The Scout Report - March 26, 1999

Scout Report for Social Sciences and Business & Economics
Scout Report for Social Sciences
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/socsci/1999/ss-990323.html
Scout Report for Business & Economics
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/bus-econ/1999/be-990325.html
The thirteenth 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 seven resources on the recent high-level corruption scandal in the European Union. The Business & Economics Report's In the News section offers seven resources on recent OPEC efforts to curb oil production and raise sagging prices. [MD]
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Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS) [.avi, .jpg]
http://www.siris.si.edu/
Researchers from a wide swath of disciplines will make good use of this site, which offers integrated access to well over one million research resources held by the Smithsonian Institution's libraries, archives, and associated research units. The SIRIS gateway features six large combined catalogs: Libraries, Archives & Manuscripts, Art Inventories, Juley Photographic Collection, Research Bibliographies, and Smithsonian Chronology. Users may search either the combined catalogs or the fourteen individual sub-catalogs that comprise them. Short descriptions and contact information for the related archive are provided for all the catalogs. Search options include keyword, creator, title, and subject. Beginning users will appreciate the site's generous search help. The Smithsonian has also begun to integrate multimedia resources into the SIRIS catalogs, including JPEG images, .avi videos, and links to related Websites. [MD]
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Electronic Literature Foundation (ELF)
http://elf.chaoscafe.com/
Literature teachers, scholars, and lovers of the classics will warmly welcome this excellent online project. ELF's mission is to provide advanced, free electronic texts from world literature in several formats and languages. For instance, the ELF site includes four full editions of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri: "the original Italian text, and English translations by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Rev. H.F. Cary, and Allen Mandelbaum. Annotations from the Cary and Longfellow editions are also available." As with ELF's Canterbury Tales, which is offered in Middle and Modern English, the texts can be read line-by-line or in enface ("facing page") format, which juxtaposes the original text and translation. The Foundation currently features two other texts: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, offered in three editions, and a preliminary version of Milton's Paradise Lost (the complete version is scheduled for April 1). All of the ELF texts include internal search engines and numerous contemporary and modern illustrations. Works in development include The Arabian Nights (scheduled for May 1), the works of Thomas Hardy, and Goethe's Faust.[MD]
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Joint BIS-IMF-OECD World Bank Statistics on External Debt [.pdf, .xls]
http://www.oecd.org/dac/debt/
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation (OECD), and the World Bank began publishing quarterly statistics on external debt cooperatively on March 15, 1999 to facilitate access to previously separate data releases. The Joint BIS-IMF-OECD World Bank Statistics on External Debt primarily emanate from creditor and market sources and cover 176 "developing and transition countries" (1996-present). The stock of debt, flow figures, and data on international reserves may be downloaded in a compressed executable Excel workbook format, although differences in coverage by country may exist due to differences in the data collecting procedures of contributing institutions. [MW]
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Metis: QTVR Interface for Ancient Greek Archaeological Sites [QuickTime 3.0]
http://www.stoa.org/~hartzler/
Designed by Bruce Hartzler of the Department of Classics at the University of Texas at Austin, Metis is a collection of QuickTime VR movies that allow users to explore the ruins of nineteen ancient Greek archaeological sites, including the Acropolis in Athens and the Temple of Aphaia in Aegina. Most movies are accompanied by site plans, which permit users to map out their virtual expeditions. Several of the movies also include embedded links that connect users to related information provided by the Perseus Project (first discussed in the October 17, 1997 Scout Report). [AO]
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Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center (FJSRC)
http://fjsrc.urban.org/index.shtml
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (last discussed in the September 8, 1998 Scout Report for Social Sciences) and maintained by the Urban Institute (last reviewed in the August 14, 1998 Scout Report), this new site offers access to the Federal Justice Statistics Program (FJSP) database, which contains comprehensive information about suspects and defendants processed in each stage of the Federal criminal justice system in a given year (1994-96). First-time users will want to begin with the Data Dictionary, which identifies and describes the variables in the FJSP database and organizes the data "into one or more standard analysis file (SAF) datasets pertaining to suspects and defendants in entering, leaving, or pending a stage of criminal case processing." Users can then perform queries on one or more selected variables from the SAF datasets. Data selected from the FJSP database and other information from the site may be downloaded in ASCII format for research or statistical purposes. Additional resources include a FAQ, a list of related sites, and links to past issues of the Compendium of Federal Justice Statistics (reviewed in the January 26, 1999 Scout Report for Social Sciences). [MD]
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RT21: Reproductive Technology Web
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/rt21/
This new site from the Harvard School of Public Health explores the varied ways in which scientific and medical technologies affect broader processes of social reproduction. With full length articles, related links, and course syllabi, the site examines issues such as contemporary discourses on gender and reproduction, race and reproductive technologies, procreative and contraceptive technologies, the medicalization of birth, and teaching science, technology, and the body. Associated with Harvard's Global Reproductive Health Forum (reviewed in November 17, 1998 Scout Report for Social Sciences), the RT21 site also hosts Cyber-fem, a discussion list "dedicated to exploring the many ways scientific and medical developments participate in broader processes of social reproduction." [MD]
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Human Genome Resources
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/guide/
Human Genome Sequencing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/seq/
In an effort to track the progress of and provide access to the work of the Human Genome Project (see the October 14, 1998 Scout Report for Science & Engineering), the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has expanded their Web resource. An international research program "designed to construct detailed genetic and physical maps of the human genome," the Human Genome Project (HGP) is now in its third year and has sequenced just 8.6% of the human genome. The Human Genome Resources page provides a wealth of relevant resources, from background information on the project, to specific sequences for each human chromosome (click on the desired chromosome), to Genome Maps of other organisms. Also new is the Human Genome Sequencing page, which allows users to browse the genome by chromosome and download sequences. A searchable tool bar facilitates quick access to each chromosome's database. [LXP]
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British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography (BIAB) Database
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/biab.html
Homepage
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/biab/
BIAB is a subscription-based biannual guide to works on archaeology and related subjects in the UK and Republic of Ireland. However, anyone may access BIAB's free online database, which holds over 92,000 references "to material published from 1695 to 1991 - a range that begins with the writings of the early antiquaries (like Aubrey, Borlase, and Stukeley) and ends with post-processualism and planning-led contract archaeology." Hosted by the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) (last mentioned in the November 3, 1998 Scout Report), the BIAB database is searchable by keyword only. Search returns include a full bibliographic reference and, for approximately a third of the references, an abstract. Returns are produced in alphabetical order on a single page, which may cause delays for users with slower connections. Many users will also want to consult the Details of Archaeological Serials section of the BIAB Home Page for translations of the abbreviations used in the database, as well as for publication information. The site also contains a project history, a BIAB User's Guide, and a collection of links. [MD]
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Social Crisis in East Asia -- World Bank [.pdf]
http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/eacrisis/index.htm
World Bank PovertyNet
http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/index.htm
This special topic section of the World Bank's PovertyNet features resources and tools for organizations and individuals interested in the social crisis that has followed in the wake of the East Asian financial meltdown. At the site, users will find background information on the crisis and the responses from international bodies; a topically organized library of research papers, newsletters, and briefs from the World Bank and its partners; a newsletter and discussion list; discussions on the World Bank's strategy and response to the crisis; sector overviews; social indicators; and a list of related links. PovertyNet, an important resource center for researchers and activists working to understand and alleviate poverty, contains several other, though more general, topic sections; a library of research papers and reports; occasional special features; datasets; a newsletter; and a Web Guide on Poverty. [MD]
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Law Lords Decision in Pinochet Case
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199899/ldjudgmt/jd990324/pino1.htm
On Wednesday, the UK's highest court refused to grant General Pinochet immunity from prosecution for the second time. The court ruled six-to-one that he could face extradition to Spain where he would be charged with torture, conspiracy to torture, and conspiracy to murder. Pinochet was originally arrested in October on an extradition warrant from Spain, and the following month, the Law Lords ruled that he was not immune to prosecution for acts committed as a head of state. However, for the first time in British legal history, that decision was set aside after conflict of interest charges were levelled against one of the Lords who was connected to Amnesty International. Despite this second ruling, the case is far from settled, as the extradition proceedings themselves remain, and it is expected that Pinochet's lawyers will drag the case out for months, or even years if possible. In the meantime, the former dictator remains under house arrest in England. Users can read the full text of the Law Lords' lengthy decision at this site, provided by the UK Stationery Office. [MD]
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State Climate Change Impacts Information Sheets -- EPA [.pdf]
http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/impacts/stateimp/index.html
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Global Warming site (discussed in the February 21, 1997 Scout Report) has placed all 50 state-specific global warming sheets online in HTML and .pdf format. Browseable via a clickable map or alphabetically, the sheets summarize expected climate change in each state and explain the projected consequences on factors such as health, agriculture, water resources, ecosystems, forests, and coastal areas. Brief countrywide overviews of these factors are also available, as well as short discussions of climate change and fisheries, birds, and national parks. Additional resources include a bibliography, glossary, and internal search engine. [MD]
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epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease -- AMNH [.pdf]
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/epidemic/index.html
This new online exhibition from the American Museum of Natural History offers a captivating account of the physical and social environments that allow disease-causing microbes to emerge and spread. Throughout the exhibit, which references both historical and contemporary outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics, users learn about the human and environmental changes that contribute to the rise and decline of certain diseases, the microbes that carry these diseases, and how they infect us. Essentially a collection of short, illustrated passages, the exhibit is best viewed in the order presented, although users may jump to specific sections. The text of the exhibit is frequently hyperlinked to glossary terms and short sections offering further information on selected topics. Additional features at the site include a collection of high-quality online resources, teacher's guides (in .pdf format), a Kids Magazine, and a link to a partner site at Discovery Online (reviewed in the December 10, 1997 Scout Report for Science and Engineering). [MD]
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Lost and Found Sound: A Special Radio Series For the Millennium -- NPR [RealAudio]
http://www.npr.org/programs/lnfsound/
NPR presents this Website to accompany its ongoing Lost and Found Sound series, radio programs which look at everyday life in last 100 years by showcasing "lost treasures" of recorded sound such as a cassette tape sent to a little boy by his grandfather and left in a closet, or the field recordings made by Tony Schwartz in his New York City neighborhood in the 1940s and 50s. Selecting the Sound of the Week link takes you to a listing of the six programs aired since January 29th, where you can see pictures of some of the people you hear in the series, as well as listen to either complete programs (most are around ten minutes) or excerpts. Select Quest for Sound to learn how your home recordings can become part of the show. [DS]
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The Engines of Our Ingenuity
http://www.uh.edu/engines/
Written and hosted by John Lienhard, produced by KUHF-FM, Houston, and distributed by National Public radio, The Engines of Our Ingenuity is a short radio program that explores the role of human creativity in the formation of our material and intellectual culture. The topics covered range broadly, "from cable cars to Civil War submarines, from the connection between Romantic poets and Victorian science to the invention of the bar code." Broadcast five days a week since 1988, the show has produced over 1,400 new episodes, and users may read transcripts of every one at this site. Browseable by number and title or searchable by keyword, the short transcripts may also include images and links to related sites. Additional resources at the site include a keyword search file, _Engines_-related talks, and information on the radio show. While the site would benefit greatly from audio recordings of the episodes, users interested in technology and creativity should enjoy a visit. [MD]
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What Forces Affect Our Weather [QuickTime]
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/weather/
"If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute." Another information rich site from the CPB/Annenberg Learner Online Exhibits Collection (last reviewed in the March 3, 1999 Scout Report for Science and Engineering) showcases one of America's favorite topics -- the weather. The beauty of this site is that it walks the user through the subject material in a way that emphasizes the interconnectedness of meteorological phenomenon. Starting with The Atmosphere, the site then takes users through the following topics: The Water Cycle, Powerful Storms, Ice and Snow, Forecasting, Our Changing Climate, and finally, Related Resources. Throughout the exhibit, links to topically related pages from other notable sites together with hands-on activities help users learn first-hand how wind chill factor works or how it might feel to be a storm chaser. The final resource list links to dozens of weather-related options, plenty to please burgeoning meteorologists and weather channel fanatics alike. [REB]
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Operabase
http://operabase.com/
Opera fans the world over, but especially in North America and Europe, will enjoy this major online resource. Available in six languages, the site hosts a database of 500 opera houses and festivals, searchable by keyword or browseable alphabetically (with numerous display options) or via clickable maps. Database entries feature full details on each house, including contact and booking information, accessibility, neighboring venues, a link to the house's Website, and details on current, past, and future seasons. Travelling opera fans can even click on a calendar icon and receive details of other performances within seven days and 125km. Though impressive, the database is but one of several excellent features at the site. Operabase also includes a Performance Search page, which allows users to search opera schedules by any combination of date, composer, title, or location. Users may also search for their favorite singer or role, conductor, or producer. Opera news and reviews (in English and Italian), opera timelines, and links to new opera house and festival Websites round out the site. [MD]
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CORRECTION: Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/acrrwhatsnew.html#download
Last Week's Scout Report incorrectly stated that the final version of Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 was available for download. The final version will not be available until early April. Until then, users may download a prerelease version of 4.0 at the above URL. The Scout Report apologizes for the error. [MD]
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Apple, Mac OS X Server, Darwin, and Open Source
http://www.publicsource.apple.com/
http://www.apple.com/macosx/server/
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/features/osstrategy1.html
http://www.opensource.org/osd.html
On March 16th, Apple computer made two announcements that indicate radical changes in the direction of its OS. The first was the release of Mac OS X Server, billed as "the first modern operating system" ever shipped by Apple. Based on BSD Unix and the Mach kernel, it includes standard Unix features such as protected memory, pre-emptive multitasking, and full process management, as well as NetBoot a new type of client-server architecture. The second announcement, which overshadowed the first, is that Apple is releasing the source code to portions of Mac OS X server. The project, called Darwin, has not only released the foundation layers of the operating system, but established a system of user-contributed modifications to the source. Modeled after Linux and Apache, this new direction by Apple has been embraced by Eric Raymond, President of the Open Source Initiative. [PMS]
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Michele-Web
http://www.michele-web.com/
Created and maintained by Web Designer Michele D. Jinkerson, this site is aimed at aspiring Webmasters. After taking users step-by-step through the process of creating a simple Webpage, the tutorial offers a number of tips on improving sites with tables, music, color, backgrounds, buttons, graphics, and other features. The site also includes a collection of FAQs and downloadable site helpers such as border backgrounds, fonts, and a javascript drop-down menu. [MD]
[Note: Site title has changed since the original Scout Report review. Site formerly referred to in the Scout Report as "MWS Webmaster Resources."]

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MP3 Essentials -- CNET
http://home.cnet.com/category/topic/0,10000,0-4004-7-274644,00.html
This new report from CNET guides readers through some of the basic requirements for finding and playing music in MP3 (MPEG Layer 3) format. Users will find an annotated list of links to download players, search tools, rippers and encoders, and MP3 jukeboxes. Along the way, the report offers tips and links to related resources. Users interested in using MP3 files but unfamiliar with the format will find this concise report a helpful introduction. [MD]
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Airstrikes on Yugoslavia
BBC News: Kosovo Crisis [RealPlayer, Frames]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/special_report/1998/kosovo/
NATO Air Strikes Against Yugoslavia: "War in Europe" -- USIA
http://www.usia.gov/admin/005/wwwh9m25.html
Editorial Cartoons on Conflict in the Former Yugoslavia
http://www.cagle.com/news/yugo/
Kosovo Issue Area -- CDI
http://www.cdi.org/issues/Europe/kosovo.html
Kosovo Crisis -- Jane's Defense Weekly
http://www.janes.com/defence/features/kosovo/kosovohome.html
Radio B92 Open Yugoslavia [RealPlayer]
http://b92eng.opennet.org/
Kosova Crisis Center
http://www.alb-net.com/index.htm
Serbia Info
http://www.serbia-info.com/
The major news story of the week is, of course, the airstrikes on Yugoslavia. For the first time in its 50-year history, NATO has made war on a sovereign nation that is outside of the alliance. The strikes have raised a host of troubling questions, and their impact on the humanitarian and political situation in Kosovo, the NATO alliance, US foreign policy, and NATO-Russian relations remains to be seen. In addition to their favorite online news sites, interested users will want to examine some of the following resources. Always a dependable and thorough news source, the BBC has posted a special report on the bombing, with breaking news, analysis, and an interactive map. The US Information Agency (USIA) has compiled a very large selection of excerpts from editorials on the strikes from newspapers worldwide, organized by region. Users interested in how the crisis has been represented by editorial cartoonists around the world will want to visit the sizable and constantly-updated collection of cartoons at Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonist Index. More detailed analysis is provided at the Center for Defense Information's (CDI) Kosovo Issue Area, which features maps, reports, fact sheets, and related links. Users curious about the military aspects of the operation will be hard-pressed to find a more authoritative site than Jane's Defense Weekly. Jane's Kosovo feature offers analysis, reference information on the military forces and equipment, and background on the political and ethnic situation in the region. Radio Station B92, one of the most prominent independent voices in Yugoslavia, was shut down by the authorities on March 23. However, a number of online mirror sites in Europe and the US have banded together to distribute B92 broadcasts and written reports via this site. Given the uncertainties of the situation and today's decree banning all contact with the foreign media, these reports may be sporadic or may stop at any time. Finally, for news from a pro-Kosovar independence viewpoint or a pro-Serbian viewpoint, users should visit the Kosova Crisis Center and Serbian Info site, respectively. Users interested in additional resources for understanding the Balkans and the diplomatic fallout of the strikes will find a number of items in the Scout Report Signpost the Scout Report's database. These include the International Crisis Group (ICG) South Balkans Reports Index, RAND reports on US and Russian Policymaking with Respect to the Use of Force, and The Department of Defense's BosniaLINK. [MD]
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