The Scout Report -- Volume 13, Number 42

http://content.library.arizona.edu/collections/asdo/

Telling the story of the Sonora region through primary documents has often vexed researchers because many of these documents are held in three separate institutions. Recently, these three institutions teamed up to create a digital archive which contains key documents from these collections. The project was supported by a grant to the University of Arizona Library from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The documents cover a wide range of themes, including mining, land grants, border crime, and anti-Chinese movements. Visitors can search the entire collection, or they may wish to begin by browsing through the collections. The collection documents are organized by contributing institution, and visitors will find everything from Arizona territorial correspondence to the papers of Jos Maria Arana. Arana was a well-known businessman in Magdalena, Sonora, and he also happened to be the leader of several anti-Chinese campaigns. Overall, the collection is quite fascinating, and it's a great example of the fine results that can be obtained through collaborative partnerships. [KMG]

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Outreach/framework.html

Reaching out to a volcano can be a precarious enterprise. Reaching out to teach young people about volcanoes and related geological matters is less precarious, particularly after discovering this site. Created by staff members at the United States Geological Surveys Cascades Volcano Observatory, this site brings together educational materials such as short videos, printable posters, and fact sheets. Teachers may wish to start at the Learn About Volcanoes area. Here they will find resources that will help them teach students about volcano terminology, eruption histories, and the answer to the question Can Lava Be Diverted? Moving along, the Special Features and Useful Pages includes interactive photo tours of Mount Rainier and an excellent timetable of the Cascade Range. [KMG]

http://www.csun.edu/science/ref/laboratory/safety/safety.html

Before entering the world of pipettes and Geiger counters, budding scientists will need to know about lab safety. Science educators will benefit from this laboratory safety site, developed by Professor Norman Herr, who teaches at California State University, Northridge. On his site, Professor Herr provides topically organized links that fall into the areas of safety standards, chemical hazards, chemical storage, and five other relevant topics. Within each section, visitors will find links to state safety standards, sample laboratory safety contracts, and fact sheets on chemical hazards. One potentially delightful classroom activity is the laboratory safety scavenger hunt. Through this activity, students will learn about storage requirements, chemical risks, and other potential delicate matters. [KMG]

http://www.who.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/en/

The World Health Organization works in a number of public health areas, and their work on quantifying environmental health impacts has been receiving praise from many quarters. This site provides materials on their work in this area and visitors with a penchant for international health relief efforts and policy analysis will find the site invaluable. Along the left-hand side of the site, visitors will find topical sections that include "Methods", "Assessment at national level", "Global estimates", and "Publications". In the "Methods" area, visitors will learn about how the World Health Organization's methodology for studying environmental health impacts has been developed and they can also read a detailed report on the subject. The "Global Estimates" area is worth a look as well, and users can look at their complete report, "Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments: Towards An Estimate Of the Global Burden Of Disease". [KMG]

http://www.physics.brown.edu/physics/demopages/demo/

The elegance and beauty of physics can elude students initially, so physics educators will be glad to learn that this site provides some nice video demonstrations that will be useful in the classroom. This site is part of the Physics Instructional Resource Association, and is maintained by Gerald Zani at Brown University. The short video demonstrations on the site are divided into sections that include fluids, optics, waves, and thermo. Visitors can also take a look at the "Effective Demonstration Techniques" area, which provides some nice guidelines for creating compelling in-class demonstrations. Additionally, the "Presenting Demos" area contains a list of seven guiding principles that serve as a good complement to the other section regarding in-class demonstrations. [KMG]

http://asiadhrra.org/wordpress/

The Asian Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Asia (AsiaDHRRA) traces its roots to a workshop held in Thailand in 1974. This is a regional partnership of eleven different social development networks and organizations in ten Asian countries "that envisions Asian rural communities that are just, free, prosperous, living in peace and working in solidarity towards self-reliance." As part of a sustained effort to achieve these goals, they work on mobilizing expertise and opportunities for said rural communities and they also assist with human resource development programs. On this site, visitors can learn more about their work through sections that include "Publications", "The Network", and "Programs". Before diving into these areas, visitors may wish to start by looking over some of the topical posts organized on the right-hand side of the page. After that, visitors should look to the "Publications" area for works dealing with solidarity building among rural communities and primers on the rice industry in Asia. The site is rounded out by a selection of photographs and a link where visitors can learn about supporting their efforts. [KMG]

http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/3/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=322

Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian living in the first century when he and his comrades found themselves trapped in a cave. Surrounded by Roman centurions, this band chose suicide over capture, and they elected to form a circle and then start killing themselves. From this rather traumatic situation came the well-known Josephus Problem, a classic problem of recreational mathematics. This educational resource offered by Doug Ensley of Shippensburg University will help math teachers teach their charges about this fabled problem. This site includes an interactive demonstration of the problem, complete with a historical background essay. Additionally, the site also contains information about making the best use of this resource in the classroom. [KMG]

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/wmh/archives/search.aspx?area=basic

From Beloit to Rhinelander, the Wisconsin Magazine of History has the Badger State well covered. The Wisconsin Historical Society has done historians and the general public a great service by digitizing all of the magazine's issues back to 1917, and this site contains access to over 2000 feature articles. Visitors can begin by performing a basic search, or they can just type in some basic terms like "Green Bay", "farm implements", or "urban renewal". Of course, the chronologically-minded may wish to just browse the contents of this archive by volume number. The 1932-1933 volume is a fine place to start, as it contains the articles "The influence of Wisconsin on federal politics: 1880-1907" and "Fond du Lac, its sawmills and freedmana sketch". [KMG]

http://www.bartleby.com/people/RsvltT.html

Theodore Roosevelt was a man who preached and lived the strenuous life, and amidst all of his political activities and hunting expeditions, he also found time to write quite a bit. Working from a volume published by Columbia University Press in 2002, Bartleby.com has seen fit to place works from this book online here at this site. Visitors can use the search engine to look for specific items, or they can just browse around at their leisure. Visitors can look over such classic works as "Hunting Trips of a Ranchman", "The Rough Riders", "Through the Brazilian Wilderness", and of course, "The Strenuous Life" from 1900. The site also includes an early biography of Roosevelt by Charles Roscoe Thayer and a bibliography of Roosevelt's writings to 1920. [KMG]

http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php

One can't be sure what Duane Eddy or Andres Segovia might think of this interactive guide to guitar chords, but hopefully they would approve. Offered up by Chordbook.com, this online guitar chord primer takes novice and experienced guitar players through all sorts of chord variations and possibilities. Visitors can start by looking over the "Help" below the virtual guitar, as it goes over how to turn the capo on and off, tuning settings, and how to store favorite chords via the "My Chords" feature. The interactive guitar is quite easy to use, and visitors will want to recommend this site to friends, colleagues, and other musicians. [KMG]

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/

Based in London, The Commonwealth Secretariat was established in 1965 and it works to facilitate consultation and cooperation among member governments and countries. As part of their mission, the organization also conducts research on germane policy issues in member countries and also provides technical assistance in the arena of social and economic development. On the site's homepage, visitors can view "Top Stories" updates and also take in the "Around The Commonwealth" feature, which contains images culled from member countries and first-hand coverage of events going on in countries such as Papua New Guinea and Ghana. Visitors seeking specific information (including policy reports) should make their way to the bottom of the homepage, where they can explore such themes as human rights, economics, gender, law, sustainability, along with seven other areas. [KMG]

http://www.library.yale.edu/mapcoll/print_online.html

Traveling from the world of New Haven in 1886 to early cartographic interpretations of the coast of West Africa has never been easier with this lovely site created by the Yale University Map Library. Like many large universities, Yale has a wide-ranging map collection that spans centuries and continents. First-time visitors to the site can browse through sections that include "Maps of the World", "Maps of the Western Hemisphere", "Maps of North America", "Maps Relating to the Silk Road", and "Maps of Africa". Each section contains anywhere from ten to thirty maps, and visitors browsing through with Internet Explorer or Safari can take advantage of the LizardTech ExpressView plugin for detailed viewing. The site is rounded out with contact information for those seeking additional information about the collection. [KMG]

http://content.lib.washington.edu/dpweb/index.html

Decorated paper has served bookmakers and others quite well for centuries, and this digital collection pays tribute to that artistic tradition and practice. Created by the University of Washington Libraries, this database showcases decorated and decorative papers from Germany, France, and Italy. Visitors can browse the collection by keyword, though they may wish to begin their journey through the site by looking over the "Pattern Examples" area. Here they can learn about patterns such as antique straight, dahlia, and the lovely and colorful double comb. The site is rounded out by essays on marbled and paste papers. Overall, the site is a fascinating way to learn about an art form that is sometimes overlooked. [KMG]

http://pewglobal.org/reports/pdf/258.pdf

What does the world think about globalization and its many manifestations, economic or otherwise? Asking such a question is akin to opening up hundreds of cans of worms simultaneously, but the Pew Global Attitudes Project isn't afraid of taking on this topic. The latest Pew Global Attitudes survey of more than 45,000 people around the globe asked participants what they thought about economic globalization and its effect on their own country and others around the world. The survey also asked participants to offer their views on immigration, social issues, and various aspects of technology. The report was released on October 4, 2007, and visitors can read the entire document here, or they can also view some of the summary findings via the Pew Global Attitudes Project homepage. [KMG]

http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/camden28/index.html

While some may have heard of the Secaucus 7, fewer still may be aware of the Camden 28. In the summer of 1971, a group of antiwar activists had been arrested in Camden, New Jersey as they attempted to break in and vandalize a local draft board office. Their number included four Catholic priests and other religious leaders, and they soon became known as the "Camden 28". This POV film from PBS takes a look into the events of that fateful summer and also reports on the lives of these activists today. Visitors to the site can watch a trailer for the documentary, read an interview with the film's creator, Anthony Giacchino, and learn more about the process of making the film. Visitors should also browse on over to the "Resources" area, here they can watch extended interviews and additional scenes from the film and also listen to a podcast. [KMG]

http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/tuareg/index.html

This Web exhibition from the Smithsonian Museum of African Art goes a long way towards explaining why the name Tuareg carried such mythic weight that Volkswagen chose it for their Sports Utility Vehicle. The Tuareg are a semi-nomadic people who once controlled the caravan trade routes across the Sahara Desert. The introductory page of the site explains that the Tuareg "have fascinated scholars and travelers throughout history." The exhibition points out that art-making traditions practiced by artists and smiths known as Inadan are central to Tuareg culture. One Inadan family, husband and wife Saida Oumba and Andi Ouhoulou, created much of the artwork featured at the site. Oumba is a silversmith known for interpreting traditional patterns to create modern jewelry while Ouhoulou creates decorated leather bags and clothing. The Art of Being Tuareg is co-curated by Thomas K. Seligman, Director of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, who has studied the Tuareg for over 30 years, focusing on how the Oumba/Ouhoulou family has adapted traditional Tuareg symbols, designs, and materials for the international art market. Seligman hopes that this closer look at the Tuareg will overturn stereotypical views of Africa held by many Westerners. [DS]

http://www.flock.com/

Over the past year, a number of enterprising companies have released a spate of browsers that are increasingly focused on performing very specific functions. Flock 1.0 is one of these browsers, and it is meant to be the premiere "social" browser. To whit, it integrates a number of features (such as integrated photo-sharing and instant messaging) into its design. Visitors can also interact with social networking sites via Flock, and as such, users can access new information about friends and others seamlessly via RSS feeds and other such information conduits. This version is compatible with computers running Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. [KMG]

http://andyvn.ath.cx/?sect=tech&cat=soft&topic=aqu

Perhaps you'd like to brush up on your aural skills? Maybe you need a refresher on other things musical? Aquallegro 4.7 is a rather lovely and user-friendly way to do just that, and users can also use the application to learn more about music theory. Educators may also wish to recommend this program to their students who cannot wait for their next in-person music class session or lesson. This version is compatible with computers running Mac OS X 10.4 and newer. [KMG]

Red fall color linked to poor soil
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003982510_fallcolors30.html

What causes fall color? Experts explain
http://www.cantondailyledger.com/articles/2007/10/30/news/news08.txt

Fall Foliage Maps
http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/fallfoliage/

The Miracle of Fall-About Fall Color
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fallcolor/about.html

Fall Colors for 2007
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/fallcolors/

Poets.org: Autumn
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19533

The annual series of peripatetic pilgrimages devoted to catching the fall colors across the colors is nearing its end, but there's interesting news afoot for those who love the reds, yellows, and other flashes of brilliant color that can be found in all types of forested areas. At the annual conference of the Geological Society of America, researcher Emily Habinck presented research on the fall foliage of a nature preserve in Charlotte, North Carolina which indicated that trees whose roots are in soil that is relatively low in nitrogen may in fact produce more red pigments. These pigments are known as anthocyanins, and the color that they produce effectively protects the leaves. Of course, readers should note that it's not too late to catch some of these fall colors, so it's worth taking a look at some of the sites listed below in advance of taking a short road trip to find some remaining fall foliage in the coming weeks. [KMG]

The first link will take visitors to a piece about these recent arboreal findings from this Tuesday's Seattle Times. The second link leads visitors to a piece from the Canton (Illinois) Daily Ledger, which discusses the causes of fall color. Moving on, the third link takes visitors to the Fall Foliage page created by the Weather Channel. Here, visitors can view photos of fall foliage and learn more about top foliage destinations across the nation. The good folks at the University of Illinois Extension created the fourth link, which provides a brief background on the science behind fall colors and also offers up a number of external links that provide further details. The fifth link leads to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's fall color page. Visitors to this site will find a fall color hotline, information about fall foliage "hotspots" in the National Forest system, and links to state fall color websites. Finally, the last link leads to autumnal poems offered by the Academy of American Poets. Visitors to this site should spend a few moments lingering over poems like James Hoch's "Late Autumn Wasp" and Faiz Ahmed Faiz's "When Autumn Came". [KMG]