The Scout Report - March 12, 1999

Scout Report for Social Sciences and Business & Economics
Scout Report for Social Sciences
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/socsci/1999/ss-990309.html
Scout Report for Business & Economics
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/bus-econ/1999/be-990311.html
The twelfth issues of the second volumes of the Scout Reports for Social Sciences and Business & Economics are available. The In the News section of the Social Sciences Report annotates nine resources on the life and legal legacy of former US Supreme Court Associate Justice Harry Andrew Blackmun. The Business & Economics Report's In the News section offers seven resources on the nationwide strikes in Ecuador. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Agricultural Trade Briefing Room -- USDA ERS [.pdf]
http://www.econ.ag.gov/briefing/agtrade/index.htm
This new briefing room from the US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service (reviewed in the July 2, 1998 Scout Report for Business & Economics) provides general information and data on US agricultural trade with all of the countries and regions of the world. Data publications such as the US Agricultural Trade (FATUS), Agricultural Outlook, and US Agricultural Trade Balance are gathered here on a monthly or yearly basis with export and import values by commodity and country. Users will also find FATUS reference tools as well as special ERS articles covering topics such as agricultural export figures by state and the US agricultural trade's effect on the overall economy. [MW]
[Back to Contents]

Coral Bleaching, Coral Mortality, and Global Climate Change
http://www.state.gov/www/global/global_issues/coral_reefs/990305_coralreef_rpt.html
Presented to the US Coral Reef Task Force on March 5, this report contends that in 1998 coral reefs all around the world "appear to have suffered the most extensive and severe bleaching and subsequent mortality in modern record," in excess of 70 percent in some areas. Corals "bleach" when they lose much of their symbiotic algae in response to the stress from elevated temperatures, and last year's record-high tropical sea surface temperatures resulted in "devastating mortality." Although some scientists have disagreed, the report's authors conclude that the mass bleaching is a "consequence of a steadily rising baseline of marine temperatures, driven by anthropogenic global warming." Users can read the full text of the report at the site, provided by the US State Department. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

American Women's History: A Research Guide
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~kmiddlet/history/women.html
Created by Ken Middleton, reference librarian and graduate student in American Women's History at Middle Tennessee State University, this site is an excellent resource for researchers, especially graduate students or advanced undergraduates, interested in US women's history. At the site, users will find a large number of citations of print and online reference materials and primary resources. These are grouped into three sections: General Reference and Biographical Sources, Subject Index to Research Sources (currently containing resources in 27 topical areas), and State and Regional History Sources. Middleton supplies full bibliographical information for print sources and a link for those available in electronic form. The site also offers two sections on tools and strategies for finding additional sources and a collection of (unannotated) select bookmarks.
[Back to Contents]

South Asia Analysis Group (SAAG)
http://www.saag.org/
Online since September 1998, this site offers, in the form of short papers, the combined wisdom of "retired officers of the Government of India, with nearly three decades of experience in dealing with foreign policy & national security issues." Behind the no-nonsense home page of the SAAG, users can currently access 35 papers analyzing and assessing contemporary diplomatic, security, and foreign policy events from an Indian perspective. Offerings include a number of pieces on Indo-Pak relations, nuclear policy, and Osama Bin Laden. It should be noted that it seems that the majority of the papers currently available have been written by one individual, B. Raman, retired Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat and current Director of the Institute for Topical Studies. Nonetheless, South Asian specialists or anyone with an interest in reading about these issues from an Indian perspective will find these short papers useful. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

European Voyages of Exploration
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/HIST/tutor/eurvoya/index.html
University of Calgary Applied History Research Group Multimedia History Tutorials
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/HIST/tutor/
This richly illustrated (yet quickly loading) tutorial from the Applied History Research Group at the University of Calgary guides users through the European voyages of exploration and conquest in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Focusing on Spain and Portugal, the site explores the economic, political, and cultural factors that sustained and advanced exploration. Users will find brief histories of the two kingdoms and overviews of their voyages to the Atlantic, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Americas. The tutorial includes numerous maps, in addition to discussions of issues such as cartography, navigation, warfare, religion, slavery, and communication, in the Knowledge & Power section. Secondary School or freshman-level university instructors teaching courses on exploration or Early Modern Europe may find this a useful resource for students. Other multimedia tutorials available include The Peopling of Canada, The End of Europe's Middle Ages, and the Islamic World to 1600. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Information Technology in Teacher Education [.pdf, 57p.]
http://www.milkenexchange.org/research/iste_results.html
Milken Exchange on Education Technology
http://www.milkenexchange.org/
This report was commissioned by the Milken Exchange on Education technology to establish baseline data on the status of technology in teacher training. In the spring of 1998, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) surveyed 416 teacher-preparation programs, representing approximately 90,000 graduates. In general, the report finds that the incorporation of IT tools into teaching and learning has not kept pace with the expansion of the technology infrastructure in schools. The report makes a number of recommendations to address this issue, including school technology planning that goes beyond facilities and includes the integration of IT in teaching and learning. Users can download the full text of the report, in .pdf format, from the site. The Milken Exchange's home page offers a variety of additional resources on technology and learning, including articles, reports, policy guides, surveys and polls, and information on several of its ongoing projects. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Molecular Models [Chemscape Chime]
http://www.sci.ouc.bc.ca/chem/molecule/molecule.html
Created and maintained by Dr. Dave Woodcock of the Chemistry Department at Okanagan University College in British Columbia, Canada, this site features models of over 1,100 molecules in .pdb, or Chemscape Chime, format (link to free download provided). Users may search the molecular database using an internal search engine or browse by category or alphabetically. Index page entries include the molecule's name, formula, molar mass, and comments. The site also features more detailed models of selected molecular fragments. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Historical Data on the Foreign-Born Population in the United States -- US Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0029/twps0029.html
On March 9, the Census Bureau released this report, an update of and expansion on the last Census report on the foreign-born population, which was published in 1975. This report contains "decennial census data on several characteristics of the foreign-born population, including country of birth, length of residence in the United States, citizenship and age-sex distribution." Users will also find data on the total foreign-born population for states and large cities. The report consists of three brief introductory sections followed by 22 detailed statistical tables and a list of references. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Two from the Library of Congress (LOC)
Oliphant's Anthem
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/oliphant/
The South Texas Border, 1900-1920: Photographs from the Robert Runyon Collection
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/txuhtml/
The first of these two new online exhibits highlights the LOC's recent acquisition of 60 cartoon drawings by Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant. One of the most talented and influential editorial cartoonists in American history, Oliphant has been providing provocative commentary on political and social issues for over 30 years. The cartoons featured in the exhibit are organized by topic and offered in thumbnail format with concise and helpful explanatory text. The second site, the newest addition to the American memory Collection (last discussed in the February 5, 1999 Scout Report), features over 8,000 photos by commercial photographer Robert Runyon (1881-1968), a longtime resident of South Texas. Representing his life work, these photos "document the history and development of South Texas and the border, including the Mexican Revolution, the U.S. military presence at Fort Brown and along the border prior to and during World War I, and the growth and development of the Rio Grande Valley." Users may search the collection by keyword or browse by subject. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Collage
http://collage.nhil.com/
Collage stands for Corporation of London Library and Art Gallery Electronic, and at the Collage Portal, users can search an image database which consists of approximately 20,000 items from the collections of the Guildhall Library and the Guildhall Art Gallery of London. Collage is a great resource for those seeking visual materials related to the long history of the city of London. From the Print Room of the Guildhall Library, there are prints, drawings, and caricatures of social life and culture in London dating back to the fifteenth century, and also hundreds of maps and cityscapes. These are augmented by paintings and drawings from the Guildhall Art Gallery collection. Users can search by keyword or browse by a variety of broad subject groupings, such as Society, which is further divided into categories such as Family, Fashion & Clothing, and Law & Crime. There are also more specific topics, including St. Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, and Westminster Abbey, and it is possible to retrieve images by format, such as map, sketch, portrait, or still life. Collage is intended to be a reference resource, not a download site. Images may be viewed, and users can then purchase prints online. [DS]
[Back to Contents]

NewsWatch: A Consumer's Guide to the News
http://www.newswatch.org/
The Center for Media and Public Affairs, a nonpartisan research organization that conducts scientific analyses of the media, has recently launched NewsWatch, a new daily Web magazine created for news consumers, promising to "tell you when [news is] accurate, when it's wrong, and why." NewsWatch contains several sections: Today's News, a daily news summary from NewsWatch editors; Media Critic, a daily digest of news about the news media from leading media critics; Spotlight, feature articles analyzing the news media; Resources, a collection of links to online media publications, watchdog organizations, and research institutions; and Talk Back, a directory of news organizations for consumers who want to provide feedback directly to news agencies. The entire site is searchable by keyword(s). [AO]
[Back to Contents]

Defend Your Data -- ACLU
http://www.aclu.org/privacy/
From Secret Service funding of efforts to develop a national database of driver's license photographs to the unique Processor Serial Number (PSN) on the new Pentium III processors, individual privacy has become increasingly difficult to protect in the digital age. In response to recent and pervasive threats to privacy by the government and the private sector, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched a new Web-based campaign on privacy rights. At the site, users will find a selection of background information and press releases, a demonstration of just what others can learn about you on the Web, and a Data Defense Kit. The Kit includes a privacy survey, a pocket card with tips on protecting your privacy, and a complaint form for reporting privacy violations. Additional resources at the site include faxable letters to Congress and a free mailing list. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Two Resources on Electronic Publishing
Who Owns What Intellectual Property, Copyright, and the Next Millenium -- Journal of Electronic Publishing
http://www.press.umich.edu/jep/04-03/glos0403.html
"The New Age of the Book" -- New York Review of Books
http://www.nybooks.com/nyrev/WWWfeatdisplay.cgi?19990318005F
Anyone interested in scholarly electronic publishing will want to visit these sites. The first, the latest issue of the Journal of Electronic Publishing, examines the challenges and opportunities for intellectual property and copyright in the digital age. The featured articles examine topics such as the current state of electronic publishing, managing rights electronically, the future of scholarly publishing, libraries as publishers, and even open source software as a model for managing intellectual property. The second resource, a ten-page article by cultural historian Robert Darnton, explores the potential and pitfalls that arise from the electronic publication of scholarly monographs. Darnton discusses the prospects of electronic monographs in relation to issues such as recent changes in publishing in general and to university presses in particular, publishing and tenure, and the pricing of journals. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Mysteries of the Nile -- NOVA Online [Quicktime 3.0]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/
All this month, a team from the PBS program NOVA are in Egypt on their second attempt (the first was in 1995) to raise an obelisk using only materials and techniques that the ancient Egyptians might have used. At this site, users can follow the team's progress with dispatches from the field, learn about the history and physics of obelisks, and tour a modest but attractive collection of QTVR and standard images of temples, tombs, and other monuments. Additional features at the site include classroom resources, a map and timeline, and a collection of annotated links. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

The Feather Trade and the American Conservation Movement -- NMAH
http://www.si.edu/nmah/ve/feather/ftintro.htm
This new virtual exhibit from the National Museum of American History focuses on the odd origins of the Audubon society and other early conservation movements: nineteenth-century America's rage for plumage to adorn women's hats. Divided into three sections -- Feather Adornment, Hunting and Collecting, and Audubon Movement -- this exhibit begins by illustrating the use of feathers, and indeed whole birds, as fashion accessories in a period fascinated with the natural world. The excessive hunting practices which fed this fashion and the subsequent devastation of populations of native birds such as the egret led concerned "socialites" to found the Audubon society. The exhibit is brief but studded with numerous interesting thumbnails, from a 1903 advertisement urging consumers to "buy direct" from an ostrich farm to a letter from Teddy Roosevelt praising "the substitution of the camera for the gun." [TK]
[Back to Contents]

Netscape Communicator 4.51 (Windows and Mac) and Smart Download (Windows 95/98/NT)
http://home.netscape.com/computing/download/
Netscape has recently released the latest update to its Communicator browser. This update has removed a number of bugs from the previous version and also features AOL Instant Messenger, an ICQ-type chat program. Users with Communicator or Navigator 4.04 or higher can save download time by using the SmartUpdate feature. Also at the site, Netscape offers SmartDownload, a Windows program that allows users to pause downloads and pick up where they left off. Additional resources include a library of over 200 plug-ins for Netscape browsers. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Internet Research News/ ResearchBuzz
http://www.researchbuzz.com/
A companion site to the book Official Netscape Guide to Internet Research (2nd edition), this current awareness resource features a selection of Internet finds on a variety of topics, with a primary focus on tools for research and more efficient searching online. Updated several times a week, the site and its weekly email newsletter, ResearchBuzz, are maintained by Tara Calishain, the book's co-author. Additional resources at the site include a periodic series of articles on Internet research, Quick Tips for searching online, and an internal search engine. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Linuxberg
http://linux.tucows.com/
Associated with the Tucows Software Repository (reviewed in the October 18, 1996 Scout Report) this network of over 150 affiliate locations offers links to thousands of Linux programs, both free and commercial. Programs are organized by type within broader categories, such as Graphics, Office, Multimedia, Entertainment, Development, and others. The network also serves as a mirror site for a number of Linux distributions, such as kernel.org, RedHat, and LinuxPro. Additional features at the site include the Howto section -- a Linux resource center with news, technical information, links, and the latest kernels -- and a mailing list. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

NATO Expansion
NATO Official Home Page
http://www.nato.int/
Harry S. Truman Library
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/nato/nato.htm
NATO At 50: The Washington Summits
http://www.nato50.gov/
NATO Enlargement - State Department [.pdf]
http://www.state.gov/www/regions/eur/natoindex.html
Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic formally join NATO today. The entry of these three former Warsaw Pact nations into the US-led alliance and their ongoing negotiations to join the European Union mark a dramatic shift in the political landscape and symbolize the final demise of a divided Europe. However, a number of questions and difficulties remain. Not the least of these is relations with Russia, which has consistently expressed its disapproval of NATO expanding eastward. Should the country come under the control of nationalist political parties, an expanded NATO may actually increase rather than mitigate security concerns and political tensions. Another untested factor is public opinion within the new NATO member countries. The realities of NATO membership -- increased defense spending and the prospect of military operations against fellow Europeans in Yugoslavia -- may quickly erode popular support for the alliance in Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. At the official NATO site, users can learn about the history and organization of the alliance; browse an archive of publications, press releases, and fact sheets; and read current press releases on the expansion. The Harry S. Truman Library, which hosts today's Accession ceremony, offers a number of resources on the history of NATO, including selected documents, a chronology, and photos and links. The 50th Anniversary of NATO will be celebrated and analyzed at a Washington summit in April. Discussions of the problems and opportunities presented by today's enlargement will certainly feature prominently in the proceedings. At the summit site, users will find press releases related to today's Accession ceremony, comments from key players, a number of related links, and information on the conference itself. Finally, the US State Department's guide to NATO enlargement, produced in 1998, summarizes why the Administration has pushed to offer membership to these three nations. The site includes a 30-page publication on enlargement, fact sheets, country information, testimony, questions and answers, and related links. Additional resources for understanding the NATO expansion and Central European politics can be found in the Scout Report Signpost, the Scout Report's database. These include Central Europe Online, the Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology, and Policy, and the EU's Reports on progress towards accession by each of the candidate countries. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this report, in any format.

From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1999.
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/

The paragraph below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing the entire report, in any format.

Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-1999. The Internet Scout Project (http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, is preserved on all copies.

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, or the National Science Foundation.

Susan Calcari Rachael E. Bower Michael de Nie Travis Koplow Aimee D. Glassel Todd Hanson Sheilah Harrington Christopher Lukas Dave Mayer Sujani Nannapaneni Andrew Osmond Laura X. Payne Jeannine Ramsey Mike Roszkowski Debra Shapiro Geraldine Wanserski Megan Waters Amy Tracy Wells Paul M Schwartz

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Director Managing Editor Editor Production Editor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor Webmaster

Scout Report and Scout Report HTML Subscription Instructions

• To receive the electronic mail version of the Scout Report each week, join the scout-report mailing list. This is the only mail you will receive from this list. Unsubscribing from the scout-report list can also be done at this site.

  http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/lists/

• To receive the Scout Report in HTML format for local viewing and posting, subscribe to the scout-report-html mailing list, used exclusively to distribute the Scout Report in HTML format once a week. Unsubscribing from the scout-report list can also be done at this site.

  http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/lists/

The Scout Report's Web page:

Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) versions of the Scout Report:

[Back to Contents]

A Publication of the Internet Scout Project

Comments, Suggestions, Feedback
Use our feedback form or send email to scout@cs.wisc.edu.

© 1999 Internet Scout Project
Information on reproducing any publication is available on our copyright page.