NSDL Scout Reports for the Life Sciences and Physical Sciences
The thirteenth issues of the first volumes of the Life Sciences Report and Physical Sciences Report are available. The Topic in Depth section of Life Sciences Report annotates sites about orchids. The Physical Sciences Report's Topic in Depth section offers Web sites and comments about fossils.
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Avoiding Information Overload: Knowledge Management on the Internet
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/techwatch/reports/tsw_02-02.html
With over a billion Web pages (not to mention newsgroups and forums) on the Internet that cover virtually every topic under the sun, online searching can become quite tedious. Therefore, in order to access relevant data on the Internet within a reasonable amount of time, both Web site developers and Internet users need to be cognizant of the tools available for online knowledge management. Presented by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and authored by Dr. Adam Bostock, this report focuses on Internet technology and provides an overview of the issues along with the devices and techniques available for management and retrieval of online information. Although the provided URL is in HTML format, an XML version of the report is available. [MG]
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Government Transportation Financial Statistics 2001
http://www.bts.gov/transtu/govfin/2001/
This 127-page report by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) highlights government transportation financial statistics for the fiscal year 2001. The report is limited to civilian transportation, including US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and transportation-related activities of the US Coast Guard (USCG). The report includes federal revenues and expenditures by mode and program from 1977 to 2000; federal grants to state and local governments by mode from 1977 to 2000; federal budget authority and obligations by mode and program from 1985 to 2000; and state and local government revenues and expenditures by mode from 1977 to 1999. Users can access the entire report in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format, or view each section individually in HTML. [MG]
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US Congressional Bibliographies
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/cgi-bin/serviceCounter/mycounter.pl
Compiled by John A. McGeachy of North Carolina State University, US Congressional Bibliographies provides comprehensive lists of Senate hearings, prints, and publications from 1983 to the present. Also provided are lists of House committee meetings recorded in the Congressional Record's Daily Digest from 1985 to the present; and a statistical summaries record of each Senate committee that lists the number of hearings held by that committee, the number of hearings printed and unprinted by the Government Printing Office (GPO), and a numerical grade that represents how well each committee informed the nation of its activities through the publishing of transcripts from its hearings. Searchable by keyword, committee name, or Senate number, this database is of value to anyone interested or involved in political science. [MG]
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National Low Income Housing Coalition: 2002 Advocates' Guide
http://www.nlihc.org/advocates/index.htm
Serving as a primary resource for any and all parties interested in "ending America's affordable housing crisis," the National Low Income Housing Coalition: 2002 Advocates' Guide is offered by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a member-supported organization whose sole purpose is helping ensure that everyone in America has access to affordable housing in "decent, healthy environments." Toward that end, the Advocate's Guide provides an extensive array of links to vital services and agencies. Among the resources listed in the Advocate's Guide are numerous government reports on health and safety conditions and guidelines for housing of every variety, both public and private. Beyond such essential information, however, the guide also addresses concerns of special groups and populations, including women, minorities, the homeless, those affected by AIDS or other debilitating diseases, and those living in rural areas. The Advocates' Guide both fully discloses housing rights and serves as a channel to further sources of aid, guidance, and advocacy. [WH]
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Free Expression Clearinghouse
http://www.freeexpression.org/index.html
Composed and maintained by the Free Expression Network (FEN), which is dedicated to protecting the right of free expression and opposing governmental efforts to suppress this constitutionally protected right, this Web site is primarily designed to provide an array of information on First Amendment issues to the Internet community. Providing valuable information for First Amendment advocates and researchers, this site contains up-to-date news stories on First Amendment issues from around the nation, as well as court and congressional hearings dating back from 1998 to the present. The site also contains news stories on censorship issues, violations, and lawsuits in the fields of art, printed media, music, television, and video games. Although the site is user-friendly, viewers should be aware that hyperlinks from the home page take a few moments to access. [MG]
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Journal of Biology
http://jbiol.com/
This new online journal published by BioMed Central is a free publication of "research articles of exceptional interest, with associated commentary." Articles and commentaries can be viewed by abstract, full text, or in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format for printing. Current and back issues will be available for browsing, and the search function allows users to search not only this journal, but also the entire BioMed Central and PubMed collections. This site is also reviewed in the July 12, 2002 NSDL Life Sciences Report. [AL]
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US States and Territories
http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/usstates.html
Provided by the Law Library of Congress, this site provides legal links and general resources on every state and territory belonging to the US. Some of the information provided on the site includes the constitution and other historical documents of each state; the Governor, Attorney General, and Election Commission of each state; judiciary opinions of each state's Supreme Court and Court of Appeals; and the code of laws, acts, and bills of each state. Other information include general resources such as links to each state's official Web site, state libraries, local governments, and public schools. Users need merely to click on the state/territory of their interest, and an abundance of general and research oriented information about that particular state becomes immediately accessible. [MG]
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Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/lewisandclark/lewisandclark.html
A premiere exhibition that focuses on western exploration, Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America is scheduled to open at the Library of Congress in July 2003. For the Internet community, the Library of Congress has provided an online exhibit featuring some of the artifacts that will showcase at the actual exhibition, along with background information on each piece. A few of the artifacts users will encounter on this site include a 1785 map of western North America drawn by Peter Pond, Thomas Jefferson's "Cipher for the Lewis & Clark expedition," Clark's compass and case, his drawings of Indian canoes, and Lewis & Clark's track map. Although a brief overview, this site is great for those wanting a sneak preview of the actual exhibit, and may spark enough interest to inspire some to attend the exhibition next year. [MG]
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Child Trends
http://www.childtrends.org/HomePg.asp
A nonprofit research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families, Child Trends conducts research and evaluation studies in areas including teenage pregnancy and childbearing, the effects of welfare and poverty on children, and parenting issues such as family structure and processes. A "one-stop shop for the latest trends in child and youth well-being," this Web site provides an extensive amount of information on youth issues, including essays and news releases, research briefs, fact sheets, and much more. Additionally, the site also contains a list of its current projects, categorized by research area. Easily navigable, this site is valuable for parents, social workers, teachers, child psychologists, and anyone else interested in youth related issues. [MG]
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Aneki.com: Country Information, Regional and World Rankings
http://www.aneki.com/index.html
Aneki.com provides statistical facts, figures, and rankings for over 190 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, North America, Central America, South America, and Oceania. Current listings are divided into four categories -- economic, social, technological, and environmental -- and are retrieved from sources such as the CIA World Factbook and Forbes.com. Although the site has "academic" and "miscellaneous" sections listed on its home page, data have not yet been added to these categories. In short, this is a worthy resource site that provides basic statistics and answers to general questions regarding various countries of the world. [MG]
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Migration Information Source
http://www.migrationinformation.org/index.cfm
Recently introduced by the Migration Policy Institute, the Migration Information Source Web site offers visitors a fantastic opportunity to stay on top of trends and changes in global migration. Looking at migration from many levels and on many planes, the site considers migrations on both national and international fronts. With a dropdown menu of the countries for which data is available (currently western European countries, Australia, and the US), the database is fully searchable, with more options on the way. Perhaps most interesting to those directly working in statistical, sociological, or ethnographic analyses of migration, the resource is broadly accessible and offers compelling glimpses of migrant populations, their reasons for moving, and their rates of assimilation into host countries. For those unfamiliar with field-specific terms employed in the site's reports, there is a detailed glossary of common terms and phrases. Closer to home, the Migration Information site presents an elaborate array of reports and studies on US-Mexico relations, with an emphasis on the ever-broadening trend toward northward migration in the Americas. [WH]
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TaxLinks
http://www.taxlinks.com/
One of the fastest ways to locate tax information of virtually any variety online, Taxlinks is well laid out and user-friendly. While much, if not all, of the information to which Taxlinks links is available elsewhere, its clean, logical interface makes it a good place to search for tax information in an uncluttered atmosphere. With only four buttons on its front page, Taxlinks is especially accessible to those easily intimidated by other public information sites. It offers both federal and state tax information and forms, as well as lists of federal tax revenue rulings from 1954 to the present. With its own search engine and extensive array of links, Taxlinks has something to offer everyone from seasoned professionals, to reference librarians, to newly-minted tax payers in search of vital information. [WH]
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National Geographic GeoBee Challenge
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/
This site is associated with the National Geographic Society's (NGS) Geographic Bee, an annual national competition where students answer a wide variety of geography related questions. To encourage learning along these same lines, the GeoBee Challenge is a brief online quiz of five geography related questions similar to the ones in the "real Bee." The intent is to promote geography learning and provide a fun method for teachers to include the subject into the classroom. The material has been prepared by the National Geographical Society and is appropriate for grades 4-8. Any question answered incorrectly is noted, and students are encouraged to try again. New questions are posted every day with the 3 previous quizzes also available. Fun, challenging stuff. This site is also reviewed in the July 12, 2002 NSDL Physical Science Report. [DJS]
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Trillian 0.73
http://www.trillian.cc/index.html
Released by Cerulean Studios, Trillian 0.73 is an instant messaging tool that serves as a one-stop portal for all chat traffic. This handy tool imports chat specifics (such as passwords, buddy lists, and client preferences) into a single interface and allows users to simultaneously connect with five Internet chat engines: Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, ICQ, mIRC, and AIM. An updated version from Trillian 0.725, version 0.73 includes "bug fixes and other minor enhancements" that offers a smoother connection and a better relationship between and among the five chat engines. This software is free for noncommercial use and requires Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP. [MG]
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ContentAudit
http://www.contentwatch.com/audit/
To allow users the ability to access their favorite Web sites quickly, computers are designed to save every image from every Web site visited (even if the visit was unintentional). Therefore, sometimes unwanted material can be stored in the computer's memory. Designed for PCs with Windows 95/98/NT/Me/2000/XP, ContentAudit is a free online tool that checks computer files for questionable, unwanted, and obscene content. Within minutes, the tool displays questionable URLs, words, or file names that may be objectionable. For parents with small children who have access to the computer, this tool may come in handy. [MG]
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Caught on Tape
Officer Suspended after Videotaped Beating
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/08/police.video/index.html
Teen, Father File Suit over Videotaped Beating
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/10/police.beating/index.html?related
Man Who Taped Police Incident Leaves Hospital
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/12/police.beating.crooks/index.html
CNN Transcript: Police and FBI Investigating Inglewood Police Beating Case
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0207/10/ltm.14.html
US Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/crt-home.html
Inglewood Police Department
http://www.cityofinglewood.org/depts/police/Ipdindex.htm
Inglewood police officer Jeremy Morse, a three year veteran, was caught on video tape assaulting Donovan Chavis, a handcuffed sixteen-year old African American male, by plummeting him face down on the back of a police car and punching him in the face. According to Donovan Chavis and his father, Kobe Chavis, on Saturday, July 6th, they stopped at a local gas station in Inglewood, California. While pumping gas, Kobe Chavis was approached by two police officers who soon discovered that his license plate had expired and his license had been suspended. At this point, Kobe says he was thrown to the ground with a knee in his back and then pushed into his car where he was told to wait. After paying for gas and exiting the convenient store with a bag of potato chips in his hand, police officers said the young Donovan Chavis lunged at one of the officers, a claim both Donovan and his father adamantly denies. At this time, according to Joe Hopkins, Donovan's attorney, Donovan was handcuffed, beaten, and dragged on the ground by an 18-inch chain he was wearing around his neck before being thrown on top of the police car and hit in the face.
Mitchell Crooks, who observed the incident from a hotel across the street, began videotaping the scene, but was only able to capture the last few moments of the incident. Many Inglewood residents are viewing this incident as a racially motivated crime against African Americans and are therefore outraged at the response, or lack of, from the Inglewood Police Department, who suspended Officer Morse with pay. For more information regarding this story, users may access the first two links listed above. The third link leads to a recent news story concerning Mitchell Crooks (the man who videotaped the incident), while the fourth link leads to a live transcript of CNN's American Morning with Paula Zahn. Finally, the last two links lead to home pages of the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice and the Inglewood Police Department, respectively. [MG]
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