NSDL Scout Report for Math, Engineering, and Technology
The third issue of the first volume of the MET Report is available. Its Topic in Depth section offers Web sites and comments about distributed computing.
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Attending to Early Modern Women Resources
http://35a-505.umd.edu/emw/early_modern.php3
This Web site provides annotated links to high quality academic resources useful for the study of women in early modern Europe and the Americas. Specific focus is on periods between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries; however, links also include some medieval and nineteenth century resources. Selected by members of the Arts and Humanities Team of the University of Maryland Libraries, materials range from bibliographic databases to full-text resources, images, and sound recordings. Viewers may search the database by keyword or browse by title, subject, reference type, time period, language, or geographic area. Although most of the resource links are free, some require a license for access. [MG]
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US Department of State: 2001 Human Rights Reports
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2001/
Recently released by the US State Department, the 2001 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices was designed to give voice to those who have been denied the freedoms and rights provided in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Covering internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights for nearly every country, the collection of reports is separated into six regions -- Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Western Hemisphere, Near East and North Africa, and South Asia. The collection also offers appendices that include notes on the preparation of the reports, a selection of International Human Rights Conventions, a selection of Assistance Programs, the Human Rights Commission voting record, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [MG]
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Student Voices from World War II and the McCarthy Era: An Oral History Web site [Quicktime]
http://www.ashp.cuny.edu/oralhistory/index.html
A collaborative effort by the City University of New York's Brooklyn College, John Jay College, and the Center for Media and Learning / American Social History Project at the CUNY Graduate Center, this oral history Web site offers a case study of the impact of World War II and the domestic Cold War on student life at Brooklyn College. The site primarily focuses on oral accounts of former students who were involved in Brooklyn College's Farm Labor Project and Vanguard Controversy. The Farm Labor Project originated in 1942 and consisted of recruited Brooklyn College students who spent their summers doing farm work in upstate New York in order to help alleviate the labor shortage. The Vanguard Controversy erupted in 1950 when Brooklyn College President Harry Gideonse shut down the college's "left-leaning" student newspaper, the Vanguard, after a dispute over the paper's editorial policies. For history teachers interested in these stories, the site provides a teaching section equipped with an online syllabus, an essay on the pedagogical possibilities of the site, and a collection of links to other related sites. In addition, Internet users may view the site's photograph gallery consisting of photographs and other visual artifacts concerning the Farm Labor Project and Vanguard episode. This site is best viewed in Internet Explorer 5 and above on both PC and Mac platforms; audio is accessible with QuickTime. [MG]
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Study on Section 8 Voucher Success Rates: A Two-Volume Set [.pdf]
Volume I: Quantitative Study of Success Rates in Metropolitan Areas
http://huduser.org/publications/pubasst/sec8success.html
Volume II: Qualitative Study of Five Rural Areas
http://huduser.org/publications/pubasst/sec8_vol2.html
Volume I estimates the success rate for Section 8 voucher holders in metropolitan areas and explores factors that may affect chances for success (e.g., market tightness, the characteristics of the voucher holder, and housing authority policies and procedures). Its companion, Volume II, explores success rates of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) and factors affecting success rates in rural communities. The report draws on research from five rural public housing agencies (PHAs) in Alabama, Iowa, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Texas. In both volumes, success rate is defined as the portion of families who are issued vouchers and succeed in leasing a unit within the time provided by the program. [MG]
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Broadband: Bringing Home the Bits
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309082730/html/
This report is an enjoyably accessible introduction to broadband communications for an era in which the term itself is increasingly pitched as the mark of excellence in high-speed Internet access. Published by the National Academy Press, the publishing house of the National Academy of Science, this work closely follows the history and development of broadband technology from its inception to the present state of the art. Available online or for (hard copy) purchase, the work covers numerous aspects of broadband and other forms of high-speed communications, from the technical and practical to the critical issues of telecommunications regulation and governance. Consumers, students, and technology enthusiasts will all find something worth considering in this thorough study. [WH]
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GIS and Historical Maps from the David Rumsey Collection
http://www.davidrumsey.com/
Presented by Cartography Associates, the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection focuses on rare 18th and 19th century North and South America cartographic history materials, with an inclusion of historical maps of the World, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Some of the collection categories include old and antique atlas, globe, school geography, maritime chart, state, county, city, pocket, wall, children, and manuscript maps. Internet users may search the collection by country, state, publication author, keywords, or by data field. On the whole, this site masterfully blends together powerful searching, access, and user functionality (made possible by technology) with visual beauty and the intellectual richness of original source materials. [MG]
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The Wright Brothers in Photographs
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/wright_brothers/dmc.html
Hosted by the History and Archival Collections database of the OhioLINK Digital Media Center (DMC), this collection of digital images comes from Wright State University Libraries' Wright Brothers Collection. This online exhibit currently contains 408 entries, provides coverage of the Wrights' early inventive period (documenting their experimental gliders and flight testing in both North Carolina and Ohio), and offers accounts of their home and camp life. Users may search the database by keyword or browse by date, object type, contributor, place, or creator. [MG]
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The Whitney Museum of Art: 2002 Biennial Exhibition
http://www.whitney.org/2002biennial/
The largest Biennial since 1981, the Whitney Museum of American Art's 2002 Biennial Exhibition presents the work of 113 artists and collaborative teams. Showcased from March 7 - May 26, 2002, the exhibition, which is the Museum's signature survey of contemporary American art, fills the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of the museum, as well as the Museum's Sculpture Court, stairwell, main elevator, and Lobby Gallery. The curators of the 2002 Biennial traveled to 43 towns and cities in 27 states and to Puerto Rico to view works, and have included artists born in 23 countries, ranging in ages from 24 to 71. In addition, for the first time, in conjunction with the Public Art Fund, several Biennial pieces will be presented in Central Park. According to Lawrence Rinder, chief curator of the exhibition, "The 2002 Biennial pays tribute to the spirit and variety of American artistic practice throughout the country." The exhibition contains art works in three main categories --- film and video, Internet-based art, and performance and sound art. Internet users may visit the Museum's Web site to find a list of all artists featured in the exhibit, as well as a glimpse of some of the art works in the film/video and Internet-based art categories. [MG]
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Tax Time 2002
http://lii.org/taxes
A product of the Librarians' Index to the Internet, Tax Time 2002 is a searchable, briefly annotated directory of tax-related Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their usefulness to users of the library and general public. The resources include Web sites related to income tax preparation, taxation, sales tax, tax-related finance sites, tax forms, select publications, the IRS, and state taxation agencies. More importantly (because we need it during tax season), the site also provides a guide to a few Web sites that provide humorous cartoons, stories, and one-liners to help lighten the oftentimes burdensome load the tax season tends to bring. [MG]
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OAlster
http://oaister.umdl.umich.edu/
A description of the University of Michigan's Digital Library Production Service's OAIster Project, this resource offers a detailed introduction of the project and its primary objectives. Standing for Open Archives Initiative, OAIster is an ongoing, collective effort on the part of librarians and other information service professionals to increase access to Web-based resources not currently retrievable by existing search engines. While of critical interest to information professionals, the project has broad-ranging implications for anyone surfing the Internet, as current search strategies and the protocols they employ rely on limited, predetermined sets of data not always supplied by Internet resource providers to describe the information they make available. Accordingly, many resources just can't be found by popular search engines, making the resources, essentially, invisible to all but their creators and their immediate community. The OAIster Project is meant to resolve this problem, making more of the Web available to everyone as soon as possible. [WH]
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Mark Twain: A Film Directed by Ken Burns
http://www.pbs.org/marktwain/
Mark Twain, a film co-produced by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, aired on PBS January 14th and 15th of 2002. Presently, PBS is offering the general public the opportunity to go behind the scenes at Florentine Films and learn about the making of the movie. Internet users can meet the co-producers and find out what they have say about Twain, as well as follow the steps of the filmmaking process. In addition, users have the opportunity to view a scrapbook that offers some of Twain's writings and collected artifacts. The site also contains classroom activities, selected writings, a chronology of Twain's life, and links to other related sites. Aspiring film producers, history and literature teachers, and Mark Twain enthusiasts may find this site quite valuable. [MG]
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Anglo-Australian Observatory of Astronomical Images
http://www.aao.gov.au/images.html/
David Malin, Adjunct Professor of Scientific Photography at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), has created this "gateway to a unique collection of wide-field astronomical photographs." These awe-striking photographs were mostly taken with the telescopes of the Anglo-Australian Observatory and include photos of galaxies, emission and reflection nebulae, supernovae, star clusters, messier objects, and more. Underneath each picture is a brief description, along with links to other related images. Users may scan the images by object type, by telescope type, or by the portfolio pages of thumbnail pictures (a slightly slower process). [MG]
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CampusTours: Virtual College Tours
http://www.CampusTours.com/
CampusTours works with over eight hundred colleges and universities throughout the United States to promote, enhance, and build virtual college tours for prospective students and parents. These online tours provide students with an opportunity to learn about a college prior to a campus visit and the chance to view and perhaps become interested in institutions of which they had previously not been aware. The site also provides campus maps (if available) and a link to the institution's official Web site. Users may search by state or school name. CampusTours has become a valuable piece of the college recruitment effort and essentially provides the modern-day equivalent of a printed college guidebook. [MG]
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Molecular Expressions: The Silicon Zoo
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/creatures/index.html
Although most of us will never examine a computer chip under a microscope, computer engineers are showing their creative side by hiding silicon artwork in a chip's layout. The Silicon Zoo has a collection of highly-magnified images that showcase the designer's talent, and each image is accompanied by an interesting, and often humorous, explanation. The silicon doodles have many different themes, ranging from cartoon characters to King Arthur's sword. Two Java tutorials are also on the Web site: the first describes how engineers create their "creatures," while the second explains how computer chips are searched to find them. There are many interesting sections of The Silicon Zoo, so be sure to explore! This site is also reviewed in the March 15, 2002 NSDL Math, Engineering, and Technology Report. [CL]
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The Napoleonic Guide
http://www.napoleonguide.com/
The Napoleonic Guide offers a one-stop reference site for Napoleon and French history enthusiasts. Focusing on French history between 1796 to 1815, the site offers information on the era's major powers, armies, soldiers, battles, the Naval War, the War of 1812, and much more. In addition, users can expect to find personal information on Napoleon's career, opponents, marshals, and family. Also provided are digital images; key maps; and a list of relevant movies, books, and music. [MG]
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The Free Assessment Summary Tool
http://www.getfast.ca/
The Free Assessment Summary Tool (FAST) is a simple online tool that offers teachers an opportunity to assess their students' impressions of their courses and pedagogical methods. Rather than waiting for the end-of-the-course evaluations, FAST allows students the chance to offer constructive feedback about the course throughout the term. This tool is a valuable resource that opens a proactive dialogue between teachers and students. Interested users may visit the site's frequently asked questions and user tips for more information on the functionality of the software. [MG]
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SwitchEmail: Free Email Forwarding
http://www.switchemail.com/pages/index.asp
For users afraid of changing email addresses for fear of not receiving messages sent to their old address, fret no longer. SwitchEmail is a free email forwarding service that can forward electronic messages to and from any ISP. Users do not have to keep old email accounts active or open, reveal their password, or have an email address with SwitchEmail. The service offers users the freedom to switch email addresses with comfort in knowing they still have access to all incoming messages. [MG]
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Is It Time for an INS Upgrade?
Bush 'Plenty Hot' Over Hijack Visas
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22524-2002Mar13.html
Lawmaker Proposes Abolishing INS
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25753-2002Mar14.html
Lawmakers Debate Future of INS
http://www.msnbc.com/news/723058.asp
House Passes Illegal Immigrant Bill
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17700-2002Mar13.html
The INS Online
http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/index.htm
The American Immigration Center
http://www.immigration-center.com/
President Bush announced on Wednesday that he was "plenty hot" to learn that student visas for Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi were delivered six months after they flew hijacked jetliners into the World Trade Center. Bush expressed his displeasure that the two terrorists remained in the immigration pipeline even though the names on the forms were widely known. Bush further stated that Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Commissioner James Ziglar was responsible for "this embarrassing disclosure," but should be given a chance to rectify the problem. On the other hand, Congressman James Sensenbrenner is proposing to replace the INS with two separate agencies that would operate under the control of an assistant attorney general because he thinks Ziglar does not have the proper managerial background to run either agency.
Both Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi sought student visas during the early part of 2001 in order to attend technical schools. According to Russ Bergeron, an immigration agency spokesman, the visa for Atta, of Egypt, was approved in July 2001 while the visa for Al-Shehhi, of United Arab Emirates, was approved the following month. Bergeron stated that the INS had no information regarding these people and their link to terrorism when the visas were granted. However, critics maintain that the INS still had abundant reason to deny Atta's visa request since he left the country and re-entered at least three times on previous expired visas. The third time, in January 2001, Atta aroused the suspicions of immigration officials who pulled him aside and questioned him for an hour. In addition, a warrant was out for his arrest because he skipped a court hearing in May in Broward County, Florida, where he had been arrested for driving without a license. For more information concerning the issued visas, users may access the first site presented by the Washington Post. The second and third sites both delve into Congress's debate over the future of the INS. The fourth article gives information on a combined illegal immigrant bill that was approved on a 275-137 vote by the House. The fifth site provides access to INS's home page for those interested in learning more about the INS and its current practices and procedures. Finally, the last site provides information and services on visas, permanent residence, green cards, and US citizenship. [MG]
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