The Scout Report - November 8, 1996

November 8, 1996

A Publication of Internet Scout
Computer Science Department, University of Wisconsin

A Project of the InterNIC

The Scout Report is a weekly publication offering a selection of new and newly discovered Internet resources of interest to researchers and educators, the InterNIC's primary audience. However, everyone is welcome to subscribe to one of the mailing lists (plain text or HTML). Subscription instructions are included at the end of each report.

An Acrobat .pdf version of this report is available for printing and distributing locally. For information on Adobe Acrobat Reader, visit the Adobe site.

World Food Summit--UN FAO [.pdf]
http://www.fao.org/wfs/aaastart.htm
gopher://faov02.FAO.ORG:70/11gopher_root%3A%5Bfao.wfs%5D
gopher to: gopher.fao.org
select: Information from the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Food Summit/
Food For All:
http://www.fao.org/wfs/wfsbook/e/ffa01-e.htm
Adobe Acrobat Reader
http://www.adobe.com/acrobat/readstep.html
The World Food Summit will be held in Rome, Italy from November 13-17 1996, and its convener, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has made much useful information about it available in three languages (English, French, and Spanish) at its web and gopher site. The site is highlighted by 15 technical background documents in HTML or text format (under Documentation), including "Success Stories in Food Security," "Investment in Agriculture: Evolution and Prospects," "Food and International Trade," and a technical atlas of 19 color world maps (available in .pdf format only), on topics such as chronic malnutrition, economic importance of agriculture, and water utilization intensity, among others. The site also contains news updates, a "Draft Summit Policy Statement and Plan of Action," and an agenda. Food for All is a new 64-page book (in .pdf format) produced for the World Food Summit, which is "intended for a general audience, and looks at the vital issues and questions that lie at the heart of global food security and achieving the goal of food for all." It is profusely illustrated with charts and maps, and designed for large (tabloid) page output.
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The Internet Biodiversity Service
http://ibs.uel.ac.uk/ibs/
A service of the University of East London, this site is meant primarily as a resource for biology students. It provides links to online databases containing molecular, taxonomic, and population distribution data as well as on-line data analysis programs written in Java and links to other sites of interest to biologists and students in general. Some of the resources are contained in-house and others are located elsewhere on the Internet. The main page of the site is graphics-intensive and may take a while to download. However, most of the resources linked from the main page are much less bandwidth-intensive.
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Southeast Asian Images and Text (SEAiT)--University of Wisconsin
http://www.library.wisc.edu/etext/seait/
Southeast Asian Images and Text, a joint production of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, the General Library System, and the Division of Information Technology at the University of Wisconsin, is the beginning of an attempt to provide an "interactive multimedia database" including hyptertext bibliographic references and descriptive text for each multimedia item. The project is in its first phase: a searchable collection of images from the Philippines. Future plans include expansion of this collection to over 6,000 images and digital sound and video archives. The power of the site is its search capability, which offers keyword, atlas, and multiple field search. There are also 6 predefined searches that allow users to take a "virtual tour" through the collection, and a searchable inverted index of cataloging terms used in the development of the site. The site is accompanied by an essay on the development of photography in the Philippines, which demonstrates the integration of the project into multidisciplinary studies on the Philippines.
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HighWire Press
http://highwire.stanford.edu/
HighWire, the Internet imprint of the Stanford University Libraries, offers users online access to the following journals: Journal of Clinical Investigation (from July 1st 1995 to present), Journal of Neuroscience (from May 1st 1996 to present), Science Magazine (from June 30th 1995 to present), and Journal of Biological Chemistry (from January 6th 1995 to present). Readers' options include searching the various journals, browsing issues by date and, for Science, browsable subject and author access. References contain links to the cited material. While not a meta-site for refereed journal information, HighWire contains some gems and is a site to watch. Coming soon: Journal Watch (this month), and in 1997, Pediatrics, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of Applied Physiology, and Journal of Experimental Medicine.
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Two New Rand Reports on the Former Soviet Union
Cooperation and Conflict in the Former Soviet Union: Implications for Migration: [.pdf; 184 pages]
http://www.rand.org/publications/CF/CF130/
U.S. and Russian Policymaking with Respect to the Use of Force: [HTML]
http://www.rand.org/publications/CF/CF129/
Two newly available reports from the Rand Corporation examine issues with respect to the former Soviet Union. Cooperation and Conflict in the Former Soviet Union: Implications for Migration, (available in .pdf format only) is "an outgrowth of an April 1996 conference at which policymakers and policy analysts from Soviet successor states, the United States, and a number of international organizations discussed specially prepared reports on migratory processes and policies in the former USSR in the context of current and emergent political, social, and economic changes in the region." It contains 10 papers, divided by region, as well as 4 papers on prospects for future cooperation and integration. U.S. and Russian Policymaking with Respect to the Use of Force is the result of a conference held in September of 1995, and is divided into two sections: Russian Cases (5, including Chechnya, Georgia-Abkhazia, and Trans-Dniestria), and American Cases (6, including Lebanon 1982-84, Panama and Haiti, and Yugoslavia 1989-96).
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National Museum of American Art
http://www.nmaa.si.edu/
Mostly Text
http://www.nmaa.si.edu/hometextmostly.html
The National Museum of American Art, part of the Smithsonian Institution, has made selections from its collections available via the web. The site is graphically quite intensive, as might be expected; loading time is increased by the site's reliance on image maps for navigation (although some "mostly text pages" are available). Users will need audio plug-ins to fully experience the site, which contains in-depth exhibits for the researcher and the visual arts admirer. These include Highlights of the Permanent Collection, the White House Collection of American Crafts, and the American Kaleidoscope, to name a few. Information on publications and exhibit schedules is also provided.
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Digital Dozen--Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
http://enc.org/classroom/dd/nf_index.htm
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
http://carson.enc.org:80/
One of the highlights of the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse, a well-known K-12 math and science resource, is the Digital Dozen. Each month Eisenhower puts the spotlight on what they feel are the best K-12 math and science resources available. Past sites have included "Clever Games for Clever People" (Mega-Mathematics), "Hyperlessons" (West Virginia Rural Net), "Paleontology Without Walls" (University of California Museum of Paleontology), and "PlaneMath" (InfoUse). Each site is briefly annotated and a year long archive is kept, which means that bookmarking the site will give educators access to over 150 quality math and science sites at all times. The main Eisenhower site offers the Resource Finder, a searchable database of over 7,000 K-12 curriculum resources (Internet and non-Internet).
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Interversity--Education and Technology Mailing List
List archives:
http://web.missouri.edu/~rhetnet/interversity/
Interversity is a list devoted to discussing the present and future of education as it is transformed by alternative (sometimes ancient) approaches and network technologies--not necessarily the migration of institutional education to network environments, but the possibility that institutionalization itself may be obsolescent in a productively chaotic educational environment.
To subscribe send email to:
majordomo@lists.ncte.org
In the body of the message type:
subscribe interversity
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Mars Global Surveyor
http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/index.html
Aside from the usual absolutely incredible images and animations we expect from NASA (have your QuickTime viewer plugged-in), the Mars Global Surveyor Project site provides specifics on the missions and on Mars itself, making it both a delight to view and a useful site for educators of the K-16 range. MGS was launched November 7, and will provide mapping and weather information on Mars. In December, the Mars Pathfinder will be launched to collect surface data. The site also includes spacecraft design and onboard instruments, meteorology, glossaries, biographical sketches and, of course, details of life on Mars.
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The Earth Times
http://www.earthtimes.org/
The Earth Times is an "independent, international, nonpartisan newspaper focusing on environment and sustainable development, and such interrelated concerns of the international system as population, human rights, trade, and women's and children's rights." It is specifically aimed at opinion and policy makers, community and business leaders, nongovernmental organizations, and students and teachers. It was founded in 1991 by Pranay Gupte, a columnist for Newsweek International and a former foreign correspondent for The New York Times. The newspaper form of the Earth Times is available by subscription. Students and teachers in the US can receive it free upon request. The website offers two feature articles from the current issue and all articles from back issues. Articles can be searched for keywords; however, the web version only includes issues going back to June of 1996.
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Kelley Blue Book Used Car Guide
http://www.kbb.com/index.html
The nation's top-selling automotive-related book and the leading authority on new and used car pricing is now on the net. This site contains all the pricing information from commercially sold blue books going back to 1976. You can search for all major used cars and find out the trade-in value and the Blue Book Suggested Retail Value. The site also contains detailed information on all major new cars including pricing, standard equipment, options, and even pictures. But that's not all! There are also links to sites where you can order new cars at near-invoice prices, search for dealers in your area, and search a database of classifieds. The site is well organized, fast, and low on graphics, making it quick and easy to find what you are looking for.
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The Black World Today [Java]
http://www.tbwt.com/
Less graphical entrance
http://www.tbwt.com/index2.htm
The Black World Today, the main purpose of which is to "chronicle the daily social, political, cultural and economic realities of Black communities and countries," contains daily news and views, as well as browsable archives of African and Canadian news. The "Black History Today" section, at present, contains a history of the Black Panther Party. There is also a report on the Anti-Racism Conference that took place October 26-28, 1996 in South Carolina, and an interview with Celerino Castillo, a former Drug Enforcement Administration official about the controversial charges of possible CIA involvement in the crack cocaine trade. The site includes a Java based chat room. Columnists for BWT include Manning Marable, Herb Boyd, and Earl Ofari Hutchinson, among others.
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Children's Television Workshop Online
http://www.ctw.org/
Table of Contents
http://www.ctw.org/common/contents.htm
CTW Online was created as a test site for "parenting information and Sesame Street activities for kids" but don't be fooled; the site is designed for adults. Content varies from parenting advice to a coloring book that parents can print to a current politics section to a selected entertainment (books, toys, music etc.) guide.
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NBA 50th Anniversary Celebration [.avi, QuickTime, RealAudio]
NBA 50 Greatest Players
http://www.nba.com/nbaat50/greats/
NBA's Greatest Moments
http://www.nba.com/nbaat50/moments/
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Basketball Association, the official NBA site has created these two marvelously entertaining sections. The 50 Greatest Players were chosen by a panel of experts (listed at the site). Each player entry contains a profile and a short movie showing his skills. Active players' profiles contain up-to-date career statistics. NBA's Greatest Moments is currently under development, but it contains, at present, a fascinating multimedia article on the wild ending of the 1964-65 Eastern Division championship series between Boston and Philadelphia. The highlight of the story, of course, is radio announcer Johnny Most's gravelly call of one of the most famous steals in NBA history, to the everlasting joy/chagrin of Celtic lovers/haters. This play propelled Boston to its 7th in a series of 8 consecutive championships, a feat unparalleled in American professional sports.
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Ftr_Cities--Future Cities Mailing list
Future Cities is a new list that discusses all aspects of cities built anew and emerging city-states. This list discusses the urgency to design pollution free, sustainable cities with a quality lifestyle. To subscribe send email to:
Ftr_Cities-request@websightz.com
In the body of the message type:
subscribe
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Beta Version of Microsoft Explorer for Macintosh
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/ie/
Microsoft has finally answered one of the biggest criticisms of its Internet Explorer by releasing a 3.0 beta 1 version for the Macintosh platform. The browser supports Java (with beta software available from Apple) and cascading style sheets, among other features. This beta version, however, does not yet support ActiveX technology. The site provides information about the new browser, as well as a pointer to the download site.
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Two International Internet Directories
Yellow Web Europe
http://www.yweb.com/
Orientation.com
http://www.orientation.com/
These two web directories cover sites in Europe and Asia respectively. Yellow Web provides pointers to sites exclusively in Europe. The catalog is divided into 18 major categories from announcements to trade and services. Pointers are not annotated, except to indicate which country the site is in. Boolean searching is available, and searches can be limited by country. Yellow Web is available in 6 languages. Orientation.com, provided by The Black Box, a Hong Kong media company, provides a web directory in 8 major categories, from arts to travel. Each site contains a brief annotation, as well as icons denoting whether there is audio and/or visual content at the site. Searching is available by country, language, and audio/visual content (options-search). Orientation is available in English, simplified and traditional Chinese, and Japanese at this time. As with all web directories, content quality of these two varies; however, they are good places to start for general sites in these two areas of the world.
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Copyright Susan Calcari, 1996. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the Scout Report provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on all copies. The InterNIC provides information about the Internet to the US research and education community under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation: NCR-9218742. The Government has certain rights in this material.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, the National Science Foundation, AT&T, or Network Solutions, Inc.

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The Scout Report - November 8, 1996

November 8, 1996

Research and Education

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