The Scout Report -- Volume 16, Number 49

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/

High-quality materials on the art and craft of effective college-level writing are always in demand, and this website from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a veritable cornucopia of such documents. The materials were created by the school's Writing Center, and they are divided into four areas: "Writing the Paper", "Citation, Style, and Sentence Level Concerns", "Specific Writing Assignments/Contexts", and "Writing for Specific Fields". The "Writing for Specific Fields" area is a great place for students who have declared a major, and each piece contains a bit of background on the nature of writing in each field, along with some information about the key units of analysis, assumptions, and so on. What is perhaps most impressive about this site are the multimedia writing demonstrations which cover "Developing Ideas", "Drafting", and two other key areas of the writing process. [KMG]

http://www.ushmm.org/research/collections/highlights/bryan/

American filmmaker Julien Bryan set out to chronicle life in Poland and Nazi Germany in the 1930s. His situation became quite precarious when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, but he remained in order to document the siege of Warsaw. This site was established by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in order to bring some of his images and films to the general public. All told, the collection includes 141 reels of motion picture film, 100 contact print booklets of black and white photographs, four boxes of personal papers, and over 150 hand-colored glass lantern slides. In the "Film Gallery" area, visitors can view twelve different short films that document life in the Jewish quarter in Krakow before World War II, along with clips from the 1937 Reich Party Day in Nuremberg, and the aftermath of the Siege of Warsaw in 1939. In the "Photo Gallery" area, visitors can view select images from the same time period, and the overall effect is quite arresting. [KMG]

http://www.nv.energy.gov/main.aspx

The Nevada Test Site in southern Nevada includes an area larger than the state of Rhode Island, and for decades, it was where the United States government conducted its nuclear weapons tests. This website, created and maintained by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) provides materials for the general public about the activities on the site over the past five decades. The materials on the site are divided into five primary sections, including "National Security", "Library", and "Environmental Programs". The "Environmental Programs" area provides reports and documents related to the environmental legacy of historic nuclear weapons related activities and the natural wildlife on the site. The "Library" area contains fact sheets, news releases, and historical documents that talk about the containment of underground nuclear explosions and the origins of the Nevada Test Site. The site is rounded out by a selection of fascinating films that depict historical controlled nuclear tests from the site. [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.epoch-net.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=212&Itemid=357

Bringing together the cultural heritage of Europe is no small task, and the European Network of Excellence in Open Cultural Heritage (EPOCH) is certainly up to the challenge. This network of over 100 European cultural institutions was created "to improve the quality and effectiveness of the use of information and community technology for cultural heritage." On the homepage, visitors can view the "Highlights" section, which includes materials from conferences on digital heritage activities and new interactive exhibits from member institutions. The "Multimedia" area is a real gem, and it includes 3D downloadable models of various cities and a number of other pictures created used the ARC 3D WebService tool. Also, the site includes research papers that document their work in social media and digital distributive technologies. [KMG]

http://crf.hudson.org/

The Hudson Institute was founded in 1961 by Herman Kahn, and as a research organization they remain committed to "innovative research and analysis that promotes global security, prosperity, and freedom." One of the Institute's Centers is dedicated to exploring religious freedom, and it was started in 1986. On the Center for Religious Freedoms homepage, visitors can read book reviews, op-ed pieces by Center affiliates and staff members, press releases, and their reports and white papers. Visitors can get acquainted with their work by looking at the "Highlights" area, and if they feel so inclined, they can subscribe to their RSS feed or link in to receive their email newsletter. Users can also use the "Find an Event" link to look for related events sponsored by the Institute and other related research organizations. [KMG]

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2010/1117_evaluating_teachers/1117_evaluating_teachers.pdf

What's the best way to evaluate teachers? It is certainly a controversial subject in the world of education reform policy, and recently a group of education scholars came together to take a critical look at the subject. This 13-page report from the Brookings Institution's Brown Center Task Group on Teacher Quality looks into the nature of value-added evaluation. Published in November 2010, the report defines the term "value-added" as the "evaluation of teachers based on the contributions they make to the learning of their students." The report looks at the potential pitfalls and uses of using this metric in the educational setting, and it draws on related research done by other Brookings scholars and affiliates. [KMG]

http://www.aids-ed.org/aidsetc?page=home-00-00

The Ryan White CARE Act provides funds for programs to "improve the quality of life of patients living with HIV/AIDS through the provision of high quality professional education and training." The AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) are part of such a program, and they "conduct targeted, multi-disciplinary education and training programs for healthcare providers treating persons with HIV/AIDS." Visitors interested in a thorough overview of this website can take the "Online Tour of the NRC", available on the homepage, on the right side menu. Both the "Clinician Resources" and "Trainer Resources" have "Featured Resources", such as a PDF of a short influenza management guide for HIV+ patients, a PowerPoint presentation on Diabetes Mellitus and HIV, a newsletter, the HIV Meds Quarterly, and a video, "HIV and the Older Adult". Visitors can also view materials on the website by topic, under the "Topics" tab. Topics include "Prevention", "Testing" and "Population/Settings". [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.ffa.int/

Sustainable fishing is on everyone's lips lately, but the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has been committed to "the highest level of economic and social benefits that is compatible with sustainable use of our tuna resources" since 1979. Visitors unfamiliar with how combating illegal fishing is accomplished should check out the "Monitoring, Control, Surveillance" link, which contains details about Operation Kurukuru, a recent surveillance operation. The operation was aimed at boats fishing without licenses or taking an amount of fish over the legal limit, such as the fishing vessel in Tuvalu that was found to have excessive shark fins onboard, and was thus fined $10,000 USD. Visitors might also like an article here that reports on a tuna data workshop in the Solomon Islands that addressed the role women could play as observers on fishing vessels to ensure proper catch data. As fishing vessels have typically had all male crews, employing a woman on the boat would require gender awareness measures and safety training, but the employment benefits for the women would be most welcome. [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.cyc-net.org/index.html

This website is aimed at those people who work with children and youth, and it certainly has information in it that would be of interest to parents or others who care for children. Visitors shouldn't miss going to the many links on the homepage, which has a list of a dozen features on the site. Some of these informational links are updated daily, like the "Daily News", "Today" and "Cartoon". The "Learning Zone" tab, on the menu across the top of the page, links to the opportunity for child care workers, including foster parents, to take free online courses, and listen to podcasts for further training or education in their field. The "Network" tab shows the statistics of the site, such as recent top queries and the average number of daily visitors. Some of the top queries include ones about bullying, anorexia nervosa, and peer influence. [KMG]

http://www.business.gov/industries/home-based/

A home-based business can be a viable way to earn a living outside of a traditional office setting. It can also eventually outgrow the home, as Apple, Hershey, Mary Kay, and Ford found out over time. But until it does, visitors interested in starting a home based business or ensuring their existing one is operating legally, and hopefully profitably, should peruse this U.S. government website with resources and a community forum for the home based business owner. The website's homepage has a link entitled "Small Business Start-Up Assessment", to a short start-up assessment exercise that scores visitor's responses, provides an assessment, and gives suggested next steps, using the Small Business Administration's resources. There is also the link entitled "Home Based Business...Is it For Me?", which provides information about financing, scams, and business structures. Some of the other essential topics visitors can look into are "Zoning Laws for Home Based Businesses", "Buying a Work-at-Home Franchise", and "Marketing a Home-Based Business". [KMG]

http://www.ahmhangar.com/

The Airline History Museum (AHM) in Kansas City, Missouri has a blog with such a tremendous selection of video, photographs, and updates about what's going on at the museum that visitors will feel like they have already been to the museum. "The Beginning" link, at the top of the homepage, will lead visitors to a few paragraphs about the birth of the museum along with a seven-minute documentary. The menu on the left side of the homepage has links under "Aircraft", to "Our Planes", "AHM Movies" and "Photo Albums". Visitors can see under "Our Planes" that the Museum has a Lockheed Constellation (Connie), DC-3, Martin 404, and an L-1011, and each plane featured has many photographs to illustrate the story of how the Museum got each plane, and what each had to go through before being displayed. The arrival of their L-1011-100 even has photos of the engines being removed prior to its arrival at the Museum. One of the most recent blog entries allows visitors to watch video of their DC-3 engine run in Arkansas, which is a pretty great find. [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.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/lennonyc/watch-the-full-film/1722/

Thirty years ago, Mark David Chapman murdered John Lennon outside his apartment at the Dakota building in New York City. Since that time, many commentators, scholars, and fans of his work have tried to interpret and appreciate Lennon's time as a musician, artist, husband, father, and activist. This site from the American Masters series on PBS offers up a two-hour documentary on Lennon's life in New York City during the 1970s. The documentary draws on interviews with his musical contemporaries, archival footage, and rare never-before-seen interviews with Lennon. On the site, visitors can watch the entire program, watch an interview with the filmmaker, check out some outtakes, and also share their own Lennon stories. [KMG]

http://cdi.uvm.edu/collections/getCollection.xql?pid=maplerecipes&title=Maple%20Recipe%20Collection

People in Vermont know a little bit about maple syrup and they can spin syrup and maple sugar into a delightful treat for any occasion. This digital collection of maple-infused recipes comes to the web-browsing public courtesy of the University of Vermont Libraries' Center for Digital Initiatives. All told, there are 49 items here, including recipes by Judith Jones (the cookbook editor for Julia Child), published recipes from legendary Vermont food purveyors, and recipes from community organizations, like the Green Mountain Folklore Society. Visitors can browse through the collection, learn about the sponsoring institutions, and also sign up for their RSS feed. For those who are curious, the recipes date from 1952 to 2008. [KMG]

http://library.albany.edu/speccoll/findaids/studentnewspapers.htm

Historical student newspapers can be read with an eye towards examining the social mores of college students through the decades, and a close reading can reveal a great deal about the campus environment and overall milieu. The first student newspaper at the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY-Albany) was the State College News, and it carried news of student life and events, along with information on faculty activities and local doings. This digital archive from the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives at SUNY-Albany brings together issues of this paper from 1916 to 1985. Visitors to the site will note that they can download each issue separately, and read the issue at their leisure. It's an intriguing collection, and first-time visitors may want to look at some issues from the World War I years to learn how about this major world conflict affected life on campus. [KMG]

http://www.byways.org/

The Natchez Trace and the Arroyo Seco get a whole lot closer on this engaging website designed to showcase the scenic highways in the United States. The Federal Highway Administration sponsors the site, and it is managed by the National Scenic Byways Online project at Utah State University. The site includes an interactive map of the various byways, and visitors can also read tales from travelers who have recently made journeys on these roads. Visitors should be sure to check out the "Budget-Friendly Tips" area to learn about how to make an excursion more affordable. Moving on, the "Byway Activities" area includes listings of activities close to these highways in the areas of bird watching, camping, winter sports, and seventeen other categories. Also, visitors can sign up to receive their RSS feed and send along their contact information to receive a physical brochure on the byways. [KMG]

http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

No one wants to get a bit of pesky computer malware around the holidays, and this latest version of Ad-Aware's Internet Security program is a good bit of preventive measure to safeguard against such an injurious attack. The major change in this version is the addition of the "Dedicated Detection" software. This element can look inside files, analyze their code, and look for related malware. Visitors should note that this version is compatible with computers running Windows 2000 and newer. [KMG]

http://www.google.com/chrome?platform=mac

As 2010 comes to a close, interested parties may wish to check out a new browser. Google Chrome has added a few bells and whistles. This version contains auto-updates and the automatic translation of web pages, which can be useful for those looking at sites around the world. Additionally, Chrome gives users broad control over search engines and setting search customizations. This version is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5, Windows XP, Vista, and 7, and Linux. [KMG]

In Jane Austen 2.0, the Heroines and Heroes Friend Each Other
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704594804575649041609261602.html

Was Jane Austin Edited? Does it Matter?
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/15/131335890/was-jane-austen-edited-does-it-matter

Jane Austen Fiction Manuscripts
http://www.janeausten.ac.uk/index.html

The Republic of Pemberley
http://www.pemberley.com/

Austenbook
http://www.much-ado.net/austenbook/

The Jane Austen Society of North America
http://www.jasna.org/

Since the earliest days of the Internet, devoted fans have set up online tributes to their favorite authors. To type in the word "Shakespeare" into a search engine is to invite a potential sensory and informational overload. Jane Austen has always been quite popular in the online (and offline) world, and there is a new clutch of young people who are taking up the mantle of her work via hundreds of websites. This week, the Wall Street Journal reported on these "Janeites" and their celebration of all things Austen. What is the appeal of an author who wrote about the mores of British gentry two centuries ago? Nili Olay, the regional coordinator for the New York Metro chapter of the Jane Austen Society believes, "Ms. Austen's tales of courtship and manners resonate with dating-obsessed and social-media-savvy-21st-century youths." At a recent meeting of Austen devotees, Jennifer Potter noted "Marrying for money, crazy parents, dating-these are all basic themes." Some attribute the roots of the Austen resurgence to two big projects in the 1990s: the BBC miniseries of "Pride and Prejudice" and director Ang Lee's "Sense and Sensibility" starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. Now of course, fans can interact via Twitter feeds, blogs, and chat rooms. One of the most fun expressions of this type of "fandom" is the faux trailer for the movie "Jane Austen's Fight Club", which is worth several viewings. [KMG]

The first link will take interested parties to an article from this Monday's Wall Street Journal, which includes a direct link to the trailer for "Jane Austen's Fight Club". The second link leads to a piece from NPR's "Fresh Air" on the recent controversy regarding the editing of Austen's work. Moving along, the third link leads to the homepage of the Jane Austen Fiction Manuscripts collection. Created by the University of Oxford and King's College London, the collection includes 1100 pages of writing in Austen's own hand. The fourth link leads to The Republic of Pemberley, which is a fan site that includes information about adaptations of Austen's work, discussions of her books, and a number of discussion boards. The fifth link leads to Austenbook, which is a spoof of Facebook by DeeDee Baldwin that chronicles the goings-on in "Pride and Prejudice". The last link leads to the official homepage of the Jane Austen Society of North America.