NSDL Scout Report for Math, Engineering, and Technology
The thirteenth issue of the first volume of the MET Report is available. Its Topic in Depth section offers Web sites and comments about assistive technology.
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America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2002 [.pdf]
http://childstats.gov/americaschildren/
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released its sixth annual report on the status and well being of America's children (last edition reviewed in the July 27, 2001 Scout Report). The 2002 edition contains 24 key indicators divided into five categories -- population and family characteristics, economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education. In addition, the report also provides data on eight key contextual measures and includes a special feature on children of at least one foreign-born parent. Users have the option of viewing the entire report in HTML or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) formats, or downloading each section individually in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. [MG]
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Effectiveness of Integrated Services for Homeless Adults with Serious Mental Illness [.pdf]
http://www.dmh.cahwnet.gov/WhatsNew/docs/AB2034-4-23.pdf
Available to the Internet community from the California Department of Mental Health, this 55-page report to the Legislature provides recent information on the Department of Mental Health's administration and implementation of programs at county and city levels that serve homeless adults with serious mental illness in the state of California. Some of the report's findings include a 66% decrease in hospitalization, a 82% decrease in the number of days incarcerated, a 79% decrease in the number of days spent homeless, and a 169% increase in the number of days employed for the 305 Los Angeles County participants. Available in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format, this report contains small fonts and maybe more easily readable when printed. [MG]
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Testing the Waters 2002: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches
http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/titinx.asp
As Americans head for the beach, the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) issues its twelfth annual report on the status of beach and recreational water quality. Entitled Testing the Waters 2002, the report offers readers a fifty-fifty appraisal of the nation's lake and ocean recreational beach sites. That is, while water quality overall is indeed improving in the United States, beach water quality is suffering notable setbacks, with increasing reports of beach closings and harmful bacteria or contaminant postings. With more than one third of all Americans visiting or vacationing at beach areas, water quality is no small issue, as it impacts both health and economic vitality of areas branded by closings or warnings. In public interest, therefore, the NRDC urges that more be done to ensure that water quality is carefully monitored, reported, and addressed at governmental, corporate, and local levels. Toward that end, the NRDC lists both the good and the bad, groups they identify as "Beach Buddies" and "Beach Bums," respectively those areas that monitor and disclose findings and those that don't. With state-by-state listings of water quality reports and links to many other environmentally dedicated resources, the report should interest all who use America's recreational water sites. [WH]
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Opening Doors: Students' Perspectives on Juggling Work, Family, and College
http://www.mdrc.org/Reports2002/opendoors_perspectives/opdrs_jugglingwork_overview.htm
A Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation's report, Opening Doors: Students' Perspectives on Juggling Work, Family, and College sheds light on factors sometimes overlooked by legislators and policymakers as they seek to better the circumstances of America's underclass. Recognizing the critical role of education and vocational training in improving upward mobility, key players effectively fail to appreciate that access to higher education means very little to those already overburdened with substantial work and childcare responsibilities. Focusing exclusively on educational opportunities afforded by large metropolitan community college systems, the study examined an ethnically diverse array of students grouped in three categories: one currently attending a community college, one that had failed to complete a degree or certificate program, and one that had never matriculated in such a program but which hoped to at some point. As readers of the report will discover, the desire to move up the socio-economic ladder through higher education is pronounced across a broad spectrum of America's low-wage population, if only they can find the time, the money, and the broader systemic support necessary to realize such achievements. [WH]
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Digital Technology: Working for Parliament and the Public
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cminform.htm
Provided and released by the United Kingdom's House of Commons, this report primarily examines the Parliament's information and communication infrastructure. Due to the overwhelming concern that the House appears distant and irresponsive to the public, the House's Select Committee of Information has formulated this report to identify those areas where the House can assist its Members in meeting public expectations. Divided into four pivotal categories, the body of the report highlights 21 areas of communication, ranging from mobile devices and dealing with e-mail, to networking hardware support and public participation in the law-making process. Designed for those with an acute interest in the development of e-democracy, this report ends with communication strategy recommendations designed to maximize the accessibility and transparency of the House. [MG]
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Metropolis 2002 Commission Reports
http://www.metropolis.org/metropolis/glibrary.nsf/HeadingPagesDisplay/Commission+reports?OpenDocument#Paris?OpenDocument
The 2002 Commission Reports have been made available by Metropolis, an international association of 77 global cities dedicated to developing solutions to issues affecting large cities. Printed every three years, commission reports "represent the findings of theme based research projects carried out by a group of nominated member cities," and are presented at the Association's triennial congresses. This year, Metropolis 2002 was held in Seoul, South Korea, and featured five Commission reports: The impact of the great sporting and cultural events in the development of large cities, Urban poverty reduction strategies, Enhancing and maintaining water quality for metropolises, The information society and the city, and Urban Indicators. Interested viewers may also access the Commission Reports from Metropolis 1999, held in Barcelona, Spain. [MG]
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Classical Mythology Directory
http://www.temple.edu/classics/mythdirectory.html
Created by Dr. Robin Mitchell-Boyask, Professor in the Department of Greek, Hebrew, and Roman Classics at Temple University, this site is primarily intended for students enrolled in the Dr. Mitchell-Boyask's summer or fall 2002 Classical Mythology course. However, the site provides a host of information on classical mythology and would be useful to anyone studying and/or interested in this area of specialization. Not only does the site contain study guides, which could be valuable material for English teachers, but it also contains information on the myths of Rome and Athens, numerous paintings and sculptures, as well as many links to other relevant sites. [MG]
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Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2000
http://www.bls.gov/opub/gp/laugp.htm
Containing information provided by the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), this annual report highlights data on the labor force, employment, and unemployment in states and sub-state areas. Viewable in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format, this report is equipped with 28 tables displaying labor force estimates for census regions and divisions, along with annual average rates, ratios, and percent distributions from the CPS. Also available are reports from 1999, 1998, and 1997. [MG]
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Jnd.org
http://www.jnd.org/
With a work history that includes Apple and Hewlett Packard, Dr. Don Norman is certainly no pushover when it comes to technology. He created this site to express his vision of technology that is inviting and enjoyable to use, instead of being cold and inhuman. Several of his essays are presented here, including his most recent "Emotion and Design," published in July 2002. In it, he argues for aesthetics in designs, which could make people more productive (and even comfortable) in difficult situations. Norman's writings have a kind of wit that makes them fun to read, and they address many different aspects of technology. This site is also reviewed in the August 2, 2002 NSDL MET Report. [CL]
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Murphy and Bolanz: Block and Addition Books, Dallas County 1880-1920 [DjVu]
http://dallaslibrary.org/ctx/murphyandbolanz/home.html
Recently launched by the Texas/ Dallas History and Archives Division of the Dallas Public Library, this site showcases a collection of real estate maps of Dallas County and surrounding areas between 1880-1920. An online version of the Murphy and Bolanz collection, a manuscript collection consisting of approximately 3500 maps, this exhibit traces and records the growth and development of Dallas County, offering a glimpse into Dallas life during its early days. Established in 1876, the Murphy and Bolanz Company was a Dallas real estate development firm (existing today as Bolanz and Miller) that began producing maps of each addition and block in Dallas and surrounding areas, including streets, creeks, railroad crossings, and cemeteries, as well as property ownership and transfers of titles. Searchable by street, railroad, building, geographic feature (i.e., rivers, creeks, etc.), and personal name, this collection can be of value to a wide audience including legal researchers, genealogists, and preservationists. Please note that viewing the collection requires DjVu Browser Plug-in 3.5, and Netscape Navigator 4.5 (or later) or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 (or later). [MG]
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Internet Stroke Center
http://www.strokecenter.org/
"A web resource for information about stroke care and research," the Internet Stroke Center provides updated stroke information for patients and families, as well as health care professionals. A nonprofit, educational service, the Internet Stroke Center is a product of the Stroke Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University Medical Center, and the Cerebrovascular Diseases Section of the Department of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dedicated to advancing the understanding of stroke research and clinical care, the Center's Web site also provides links to primary acute stroke facilities in St. Louis and Missouri, and a stroke trails directory that offers a select registry of clinical trials. All information provided on the site is obtained from "published accounts, meeting presentations, Internet searches, and direct correspondence." [MG]
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Common-place: Roundtable Discussion on the Uses and Abuses of the Constitution
http://www.common-place.org/
Sponsored by the American Antiquarian Society and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Common-place (last mentioned in the September 8, 2000 Scout Report) has released a special issue covering the United States Constitution. This particular issue provides an intriguing roundtable discussion that tackles questions surrounding the uses and abuses of the Constitution. Essays by scholars such as Rogers Smith, Jack Rakove, and Linda Kerber, as well as leading journalists such as James Banner and Joshua Micah Marshall, address the role of the Constitution in landmark cases and pivotal topics such as the Bush vs. Gore controversy, the Clinton impeachment, the gun control debate, and the rights of women. Offering a "common-place" for a variety of readers (academic or not), this special issue is sure to prompt some sort of discussion. [MG]
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NoodleBib 3.0
http://www.noodletools.com/members/noodlebib3
An excellent product for those blessed or cursed (which ever way you prefer to look at it -- half-empty or half-full) with the responsibility of writing research papers and/or scholarly books, NoodleBib 3.0 provides a complete bibliographic resource that is based entirely on the guidelines presented in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th Edition, written by Joseph Gibaldi and Phyllis Franklin. Citations generated by this tool exactly match the syntax provided by the MLA Handbook, and also support APA-style reference lists that follow the guidelines in the APA Publication Manual, 5th edition. NoodleBib 3.0 is currently in beta and is therefore being offered to the Internet community for free. However, as a beta product, NoodleBib 3.0 is still under development, and designers cannot guarantee that a source list created in the beta version will be error-free. [MG]
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InfoSnorkel
http://www.blueelephantsoftware.com/index.html
Released by Blue Elephant Software, InfoSnorkel is a Windows application that allows you to create your own customized news page. Giving you complete control over your news content, this nifty device looks at each Internet source as frequently as you want, grabs the information you select, and places it in a coherent outline on a custom-designed Web page. In addition, InfoSnorkel can email the data, send it to your pager or cell phone, or transcribe it to a text file. Equipped with a tutorial, this program runs under Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, and requires Internet Explorer 5 or later. Interested users may download a free, fully-fuctional, 20-day trial version of the software before purchasing it for a small fee. [MG]
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Sworn Statements by Companies' Top Officials. Is It Enough?
SEC to Post Web Site Naming Executives Complying with New Rule
http://www.businesstoday.com/business/technology/ap_sec07292002.htm
SEC Web Site Lists Execs Certifying Accuracy
http://www.arizonarepublic.com/business/articles/0730sec30.html
Statements by Company CEOs and CFOs
http://www.sec.gov/rules/extra/ceocfo.htm
File No. 4-460: Order Requiring the Filing of Sworn Statements Pursuant to Section 21(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
http://www.sec.gov/rules/other/4-460.htm
Statement by the Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission Regarding the Order Requiring the Filing of Sworn Statements Pursuant to Section 21(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 No. 4-460.
http://www.sec.gov/rules/extra/staff21a1.htm
US Securities and Exchange Commission Home Page
http://www.sec.gov/index.htm
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released a list of the 947 largest SEC publicly registered trading companies whose top officials are required to file sworn statements attesting to the accuracy of their companies' most recent annual and quarterly financial reports. Designed to boost investor confidence during this time of impinging investment dishevel and uncertainty, most statements from the required companies are expected to be received around the 14th of August, the time when most companies' next quarterly statements are due. The Commission issued an order on June 27 requiring the filing of the sworn statements, and announced that the statements will be posted "as soon as practicable" after they have been received, scanned, and electronically processed. According to the SEC, the processing of these statements should be completed during the week of August 19th. For more information concerning this story, users may access the first two news articles listed above. The third link leads to the complete list of companies required to file sworn statements with the Commission, the fourth link leads to a copy of the June 27th order requiring the filing of the sworn statements, and the fifth link leads to the statement by the SEC regarding the June 27th order. Finally, for interested viewers, the sixth link leads to the SEC's home page. [MG]
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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 1994-2002. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
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Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-2002. 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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