Two New Reports on Race Equality and Diversity in the UK
Building Cohesive Communities: A Report of the Ministerial Group on Public Order and Community Cohesion
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/reu/pocc.pdf
A Report of the Independent Review Team Chaired by Ted Cantle
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/reu/community_cohesion.pdf
The British governments Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) reports that a sharp division between whites and ethnic minorities in Britain has formed, with the two groups leading separate lives with no social or cultural contact and no sense of belonging to the same nation. These new reports come from a government-commissioned inquiry in response to the race riots that rocked northern England this summer. The first report, Building Cohesive Communities: A Report of the Ministerial Group on Public Order and Community Cohesion, aims to identify the underlying causes which made these areas prone to the violence and suggest ways to prevent further disturbances while building more cohesive communities. Some of the causes cited are as follows: lack of a strong civic identity or shared social values; economic, geographical, racial and cultural fragmentation of communities ("on a scale which amounts to segregation"); inter-generational tensions; inadequate provision of youth facilities and services; high levels of unemployment; weaknesses of police response to racial incidents; and irresponsible coverage of race stories by sections of the local media.
The second report, A Report of the Independent Review Team Chaired by Ted Cantle, details the investigative methods and findings of the review led by Cantle, who is Associate Director of the Improvement and Development Agency (IdeA) for Local Government. The review team sought the views of local residents and community leaders in the affected towns and in other parts of England on the issues which need to be addressed. Through a survey, interviews and group meetings, participants provided input on how best to mend the social breakdown. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]
GEBCO Names of Undersea Features [.pdf, Excel]
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/gebco/underseafeatures.html
The Website for GEBCO, the most comprehensive Bathymetric Chart of the world from UNESCO, and the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO), now includes a gazetteer of undersea feature names. The downloadable Excel spreadsheet gives names and geographic data on undersea canyons, troughs, seamounts, banks, rises, channels, fracture zones, etc. The .pdf file gives the guidelines used in assigning undersea feature names, definitions of terms, and contact information for members of the GEBCO Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names and the Working Group on Maritime and Undersea Features of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN). The 38 page text is in English and French. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]
Lesson Plans Library
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/index.html
As part of Discovery.com and DiscoverySchool.com, the Lesson Plans Library gives educators a collection of "hundreds of original lesson plans, all written by teachers for teachers". The plans can be searched by grade, subject, or both and are presented in an easy and consistent format with sections on lesson objectives, needed materials, procedures, etc. Printable versions of each lesson plan are available as well as a teaching tools link to create custom worksheets, puzzles and quizzes about each topic. [JAB]
[Back to Contents]
Climate Indices for the Economy
http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cie/cie.html
In a fascinating use of meteorological science to enhance economic prediction and measurement, the Climate National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) established the Indices for the Economy program. For example, the temperature, rainfall, snowfall, and sunshine greatly affect American agriculture and energy industries (both supply and demand), and also impact on human health and quality of life. These Climate Indices seek to develop objective tools that use weather observations to explain seasonal and year-to-year changes in economic performance. Index development is ongoing, but two indices currently provide information related to crop yield and energy usage. The crop Moisture Stress Index reflects the influence of severe drought and catastrophic wetness on annual crop yield for corn and soybean crops, and the Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index provides quantitative information on the impact of seasonal temperatures on residential energy demand. [DJS]
[Back to Contents]
Walking with Prehistoric Beasts [RealPlayer, WindowsMedia]
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/beasts/beasts.html
Nope, it's not about dinosaurs but it is just as fascinating! "Walking with Prehistoric Beasts is the Discovery Channel's new television series on the creatures that inhabited Earth after the dinosaurs disappeared 65 million years ago (mya). The program's companion Website offers fabulous graphics and games, with a little bit of informative text mixed in, about such beasts as Gastornis, a meat-loving bird the size of a tall human, Propalaeotherium, a 43 million year old cat-sized horse, and Andrewsarchus, a furry, land-dwelling ancestor of the whale. Facts on pronunciation, etymology, geologic time range, body size, diet, geographic range and closest living relative are given for every animal in the Beast Gallery. When visiting this site you should not miss the How do We Know section, housing audio recordings of paleontologists answering your e.mail questions (Real/Windows Media) or the Changing Worlds game in which players control a map of Earth showing vegetation, mammal life and ocean currents from 65 mya to present. Plus, you can test your beast-mastery with the Beastly Quiz. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]
Online Guide to Eastern Shorebirds [Flash]
http://www.a2z4birders.com/cgi-bin/birds2?F=G&C=PFG&G=1
The Online Guide to Eastern Shorebirds which is managed by A2Z4 Birders, bills itself as a network of destination sites for birders. The site includes 34 species of Eastern Shorebirds that can be viewed by an alphabetical index, a Latin name index, by Peterson Field Guide text, or by species group derived by the American Ornithologists Union. Clicking on a particular species brings a variety of photos, descriptions, an interactive habitat map and playable birdcalls that will entertain and educate children and adults alike. [JAB]
[Back to Contents]
Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative
http://early-cuneiform.humnet.ucla.edu/cdli.htm
The Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI) is an international group of Assyriologists, museum curators and historians making available cuneiform tablets dating from the beginning of writing, ca. 3200 B.C., until the end of the third millennium. Led by a team at the University of California at Los Angeles, with initial National Science Foundation funding, this ambitious project seeks expose the collections within the US, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, to a broad audience of specialists, scholars and advanced students. The presently limited (but growing) data set consists of text and image (current library entries offer high quality images), combining document transliterations, text glossaries and digitized originals and photo archives of early cuneiform. To promote discussion and scholarship, CDLI established two, English language, electronic journals which are currently accepting submissions, Cuneiform Digital Library Bulletin (for the rapid distribution of short notes) and the Cuneiform Digital Library Journal (more substantive scholarly contributions). The initial contributions will be made available in March 2002. This collection can be somewhat difficult to navigate, but offers a great opportunity to interested scholars and students. [DJS]
[Back to Contents]
Two Pieces of Evidence for Terrorist Plots
Al Qaeda Training Manual
http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/trainingmanual.htm
Osama Bin Laden Video
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/12/13/ret.bin.laden.videotape/index.html
The first resource is a US Department of Justice release of portions of an English translation of the Al Qaeda training manual located by police in Manchester, England during a search of an Al Qaeda member's home. The manual was found in a computer file described as "the military series" related to the "Declaration of Jihad." The cover and excerpts from the 12 chapters can be viewed as a .pdf file. Content of the text includes religious commentary, organizational tactics, guidelines for member selection, techniques for spying, and security measures. The DOJ does not provide the entire document because it does not want to encourage terrorism.
Most of our readers have probably already seen the second resource, the video of Osama Bin Laden revealing that he knew in advance about the September 11 attacks, but in case you've just returned from a holiday with no radio or television you can view excerpts from the video and read the full transcript (English translation) at CNN.com. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]
Fine Arts in Hungary
http://www.kfki.hu/keptar/index2.html
This Website, sponsored by KFKI Computers of Budapest, presents a virtual gallery of images of fine arts from Hungary (.jpeg, you choose view size.) This Central European nation, at times under the influence of the Romans, Turks and Austro-Hungarian Empire, houses a rich artistic tradition. Works of Hungarian fine artists as well as others that worked in Hungary are featured here in alphabetical order by artist. There's also a section of altarpieces, miniatures, carvings, etc. by anonymous artists. Visitors to the site will enjoy the collection, which includes fragments of Romanesque wall paintings and architectural sculpture, Gothic and Renaissance altarpieces and carvings, paintings from the baroque, classicist and romanticist periods, and modern art. The short biographies of the artists will aid in appreciation of the talented yet not all internationally-known artists of Hungary. You might even want to send a virtual postcard from the site. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]
First Among Equals [RealAudio]
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/2/4/index-e.html
As a joint project of the National Library of Canada and National Archives of Canada, the First Among Equals website is an online version of an exhibit that features information regarding all twenty Prime Ministers of Canada. This well designed site allows visitors to learn about the role of each Prime minister, the path they take to gain power, and even their private lives during and after they've been elected. Each Prime Minister is highlighted in the Profiles section which includes quick facts, biographies, anecdotes, speeches and more while the speeches link offers individual speeches by subject (mainly text transcripts, some in RealAudio). A wealth of information can be found here including excellent photographs and illustrations (even a companion children's site intended for grades 4-6) making this site a wonderful resource for Canadian citizens, history and political science buffs or anyone interested in Canada. [JAB]
[Back to Contents]
Nobel Centennial [RealPlayer, QuickTime, WindowsMedia]
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/nobel.100/
CNN.com's In-Depth Special takes a look at the centennial anniversary of the Nobel Prize awards and their namesake, Alfred Nobel. The site describes the ironic origins of the awards as well as detailed accounts of past and current winners including the 2002 Peace Prize winners - the United Nations and its Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Well designed and easy to navigate, the site offers concise descriptions, a photo and video gallery, as well as related links which include the Nobel Foundation as well as organizations who choose the specific awards. [JAB]
[Back to Contents]
A Century of Drawing: Works on Paper from Degas to LeWitt
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/drawinginfo.htm
A Century of Drawing is the latest exhibit from the National Gallery of Art of Washington DC. The online portion of the exhibit contains more than four dozen pieces which "chart the development and refinement of modern art through the (twentieth) century". The drawings are organized chronologically and can be viewed in full screen or by detailed images and are accompanied by medium and artist information that includes links to additional works. [JAB]
[Back to Contents]
The Wildflower Center
http://wildflower.avatartech.com/Plants_Online/Native_Plants/native.html
The former first lady LadyBird Johnson's companion website to the Wildflower Center located in Austin, Texas has the goal "to educate people about the environmental necessity, economic value, and natural beauty of native plants". The sites National Directory of Recommended Native Plant Species is a database that allows users to search by common and scientific name, plant family, as well as by state and habitat. Results include attractive photos, general descriptions of the species and horticultural information. The site is easy to navigate and gives practical details that can be used by students, landscapers, or anyone interested in horticulture. [JAB]
[Back to Contents]
Roboform [Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000, IE 4+, Netscape 6]
http://www.roboform.com/
ZDNet Downloads
http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,10615,55388,00.html
Roboform, offered by Siber Systems, is a free one-click web form filler and password manager. The newest version 4.2.0 is now available for Internet Explorer 4 or 5 and Netscape 6 for PC and Mac. The utility adds task bar buttons to automatically fill in stored personal information to those frequently used web based forms as well as a handy web page password manager. The download is available at the site listed above and at ZDNet.com which includes a glowing review. [JAB]
[Back to Contents]
Nevermind
http://www.fransson.cjb.net/
The holidays are here so why not treat yourself to some computer-based procrastination? Nevermind is a new, slick-looking game for Mac OS 8-X and Windows 95 and above. With rules the same as the board game Mastermind, Nevermind is kindly created and provided for free by Scandinavian programmer Simon Fransson. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]
Runaway Cycle of Violence Between Israel and Palestine
"'Mission Impossible': No U.N. Vote on the Middle East" - CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/meast/12/13/mideast.crisis/index.html
"Who would succeed Yassir Arafat?" - The London Times
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,8-2001561805,00.html
"Israeli Troops Kill Eight Palestinians" - Associated Press
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-israel-palestinians1214dec14.story?coll=sns%2Dap%2Dnationworld%2Dheadlines
"Special Report: Israel and the Middle East" - The Guardian [RealMedia]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/0,2759,377264,00.html
Jerusalem Media and Communication Centre
http://www.jmcc.org/
Israel Insider Security Incident Map - Israel Insider
http://www.israelinsider.com/flash/maps/fullpage/index.htm
"Middle East Showdown" - CBC [RealMedia]
http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/mideast_showdown/
"Death Wish in the Holy Land" - The Village Voice
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0150/vest.php
Although unrest on the Gaza strip is nothing new, this week some striking events unfolded. Israel severed communication with the Palestinian Authority President Yassir Arafat Thursday morning, declaring him "irrelevant," then unleashed a string of attacks on Palestinian targets in the West Bank and Gaza strip throughout the day Thursday. Early Friday morning, Israeli troops raided four Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank, killing seven Palestinians in gunbattles and arresting dozens of suspected militants. Another development on Friday was the pullout of American envoy Anthony Zinni, who had been in the region to negotiate a truce. The continuing violence is part of a heated cycle of attack and retaliation that began when Palestinian suicide bombers killed 25 Israelis in Jerusalem and Haifa the first weekend of December.
The latest articles on the crisis include a CNN report on the United Nations response to a Palestinian-backed resolution calling for international observers in the Middle East, the London Times's brief profiles of possible successors to Arafat, and an AP report on Friday's violence.
Britain's Guardian Unlimited provides a special in-depth feature on the Middle East including the latest news reports and a news archive, interactive historical guides (Flash), audio reports (RealMedia), commentary from editors and readers, and much more. The Jerusalem Media and Communication Centre Website is overseen by a group of Palestinian journalists and researchers and it provides information on events in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Israel Insider, the daily news magazine of Israel, provides a map and timeline of attacks from both sides. Another in-depth feature comes from the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC), providing extensive audio and video. The Village Voice has an editorial feature dealing with the question of assassination of either Arafat or Sharon by their enemies. [HCS]
[Back to Contents]
Below are the copyright statements to be included when reproducing annotations from The Scout Report.
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 1994-2001. 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, 1994-2001. 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.
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.
The Scout Report (ISSN 1092-3861) is published weekly by Internet Scout
For information on additional contributors, see the Internet Scout Project staff page:
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/about/team.html
