The Scout Report - June 8, 2001

Scout Report for Science & Engineering_
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/sci-eng/2001/se-010606.html
Volume 4, Number 20 of the Scout Report for Science & Engineering is available. The In the News section annotates eight resources on the twentieth anniversary of the discovery of AIDS/HIV.
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Copyright Search -- LOC
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/search
The Copyright Office is pilot testing a new user interface designed for first-time or occasional users of their three databases: registered works, serials, and documents. Their Telnet system LOCIS will still be available, but this site should help novices search for copyrights more effectively. Online information includes works registered since 1978, and records and index terms are added each week. Users can search a variety of fields depending on what database they are accessing. Results include information such as author, title, claimant, dates of registration, ISBN or ISSN, and more. Pilot testers may report problems they encounter and any suggestions for improvements by email to copyweb@loc.gov. [TK]
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Alg@line Database
http://meri.fimr.fi/Algaline/eng/EnAlgaline.nsf?OpenDatabase
Maintained by the Finnish Institute of Marine Research and several other institutions, the Alg@line Database offers updated reports on the conditions of phytoplankton and related parameters in the Baltic Sea. The reports, which vary in length and detail (though most are brief), summarize measurements of Oxygen, Salinity, Temperature, Nutrients, Harmful substances, Plankton, Zooplankton, Benthic Animals, Flow, and Other measurements. In addition, the Maps and Figures section offers numerous color images (including satellite) of Baltic Sea conditions and marine organisms. To access reports by geographic subregion of the Baltic, head to the Reports section. Finally, the Latest News section keeps researchers abreast of changing conditions (e.g., algal blooms) and research cruises in the Baltic. For researchers or anyone else wanting in-depth information on a host of ecological parameters for the Baltic Sea, this is an excellent reference site. [LXP]
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The Virginia Historical Inventory Project [TIFF viewer]
http://eagle.vsla.edu/vhi
Map Interface
http://image.vtls.com/VHI/subjects.html
The Library of Virginia's Digital Library Program (DLP) has brought to the Web the Virginia Historical Inventory Project (VHI), "a collection of detailed reports, photographs, and maps, documenting the architectural, cultural, and family histories of thousands of 18th- and 19th-century buildings in communities across Virginia." The collection consists of documents created by WPA workers who were specifically directed to focus on "vernacular architecture and the history of everyday buildings." Users can search the database via keyword, subject, author/ photographer, title, or record number, and along with the relevant report, results will link to maps and photographs, when available. A TIFF viewer is required in order to view page images of the reports, and there are links to download the software on-site. [TK]
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Two from NCES
Condition of Education, 2001 -- NCES [.pdf, .zip, PowerPoint]
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2001072
Education Statistics Quarterly, Spring 2001
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2001604
The US Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has recently placed online the latest editions of two of their informative publications. As with previous editions, the 2001 edition of the Condition of Education (last reviewed in the June 09, 2000 Scout Report) reviews indicators of the state of education in the US for a general audience. The 59 indicators are concentrated in six main areas: enrollment trends and student characteristics; learner outcomes; student effort and progress among different population groups; the quality of elementary and secondary education; the context of postsecondary education; and societal support for learning. The 309-page report can be downloaded in its entirety or by chapter. The second publication listed above, Education Statistics Quarterly (last mentioned in the December 1, 2000 Scout Report), gives an overview of all NCES products released in spring 2001. Organized by selected topic, short publications (under fifteen pages) are offered in their entirety, while summaries are provided for longer publications. Short descriptions of other NCES products and notices of training and funding opportunities are also included. The featured topic in this issue is the 1999 Third International
Mathematics and Science Study - Repeat (TIMSS-R). [TK]
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The U.S. "Tiananmen Papers" -- NSA [.pdf]
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB47/
The National Security Archive (NSA) released another electronic briefing book this week. The thirteen documents available here let readers glimpse US government perceptions of political events in 1989 China. Two years ago, the NSA released Tiananmen Square, 1989: The Declassified History (see the June 11, 1999 Scout Report), and since then, they have discovered these additional documents, among which are CIA reports and cables from the US embassy in China issued during the months preceding and immediately after the June 1989 demonstration. [TK]
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Sea Anemones of the World
http://biocomplexity.nhm.ukans.edu/anemones/images/index.html
This impressive site is comprised of an electronic catalog of species (of Actiniaria, Corallimorpharia, and Ptychodactiaria), a bibliography of literature in which those species were described, and an inventory of type specimens for more than 1,300 species of Sea Anemones. Distribution maps and images are also available for most type specimens. Led by Dr. Daphne Fautin of the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Kansas, this impressive initiative targets researchers in particular, but is an excellent resource for educators and students as well. The site is searchable by Genus, Species, Museum, Author, Year, or Distribution; typical returns lead the viewer to concise information on the species' original description, the type specimen's locality and museum, and one to several images of the species (color images, black-and-white illustrations, and more). [LXP]
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"Emerging Issues of Privatized Prisons" (NCJ 181249)
http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/bja/181249.txt
.pdf version
http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/bja/181249.pdf
This recent report, posted May 14, from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), prepared by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, presents the results of a national study to examine the efficacy of prison privatization. The report looks at the factors that have contributed to the increase in prison populations (which has in turn fueled the movement to privatize prisons) as well as the role the private sector currently plays in the prison system. "It outlines the arguments, both in support of and opposition to, privatized prisons, reviews current literature on the subject, and examines issues that will have an impact on future privatizations." Overall, the study found that private prisons operate much the same as public ones, with only marginal cost savings, and those savings mostly gleaned from reduction in labor costs. Note that graphical elements such as figures and charts are not available in the text version of the report. [TK]
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H-ANNOUNCE
http://www.h-net.msu.edu/announce/
This H-Net list distributes announcements and news relevant to the humanities and social sciences. The list makes available to the public the previously internal list from which H-Net editors select items appropriate to their individual lists. H-ANNOUNCE is a moderated, one-way list that distributes H-Net's Announcements Digest (which includes conferences, calls for papers, publications, funding, etc.); H-Net's Job Guide Index; the H-NCC newsletter from the National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History; and books reviewed on the Web. Users can post or view announcements or access archives at the above site. [TK]
    To subscribe to H-Announce, send a message from the account where you wish to receive mail, to:
listserv@h-net.msu.edu
    In the body of the message, type:
sub h-announce firstname lastname, institution
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National Library of Medicine Classification, 5th edition, revised 1999
http://wwwcf.nlm.nih.gov/class
The National Library of Medicine recently announced the online beta version of the National Library of Medicine Classification. The scheme is a broad system of classification and is intended for the shelf arrangement of all library materials within the field of medicine and related sciences. The NLM Classification utilizes schedules excluded from the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) schedules and is intended to be used with the LCC. Web-based access to the Classifications provides users with flexible maneuverability through the schedules and their index. The new searching tools enhance access and present the data in new ways, relating concepts and class numbers to one another. The Library expects to have an updated version of the Classification available sometime in 2002. [DJS]
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BenefitsCheckUp
http://www.benefitscheckup.org/
NCOA press release:
http://www.ncoa.org/press/bcu/
Brought to the Web by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), with assistance from a number of national organizations and companies, this new site is designed to help seniors become aware of benefits they may not be receiving. According to NCOA, millions of seniors do not collect the foodstamps or SSI income to which they are entitled or do not participate in Medicaid, though they are eligible. At the site, seniors or their caregivers fill out a Web form giving relevant information such as zip code, income, and age, and BenefitsCheckUp will let them know what programs they are eligible for and how to apply for them. The material visitors enter is treated as confidential and does not include any identifying information such as name, social security number, or telephone number. Readers should note that the questionnaire is somewhat long and will time out if left unattended too long; thus they will want to gather information about their income and assets before sitting down to fill out the Web form. [TK]
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Three on the Anniversary of the Discovery of AIDS/HIV
AIDS at 20 -- New York Times [.pdf, RealPlayer, Free Registration Required]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/aids/aids-index.html
20 Years of AIDS -- CDC [.pdf, RealPlayer, Windows Media Player]
http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/20years.htm
In Their Own Words: NIH Researchers Recall the Early Years of AIDS [Shockwave, RealPlayer]
http://aidshistory.nih.gov
According to the CDC, May 31 marked the 20-year anniversary of the first discovery of AIDS. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Web has seen a corresponding flurry of activity devoted to the history and current status of research on the disease. The first site above, the New York Times' special section on AIDS/HIV, offers a compendium of information on the epidemic, including articles on vaccine research, the lives of those living with AIDS, and AIDS' effect on the medical and social fabric of the United States; archival articles and documents from the early eighties; links to reports and stories off-site; and much more. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has posted a site that collects research findings from the Center's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, videos covering the epidemic's history and current status, and CDC bulletins and commentary. The final site is home to NIH's new online oral history project focused on the researchers involved with AIDS/HIV. Users can access material here via document type: Transcripts, Timeline, Document Archive, Image Archive, and Links, and the site also features topical sections that showcase audio files and graphics and provide a brief context for the historical documents and interview transcripts. For further sites devoted to AIDS/HIV see the June 6, 2001 Scout Report for Science & Engineering). [TK]
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Blackout -- Frontline [RealPlayer]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/blackout/
This companion site for the PBS Frontline show of the same name that aired this week, focuses on the energy crisis in California and beyond. Here users will find interviews and stories published in the New York Times (as a result of joint _NYT_/Frontline reporting), as well as Frontline's usual thorough explanations of the issues, including a glossary and charts and maps. In addition to interviews covering a range of opinions about the origins of the crisis in California, the site includes information on deregulation, the Bush/Cheney energy plan, energy rates around the country, and more. There is enough material here to keep visitors busy for hours, and after they have absorbed their fill, if they wish, they can share their thoughts on any of these contentious issues in the Discussion section of the site. [TK]
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Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture
http://libtext.library.wisc.edu/DLDecArts/
University of Wisconsin-Madison Library Director Kenneth Frazier says the Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture could be the first step toward creating "a virtual encyclopedia of the decorative arts." Ultimately, this site will include digital facsimiles of all types of material documenting American decorative arts. Currently, The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands, two-volumes of text and illustrations produced by naturalist Mark Catesby in 1754, is available in its entirety at the site. Catesby's work is usually regarded as the first accurate depictions of birds, fish, insects, and plants of the New World seen by Europeans. Visitors to the Website can search and browse more than 500 digital versions of color plates and text. Graphics are available in three resolutions, including "normal" size for easy browsing, higher quality for printing, and a still higher quality for examination of fine details. One of the next items scheduled for digitization is William Pain's Practical House Carpenter, published in 1792, a book of patterns, including information on eighteenth-century carpentry and supply prices. [DS]
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The Genomic Revolution -- AMNH [RealPlayer]
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/genomics/
In honor of the one-year anniversary of the first working draft of the human genome, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) brings the Genomic Revolution to the Web. Divided into seven primary sections, which are further broken down into subsections (e.g., Gene Therapy, Nature and Nurture), the exhibit provides a good, basic introduction to the science of genetics. AMNH does attempt to raise some of the questions that accompany issues such as genetically modified food or genetic screening, but the overall tone here is one of enthusiasm over the scientific advances in the field. A glossary and selected external links are available under the Resources section for visitors who wish to learn more. The link to Genomics at AMNH takes visitors to a page explaining the museum's research projects. [TK]
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Within These Walls -- NMAH [Flash4, RealPlayer, .pdf]
http://americanhistory.si.edu/house/default.asp
This Website from the National Museum of American History (NMAH) opens a door on the everyday history of American families from 1757 to 1945. The exhibit is organized around a house in Ipswich, Massachusetts and five of the different families that lived there over time. Visitors can click on one of the family names at the top of the page to bring up a thumbnail introduction to the family, images and descriptions of artifacts from their house, and a brief description of how they used one of the rooms of the house. The House Clues section talks about how one uncovers the history of a house and its inhabitants, while This House explains a bit about the Smithsonian's acquisition of the home in the exhibit. Younger Internauts may enjoy the Go Back in Time section, which presents artifacts and asks visitors to guess which of the five time periods they belong to. The Resources section should prove useful for instructors or those inspired to delve further into the subject, as it features both a series of lesson plans and a list of additional sources (online and in print). [TK]
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Women and Geometry: An Archive of American Patchwork Quilt Designs
http://womensearlyart.net/quilts/
Part of the larger site Women's Early Art, created by Sarah L. Whitworth, Women and Geometry features over 250 quilting patterns in its main section. A second area (Themes of Motion) showcases quilts with patterns like "Birds in the Air" and "Darting Minnows". Each entry includes a patchwork illustration with
animated drawings, as well as colored and patterned version of the block. Users get a sense of how a series of blocks are put together to form a whole quilt. The main section of the archive allows users to change the colors of the block by running the cursor over the image. A third area, Rags to Riches, explores an array of fabrics used in quilt-making along with poetry related to the fabric's theme. This site is a great place to come for quilting-related images; the line drawings and illustrations are free to download and use. A nice bibliography and list of quilting pattern links is also included in the Books section of the site. [REB]
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BBEdit Lite 6.1 [Mac OS 7.5.5+]
http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit_lite.html
The freeware version of Bare Bones' popular HTML/text editor, BBEdit Lite (last mentioned in the August 20, 1999 Scout Report) is a good option for those who want a powerful text editor but don't necessarily want to pay for it. Version 6.1, released May 31, features a number of improvements from 4.6, the last publicly available version, including the ability to run natively on OS X, support for the "open" and "save" dialogs introduced in OS 8, QuickTime image translation and movie playback, and much more. [TK]
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Two for Webmasters
Usability.gov
http://www.usability.gov/
Managing web resources for persistent access
http://www.nla.gov.au/guidelines/2000/persistence.html
These two resources are designed to help those who create and maintain Websites ensure that those sites are usable and stable. The first was put together by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), originally for use by NCI staff, but the Institute decided to make the site publicly accessible since many principles of good design and usability are generally applicable to most Websites. The resources here span a broad range of material from data collection to server log analysis to federal guidelines on accessibility. The second site consists of a set of guidelines from the National Library of Australia geared toward helping Webmasters maintain accessibility to online resources. Among other topics, the guidelines cover redirects, resolver databases, and persistent identifier services, as well as advice on organizing Websites so that material need not be moved frequently and keeping older material accessible. [TK]
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Buried Treasure Unveiled: The "Lost City" of Heracleion
"Spectacular finds of lost city revealed" -- BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1375000/1375708.stm
"Treasures of Sunken Egyptian Port Revealed" -- Reuters via YahooNews
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010607/sc/egypt_city_dc.html
"Researchers show off treasures pulled from sunken city" -- CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/meast/06/07/egypt.sunken.city.ap/index.html
"City Found in the Sea" -- ABCNEWS.com
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/sunkencity010607.html
Franck Goddio Web Site [Windows Media Player]
http://www.franckgoddio.org/
Alternate URL:
http://www.underwaterdiscovery.org/default.asp
The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities
http://guardians.net/sca/
"Sunken Egyptian Cities Hint at Mysterious Faults" -- DisasterRelief.org
http://www.disasterrelief.org/Disasters/010111sunkencities/
Egyptology Resources
http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/egypt/
A Guide to Underwater Archaeology Resources on the Internet
http://www.pophaus.com/underwater/
Yesterday, an underwater archaeology team working in Egypt's Bay of Aboukir unveiled its latest findings in a press conference. The team, led by Franck Goddio, in collaboration with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, has been excavating the site for the past year, and the artifacts they shared with the world yesterday seem to confirm that the buried city is, in fact, the ancient Egyptian port Heracleion, legendary as the destination of Helen of Troy and her lover Paris when they fled Menelaus, Helen's husband. Once one of the most popular Egyptian ports, Heracleion was surpassed in importance by Alexandria, yet scientists are unclear about how the city met its end at the bottom of the sea floor, with many believing an earthquake to be responsible. Regardless, the site is a treasure trove of artifacts in wonderful condition (all dating prior to the first century B.C.), and it seems certain we can look forward to more discoveries.

The BBC, Reuters, CNN, and ABC all carry articles covering the findings; be sure to check out the short slide show from ABC. Frank Goddio's Website features more photos, stories, and news of the excavations. Click on the Aboukir 2001 link under projects for news specifically of Heracleion. The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities has been working with the team at Aboukir, but as of today, their site had no news of the latest discoveries. DisasterRelief.org reviews the theories of how Heracleion ended up under water. Answers to those questions could aid disaster relief experts if they reveal hidden fault lines. Readers wishing to find out more about Egyptology or underwater archaeology will find the last two sites helpful. Egyptology Resources was put together by Nigel Strudwick, a curator in the British Museum, and includes listings of museums, digs, announcements, publications, and just about anything else having to do with Egyptology. A Guide to Underwater Archaeology Resources on the Internet functions in a similar fashion for underwater archaeology, with links categorized and annotated. [TK]
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Michael de Nie Susan Calcari Rachael Bower Travis Koplow David Charbonneau Emily Missner Laura X. Payne Debra Shapiro Scott Watkins Ed Almasy Hilary C. Sanders Manoj Ananthapadmanabhan David Sleasman Barry Wiegan Pat Coulthard Andy Yaco-Mink

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