NSDL Scout Report for Math, Engineering, and Technology
The sixth issue of the first volume of the MET Report is available. Its Topic in Depth section offers Web sites and comments about fluid power.
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Long-Term Care Insurance: An Assessment of States' Capacity to Review and Regulate Rates [.pdf]
http://research.aarp.org/il/2002_02_ltc.html
Issued by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Public Policy Institute, this report explores the inadequacies of the state government's review process of long-term care insurance premiums, and offers recommendations to remedy these problems. Authors Steven Lutzky, Lisa Maria B. Alecxih, and Ryan Foreman of the Lewin Group suggest that states require premium reviews by an actuary with training in long-term care insurance, review the process used to set the premiums, and offer consumers comparative rate guides as well as information regarding insurance companies' rate increase histories. The entire report can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. This report is not easily readable online; therefore, printing the report is recommended. [MG]
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Usage and Usability Assessment: Library Practices and Concerns
http://www.clir.org/pubs/abstract/pub105abst.html
The most recent offering from the Digital Library Federation (DLF), this report (99 pages) covers the best management and design strategies for digital library services. Authored by Denise Troll Covey, Associate Librarian, Carnegie Mellon University, the report "offers a survey of the methods that are being deployed at leading digital libraries to assess the use and usability of their online collections and services." Through interviews, Ms. Covey gathered the collective knowledge and experiences across several DLF member institutions. She relates these collective experiences and provides readers with a solid understanding of the practical application of information gathering strategies (surveys, focus groups, user protocols, transaction log analysis, etc.). Each methodology is fully explained and the difficulties and drawbacks described. In addition to a useful bibliography, Covey also includes a review of traditional library input/output measures for comparison. This report is a must read for anyone involved in the development of digital services and collections. While you're at the DLF site, take a moment to review other DLF reports. All are useful and worth the time. [DJS]
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Connecticut's Job First Program Final Report Overview [.pdf]
http://www.mdrc.org/Reports2002/CT_JobsFirst/CT-Overview.htm
Since its establishment in 1996, Connecticut's Job First Welfare Reform Program has been under rigorous evaluation. As a result, under a contract with the Connecticut Department of Social Services, Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC) decided to study the effects of the Job First Program. During the study, nearly 5,000 single-parent welfare applicants and recipients in Manchester and New Haven were randomly assigned to either the Jobs First Program or to the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) group (which operated under the prior welfare rules). The effects of the Jobs First Program were estimated by comparing how the two groups fared over a four-year period, and the results are revealed in this report. Users may choose to view the Executive Summary (a short review in HTML), the Summary Report (52 pages), or the Full Report (406 pages). In addition, the Web page provides access to the report's press release (issued February 20, 2002) and a description of Connecticut's Job First Program. [MG]
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Wisconsin Historical Images of the Wisconsin Historical Society
http://www.shsw.wisc.edu/whi/
Hosted by the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS), the Wisconsin Historical Images (WHI) Web site offers images that depict various people and scenes from Wisconsin's past, covering sporadically the time period between 1870 and 1970. Presenting over 250 images (as of early 2002) and updated monthly, WHI provides online access to a collection of mostly photographs (with a few posters and paintings being the exception). Wide-ranging categories help to organize the collection, including topics like Indians of North America, Urban, Political Activities, Crime, Domestic Life, and more. Also, WHS allows interested users to purchase reproductions of any image by mail or fax; online facilities will be operational by Summer 2002. Researchers of Wisconsin history, as well as those in search of historical images, might find WHI valuable. [TS]
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Ohio Memory Online Scrapbook
http://www.ohiomemory.org/
Launched by the Ohio Historical Society, the Ohio Memory Project provides access to historical treasures of Ohio from "prehistory to 1903." This online scrapbook was created in part to commemorate the state's bicentennial of 2003, celebrate state and local history, and allow others to explore Ohio's rich and diverse past. This easily navigable collection consists of manuscripts; letters; diaries; historical photographs; state and local government records; clothing; furniture; tools; artwork; prehistoric artifacts; and plant, animal, and geological specimens. Viewers browse the scrapbook by subject category, or search by subject, title, place, author, or creator. Due to the broad content of the scrapbook, this site may be of interest to researchers in many different areas. [MG]
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Black Wings: African American Pioneer Aviators
http://160.111.252.56/nasm/blackwings/index.html
Presented by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Black Wings is an online exhibit that tells the story of early African American aviators who overcame the obstacles of racism and discrimination to pursue their flight dreams. The exhibit is divided into four sections -- Early Pioneers Inspire Blacks to Become Pilots, Training Prepares Black Pilots for War, Tuskegee Airmen Fight in World War II, and The Quest for Equal Opportunity -- each section is equipped with photographs along with historical data. The site also contains classroom activities for students in grades 5-12, as well as a short list of print and online teaching resource materials that complement the content of the Black Wings' Web site. [MG]
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The Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History
http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/FRC.frontdoor
A real find for anyone interested in prehistoric life, the American Museum of Natural History's Division of Paleontology site brings the ancient to life. Easily accessible, the site presents numerous materials, from images of the fossil record to artists' representations of the prehistoric world and its wilder inhabitants, the dinosaurs. For those interested in the people behind the scenes, as well as in the sites of prehistoric exploration themselves, the resource presents a wealth of information on paleontologists at the front line, including slide shows on specific voyages of discovery. One in particular takes visitors to a rich site in Mongolia's Gobi Desert. Also not to be missed is the presentation of one of the best preserved specimens of what just might prove to be a missing link -- a curiously feathered, earth-bound reptile some 130 million years old. [WH]
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Federal Reserve Research Roundup: 1st Quarter 2002 [.pdf]
http://www.fmcenter.org/pdf/fedresrr03-2002print.pdf
The Federal Reserve Research Roundup provides a quarterly review and summary of selected Fed research materials written by staff and visiting scholars at the Board of Governors and twelve Reserve Banks. In summarizing these selected papers, reports, and articles, the Roundup "attempts to capture the breadth of Fed research efforts," "highlight key substantive and methodological issues," and "supply insight into the central bank's research culture." This seven-page report includes topics such as banking trends and financial regulation, money and inflation, saving and investment, work and wages, and international trade and finance. The report also provides links to the original Fed documents and can be viewed in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. [MG]
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Art Trails Through the Victoria's Regional Galleries
http://amol.org.au/art_trails/
Designed and maintained by Australian Museums Online, this Web site is a repository of Victorian museum galleries. The galleries are organized into six sections or trails -- Coasting the Bay, Prospecting the Goldfields, Southern treasures, Midlands adventure, Gippsland jewels, and Western wonders -- and each provide a virtual reality tour that makes one seem as if he/she was there in the museum experiencing the art in person (and at the same time wishing to be there). The virtual tours utilize Hotmedia by IBM and, therefore, do not require any plug-ins. In all, this is a site for art lovers and anyone interested in viewing and exploring the dynamics of advanced technology. [MG]
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Teacher's Mind Resources
http://www.TeachersMind.com/
Proposing a teacher-based approach to educational reform, the Teacher's Mind Resources site is built around a recently published study of education, entitled Teaching in Mind: How Teacher Thinking Shapes Education. While largely promotional, the site offers a great deal of perspective into the current analysis of reformist trends and initiatives to stand on its own as a valuable source of insight and inspiration to educators at every level. Philosophically, the site's author is convinced that popular efforts to apply "universal" educational standards are meaningless - if they fail to take into account what each teacher brings to the class as an individual. Thus, it focuses on the teacher's mind as a unique tool destined to interpret every mandated standard differently and uniquely. Offering forums, media, and recently published research in the area, the Teacher's Mind site looks both to inform and engage all users. [WH]
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Small Farm Center Online Library
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/library/
Sponsored by the University of California Small Farm Center, this online resource library consists of a range of summaries and abstracts of articles relating to the management and productivity of small farms. Some of the topics include production, marketing, pest control, and farm management. Viewers can browse the database, or search by title, subject, author, or description. The database provides only an abstract of the source material, though. For a hard copy, viewers must complete an online request form to have the information either faxed or mailed. Currently, this service is free of charge. [MG]
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International Dictionary of Performing Arts Collections and Institutions
http://www.theatrelibrary.org/sibmas/idpac/idpac.html
Socit Internationale des Bibliothques et des Muses des Arts du Spectacle (SIBMAS), or the International Association of Libraries and Museums of the Performing Arts, has recently launched an international directory of performing arts collections and institutions database. This database currently contains over 7,000 international institutions that house materials relating to the performing arts. The subject categories include theatre, opera, music, ballet, film, circus, radio, television, cabaret, and pantomime. For any selected institution, the database provides both basic information and information regarding the collections housed there. Viewers may search the database by institution name, collections, or geographical location. [MG]
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Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
http://www.dnzb.govt.nz
Like its English counterpart, the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography is an impressive, unique resource, offering more than 3000 separate citations on figures transplanted and aboriginal, all of whom "made their mark" on Australia's pastoral neighbor. Presented alphabetically, biographies are brief but rich in detail (averaging between 500 and 1000 words), revealing much about the character of the land from which they hail. The majority of the biographies feature images, further references on their subject, and a ready-made bibliographic citation of the resource or URL. [WH]
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US News and World Report: 2003 Graduate School Rankings
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/rankindex.htm
The U.S. News 2003 graduate school rankings highlights the country's "academically excellent graduate programs." New ranking categories include business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and the sciences. The site also offers personalization tools, graduate school directory pages, and detailed information on the ranking process. In addition, viewers can access information on college rankings, community college and e-learning directories, financial aid, K-12 educational news and trends, educational forums, and much more. Although promotional, this site provides valuable information for those currently interested in enrolling into a college or graduate program. [MG]
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Branham300 Online
http://www.branhamgroup.com/branham300/2001/index.php
The Branham Group has recently published its annual ranking of the top 300 Canadian Information Technology (IT) companies. According to the Group, these rankings reflect "the ever-changing, yet ever present IT Sector." The rankings are divided into 8 categories, including the 100 Top Software Companies, the 100 Top IT Professional Services, the 25 Top IT Multinationals in Canada, the 25 Up and Coming Technology Firms, the 20 Top Wireless Technology Companies, the 10 Top Internet Service Providers, the 10 Top Application Service Providers, and the 10 Top Telecom Wireless Service Providers. Each category includes the companies' ranking in both 2001 and 2000. [MG]
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MicroSurfer 2.0
http://www.microsurfer.com/
MicroSurfer 2.0 is Web productivity software that enables faster Internet surfing. This newly release product eliminates backtracking in your browser; allows you to view Web pages without waiting; and allows you to collect, organize, and share links up to 400% faster. The software requiries Windows 95/98/2000/NT/Me/XP, direct or dial-up Internet access, and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or higher. MicroSurfer 2.0 edition is free for non-profit organizations and for individual personal use. For businesses, governmental entities, educational institutions, and those interested in a more advanced version of the software, the Plus edition may be purchased from the MicroSurfer online store. [MG]
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Web|3D SDK: Spring 2002 Software Development Kit
http://sdk.web3d.org/
The Web3D Consortium has just released its "semi-annual collection of software tools, specs, and resources" for the developer community, with a focus on Extensible 3D Graphics. The Software Development Kit (SDK) Web site is divided into two parts, labeled Disk 1 and Disk 2 (because it is primarily distributed on CD). The material presented in the SDK consists of Web3D language specifications and source code, descriptions of several tools and viewers, applicable resources, and a few content libraries. Although this site has plenty of good information, it can be difficult to navigate at first. This site is also reviewed in the April 26, 2002 NSDL Math, Engineering, and Technology Report. [CL]
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School Violence Continues
18 killed in shooting rampage at German school
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020426/ap_wo_en_ge/germany_school_shooting_27&printer=1
Expelled student kills 18 at former school, plunging Germany into shock
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020426/ap_wo_en_ge/germany_school_shooting_31&e=1&ncid=
Bloodbath Occurs as Germany Strengthens Gun Law
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&ncid=721&e=2&u=/nm/20020426/wl_nm/crime_germany_shooting_law_dc_1
Gutenberg Gymnasium School Factfile
http://europe.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/04/26/school.backgrounder/index.html
BBC News: History of School Shootings
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1953000/1953425.stm
CNN.com: Other School Killings
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/04/26/deadly.school.violence/
Yahoo News: List of Recent School Shootings
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=&ncid=721&e=4&u=/ap/20020426/ap_on_re_eu/germany_school_shooting_list
Risk Factors for School Violence
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/03/05/fbi.shooter.profile/index.html
An expelled student dressed in all black and carrying two guns opened fire at Gutenberg Gymnasium School in the eastern German city of Erfurt Friday morning, killing 17 people before shooting himself. This tragic incident caused the death of two young girls, 14 teachers, a police officer who responded to the scene, and the gunman. According to police chief Manfred Grube, the gunman, armed with a handgun and a pump-action gun, stalked the corridors and rooms of the school around 9 am (GMT), seeking out adults and then gunning them down. Describing the scene as a "picture of horror," Grube said the 19-year-old gunman fled German commandos as they stormed the building, and shot himself in a classroom. A special church service is due to take place this Friday evening. All the city's bells are to be rung, and flags are being flown at half mast.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he was "staggered" by the shooting, and cancelled an election campaign planned to begin on Saturday. Approximately 750 students in grades 5-12 are enrolled at the school, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in December. The shooting came just hours before the German Parliament approved a new bill tightening the country's already strict gun control laws. For more information on this tragic shooting, users may access the first two articles. The third article provides information on the gun law recently passed by Germany's Parliament, and the fourth article provides data regarding the Gutenberg Gymnasium School and the city of Erfurt. Articles 5 through 7 all provide chronological listings of other school shootings around the world, and the last site offers risk factors for school violence compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). [MG]
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