The Scout Report - May 14, 1999

It's our fifth birthday... in Internet time that's practically middle age!
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
Five years of the Scout Report and six years of Net-Happenings - we can barely believe it! Over the last five years the Internet has grown tremendously and the Internet Scout Project and its services have grown along with it. To celebrate our birthday we have been taking a brief look back at each year of the Scout Report and Net-happenings. The celebration will end with the release of our newly designed Web site on June 1st. We hope that the site's new design and improved navigation will make it easier to use and will aid you, our users, in your quest to "surf smarter". See the Internet Scout Project's front page on Monday for a look at year three of our retrospective.
[Back to Contents]

Scout Report for Science & Engineering and KIDS Report
Scout Report for Science & Engineering
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/sci-engr/1999/se-990512.html
KIDS Report
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/KIDS/archive/KIDS-990511.html
Volume 2, Number 17 of the Scout Report for Science & Engineering is available. The In the News section annotates ten resources on the discovery of a new process designed to separate problematic chemicals from ionic liquids. The May 11 issue of the KIDS Report, written by and for K-12 students, comes to us from the students at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This issue features Internet resources on frogs. [AO]
[Back to Contents]

The Final Months of the War with Japan: Signals Intelligence, U.S. Invasion
Planning, and the A-Bomb Decision [.pdf]
http://www.odci.gov/csi/monograph/japan/index.html
Produced by the CIA's Center for the Study of Intelligence and the Harvard University program for Studies of Intelligence and Policy, this new monograph examines the role of intercepted Japanese communications in US military planning during the final stages of the war with Japan in 1945, "particularly its contribution to planning for an Allied invasion of the Japanese homeland." The author, Douglas J. MacEachin, a retired CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence and currently a Senior Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, cautions that this work is not intended as an argument for or against the use of the atomic bomb against Japan. Rather, it examines the intelligence that was available at the time and the role this intelligence played in US strategic planning on Japan in what became the closing months of the war. While this monograph will certainly interest a wide range of readers, scholars and students will be particularly interested in the collection of 118 annotated declassified original documents provided in .pdf format in Appendix C and the Data Annex in Appendix B. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Erasing History: Ethnic Cleansing in Kosovo
http://www.state.gov/www/regions/eur/rpt_9905_ethnic_ksvo_toc.html
Released this week by the US Department of State, this report chronicles Serbia's violations of human rights and humanitarian law following the departure of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Kosovo Verification Mission on March 19, 1999. The report documents Serbian attempts to ethnically cleanse Kosovo of its approximately 1.7 million ethnic Albanian residents. Abuses cited in the report include forced expulsions, looting and burning, detentions, summary execution, violations of medical neutrality, and identity cleansing. [AO]
[Back to Contents]

Dendrome: Forest Tree Genome Database
http://dendrome.ucdavis.edu/
Institute of Forest Genetics
http://dendrome.ucdavis.edu/ifg/index.html
Based in California, Dendrome is a project of the Institute of Forest Genetics (USDA Forest Service) that aims to act as "a central electronic resource for the study of forest tree genomes." Users will find a wealth of information at the site, including several excellent genome resources (complete with genetic maps), links to research institutes, upcoming scientific meetings and courses, and job opportunities. Of particular use to researchers are the genetic databases with linkage maps for numerous species of the genus Cryptomeria,Eucalyptus,Picea,Pinus and Populus. A selection of specific resources rounds out the site. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]

Handbook of International Economic Statistics: 1998 -- CIA [.pdf, 80p., .xls]
http://www.cia.gov/di/products/hies/index.html
The 1998 edition of this useful research aid has been released by the CIA. With figures and tables the Handbook "provides basic worldwide statistics for comparing the economic performance of major countries and regions." A number of economic topics are covered, including economic profiles and trends, energy, agriculture, foreign trade and aid, and real gross domestic product. Users may also download a collection of maps and charts (.pdf format), and tables (Excel format) separately. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

White House Tapes Archive -- C-SPAN [RealPlayer]
JFK Tapes:
http://www.c-span.org/guide/society/jfk/
LBJ Tapes:
http://www.c-span.org/guide/society/lbj/
C-SPAN Radio 90 presents a series of archival recordings that allow listeners to eavesdrop on presidential history. The White House Tapes Archive contains private telephone conversations released by the Presidential Libraries of former Presidents John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson. The JFK Tapes includes 32 conversations recorded at the White House from September 1962 to October 1963. The tapes include discussions on the integration of the University of Mississippi, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the nuclear test ban treaty, among others. The Johnson Library has released more than 235 hours of tape, spanning from November 1963 to August 1964, with a few from 1965 to 1967. Currently, the LBJ Tapes archive contains over forty hours of 810 conversations, with additional conversations added each week. Because of the extent of the LBJ collection, C-SPAN provides a search facility allowing users to browse through eleven topics (e.g. Civil Rights Bill, The Kennedy Assassination, Vietnam) or search by keyword(s) and conversation participants. [AO]
[Back to Contents]

California Shipwrecks [RealPlayer G2]
http://shipwrecks.slc.ca.gov/
This new site from the California State Lands Commission offers a nice collection of resources for actual or armchair underwater archaeologists. The core of the site is a database of over 1500 California shipwrecks, searchable by keyword in twelve fields. Search returns include ship's name, type, years built and sunk, cause, owner, captain, length, beam, tonnage, engine, and county. The other major feature at the site is an exhibition on the wreck and recovery of the Brother Jonathan. The exhibit includes the story of the ship and its specifications, a passenger list, a photo exhibit of artifacts and video of the wreck, and some comments on the significance of the archaeological remains. Other sections of the site include brief articles on the sinking of eight ships, video and audio clips, and links to related sites. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Project Elgon
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elgon/
In 1996 and 1997 multidisciplinary teams of undergraduate students, post-graduate students and staff from the UK and Uganda were assembled to study the impact of humans on the biodiversity and ecology of Mount Elgon National Park, which lies on the Uganda-Kenya border. In addition to studying Anthropogenic stress from cultivation, grazing and tourism, the teams took on a number of secondary projects, including surveys of bird species and small mammals, and an examination of "sustainable tourism" approaches to use of the reserve. The fruits of these studies have been placed online at this website as a collection of papers, available in abstracts and full text. The papers are grouped into four main categories: Mammals, Birds, People, and Plants, each containing two studies, except the People section, which offers four. Studies include links to species lists, tables, maps, photos, and other resources. Additional information at the site includes overviews of the study area and of Mount Elgon National park. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Elections '99
http://www2.europarl.eu.int/election/
On June 10, 11, and 13 about 298 million voters in the 15 European Union (EU) Member States will choose 626 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the fifth direct elections to the European Parliament. Provided by the European Parliament, this site is aimed at EU voters; nevertheless, researchers, students, or any users interested in Europe-wide politics will want to pay a visit. Organized into five sections, the site includes electoral procedures by country, four essays on "The European Parliament and his [the] people," an overview of the outgoing Parliament, Important points 1994-1999, and a list of candidates for the upcoming election. The last section is available in French and English only, but the remainder of the site can be viewed in eleven languages. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

AllAllergy.net
http://www.allallergy.net/allallergy/
AllAllergy.net is a metasite of resources on allergies, asthma and food intolerance compiled by Dr. Harris Steinman. Health professionals and the layperson will be interested in this site which provides links to allergy databases, professional and consumer organizations, meeting and grant announcements, and publications that include books, journals and educational materials. Visitors to the Articles section can link to allergy tips, pollen counts from regions around the world, position statements, and resources for children and teenagers. The Product section links to product warnings and suppliers of non-allergenic food, hygiene, and household products. Most resources are accompanied by a brief description, rating, and symbol that indicates site owner and suggested audience. Paid advertisements are accepted at AllAllergy.net, but the site contains a privacy statement and message stating that companies have not paid to be listed. [GW]
[Back to Contents]

Directory of Special Collections -- National Library of Canada
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/collectionsp/spcol_e.htm
Originally published in 1992, this Directory has recently been updated and placed online by the National Library of Canada. Designed to help researchers, scholars, and librarians locate specialized resources in Canadian libraries, the Directory may be browsed by general subject, primary subject, collections, or institutions. Users may also search by keyword, title, or subject. Typical entries include: subjects, history, description, language, holdings, bibliographic and physical access, interlibrary loan availability, and publications describing the collection. Surprisingly, the collection entries provide no contact information beyond the institution name. Despite this serious oversight, the Directory is still a useful tool for researchers of and in Canada. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Two Sites with Automobile Crash Data
Crashtest.com [frames]
http://www.crashtest.com/intro/index.htm
Fatality Analysis Reporting System -- NHTSA [Java]
http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/
Drivers considering a car purchase may want to check out these two sites on automobile safety. The first, Crashtest.com, provides crash-test data and safety ratings for every new and used car and truck produced by over forty different manufacturers, from Acura to Yugo. Crashtest.com also offers a Compare feature, allowing users to make a side-by-side safety comparison of two cars from two different manufacturers. The second site is the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The FARS Website contains data and reports on all automobile crashes involving a fatality that occurred on a US public roadway. Users may access FARS data at the site through the FARS Query System or via the FARS Query Wizard, both of which are interactive Web-based data extraction utilities. The FARS site also provides a searchable Reports Library and an FTP site, permitting users to download NHTSA data from 1975 to the present. [AO]
[Back to Contents]

Everglades Field Trip
http://taxodium.env.duke.edu/wetland/ftbegin.htm
Duke University Wetland Center
http://taxodium.env.duke.edu/wetland/
The prestigious Duke University Wetland Center, headed up by Dr. Curtis Richardson, brings this gem of a resource to the Web. The Everglades Field Trip is a wonderful learning site, loaded with information and accompanied by color photographs, figures, and illustrative graphics. Although the resource lacks a Table of Contents, information is presented in a logical order with several points at which to select more or less detail. The trip begins with an explanation of the Everglades' natural processes: hydrology (of the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, Central Everglades, Taylor Slough, Florida Bay, and Shark River Slough), biology (Distribution of plant communities, Animals, and Endangered Species), and geology (the Eastern Coastal Ridge). From there, users learn about Anthropogenic effects on the system, with emphasis on: the Central & Florida Project; creation of parks, refuges and preserves; and current problems facing the region. For anyone with an interest in learning more about the Everglades -- or processes of wetland ecosystems -- this is an excellent site. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]

COOL: College Opportunities On-Line -- NCES IPEDS
http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/
College Opportunities On-Line (COOL) is a research tool that allows access to information on more than 9,000 trade schools, colleges, and universities in the US. Users may search COOL by geographic region, by state, by city, by type of institution, or by instructional programs, either alone or in combination. Queries yield general information about institutions, such as type of institution, contact information, Carnegie classification, and Title IV code. In addition, each record provides the cost of tuition and fees, data on fall enrollment, and a list of degrees or awards conferred. COOL is a product of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) (see the July 4, 1997 Scout Report). [AO]
[Back to Contents]

Give War a Chance-- PBS Frontline
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/military/
This site, an online complement to a PBS Frontline program aired earlier this week, explores how US diplomats and the military differ on the use of forceful interventions in the post-Vietnam era. The difference is explored through the experiences of US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, UN Ambassador-nominee, and Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith (ret.), a Vietnam war hero who commanded NATO forces in Bosnia. The site features biographies and interviews with Holbrooke and Smith, and also includes a report on American use of military might, an analysis of US foreign policy in regard to the nations of the former Yugoslavia, an interview with Major H.R. McMaster about the lessons learned from Vietnam, and a chronology of US military interventions in the last 30 years. [AO]
[Back to Contents]

iFilm.net -- The Internet Film Network [RTealPlayer G2]
http://www.ifilm.net/main.taf
iFilm was created to widen the availability and audience of films and filmed entertainment and to further the careers of their creators. It does this by placing an impressive selection of free and complete short films online in RealPlayer G2 format. Users may browse films by genre, location, category, or choose from the top ten lists of the most watched and most popular films. Viewer ratings and reviews are included for each film, and users are invited to add their own. iFilm recently unveiled the "first true debut of electronic cinema" by playing an original full-length feature film on May 3, and more are planned. Additional resources at the site include a Film News Channel, an internal search engine, and a free weekly email update service. Parents and teachers please note that some of the films contain adult themes. Users should also note that the films will only be viewable with a RealPlayer G2 player and that playback quality will vary significantly with connection speed. [MD]
[Back to Contents]

Mary Cassatt: Modern Woman
http://www.boston.com/mfa/cassatt/
Mary Cassatt: Modern Woman, an exhibition of about one hundred paintings and prints by this popular American Impressionist artist, was the 1998 Christmas-season blockbuster at the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition has travelled on to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where advance tickets sold out just as quickly as they did in Chicago. MFA Boston provides this Web version of the show, which includes twenty Cassatts that you can see without leaving home. The Online Exhibition also features background information on each work of art, and a gift shop with online ordering that offers the exhibition catalogue and the same Mary Cassatt note cards, tote bags, and posters that you can purchase at the museums. [DS]
[Back to Contents]

IBM Developers Portal: XML Zone
http://www.ibm.com/developer/xml/
Within the IBM Developers Portal, XML Zone is probably the most complete and useful area to visit. Intended to be the premier destination for developer resources of any kind, XML Zone contains a good selection of pointers to XML tools and source code, annotated pointers to educational and reference resources, an XML email newsletter, and more. The site is organized in an easy-to-use fashion; users can conduct searches on an XML-specific search engine. XML Zone appears to be one of the more well-constructed XML web resources; with the resources of IBM behind it, XML Zone is sure to grow and to provide an important service to XML developers for a long time to come. [CL]
[Back to Contents]

Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/
On Monday, the powerful online research tool DejaNews launched a revamped Website that includes many major enhancements and new information services, transforming the well-established searchable clearinghouse of 45,000 discussion forums into a multi-functional Internet portal. The new features provided by DejaNews, which has officially changed its name to Deja.com, include Deja Ratings, a system that currently offers "access to unbiased peer ratings and comments" on over 7,200 items in more than 400 categories, and Deja Shopper, a service to help users "find the best deals on the Web for products and services." In addition, the Deja Discussions and Deja Communities services have made key design changes that include hierarchical navigation, thread digest display, instant messaging, and a feature called Deja Tracker, which provides users with email notifications when a tagged discussion posts new messages. [AO]
[Back to Contents]

Chaos Reigns in Russia
Russia in Turmoil -- New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/europe/russia-crisis-index.html
Russia Special Report -- Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/russiagov/russiagov.htm
Russia Today
http://www.russiatoday.com/
Russian Politics -- Russia.net
http://www.russia.net/~oldrn/politics.html
For the third time in the last 14 months, Russian President Boris Yeltsin deposed his Prime Minister and Cabinet, intensifying the political chaos in a country beleaguered by economic insolvency, administrative corruption, and governmental mismanagement. The dismissals handed down on Wednesday, which included the popular PM Yevgeny M. Primakov, occurred the day before impeachment proceedings were to begin against Yeltsin in the lower house of the Russian parliament, the communist-led State Duma. Russia's first democratically elected President faces five impeachment charges, including initiating the collapse of the USSR, ordering an attack on parliament in 1993, destroying the armed forces, punishing the Russian people through harsh economic policies, and waging an illegal war against the secessionist Chechnya in 1994 through 1996. Political analysts forecast that only the last charge has a chance of passing the necessary two-thirds vote, slated for Saturday, in the 450-seat State Duma. Even if charged, it is unlikely that Yeltsin will be removed from office because the charge must also be approved by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and the Council of Federation, the parliament's upper house. However, the political imbroglio will paralyze the Russian government for months to come, and has already disrupted Russian diplomatic efforts to mediate a resolution to the crisis in Yugoslavia. The New York Times and the Washington Post sites provide special sections on the turmoil in Russia. Both sites offer comprehensive coverage, including recent and breaking articles as well as political and economic analyses of current events. Russia Today offers up-to-the-minute English-language newswire stories on the situation. Russian Politics, a service of Russia.net, provides biographies of key politicians as well as information on Russian political parties, organizations, and legislative bodies. Additional resources can be found in the Scout Report Signpost, the Scout Report's database. These include the Political and Economic Crisis in Russia,
Political Shake-up In Russia, The Bucknell Russian Program, and Russian Regional Database. [AO]
[Back to Contents]

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.