Scout Report for Science & Engineering_
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/sci-eng/2001/se-010411.html
Volume 4, Number 16 of the Scout Report for Science & Engineering is available. The In the News section annotates nine resources on the recent announcement by the Bush administration that it would not sign the Kyoto Protocol.
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Two Report Cards on American Education
The Nation's Report Card: Fourth-Grade Reading 2000 -- NAEP [.pdf. .ppt]
http://nces.ed.gov/naep3/reading/results/
Raising Achievement and Reducing Gaps: Reporting Progress Toward Goals for Academic Achievement -- NEGP [.pdf] http://www.negp.gov/issues/publication/negpdocs/negprep/rpt_barton/barton_paper.pdf Individual State Releases
http://www.negp.gov/page5.htm
On April 6, two important educational assessment reports were issued, both based on data collected by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The first of these focuses on the reading skills of fourth-graders and finds that the gap between the highest and lowest performing students has widened over the past eight years. Users may access the data and report contents in a number of forms, including an executive summary, highlights report, fact sheets, charts and tables, and as a Power Point presentation. The second report, produced by the National Education Goals Panel, discusses this gap in reading ability, but also finds that math skills improved slightly in the 1990s. The report analyzes NAEP state data to identity state trends in performance and changes among students in the top and bottom quartiles. For a limited time, users may access individual state assessments at the third URL. [MD]
[Back to Contents]TRAC IRS Update
http://trac.syr.edu/tracirs/index.html
TRAC, a nonpartisan "data gathering, data research and data distribution organization" located at Syracuse University (last reviewed in the {April 21, 2000 Scout Report--http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/sr/2000/.html#3), has once again updated its widely respected IRS Website. The important new findings featured at the site, which received some notice in the national press, focus on the deterioration of IRS enforcement activities. As the site notes, "key computer matching programs are down, audits have dropped, collection activities are down, criminal and civil enforcement is way down. However, depending upon where you live, odds differ." Users can delve deeper than the headlines at the site, where they will find numerous graphs, maps, and tables which illustrate these key findings, analyze national trends over time, and provide figures and rankings for specific IRS administrative districts. The site also includes several short essays on significant aspects of IRS enforcement policies and practices. [MD]
[Back to Contents]EarthRef
http://earthref.org/PACER/index.html
The enormous Earthref.org is an umbrella site for sources of reference data and models for a range of earth science subdisciplines. With funding from various public foundations and institutions, this project supports the development and publication of physical and chemical reference models known as REM, GERM, and PACER; provides Web space for databases and modeling tools; and organizes workshops and special sessions at national and international meetings. Geochemical Earth Reference Model, or GERM, contains summary data on the geochemistry of petroleum reservoirs. Soon a feature by which users can contribute data to GERM will be available. PACER, sponsored by the Quest for Truth Foundation, the NSF, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, supports software and modeling projects such as ArArCalc (an interactive interface to data reduction in 40Ar/39Ar geochronology) and TnT2000 (geochemical evolution models for the Earth using the Terra Nova Toolbox). A bathymetric seamount catalog based on the SeaBeam2000 cruises in the West and Equatorial Pacific Ocean is also available through PACER. Finally, Reference Earth Model (REM), still under construction, will bring together the work of many people and disciplines to "provide the geophysical community with a model (or a set of models -- various versions in one and three dimensions) that fits a great variety of geophysical constraints. The spherical average of the model should eventually replace the current PREM (Preliminary Reference Earth Model) that was created in 1981." The REM Webpage serves as the headquarters for the collection and distribution of data, models, and computer codes. A wealth of information exists at Earthref.org, so navigation can be tricky, but overall, the site will be a boon to geophysicists and others involved in earth system modeling. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]DISA: Digital Imaging South Africa
http://disa.nu.ac.za
Hosted by the University of Natal, the DISA project aims "to make accessible to scholars and researchers world-wide, South African material of high socio-political interest which would otherwise be difficult to locate and use." As part of that effort, DISA has recently announced the online availability of three South African journals: Clarion Call (1982-91), Pro Veritae (1962-77), and Sas (1956-90). The journals page also lists a large number of additional titles that will be made available in the future. These include many that had been banned by the apartheid government and that were printed and distributed underground. The three journals presently available may be browsed and read by issue as digital page images. Word searching and subject searching are also planned for future versions of the site. Once completed, this archive will undoubtedly serve as an invaluable resource for scholars of twentieth-century South Africa. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Two Reports on the Dissemination of US Government Information [.pdf]
Electronic Dissemination of Government Publications -- GAO
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d01428.pdf
A Comprehensive assessment of Public Information Dissemination, Final Report (January 2001) In four volumes; 1-3 currently available -- NCLIS
http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.html
These two reports from federal agencies look at the future of free government information in the digital age. Since its establishment in 1861, the US Government Printing Office (GPO) has been responsible for printing key government documents from all three branches of the federal government, which are disseminated to the public via a network of over 1,300 federal depository libraries, in a variety of formats, including print and, increasingly, electronic. This centralized system of dissemination has been weakening in recent years as more and more government information is available at agency Websites. While there are many advantages to Web-accessible government information -- it is more searchable, available at all times of day without travelling, and may be less expensive for the government to produce -- there is a down side as well -- some segments of the US population cannot use electronic government documents, the explosion of information on the Internet makes government documents harder to find, and issues of authenticity and longevity have yet to be addressed. The first report, from the Government Accounting Office (GAO), studies the impact of providing documents solely in electronic format, and hypothesizes on what could be gained if some of the functions of the GPO were taken over by the Library of Congress. The second, far longer report (each of the first three volumes is approximately 300 pages), from the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), takes a broader look at the government's public information dissemination practices. The report urges the government to recognize public information as a "strategic national resource." The Executive Summary, in Volume 1, lists 36 recommendations to improve public access to government information. [DS]
[Back to Contents]Guide to the Animal Kingdom for Students and Educators -- BIOSIS
http://www.biosis.org/free_resources/classifn/classifn.html
Best known for its role in housing the world's largest collection of abstracts and bibliographic references of biological/ biomedical literature, BIOSIS also has an online educational presence. This Guide to the Animal Kingdom introduces viewers to the Animal Kingdom via a simplified (and "somewhat abbreviated") classification scheme. Using a fairly traditional view of animal phylogeny (that which is followed by the Zoological Record), this site provides a hierarchical listing of the major groups of animals, as well as short notes, representative taxa, and links to additional sites. Given its abbreviated structure, this site will be most helpful as a review/ study aid. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]"E-Mail Overload In Congress: Managing a Communications Crisis"
http://www.congressonlineproject.org/email.html
Congress Online Project
http://www.congressonlineproject.org/
The first in a series of Online Issue Briefs presented to congressional offices by the Congress Online Project, this report examines the email overload in Congress. The email flow to the House of Representatives, for instance, more than doubled between 1998 and 2000 and continues to increase by an average of one million messages per month. The report strongly recommends that Congressional offices automate their email systems, analyzing both the reasons and obstacles involved. This recommendation will no doubt encounter some opposition among voters as well as their representatives, who worry about a real or perceived decline in access to our elected officials. Users can read the full text of the report at the above URL. The Congress Online Project is "a joint research project of the Congressional Management Foundation and The George Washington University to study the use of Web sites and Internet technologies by U.S. congressional offices," and more information on the project is available at the main page. [MD]
[Back to Contents]UMUC-Bell Atlantic Virtual Resource Site for Teaching with Technology [RealPlayer]
http://www.umuc.edu/virtualteaching/
A collaborative project of the Center for the Virtual University and the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Maryland University College, this site aims to help teachers develop good practice in adopting technology in their courses. The site consists of two modules. The first focuses on using Web-based technologies to design online courses and links to over 40 examples of Web-enabled assignments from a variety of disciplines. Each is briefly described, with notes on the Web-based technologies employed. The second module concerns delivery in online courses, offering six interviews (video, audio, and transcript) "on significant dimensions of online teaching, with particular emphasis on managing interaction." Each interview includes a collection of related (annotated) links. This site should be useful to those studying teaching and technology as well as those who would like to make better use of the Internet and related technologies in their classroom. [MD]
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Budget of the United States Government Fiscal Year 2002 [.pdf, Excel, Lotus123 version 4]
http://w3.access.gpo.gov/usbudget/index.html
Transmitted to Congress on April 9, 2001, the FY 2002 Budget covers the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2001. At the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) site, users can view (in .pdf and HTML formats) the full text of the budget and related documents. The latter include A Citizen's Guide to the Federal Budget, Analytical Perspectives, supplements, historical tables, and a selection of spreadsheets (in .wk4 or .xls formats). An internal search engine also allows users to locate and download individual sections of documents. Additional resources at the site include budget documents for FY 1995-2001 and a database of historical budget data. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Hubble: a view to the edge of space
http://www.exploratorium.edu/origins/hubble/
This new feature from the Exploratorium Museum (last mentioned in the May 30, 2000 Scout Report) offers a nice, compact overview of the Hubble Space telescope and what we have learned from its observations. Aimed at a general audience, the site's contents include a tour of Hubble, a gallery of images and information on how these are produced, and an introduction to the people behind Hubble, among others. Related links and Hubble factoids are offered throughout the site. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Child & Family WebGuide
http://www.cfw.tufts.edu/
Created by a team of librarians and child development faculty at Tufts University, this new metasite offers categorized links to sites that contain research-based information about child development. At present, the collection of sites is quite modest, but all are high-quality resources. Sites are grouped in six categories -- Family, Education, Health, Typical Development, Childcare, and Activities -- and then further divided by topic. Each site is briefly described and rated on a five-star system. Users may also search by keyword or by selecting from a list of supplied terms. [MD]
[Back to Contents]RIAA Gold & Platinum Database Search
http://www.riaa.org/Gold-Intro-2.cfm
Provided by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), this site offers a database of gold, platinum, multi-platinum, and diamond record sales awards, "the longest-running objective measure of achievement for sound recordings in the United States." At the site, users will find recent record sales headlines, a brief history of the awards, a pull-down menu listing of monthly awards since they began in 1958, and a keyword search engine with multiple options and modifiers. These include title, artist, label, format, award, and dates. Results include artist, title, certification date, award type, format, and label. Both title and label usually link to additional information and the label's homepage, respectively. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Moreover - Update
http://www.moreover.com
Originally reviewed in the September 10, 1999 Scout Report, Moreover.com deserves another mention. Since its initial review, Moreover has relaunched and expanded considerably, now offering top stories from over 1,800 sources grouped in over 700 categories (329 edited and 413 unedited). These are organized by channel, such as Top Stories, Finance, Science, Technology, Regional, and Sports, among others. News stories can be freely accessed from the site's main page, or after free registration, users may also receive free newsfeeds for their sites in a variety of very customizable formats, including HTML, XML, and JavaScript. Users may also subscribe to receive headlines by email. An extremely useful tool for news junkies and Webmasters. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Extreme Weather Sourcebook 2001
http://www.esig.ucar.edu/sourcebook/
Originally reviewed in the February 26, 1999 Scout Report, the latest version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Extreme Weather Sourcebook offers easy access to updated data on the economic damage from hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes in the United States and its territories. Time spans for each type of extreme weather vary, with hurricane data covering 1900-99, tornadoes 1950-99, floods 1955-1999, and lightning 1959-1994; however, all damage data are reported in constant 1999 dollars to simplify comparisons. The data are offered by weather event and state by rank or alphabetically. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Sculpture of Angkor and Ancient Cambodia - Virtual Tour [QuickTime VR, RealPlayer]
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/camwel.htm
This site from the National Gallery of Art allows visitors to take a virtual tour of a 1997 exhibition on sculpture of Angkor and ancient Cambodia. Each gallery section includes a text introduction, and within each section, users may select individual objects to learn more and view a larger image. RealAudio commentary is also provided for some items. [MD]
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Opera 5.1 for Windows
http://www.opera.com/download/windows.html
Opera, a small and speedy browser that almost fits on a single floppy, is one of the few real alternatives to the two major browsers. In this latest version for Windows, Opera once again demonstrates its commitment to making the Web accessible to all user groups. Opera 5.1 supports all common Web standards, as well as offering experimental support for WML. In addition, this latest version includes an Instant Messaging client, an integrated search tool, and OperaShow, which converts your browser into an advanced presentation tool. Opera is free and supported by advertising. Older versions for Mac and Linux are also available at the site. [MA]
[Back to Contents]WinAmp for Mac 0.71 Alpha
http://www.winamp.com/download/mac/
This extremely popular free .mp3 player is now available in a Mac version. The Mac version looks very much like the Windows one, with player controls, a graphical equalizer, and play-list editor. It also supports SHOUTcast radio. Please remember that this is an Alpha version, which means it is still being tested and may contain bugs. System requirements are a PowerPC Mac with system 8.5 or later (but not OS X). [MD]
[Back to Contents]ICQ 2000b Beta
http://www.icq.com/download/
The latest beta release of the universally popular instant messaging program ICQ ("I seek you") contains a number of new features, including ICQphon, which makes it possible for users to initiate and participate in PC-to-PC and PC-to-Phone calls, support for SMS technology, integration with Outlook, and email address import, among others. Users can download ICQ 2000b Beta for free at the ICQ site. [MD]
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Bush Administration Decides to Enact Medical Privacy Rules
Tommy Thompson Statement
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2001pres/20010412.html
White House Press Release
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/04/20010412-1.html
Overview of Proposed Rules
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaawh.html
"Bush Accepts Rules to Guard Privacy of Medical Records" -- New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/13/politics/13PRIV.html
"US bolsters the power of patients to guard privacy of personal data" -- Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/103/nation/US_bolsters_the_power_of_patients_to_guard_privacy_of_personal_data+.shtml
"Health privacy rules to proceed But protections may be modified in the next year" -- USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20010413/3233058s.htm
"Federal Privacy Rules to Take Effect As Scheduled, But Will Be Modified Over Time" -- CPR
http://www.nationalcpr.org./HHSCOMMENTS.htm
Health Privacy Project
http://www.healthprivacy.org/
"HIAA Disappointed But Encouraged About Adoption Of Privacy Regulations"
http://www.hiaa.org/news/news-current/press-releases/release0.html
"AMA urges Secretary Thompson to quickly address modifications to privacy rule"
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/1617-4527.html
Yesterday Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson and the White House announced that the administration would enact a new federal rule that protects the privacy of medical information. Proposed in the waning days of the Clinton administration, the rule grants patients full access to their own medical records and requires health care providers to obtain permission before disclosing any medical information. The guidelines take effect tomorrow, but doctors and the health industry have two years to come into full compliance. There were a few proposed changes to the original rules, however, such as a provision that allows parents to view their children's records (including those relating to abortion and substance abuse) and a clarification that doctors are allowed to share information with specialists treating the same patient. Although there were some complaints from civil liberty groups about the rule change on childrens' records, privacy groups have praised the new regulations. Conversely, representatives of the health care industry, who have been lobbying the new adminstration hard and expected some major changes, were deeply disappointed.
Users who want to learn more about these developments should begin with the official statements from the HHS Secretary and the White House. The HHS also offers an overview of original rules proposed on December 20. Related news stories are available from the New York Times report (free registration required), Boston Globe, and USA Today. Reaction and background from privacy advocates can be found at the sites of the Coalition for Patient Rights (CPR) and Health Privacy Project, while the Health Insurance Association of America site comments on the new rules from the perspective of the health care insurance industry. Finally, a brief statement from the American Medical Association (AMA) expresses strong support for patient privacy; it also urges Secretary Thompson to quickly address any potential modifications to the rules so that doctors have a clear set of guidelines to follow while modifying their practices over the next two years to comply with the rule. [MD]
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