United States Code
http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/cong013.html
Every six years, the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, US House of Representatives, publishes the United States Code, the "codification of the general and permanent laws of the United States." The first seven titles of the 2000 code have been made available this month at GPO Access. The code can be browsed and searched, and search results include citations plus links to the full text of the legislation. [TK]
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Census 2000 Supplementary Survey (C2SS)
http://www.census.gov/c2ss/www/
American FactFinder
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet
The US Census has released the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey (C2SS) data, the "most comprehensive and detailed data on American families in 64 cities across the country today." The C2SS is the largest survey the Census Bureau has ever conducted aside from the decenniel census. The data are drawn from a monthly sample of 2,000 households, chosen on a rotating basis from 58,000 households in 1,203 counties, as well as households in 36 ACS test counties. The data are available at the American FactFinder site (first discussed in the April 2, 1999 Scout Report), and operational information, narrative and tabular profiles for all summary levels and rankings at the state, county, and place levels also may be found at the C2SS site. [TK]
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Risks Associated with Smoking Cigarettes with Low Machine-Measured Yields of Tar and Nicotine [.pdf]
http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/nci_monographs/MONO13/MONO13.HTM
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Tuesday released this 251-page monograph detailing the dangers of "low tar" cigarettes. The monograph, the thirteenth in NCI's Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Series, reports findings that reductions in cancer rates are due to decreases in smoking prevalence not to changes in cigarette design, which according to NCI, have done little to address public health needs in the past 50 years. NCI here reports on ways in which smokers compensate for lower levels of tar and nicotine, reasons why Federal Trade Commission (FTC) testing methods are inadequate, and marketing methods designed to give smokers a false sense of security regarding low tar and nicotine cigarettes. Users can download the monograph by chapter or as a whole in .pdf format. [TK]
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Environmental Working Group Farm Subsidy Database
http://www.ewg.org/farm/
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) this month released the first online database of government farm subsidy records, comprised of 70 million records of subsidy checks sent from 1996 to 2000. Users can search by name, zip code, county, or municipality. Searches can be performed within states by clicking on the US map on the front page or within the country as a whole by clicking the link at the bottom of the page. The Search Instructions page offers additional information about using the database, and EWG also provides a link to a discussion group about farm business as well as additional information about farm subsidies and current government policy. EWG makes no bones about their position vis a vis the data -- "we . . . think current policy has badly failed almost everyone in agriculture but the very largest producers of a few favored crops." -- but people of all political persuasions will find this a useful site if they are researching farm subsidies. [TK]
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Who's Hungry: Hunger in America [.zip]
http://www.secondharvest.org/whoshungry/hunger_study_intro.html
America's Second Harvest (A2H) is a nonprofit organization consisting of a network of over 200 food banks and food-rescue programs that distribute food to 26 million Americans each year. Their 2001 study on hunger in America surveyed A2H-affiliated emergency food providers and their clients. The primary objectives of the study were to describe the national demographic characteristics, income levels, food stamp utilization, food security status, and service needs of clients at the national level; to describe the demographic profiles of clients of local agencies and to examine the ability of local agencies to meet the food security needs of their clients; to compare results of 1997 and 2001 A2H research studies; to identify trends in emergency food assistance demands and relate them to welfare policies; and to compare local and national data on charitable response to hunger. The sixteen-chapter report (.pdf) reveals that 39 percent of the approximately 7 million different people receiving assistance in any given week are children under eighteen years old. Approximately 45 percent of them are white, and 39 percent of households surveyed include at least one employed adult. Although the study is limited in some senses -- it was conducted on A2H agencies by A2H itself with the intent of illuminating problem of hunger in America -- the methods and results are described thoroughly. Visit this site to learn about how hunger in America is not just a problem of the unemployed and homeless. [HCS]
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Two on the Internet and US Institutions
"State and Federal E-Government in the United States, 2001"
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Taubman_Center/polreports/egovt01us.html
.pdf version
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Taubman_Center/Pdf/egovt01us.PDF
Cities Online: Urban Development and the Internet [.pdf]
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=50
These two reports focus on the role the Internet is playing in the mission of US institutions. The first, from Darrell M. West, Brown University, updates his report for 2000 (discussed in the September 22, 2000 Scout Report) on the electronic delivery of government information and services. The 23-page report looks at the functionality and accessibility of state and government Websites, progress made from last year, and differences among the states. In general, the project found that e-government has made progress in the past year, but privacy, security, and accessibility are still troubled areas. The second report, from the Pew Internet Project (PIP), focuses more closely on community development organizations and their relationship to the Internet. PIP looks at five cities -- Austin, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, DC -- and the ways that institutions in these cities are using the Internet to accomplish their goals. In particular, "this research asks whether the Internet is serving as a catalyst to change the 'rules of the game' that shape social capital -- the informal norms and customs that grease the wheels of urban life." Users may download the 66-page report in .pdf format or read it online. [TK]
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E-Commerce and Development Report 2001 [.pdf]
http://www.unctad.org/en/pub/ps1ecdr01.en.htm
This new 292-page report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is geared toward policy makers and others in developing countries to help them understand the trends and features of the "network economy." UNCTAD hopes the report will help developing nations take advantage of e-commerce. In his preface to the report, Kofi Annan explains that, "As a contribution to our collective efforts to unite the great promise of ICT with the needs of the poor, it merits the widest possible readership." Users can download the full-text of the report, which is available online only until December 20, in .pdf format or by chapter. An executive summary is also available for download, and the summary is posted in French and Spanish as well. [TK]
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Two from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change
An Overview of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Verification Issues [.pdf, .zip, .sit]
http://www.pewclimate.org/projects/emissions_verification.cfm
Climate Talks in Marrakech -- COP 7: News and Information
http://www.pewclimate.org/cop7/index.cfm
The first new resource from the Pew Center for Global Change's Website is a publication dealing with how leading industrial firms inventory and verify their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most corporations are interested in reducing GHG output and are monitoring their emissions, but the next step is to have third-party verification of their GHG output and reduction. This new report, intended to guide corporation managers, covers the experiences of individual firms and their stakeholders, suggests how to improve the inventory process and the reliability of reported information, and reviews approaches to verification by government- and non-government-sponsored programs for greenhouse emissions reduction. The lead author is Christopher P. Loreti, a Senior Manager in the Global Environment and Risk practice of Arthur D. Little, Inc. The 52-page text can be downloaded as a .pdf, .zip, or .sit file. The second resource contains news and information from the climate talks that were held in Marrakech in early November this year along with summaries of agreements reached in Bonn this past July and in Paris during November 2000. Available here are a small archive of updates, a summary of the key decisions made in Marrakech, and a brief statement by Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. [HCS]
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Two from EPA [.pdf]
Smart Growth
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/
Green Vehicle Guide [Excel, tab-delimited text]
http://www.epa.gov/emissweb/
These two new sites from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are both helpful stops. The first features resources focused on "smart growth," growth that attempts to "minimize environmental and health impacts while promoting economic prosperity." The site explains smart growth; provides links to funding sources, resources, and members of the smart growth network, a coalition of government, business, and civic organizations; collects related fact sheets, reports, grant products, and articles; and summarizes some smart growth projects. Policy makers and environmentalists will want to visit this site. The second site is geared toward consumers to help them choose the most fuel-efficient and clean vehicles. Users can download vehicle lists, look up vehicle ratings, learn more about reducing vehicle pollution, and use the links section to find further information. This is a timely site for a period when Americans might well want to think about reducing their dependence on oil. [TK]
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Inventing Modern America, from the Microwave to the Mouse [.pdf]
http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/ima/
Invention Dimension
http://web.mit.edu/afs/athena.mit.edu/org/i/invent/
Excerpts and supplements from Lemelson-MIT Program's 2001 book Inventing Modern America, from the Microwave to the Mouse are housed in this colorful, fun Website. The book celebrates the best of American ingenuity and inventiveness, profiling inventors of everyday objects such as Kevlar (inventor Stephanie Kwolek) and the electronic telephone switchboard (inventor Erna Schneider). The book's Website gives facts about some of these inventors, furnishes color .pdf pages from the book, has invention-related games such as "Which Came First?" (e.g., neon or fluorescent lights?), discusses the Lemelson-MIT Program, and gives links to other sites on innovation. One of these links is to its companion site Invention Dimension, which has refurbished and added content since we last reviewed it in the January 12, 1996 Scout Report. The Invention Dimension has an exciting Inventor of the Week section and searchable archive along with an Inventor's Handbook dealing with intellectual property, patents, business plans, etc. If you ever wondered who invented the chocolate chip cookie or wanted to learn more about Frank Zamboni, father of the ice-resurfacer seen at your local skating rink, this resource is for you! [HCS]
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School District Demographics System [.csv]
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sdds/
This new site from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) acts as a gateway to geographic and demographic data related to school districts, children, and K-12 education. From the front page of the site, users will be able to access data from the 2000 Census, the 1999 Census, intercensal school district demographic data, and maps of school districts. These latter two functions are not yet available; the maps are still being developed, and the intercensal data "provided limited scope with regard to subject matter updates to the Census 2000 data." Even in its nascent stages, however, this site is useful for those looking for data regarding US schools. The help documentation and online explanations are easy to understand, and the data can be downloaded in comma separated value files or accessed online. One particularly helpful feature is the district profiles page in the Census 2000 section, where users can compare data on school districts using drop-down menus. [TK]
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Encyclopedia of Music in Canada -- National Library of Canada
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/4/17/index.html
The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada offers instant access to a complete reference of everything musical in Canada. This second edition of the Website is offered by the National Library of Canada and seeks to "reflect Canadian music's richness and diversity." Presented in French and English, the staggeringly large amount of information can be searched or browsed easily. As an example, when browsing under the letter "a," over 3,500 matches are given including artists, genres, instruments, education, organizations, and much more. The site gives clear descriptions and instructions, allowing users a simple, informative, and up-to-date resource. [JAB]
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Two on Terrorism
Terrorist Data -- Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/world/issues/terrordata/
The Bioterrorism Threat -- PBS [RealPlayer, Windows Media Player]
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/bioterrorism.html
Folks looking for "just the facts, ma'am" will like these two new resources on past and present terrorist and bioterrorist activities. The first, from the Washington Post provides a clickable world map leading to names, dates, and locations of terrorist activities. Below the map is a set of pull-down menus that search for specific organizations, terrorist names, nations, or incidents, bringing users to a page with a description, geographic base, and financial support of a particular organization. Examples of organizations covered include Aum Shinrikyo (Aum Supreme Truth) of Japan, the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Peru's Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA), and the Mujahedin, among others. Those interested in keeping up with latest news as well as past reports on bioterrorism in America should visit PBS' Online NewsHour page entitled The Bioterrorism Threat. Accessible here are audio and video segments as well as text and transcripts from NewsHour broadcasts on Anthrax (the majority of the content), Smallpox, and bioterrorism in general. [HCS]
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Jo Labadie and His Gift to Michigan
Exhibit
http://www.lib.umich.edu/spec-coll/jlabexhibit/index.html
Labadie Collection Home Page
http://www.lib.umich.edu/spec-coll/labadie/index.html
Jo (Charles Joseph Antoine) Labadie, 1850-1933, was a Detroit anarchist, labor activist, and printer, who donated his personal library to the University of Michigan in 1911. Since then, the collection has grown to include 40,000 books, 800 periodicals, 20,000 pamphlets, and close to 1,000 pictures. Much of this material has been digitized, and users can approach it in two ways -- by touring an online exhibition created by the Special Collections Library or by starting at the Labadie Collection Home Page. The online exhibit mimics the structure of a physical exhibition mounted in September 2000; visitors can read through sections such as Birth and Early Life, Marriage and Family, John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), Anarchism, and The Haymarket Affair. Visitors follow links to images, or select Browse All Images, to proceed though the fifteen wall and floor display cases of the original exhibition. At the Labadie Collection Home Page, users can search and browse 924 images from the collection, read a history of the collection and finding aids for its manuscript portions, as well as view the subject heading list for the Labadie vertical file, which contains flyers, handbills, leaflets, and clippings on topics of social action and protest. [DS]
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Closing the Health Gap -- HHS
http://www.healthgap.omhrc.gov/
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and ABC Radio Networks are working together to help African-Americans gain access to the best possible information regarding health issues. HHS reports that life expectancies for African-Americans lag five years behind expectancies for White Americans. The new Website Closing the Health Gap has links to information on health conditions such as diabetes and cancer as well as consumer health resources that relate to African-Americans' particular needs. Each page offers links, publications, and any news related to the subject, all in an effort to close "the health gap." [JAB]
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New from the British Library
Lie of the Land: The Secret Life of Maps
http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/lieland/m0-0.html
British Library
http://www.bl.uk/
The British Library has launched a new version of their Website this week, the first significant redesign since their initial launch in 1995. The new site eliminates frames, simplifies navigation, makes the look and feel of the site more consistent throughout, and aims to make the site more accessible to a variety of browsers, platforms, and bandwidths. In addition, the library offers an exhibit to accompany the installation that went on display this summer, Lie of the Land: The Secret Life of Maps. The online exhibition is brief but does feature images of some of the museum installation's highlights in the explore section and the tour the exhibit section. A nice browse for map aficionado. [TK]
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Drop Drawers 1.5.8 [Mac 7+]
http://www.sigsoftware.com/dropdrawers/index.html
This nifty shareware program from Sig Software places pull-out/ snap-shut "drawers" on the sides of users' screens, which can store items for easy access. In addition to storing text (which can be inserted into any program via keyboard shortcuts), users can store email addresses, URLs, thumbnails, sounds, movies, aliases to frequently used files, and more. The help documentation is easy to understand, and earlier versions of the program are available in Japanese, Italian, French, German, and Traditional Chinese. Drop Drawers is shareware, and a license costs $20. Very handy. [TK]
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121-java-script-tutorials.com
http://www.121-java-script-tutorials.com/index.htm
This site is designed for users with some basic familiarity with programming languages who want to learn more about JavaScript. Users will find some basics here, including an overview of JavaScript, some key terms, and information on syntax and methodology. This is not an in-depth site, but it provides an easy-to-understand, simple introduction for those new to JavaScript. [TK]
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Liverpool Flags Fly at Half-mast
"Harrison mourned around the world" -- BBC [RealPlayer]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/music/newsid_1685000/1685135.stm
"George Harrison, Former Beatle, Dies at 58" -- New York Times [RealPlayer 8]
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/30/obituaries/30CND-HARR.html
George Harrison -- CNN [RealPlayer, QuickTime, Windows Media Player]
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/harrison/
George Harrison: Albums, Songs and Lyrics
http://web.mit.edu/scholvin/www/harrison/harrison.html
The Beatles.com [QuickTime 4, Flash 5, Shockwave 8, Windows Media Player]
http://www.thebeatles.com/
Beatles, Beatles, Beatles!
http://www.sonic.net/~custom/beat.html
The flags are flying at half-mast in Liverpool today. Most famous for his role as the Beatles' guitarist, George Harrison, musician, film producer, and writer, died yesterday at friend Gavin De Becker's house in Los Angeles; he was with his wife and son Dhani. Harrison had been treated for throat cancer in 1998 and, this year, for lung cancer and a brain tumor. He was the youngest of the Fab Four and only 58 when he died. BBC quotes De Becker as saying, "He died with one thought in mind -- love one another."
The BBC site features an impressive compilation of articles on Harrison and the Beatles as well as some video clips including remembrances from Paul McCartney and Bob Geldof. The New York Times' lengthy article covers many of the highlights of Harrison's life and career and also offers selected audio and video files, though we had trouble accessing some of these at time of publication. CNN has posted a special section on Harrison, where users will find stories, video clips, photo galleries, and message boards. J. Scholvin brings us the George Harrison page, which, while not updated recently (the links page is frustrating, at best), offers a discography and lyrics to all of Harrison's songs as well as scans of album art and a "tour" through The Concert for Bangladesh booklet. The official Beatles site functions largely as a promotional spot for last year's album of singles, but fans will enjoy a visit. Clicking on a song title brings up all sorts of information: sleeves and labels, publicity materials, photos, and more. The unofficial Beatles, Beatles, Beatles! offers links to a cornucopia of Beatles sites from the search box at the bottom of the page. What the site lacks in looks (users must first scroll through an abundance of sponsor links), it makes up for in volume. [TK]
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From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2001. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
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Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-2001. 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, are preserved on all copies.
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