The Scout Report -- Volume 16, Number 32

http://www.rand.org/ise/centers/quality_policing/

The RAND Center on Quality Policing (CQP) "provides research and analysis on contemporary police practice and policy." Their work includes research on the prevention of racial profiling, improving police-community relations, and reducing community violence. On their homepage, visitors can scroll on down to their "Featured Project" area which profiles one of their recent works, such as the police recruitment and retention clearinghouse. On the right-hand side of the homepage, visitors can read current and past issues of the CQP Newsletter dating back to 2006. The "Recent Publications and Activities" area features timely policy documents, including "Enforcing Immigration Law at the State and Local Levels: A Public Policy Dilemma" and "What Cost-of-Crime Research Can Tell Us About Investing in Police". Also, visitors are encouraged to follow the CQP's activities on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The site is rounded out by information about staff members and contact details. [KMG]

http://www.media.mit.edu/

The idea for the MIT Media Lab came out of work at the school's Architecture Machine group, and it formally opened the doors of its new building designed by I.M. Pei in 1985. In the Media Lab's first decade of operation, they worked on electronic music projects, holography, and cognition. Since then they have researched wireless communications, new forms of artistic expression, and so on. Interested parties will enjoy wandering their website, which includes sections on "Research", "People", "Events", and "News". The "LabCAST" area shouldn't be missed, and here visitors can watch video profiles of the latest work at the Media Lab. Recent profiles have looked at ways to use mobile phones to detect vision problems and new ways of reinventing the desk lamp. In the "Research" area, visitors can learn about the different groups and projects at the Media Lab, and also look over their publications. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010319.pdf

This report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) takes a critical look at data from the 2007 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey. Authored by Jill Fleury DeVoe and Lynn Bauer, the report was released in July 2010 and it provides findings on "student reports of the presence of gangs and weapons and the availability of drugs at school, student reports of bullying and cyberbullying, and fear and avoidance behaviors of crime victims and nonvictims at school." The report includes a two-page "Highlights" section, tables, figures, and five appendices that report on selected items from the Survey's questionnaire. The report will be invaluable for school administrators, educational policy analysts, and others working in related fields. [KMG]

http://www.volpe.dot.gov/

Named after former U.S. Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe, the Volpe National Transportation Center was founded in 1970. The Center is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and its mission is "to provide analytical, scientific, and engineering support to the U.S. Department of Transportation." The materials on their site are divided into five areas, including "Centers of Innovation", "Information Resources", and "Business with Volpe". It the "Centers of Innovation" section, visitors can learn about their work with partners on freight logistics, safety management systems, and advanced vehicle and information network systems. Moving on, the "Special Features" area includes their annual report and information on their outreach efforts throughout the local community and Massachusetts. Finally, visitors can also learn about careers at Volpe, and also sign up to receive their newsletter. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://libraries.ou.edu/media/basshist/

The Bass Business History Collection at the University of Oklahoma Libraries began in 1955, and since that time the collection has grown to include books, videos, journals and oral histories. The oral histories here include 24 interviews with business professors at the University about everything from the time management studies of Frederick Taylor to the development of organizational theory. Visitors can browse the alphabetical list of interviewees on the right-hand side of the page, and they have the option of listening to the interview or downloading it for later use. Also, visitors can browse the interviews by key names, words, or subjects. Finally, users can opt to sign up for updates when new interviews are added to this enticing collection. [KMG]

http://www.gtri.gatech.edu/

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has been a government and industry partner since 1934 and has branches throughout the United States and Ireland. Visitors will definitely want to click on the "Industry Solutions" on the homepage to get an idea of the industries GTRI works in, such as "Health and Human Systems", "Energy/Environment", and "Information and Communications Technologies". Visitors can click on any of the links to browse case studies in that industry. In "Health and Human Systems", there is a case study of a breath test to detect breast cancer, products made easier to use by people with arthritis and a "purpose-built" law enforcement vehicle. Users of the site interested in reading materials from their historical publication archive, such as "The Research Engineer", published between 1956 and 1961, should click on "Newsroom", to get to the link. There is also a video, called "The Solution Institution" made for GTRI's 75th anniversary, which provides a history of the institution that is "filled with intrigue, innovation, and impact." [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/23/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=3350

The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) has developed the Loci site to bring high-quality instructional materials to math educators everywhere. One of their more recent offerings is this article by Michael Grady of Southern Utah University on how to add animations to geometric constructions. The piece talks about how users might use computers and open source ray tracing software to add the dimension of time to their presentations and illustrations. The abstract for the article notes that "The web provides a viable medium for enhancing mathematical presentations with photo-realistic graphics and video." Visitors will note that the piece includes six different sections, including "Projections", "Rotations", and "References". [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/SurveyNotes/

From 1832 to 1866 the federal General Land Office set off across Wisconsin to undertake a public land survey. During these three decades, they walked around bogs, marshes, prairies, forests, lakes, and streams to survey every inch of the state. The work helped established the township, range and section grid, which is the pattern upon which land ownership and land use is based. After the survey was finished the records were transferred to the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, and recently they were digitized for use on this site. First-time visitors would do well to read the "Land Survey Information" area, as it contains material on the measurement system used for the survey and on the notes compiled by the surveyors. After that, visitors can use the "Search" feature to look for survey records by county or township, range and section. Students of landscape history and those with a curiosity about Wisconsin will find much to keep them busy on the site. [KMG]

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/elvis/

After his death on August 16, 1977 millions of people around the world mourned the passing of Elvis Presley. Since he passed away, there have been many tributes to his work in the form of paintings, portraits, graphic arts, and so on. This collection from the National Portrait Gallery looks at a selection of these images. Visitors can click on "The Exhibition" to look over several dozens pieces of art, including Elvis in army uniform by Howard Finster and a glazed ceramic bust of Elvis by Robert Arneson. Moving on, the "Visit" area provides information about the exhibit, along with some photos of the gallery. Finally, visitors can read up on several other important exhibits that deal with the life and times of Elvis. [KMG]

http://www.pitts.emory.edu/dia/woodcuts.htm

Based at Emory University, the Pitts Theology Library has a number of digital archives that are worthy of mention. This particular one brings together over 28,000 images of biblical illustrations. The archive also includes engravings of church buildings and religious leaders. Visitors can search the archive by call number or Bible verse, which is a rather helpful way to look for items of interest. Visitors are also encouraged to use these images for use in church publications, research papers, and other educational settings. Also, visitors can use the "Revised Common Lectionary" area to identify commonly used items, like Gospel lessons and Hebrew Bible lessons. The site is rounded out by a "FAQ" area and a link to the Library's main Special Collection site. [KMG]

http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/crocs/

This National Science Foundation website presents a multimedia news story about the discovery of the fossilized bones of an as of yet unknown crocodile in Tanzania. The short video at the top of the page is very informative, and it features the narration of Patrick O'Connor, a paleontologist at Ohio University. The video explains that the characteristics of the crocodile are much more mammalian than amphibian. Visitors will learn that the variety of tooth types in its jaw, its smaller size, and its nostril placement are all indicative of an animal that maneuvered and lived much like a mammal. The "Discovery" link has an article several paragraphs long about the new-found crocodile, as well as photos from the site where the paleontologists were exploring when they found the fossilized bones. Visitors can also view a brief video of X-ray computed tomography that was used to create detailed digital images of its teeth, and move them to mimic to a fine degree the actual movement of the crocodile's jaw. Under the "Downloads" menu there are many more pictures of the site and the people on the expedition. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

https://str.llnl.gov/

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California is a government organization that produces the monthly Science & Technology Review in print and online. Its aim is to convey to the public its "scientific and technological accomplishments in support of national security and other national needs." Recent issues have featured articles such as "Narrow Uncertainties" about climate modeling and the importance of understanding the margin of error and "Return to Rongelap", an article about the Laboratory's efforts to minimize radiological exposure to natives returning to the island of Rongelap. The "Archives" go back to 1995, and are available for free on the website. Also in the "Archives" is a "Special Series" on "Albert Einstein", in commemoration of the 2005 World Year of Physics. The whole issue is devoted to articles about Einstein and his theories. U.S. residents interested in reading the Review eight times per year can subscribe to the print version of it, via the "Subscribe" link, and residents of any country can be alerted every time a new issue of the Review is posted to the web, via the same link. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.history.ac.uk/makinghistory/

The Institute of Historical Research in Britain has a unique website that focuses on the discipline and profession of historians in Britain over the past years. Although it's not unusual to think of historians as relating, documenting and recording history, they have a history as well. One of the ways to delve into the website is to click on the "Themes" section, which can be found in the middle of the homepage. Visitors will find three themes listed with a description, and they include "Approaches to the Discipline", "Issues Affecting the Profession" and "Terminology". The "Approaches to the Discipline" theme names different ways of approaching history, and then gives examples of those approaches. Oral history prioritizes a certain type of source material, history of medicine is considered with one specific aspect of the past, and Marxist history "analyse[s] the past in terms of a particular theoretical framework." Visitors can also browse an alphabetical list of themes listed at the bottom of the page. Back on the homepage, the "Interviews" link allows visitors to listen to eminent British historians talk about the profession of history, and how it has changed throughout their careers. Transcripts also accompany the recordings. [KMG]

http://www6.nau.edu/library/sca/exhibits/hanks/index.cfm

James J. Hanks was just an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when he took the pictures in this collection held by the special collections and archives division at Northern Arizona University. The very unique aspect of this collection happens to be its repeat photographs. As stated in the Introduction, a repeat photograph is one taken of the original spot, often decades later. Considering that Hanks' photographs from 1927-1928 cover thousands of miles in northern Arizona and southern Utah, doing repeat photographs was surely daunting, but ultimately rewarding as it shows "significant cultural, ecologic, geologic, and/or hydrologic change." On the homepage visitors can access the photographs from "1927" and "1928", as well as "Letters". The "Clickable Map", on the right side of the homepage, is a must-see, as visitors can click on Hanks' camera stations and read where it was, and then see a photograph taken from that station. Visitors can also go to the "Camera Stations" area at the bottom of the homepage to see the original and repeat photographs together. [KMG]

http://www.mcachicago.org/calder/

This exhibition from the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Chicago pairs the work of Alexander Calder with that of seven younger artists: Martin Boyce, Nathan Carter, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Aaron Curry, Kristi Lippire, Jason Meadows, and Jason Middlebrook. Each of the younger artist's work exhibits Calder's influences in varying ways. For example, Martin Boyce also makes mobiles; Nathan Carter recycles materials in similar fashion to Calder, creating site-specific pieces that reuse objects found locally; and one of Jason Meadows' works in the exhibition is a wire sculpture of pigs, echoing Calder's Circus. Tracing Calder's influences on the later artists works on the web; what doesn't show up quite as well online, however, is the staging of the Calder portion of the show. At the MCA, Calder's works are gathered together and displayed in one large room, so that visitors can see them in relation to each other. Even so, if you can't make it to the exhibit in Chicago the online exhibition is worth a visit. [DS]

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/sheetmusic/index-e.html

Because sheet music was generally reserved for popular music and not used for the work of more serious composers, music librarians and collectors often considered it ephemera. However, the Library and Archives Canada was fortunate to have a music librarian in the 1950s (Helmut Kallmann) with the vision to collect Canadian sheet music. Visitors can now view sheet music online on the website of the Library and Archives Canada. The Canadiana sheet music collection is over 20,000 pieces strong, with such types of music as "patriotic and parlour songs, piano pieces, sacred music and novelty numbers, some dating back to the 1700s." The digitized pieces of sheet music that can be found on this website can be searched by "pre-1900", "1900-1913", "1914-1920", or "All Time Periods". Searching in the pre-1900 index produces pieces such as "LaCrosse, Our National Game" from between 1872 and 1878 and "Canada the Free", circa 1886. A search in 1914-1920 section returns the colorful song "Maple Leaf and Beaver: Canadians Soldiers' Marching Song". [KMG]

http://edu.glogster.com/

Glogster is known for giving members of the public their own personal digital platforms, and now they have created an outlet just for educators. With Glogster EDU, educators and others can use this secure site to allow students to create and save workspaces online. Visitors just need to register on the site, and they will be able create interactive and multimedia learning environments that are both engaging and erudite. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

http://www.pidgin.im/

If you want to stay in touch with friends, family, and collaborators online, you might do well to give the latest version of Pidgin a look. This multi-protocol instant messaging client integrates multiple accounts across different services simultaneously. Visitors can also use the application to sign up for updates when a particular friend logs in or out, and they can also attach various sounds to different actions and updates. This version of Pidgin is compatible with operating systems running Windows 98 and newer and Mac OS X. [KMG]

Rogue Tailor Needles Savile Row
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704723604575378994073791142.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_lifestyle

Savile Row Artisan
http://thesavilerowartisan.com/

SavileRowBespoke
http://www.savilerowbespoke.com/Home/index.php

Tailor Made For History
http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/autumn05/tailor.cfm

The Tailor's Manual or Twenty Years A New England Tailor (By One Of The Craft)
http://books.google.com/books?id=V63yrs3whqoC&dq=tailors&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q=tailors&f=false

Victorian History: The tailors and the Lady
http://vichist.blogspot.com/2009/05/tailor-and-lady.html


In the rarified world of Savile Row tailors, there is general consensus on decorum, business conduct, and related matters. This clutch of high-end tailors has done business for centuries in London's central city, and customers are required to call on them for custom fittings and adjustments. Recently, there has been a bit of a controversy brewing regarding one "rogue" tailor, Matthew Farnes. Farnes recently left his job at the firm Ede & Ravenscroft to set up his own shop far from the precincts of Savile Row. Mr. Farnes is a third-generation fabric cutter, and he has actively embraced the modern age with his blog, "The Savile Row Artisan: Matthew Farnes Savile Row Bepoke Tailors", and he even makes house calls on clients. The established houses in Savile Row are bracing for a fight, and they have retained a lawyer to protect their brand and the term "bespoke", which is part of their established tradition that means suits are made entirely by hand and that do not come from ready-to-wear patterns. Many old-guard tailors seem to look askance at Farnes' work, and others have claimed that he is merely riding on the fame and historical traditions of the Savile Row name. Farnes and others claim they are only trying to "break down the barriers around Savile Row" and aim to modernize "bespoke" suits by attracting younger clients with lower prices. [KMG]

The first link will take users to an article about Farnes and Savile Row from this Monday's Wall Street Journal. The second link leads to Farnes' personal blog, which contains fashion tips and comments about the life of a tailor. Moving on, the third link leads to the professional organization of Savile Row tailors, and visitors can learn more about their organization and history here. The fourth link whisks users away to a great piece from Colonial Williamsburg's Journal that talks about tailoring practices in colonial America. The fifth link leads to an excellent book by Charles Hamilton, a tailor in mid-19th century New England. In the book he talks about the practice of his craft, and hoped that the book would let readers "know the real condition of our business." The last link leads to a fine post from the "Victorian History blog (written by Professor Bruce Rosen) about a dispute between a tailor and the well-known courtesan, Catherine Walters, better known as "Skittles".