NSDL Scout Report for Math, Engineering, and Technology
The fifteenth issue of the first volume of the MET Report is available. Its Topic in Depth section offers Web sites and comments about satellite navigation systems.
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2002 United Nations Human Development Report [.pdf]
http://www.undp.org/hdr2002/
Published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the 2002 Human Development Report emphasizes the importance of politics to successful human development and urges the creation and maintenance of potent forms of democratic governance at all levels of society. Entitled "Deepening democracy in a fragmented world," this 292-page report contains five chapters -- The state and progress of human development, Democratic governance for human development, Deepening democracy by tackling democratic deficits, Democratizing security to prevent conflict and build peace, and Deepening democracy at the global level -- and ends with human development indicators and indices. Users may access the report in its entirety or download by individual section. In addition, interested readers may access previous reports dating back to 1990. [MG]
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Gang Research.Net
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/kbc/
Hosted and maintained by John Hagedorn, a professor of criminal justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago, this site provides information about the nature of gangs around the United States, with a particular emphasis on gangs in Chicago. The prime objective of the site is "to dispel stereotypes and present research, original documents, and helpful links." The site is divided into three main sections, including information on globalization, Chicago gangs, and gang research. There are several compelling primary documents on the site, including transcriptions of interviews and presentations from current and former gang leaders from Chicago. Also, there is a chronology detailing the history of one of the most infamous African-American gangs in Chicago, the Blackstone Rangers. The site will be of great interest to those studying the nature of gangs in the United States and particularly to those interested in the evolution of gangs in Chicago over the past century. [KMG]
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Who's your Neighbor: Residential Segregation and Diversity in California [.pdf]
http://www.ppic.org/publications/CalCounts13/calcounts13.pdf
By examining hundreds of census tracts throughout the state, this recent report offers an engaging perspective on the residential segregation and diversity within California. Prepared by Juan Onesimo Sandoval, Hans P. Johnson, and Sonya M. Tafoya, the report contains valuable information about the most and least segregated urban neighborhoods around the state, along with the contention that the most and least segregated places in California tend to be suburban cities in large metropolitan areas. The authors also conclude that, while residential segregation is a relatively widespread sociological phenomenon, this pattern has been on the decline since 1990. The report also contains valuable statistical data on racial segregation at the census tract level, along with a detailed explanation of the study's methodology. Quite timely, the report will engage the attention of policymakers in California, and be of general interest to those concerned with the prevalent pattern of residential racial segregation that is commonplace among many urban areas in the United States. [KMG]
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The Royal Society Inquiry into Infectious Diseases in Livestock [.pdf]
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/inquiry/index.html
At the conclusion of 2001, The Royal Society Inquiry into Infectious Diseases in Livestock began their investigation into the devastating outbreak of foot and mouth disease that occurred earlier that year in Britain. This report, released in July 2002, outlines some of the ways that future transmission of the disease and subsequent epidemics may be prevented and more effectively controlled. The report was prepared by a committee comprised of scientists, veterinarians, farmers, and other concerned parties who made site visits to areas affected by the outbreak, along with compiling an extensive oral account of the epidemic. Along with the entire 140-page report, there are an 8-page summary of the committee's ten key findings, various progress reports issued before the final report, and the oral and written testimony collected by different members of the committee. On the whole, this is an engaging inquiry into one of the most well publicized epidemiological outbreaks of recent times. [KMG]
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University of Kentucky Appalachian Center [.pdf]
http://www.uky.edu/RGS/AppalCenter/
Founded in 1977, the Appalachian Center is "designed specifically to link the resources of the University with communities previously underserved by the state's largest land-grant institution." To publicize and promote their activities and research, the Center developed this Web site that serves as a way to disseminate information about their various programs, both within the University of Kentucky and around the Appalachian region. The site contains material on their recent research projects (including a report on "The Pedagogy of Place"), the teaching of Appalachia-related subjects at the University Of Kentucky, and a variety of excellent thematic maps relating the economic state of Kentucky's different counties. There are also Appalachian-themed discussion boards and an event calendar for general browsing. In addition, there is a search engine that allows for a more detailed inquiry into the overall contents of the entire site. This is a good starting place for beginning any number of investigations into an area of the United States that is often misunderstood and, at times, completely overlooked. [KMG]
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Evaluations of Continuums of Care for Homeless People [.pdf]
http://www.huduser.org/publications/pdf/continuums_of_care.pdf
Prepared by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, "Evaluations of Continuums of Care for Homeless People" is a comprehensive study that examines the continuums of care for homeless people throughout the United States. Critiquing the agenda of the Continuum of Care (CoC), a system designed to help homeless people as well as those at imminent risk of becoming homeless, this 216-page report examines their development, current structure, and possible future. Users should note that this report defaults to small font and may be more easily readable if printed. [MG]
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Mechanical Engineering: Power 2002
http://www.memagazine.org/mepower02/index.html
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers presents this special edition of its Mechanical Engineering Magazine Online. Released in June 2002, the focus of this publication is electric power. Research efforts and new technologies for a variety of applications are outlined in five feature articles. One article covers turbo pumps in the space shuttle, considering how to minimize cavitation problems to make the pumps more efficient. Another looks at research into flow oscillations that plague gas turbines. Monthly online editions of the Mechanical Engineering Magazine can also be found at this site. This site is also reviewed in the August 30, 2002 MET Report. [CL]
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Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization
http://www.islamicart.com
Created and sustained by the Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization (IAAO), a nonprofit organization seeking to encourage the study of Islamic arts research, this Web site not only provides information on Islamic arts and architecture, but also distinguishes the relationship between Islamic arts and other academic disciplines. For students, scholars, researchers, and all others interested in Islamic art and culture, this site is equipped with a comprehensive bibliography, a chronological listing of historical events, a listing of all academic schools and institutes around the world that teach Islamic arts and/or architecture, and a worldwide listing of museums showcasing Islamic exhibits. Additionally, the site contains wallpaper and screen saver downloads equipped with Islamic desktop themes and Islamic greeting cards that can be sent to a friend, associate, or family member. [MG]
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Calvin Coolidge: 30th President of the United States
http://www.calvin-coolidge.org/
Sponsored by the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, this site contains important historical material about the president who garnered the sobriquet "Silent Cal." Along with a variety of galleries featuring rotating exhibits of visual material related to President Coolidge, there is an archive of his speeches ranging from his time as governor of Massachusetts to his time as President. There is also a section offering a chronology of his life and a research section outlining the location of various important primary materials. For those seeking more involvement with the Foundation, there is extensive information about membership and the various scholarly and commemorative activities that they conduct. Perhaps the most engaging part of the site is a section titled "Ask the President," where visitors can ask Jim Cooke, a professional actor who has played Coolidge in a one-man play since 1985, questions about the President's life. All of the most recent responses are posted on the site, and Mr. Cooke answers the questions in the first person with candor and eloquence. Anyone seeking information about President Coolidge or for students seeking to learn about his life will find this site quite useful. [KMG]
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The Official Muddy Waters Website [RealPlayer]
http://www.muddywaters.com
In a fitting tribute to one of the most influential post-World War II blues performers, the estate of McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters's given name) created this well-designed and artful site for his many fans around the world. Prominent features of the site include a brief biography of Muddy Waters by Pete Welding, an extensive photo gallery of Muddy Waters (both candids and various publicity shots), a discography, and a listing of songs composed by Muddy Waters organized by title. Other interesting areas include a compilation of his tour dates from 1973-1981, a list of his numerous recording awards, and various home grown recipes by Muddy himself. Another nice touch to the Web site is a short discussion of the "sound of Muddy Waters" by Bob Margolin, who played with Mr. Waters for many years. In the same section, there are also some clips of his guitar playing for those interested in hearing his distinctive guitar slide method. Overall, the site offers a nice introduction to the musical legacy of Muddy Waters and will be a particular favorite of blues aficionados around the world. [KMG]
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Jazz Age Chicago: Urban Leisure from 1892 to 1934
http://www.suba.com/~scottn/explore/mainmenu.htm
Created by Scott Newman, a doctoral history student at Loyola University of Chicago, this site is a compendium of material relating to the development of commerce, retail, and entertainment centers in Chicago from the turn of the 19th century to the early 1930s. Frequently updated, the site features a user-friendly introduction page that allows visitors to easily move from different subjects, including sections on hotels, parks, "bright-light" districts, movie theaters, and neighborhoods around the city. One of the highlights of the site is the "bright-light" district section that offer historical land use maps that detail each area's respective entertainments and commercial businesses. Each entry within the varying section contains a brief historical sketch, along with accompanying visual material from the period. For researchers, there are several bibliographies dealing with Chicago history, and some links to institutions that may serve as repositories for the documents they are seeking. Persons with an interest in urban history, geography, and public entertainments will find this site worthwhile. [KMG]
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Hadrian's Wall
http://www.hadrians-wall.org
Hadrian's Wall is an historical monument built by the Romans in Britain and spans more than 2,000 years of history. Standing as a "reminder of past glories of one of the world's greatest civilisations," the Wall is equipped with museums, forts, and events that bring Roman history to life. Designed by the World Heritage Site, this Web site offers tourist information (such as travel and hotel arrangements) for anyone interested in visiting this historical landmark that ranks along with the great wonders of the world. [MG]
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Trails to Utah and The Pacific: Diaries and Letters, 1846-1869
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/upbhtml/overhome.html
Presented by the Library of Congress, this online archive and exhibit contains 49 diaries of pioneers who made their way westward across America to Utah, Montana, and the Pacific from 1847 to 1869. Culled from materials held by the Lee Library at Brigham Young University and the Utah Academic Library Consortium, these diaries are an excellent primary source for reading about and investigating the day-to-day experiences of individuals and families making their way west in the middle of the 19th century. The source materials for the collection also include published guides for overland emigrants, photographs of trail locations, and maps. Visitors to the site can browse these materials by subject, author, trail name, title, and category. The site is rounded out with a collection of related thematic essays and several interactive thematic maps showing the different landmarks, cities, and rivers in the regions surrounding the major overland routes. The site provides a good introduction to understanding the difficulties and everyday realities of overland travel during the period, and may also serve as an educational tool for students looking for primary source documents. [KMG]
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Melody Player 3.0.4
http://www.myriad-online.com/enindex.htm
Released in April 2002, this most recent edition of Melody Player allows users to play music created with Harmony or Melody Assistant, along with Midi, MOD, and S3M files. Melody Player is freeware and does not require a Midi card or any other related interface device. Additionally, trial versions of Harmony and Melody Assistant are both available here, although some features of both programs are unavailable until a small fee is paid. [KMG]
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JAlbum 2.0 Web Photo Album Generator
http://www.datadosen.se/jalbum/
To generate a Web photo album with this freeware application, users first drop folders containing image and movie files into JAlbum. Then, after pressing the required button, JAlbum will create thumbnails of the images and display them on an index page in HTML. Easy to use, JAlbum supports many popular image and Web video formats, and can also create a slide show. It should be a valuable resource for those hoping to move all or some of their photo collection online. [KMG]
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Researchers Find Japanese Submarine at Pearl Harbor
Japanese Sub Found at Pearl Harbor
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020829/ap_on_re_us/pearl_harbor_submarine_5
University of Hawaii Finds Sub that Led Pearl Harbor Attack
http://starbulletin.com/2002/08/29/news/index1.html
Japanese Historian Says Submarine Find Proves US Started War
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020829/ap_wo_en_po/japan_pearl_harbor_submarine_2
Find Proves WWII Deed
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/3966015.htm
Japanese Midget Sub Found
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/HURL/midget.html
USS Ward
http://www.specwarnet.com/USSWard/
The Hunt for the Japanese Midget Sub
http://www.nationalgeographic.co.in/pearlharbor/ms_hunt.html
Earlier this week, researchers from the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii Underwater Research Lab located the remains of a Japanese midget submarine. Found in 1200 feet of water, the submarine was sunk by the USS Ward just an hour before the aerial attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Most important, the discovery of the midget submarine offers concrete physical evidence that the United States did fire the first shot against the Japanese. Previous expeditions to locate the sub, including an effort made in 2000 by the National Geographic Society, had been unsuccessful, largely due to the fact that the area is a military "junkyard" with tons of debris on the ocean floor.
For more in-depth information on this story, readers may find the first four news links particularly helpful. The fifth link leads to the Hawaii Underwater Research Lab's Web site that features photographs of the midget sub from the expedition earlier this week. The sixth link is to a Web site dealing with the history and missions of the USS Ward. The final link contains detailed information about the 2000 expedition led by Robert Ballard, with support from the National Geographic Society, to find the midget submarine. [KMG]
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