; the prehistoric mound of Tall-i-Bakun; Istakhr, the Islamic city mound; and the aerial survey flights conducted between 1935 and 1937." Each section offers an overview and a list of images that will be included. Presently, only the first section, which highlights the architecture and sculpture of the Persepolis Terrace palace complex, contains viewable images. Buildings featured in this section include the Throne Hall, the Treasury, and the Harem and Palace of Xerxes. Images are listed by caption or browsable by a thumbnail index. [MD]
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Extreme Weather Sourcebook
http://www.dir.ucar.edu/esig/HP_roger/sourcebook/
Created by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), this site offers easy access to data on the economic damage from hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes in the United States and its territories. Time spans for each type of extreme weather vary, with hurricane data covering 1925-95, tornadoes 1950-95, and floods 1983-96; however, all damage data is reported in constant 1997 dollars to simplify comparisons. The data is offered by weather event in two formats: a graph for each state showing damage totals over the entire period, or tables that list average yearly damage and state rank. [MD]
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National Directory of Teacher Programs and Resources in Art Museums--NGA
http://www.nga.gov/education/tpmain.htm
Compiled by the National Gallery of Art (NGA), this directory is aimed at K-12 educators, school administrators, and museum professionals. These users are encouraged to use the site to learn about "the rich multidisciplinary resources available, often free of charge, at art museums across the United States and in Puerto Rico." Many museums offer valuable training and a variety of resources for educators that sometimes go unused or underutilized. Users may browse the directory by state or topic. Entries include overviews of programs and resources offered, a brief collection description, and contact information. [MD]
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The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm42/4262/sli-00.htm
BBC News Special Report: The Lawrence Inquiry [RealPlayer]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/special_report/1999/02/99/stephen_lawrence/newsid_285000/285357.stm
In 1993, 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death in London in a racially motivated attack. Lawrence's killers have not been successfully prosecuted, and, as this report released by the UK Home Office on February 24 reveals, the London police inquiry into the crime displayed "professional incompetence and institutional racism." Undoubtedly the most infamous racial murder in recent British history, Lawrence's death, the police investigation, and the far-reaching government inquiry which followed are being regarded as a milestone in British race relations, inspiring new private and government initiatives to improve relations as well as proposals for extensive changes in the UK policing and judicial systems. Users can read the full text of Sir William Macpherson's 352 page report at the UK Sationary Office site. The BBC special report on the Inquiry offers an interactive chronology of events, profiles of key figures, analysis and reaction, archived articles, and the latest news. [MD]
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Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project [RealPlayer]
http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/
The ambitious goal of the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project is to bring together digital versions of documents, images, and even music related to Abraham Lincoln's life in Illinois from institutions throughout that state. Users will be able to access materials via browsing chronological and thematic sections or searching database sets. Currently a pilot database of 70 campaign songs from the 1860 Lincoln-Douglas presidential race is available at the site. In keeping with the project goals, the site presents the campaign songs in three ways: digital images of sheet music pages, searchable text transcriptions, and digital audio recordings of selected songs. It is possible to search the collection for songs pertaining to specific topics or including specific words, browse by title, or select from a digital table of contents. Lincoln Digitization Project staff hope for users to "gain new insights into the campaign of 1860 and the antebellum period's fascinating political culture." [DS]
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Nuclear Nonproliferation: Concerns with DOE's Efforts to Reduce the Risks Posed by Russia's Unemployed Weapons Scientists -- GAO [.pdf, 105p.]
http://www.gao.gov/AIndexFY99/abstracts/rc99054.htm
Publicly released on February 22, this new study by the General Accounting Office, an investigative arm of Congress, raises serious questions about two Energy Department (DOE) programs designed to employ poorly-paid scientists of the former Soviet Union on peaceful and commercially-viable projects. The report contends that some of these scientists have continued to assist not only weapons programs in Russia, but also those of other countries. Another major finding of the report is that one of the two programs has been more effective at subsidizing Energy Department labs in the US than at supporting the Russian scientists, spending 63% of its funding in this country. Based on an investigation of 15 defense institutes in Russia and 79 projects, this GAO report is the first independent review of the Energy Department's program, known as Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention. Users can download the full text of the report in .pdf format from the GAO site. [MD]
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UC Berkeley Media Resources Center Expands Audio and Video Offerings Audio Files [Streamworks Player]
http://lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/audiofiles.html
Video Files [Streamworks Player]
http://lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/videofiles.html
The Media Resources Center at the University of California, Berkeley (described in the February 27, 1998 Scout Report) has recently expanded its selection of video and audio files, offering highlights from its collection and the Berkeley Language Center (BLC) Language Lab Speech Archives. The audio section contains a number of lengthy full-text speeches and readings delivered on the Berkeley campus by notable figures such as Malcom X, Noam Chomsky, Umberto Eco, Robert Frost, Margaret Mead, Michel Foucault, and the leaders of the Free Speech Movement. The video section currently features clips from the upbeat and musically-vibrant films of Bay Area filmmaker Les Blank. Both sections use the Streamworks Player, which offers excellent streaming audio and video performance. [MD]
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Two From PBS
The American Experience: Meltdown at Three Mile Island [Shockwave]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/three/
Frontline: Russian Roulette [RealPlayer]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/russia/
These two new companion sites to recent PBS programs explore past and present nuclear threats. While viewers of the film on Three Mile Island will appreciate the enhanced transcript, interview transcripts, and bibliography, anyone with an interest in this near-disaster or nuclear power in general will enjoy the site. Features include an overview of how a nuclear reactor operates, a Shockwave animation of what happened at Three Mile Island, a nuclear power timeline, brief biographies of key personalities, and a teacher's guide. Users may find the interview segments especially interesting, as they offer a revealing look into not only how close the plant came to absolute disaster, but also how the media, the Governor, and the Lieutenant Governor interpreted and reacted to the accident. The second site offers an excellent analysis of the safety and security of Russia's nuclear arsenal. The site explores issues such as suitcase bombs, the 1995 Norweigan rocket incident, an undercover sting of would-be nuclear device smugglers, and the effectiveness of the Nunn-Lugar program. Resources include numerous primary documents; interviews with analysts and key figures; maps and charts; a RealPlayer video of the American suitcase bomb; and selected readings, such as an alarming collection of fourteen incidents occurring in Russian nuclear facilities in 1998 alone. [MD]
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APA Help Center [JavaScript]
http://helping.apa.org/
The American Psychological Association (APA) Help Center offers useful facts, information, and advice on how psychological services can help people cope with problems such as stress, depression, family strife, or chronic illness. The site provides sections devoted to psychology in the workplace, the health implications of the mind/ body connection, family and personal relationships, and psychology in daily life. In addition, users may order a free print brochure, "How to Find Help for Life's Problems," learn how and when to choose a psychologist, and obtain a referral to a psychologist in their area. A detailed site map and an easy-to-use keyword search facility aid navigation of these helpful pages. [AO]
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The British Invasion -- EB [RealPlayer, Quicktime, Shockwave]
http://britishinvasion.eb.com/home.html
This month marks the 35th anniversary of the Beatles' arrival in America, an event that sparked the "second British Invasion" of 1964-67. Soon after their historic appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, a string of British bands sought their fortune on the US pop charts, as American youths clamored for singles, clothes, and anything else hip and new from the old country. This new site from the Encyclopedia Brittanica offers brief histories of the influences, careers, and members of some of the principal British invaders, including the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Hollies. Other resources include RealPlayer music clips, a section on London fashion with a movie of a 1966 Carnaby Street fashion show, band trading cards, and sections exploring the roots of British rock. [MD]
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Peace Gallery
http://www.peacegallery.org/
Created by Peace Corps volunteer Wayne Breslyn to help others "see the real world behind the headlines," this site presents over 500 photos from around the world taken by Peace Corps Volunteers. Images are organized by region and country and presented in thumbnail indexes with short captions. Users can also conduct a keyword search, view photos of central America before Hurricane Mitch, take a photo tour of Bawku, Ghana, and sign up for a monthly email newsletter with Gallery updates and information on volunteerism. [MD]
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ICQ 99a Beta
http://www.icq.com/
What began as a simple program to track friends online has now emerged into ICQ 99a Beta. This new release from ICQ Inc. offers a vast array of features and options that bring users ever closer to having, essentially, an Internet of their own. Beyond the basic features of tracking online friends, sending messages, and chatting, ICQ 99a Beta offers myriad new options such as the ability to register one's birthday for others to use in sending an ICQ-based greeting card, the ability to easily create a personal ICQ-esque homepage, integration with the user's email client, and more. There are so many new features in this version, it would be a wonder if anyone could actually use all of them. ICQ 99a Beta runs on Win95/98/NT4 and, though free, may expire after a certain period of time. [CL]
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The Ultimate Upgrade Guide -- PC Magazine Online
http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/upgrade99/index.html
Computers, as everyone knows, seems to get cheaper every day. Many users find that they can now buy twice the computer for half the money they spent a few years ago. A brand new computer, however, may not be the only answer for users wishing for better performance or simply a level playing field, as prices for computer components have kept pace with whole computers. This new report from PC Magazine Online is designed to help users decide if and how to upgrade their present hardware to get a few more years out of their original investment. The report is composed of three main sections (Core Components, Multimedia, and Internet and I/O Connections), each of which analyzes the merits and prices of various upgrades, and offers tips and instructions for installation. [MD]
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Mac Desktop Weather
WeatherTracker
http://www.weathertracker.com
Planet Earth
http://www.lunarsoft.com/planetearth/
WeatherTracker is the ideal desktop application for anyone who always wants to know what the weather outside is like. The temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, winds, and current conditions can be displayed in three different formats, updated hourly for North American Cities. The local forecasts, climate data and near shore marine forecasts can be displayed in other windows and are available for select North American cities. Other cities are limited to temperature and current conditions. For those interested in a more global view of the weather, Planet Earth is a "real-time 3-D model of the Earth with continuously updating night shadows and clouds." Cloud images are provided by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center. WeatherTracker and Planet Earth are shareware, $20.00 and $29.95, respectively. [PMS]
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Historic Elections in Iran
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) [RealPlayer]
http://www.irna.com/
Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran
http://www.gov.ir/khatami/index-e.htm
Mohammad Khatami: President of the Islamic Republic of Iran [RealPlayer]
http://www.persia.org/khatami/index.html
BBC Persian Service: The Story of the Revolution [RealPlayer]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/revolution/
THE IRANIAN: History, 1979 revolution, day by day
http://www.iranian.com/History/Feb98/Revolution/index.html
In a crucial test for Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and his fellow political reformists, Iranians are going to the polls today in the first local elections in the 20-year history of the Islamic Republic. Some 330,000 candidates, including 5,000 women, are contesting 200,000 seats on city, town and village councils throughout the country. Although the elections will not alter the balance of power on a national scale, where the unelected religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his conservative followers dominate, they are widely seen as a groundbreaking exercise in local grass-roots democracy. They could also be a watershed in the presidency of Khatami, who centered his campaign on establishing the rule of law and creating a "civil society" in Iran. The Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's first news agency, offers a selection of headlines related to the elections as well as links to English, Persian, and Arabic newspapers. The site also offers audio and video news clips in English and Persian. The next site, the President's official page, offers a brief biography, selected speeches and writings, and biographies of his Cabinet members. Please note that sections of this site are still under construction. An unofficial tribute page, the second President Khatami site, offers a selection of text and audio quotes, reports, and articles from and about Khatami and his political goals. Please note that some of the selections are only available in Persian. The last two sites offer a history of the foundation of the Islamic Republic that Khatami and his followers wish to transform. Additional resources for understanding today's elections and the Islamic Republic of Iran can be found in the Scout Report Signpost, the Scout Report's database. These include the Iran Weekly Press Digest, Salam Iran, and the Iran Yearbook. [MD]
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