NSDL Scout Report for Math, Engineering, and Technology
The ninth issue of the second volume of the MET Report is available. Its Topic in Depth section offers Web sites and comments about spam.
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Science and Engineering for the 21st Century: The Role of the National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/documents/2003/start.htm
Released in April 2003, this timely and engaging report from the National Science Foundation outlines how the agency can best support the development of a robust infrastructure to support science and engineering research and development through the 21st century. The report contains an executive summary, five chapters, and several appendices. People with limited time may want to first consult the executive summary, as it offers a brief summary of the task force's findings and their basic recommendations. Some of their recommendations include addressing the need for midsize infrastructure (such as projects that cost several million dollars), increasing the support for large facility projects, and actively expanding education and training opportunities at new and existing research facilities. The conclusion notes that, "The challenge is how to maintain and revitalize an academic research infrastructure that has eroded over many years due to obsolescence and chronic under investment." This provocative report will be of great interest to persons in the applied sciences and engineering. [KMG]
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The 3rd World Water Forum [Media Player]
http://www.world.water-forum3.com/
Convened in March 2003 in Japan, the 3rd World Water Forum dealt with 38 interlocked themes concerning how to bring safe water and sanitation to the world. Considered the most important international water meeting to date, the forum hosted close to 24,000 persons from 182 countries. On this well-designed site, users can read various documents presented at the Forum, along with reading the daily newspaper produced at the meeting and its newsletter. The finest feature of the site is the streaming video archive of select meetings and plenary sessions. Here, visitors can listen and watch the participants discuss a number of timely topics, such as dams and development, water and transport, and floods. Equally valuable is the ability to browse through the different sessions, and, in some cases, users can download background documents and entire papers. [KMG]
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Virtual Museum of New France
http://www.civilization.ca/vmnf/vmnfe.asp
Developed as an educational and informative online tool by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Virtual Museum of New France explores various aspects of France's involvement in the New World throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. First-time visitors may want to start by taking A Photographic Exploration of Canada, which offers a visual overview of the land as the first French explorers might have encountered it. The photographs are rather evocative, and can be browsed by various themes (such as explorers or trade) or by geographic region. Another section, titled The Explorers, will be equally informative as it features brief essays on some of New Frances' most celebrated explorers, such as Champlain, Cartier, Marquette, and Nicollet. Additionally, there are some fine visual exhibits provided by the Museum, including "Settling in New France," "Personal Hygiene in Canada, 1660-1835," and "The Education of Children in New France." Overall, the site will be helpful for young people learning about European exploration and settling of this part of North America, and for those with a general interest in the exploration of what is now modern-day Canada and the Great Lakes. [KMG]
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ArgMax: Economics News, Data, and Analysis
http://www.argmax.com/
Created by John Irons, an assistant professor of economics at Amherst, the ArgMax Web site (named after a mathematical terms utilized in economics) provides a host of current news, data, and topical analysis of economics. Updated frequently by a newsbot, the news and commentary section is divided into several themed sections and drawn from a wide number of online sources. After reading some of these articles, visitors may want to consult the online economics glossary that offers brief explanations of terms ranging from absolute advantage to wire transfer. Another section contains the blog that Irons writes for the site and various articles of interest. The seemingly innocuous "Stuff" section contains some nice gems, including an interview with Irons about becoming involved in the field of economics. Overall, the site is a nice way for people who are familiar (or just getting acquainted) with the discipline. [KMG]
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Labor Market Specialization, Ethnicity, and Metropolitan Labor Markets [.pdf]
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/cde/cdewp/2002-10.pdf
Written by Professor Franklin D. Wilson, this 59-page working paper from the Center for Demography and Ecology at the University of Wisconsin deals with the ways in which certain ethnic groups are under or over-represented in certain employment sectors. Specifically, the paper explores the prevailing claim that ethnic affiliation affects the relative concentration of co-ethnic workers and that metropolitan labor markets provide the context within which members of ethnic populations are sorted into various employment sectors based upon various characteristics. The paper begins by reviewing the existing scholarship in the field, and then moves on to offer a structural model that accounts for the relative concentration of workers of a given ethnicity in various sectors. Professor Wilson continues by presenting his data sources and methods, and concludes that the results support the claims that both ethnic affiliation and metropolitan location "play key roles in structuring the extent of labor specialization among co-ethnic workers in employment sectors." [KMG]
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The Medici Archive Project
http://www.medici.org/
The Medici family is widely considered one of the most famous and respected patrons of arts during the Renaissance, and their legacy perseveres in the numerous works of art, music, and sculpture that were produced as a result of their beneficence. The archive of the Medici Grand Dukes contains almost three million letters, and offers "the most complete record of any princely regime in Renaissance and Baroque Europe." Currently, the Medici Archive Project is developing this site to place many of these letters online, along with a strong interest in the history of costumes and Jewish history during the Renaissance. One of the site's strongest element is the Document of the Month, where the Archive's curators have selected an item from their holdings to place online, along with a long-form essay detailing the provenance and importance of the document. Visitors to the site can also search the currently available documents in a variety of ways or by browsing a complete list. [KMG]
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Ohio State at Michigan: Michigan at Ohio State
http://www.lib.ohio-state.edu/rarweb/ohio-mich/
The title of this Web site may suggest that it is a tribute to the long-standing football rivalry between these two institutions, but in actuality, it is a nice collection of primary documents relating to the history of Michigan and Ohio. The idea for such a project was first proposed in 2001 by Fred G. Ruffner, Jr. (an alumnus of Ohio State), and working together, the two institutions worked to develop several Web sites that utilized their fine library holdings of historical materials. Visitors can browse through five volumes on Michigan history (including Jonathan Carver's 1796 volume, Travels through the Interior Parts of North-America) and two on Ohio history. Several maps and illustrations from various volumes have also been placed on the site for general perusal. Finally, the site does provide a link to a page dedicated to exploring the long-standing Big Ten rivalry between the Ohio State and Michigan football teams. [KMG]
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Internet Quarantine: Requirements for Containing Self-Propagating Code [.pdf, .ps, .gz]
http://www.caida.org/outreach/papers/2003/quarantine/
Appearing at the INFOCOM conference in April 2003, this research paper provides insight into critical factors necessary to contain outbreaks of self-propagating code on the Internet. Citing the outbreak of the Code-Red worm in 2001 as an example, the authors justify the need for better methods of quickly controlling the spread of malicious code and minimizing damage. A couple scenarios for the deployment of a containment systems are identified, and their simulated effectiveness for dealing with a worm outbreak are discussed. The paper serves as a good starting point for anyone interested in learning about the technical issues associated with self-propagating code, and can also be useful for Internet security professionals who need to evaluate current containment systems or implement new ones. This site is also reviewed in the May 9, 2003 NSDL MET Report. [CL]
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Musee Rodin
http://www.musee-rodin.fr/
The physical Musee Rodin consists of two buildings -- Htel Biron in Paris and Villa des Brillants in Meudon (a suburb) -- but the museum's Web site makes it easy to visit both. Htel Biron, an 18th century structure that is surrounded by gardens, has a long history available at the Web site. Acquired by the French government in the early 1900s, Rodin rented space there and always intended the building to be a museum of his works. There are over 6,000 sculptures in many media - terracotta, plaster, bronze, marble, wax, glass, and stoneware. Finished sculptures in marble and bronze -- such as bronze casts of Rodin's most famous works, The Thinker and The Burghers of Calais, and The Kiss in marble -- are housed at Htel Biron, while preliminary sketches, studies, and maquettes are at Meudon, where Rodin lived and kept a studio from 1893 until his death in 1917. Works are presented as illustrations in essays from the Collections section of the Web site; larger views open in a new window, which may not facilitate browsing but may encourage reading. The site is available in both French and English. [DS]
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Friends of Trees
http://www.friendsoftrees.org/home/index.php
Based in Portland, Oregon, the Friends of Trees organization is dedicated to restoring urban forests around the country, with a particular emphasis on the Portland metropolitan area. As their Web site notes, "Tress are an essential part of the urban ecosystem. They help keep our water and air clean, prevent erosion, provide wildlife habitat, and make neighborhoods greener, more beautiful places to live." On the site, visitors can read about their ongoing planting activities and browse the newsletter they publish three times a year. For most visitors, the most helpful area of the site will be the Tree Resources section. Here, users can look through a fact sheet on the benefits of trees in urban environments, the care and maintenance of trees, and a large tree database. [KMG]
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DisabilityInfo.gov
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/
On August 28, 2002, President George W. Bush issued an executive memorandum as part of the New Freedom Initiative that directed all federal agencies to cooperate in building an interagency Web portal for people with disabilities, their families, employers, and the general public. As a result of this directive, DisabilityInfo.gov was developed to service these different groups. The site is divided into ten broad thematic areas, including housing, education, health, technology, and civil rights. Within each area, visitors can look through a number of press releases and links dealing with each area and, in many cases, specifically addressing the rights of the disabled. The site includes a search engine and, appropriately enough, is also available in several different versions, including a high-contrast version. Finally, the site also contains a number of federal grant opportunities for persons and organizations serving and working on behalf of the disabled. [KMG]
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Philippine Golden Links
http://www.filipinolinks.com/
Designed by Kenneth Y. Ilio, Philippine Golden Links (also known as Tanikalang Ginto) has been online since 1994. The site contains numerous links, divided into thematic areas in an attempt to provide a broad range of online resources dealing with the Philippines. Two nice features on the site are the Golden Links of the Day and the Noteworthy Discovery of the Day. The Golden Links of the Day profile important links dealing with the Philippines, while the Noteworthy Discovery profiles new material on the Web. While the site does feature some commercial advertisements, there are some important resources covered here, and in particular, the sections dealing with travel and tourism throughout the area are thorough and authoritative. [KMG]
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Photographs of the Historic American Buildings Survey: Georgia
http://www.library.gatech.edu:80/archives/habs/
In the aftermath of the Great Depression, the federal government developed a host of programs designed to alleviate unemployment and put people back to work. Out of these efforts came the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and a host of programs that utilized the talents of those persons who were still unemployed. These included the Federal Art Project, the Federal Music Project, and the Federal Writers Project. One of the most under-appreciated programs was the Historic American Buildings Survey that was designed to record the structures and buildings of historical and cultural importance around the US. The staff of Georgia Tech's library has created and placed online this fine archive of photographs from the Buildings survey done around the state in the middle of the 1930s. Containing close to one hundred images, the archive can be viewed in a scrapbook format or by browsing through a list of the buildings covered in the survey. The site is rounded out by an introductory essay written by Grace Agnew that traces the role of the WPA in documenting American culture and history during the 1930s. [KMG]
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Jazz Institute of Chicago
http://jazzinstituteofchicago.org/
For all the attention paid to the fantastic blues music that is often closely associated with Chicago, many people seem to forget that Chicago has also been fertile ground for jazz musicians as well. Some of the many famous musicians produced by the Second City include Gene Ammons, Eddie Harris, Benny Goodman, Von Freeman, Herbie Hancock, and numerous others. Of course, the Jazz Institute of Chicago has never forgotten this legacy, and for the past thirty years, they have been keeping the jazz spirit alive throughout the entire city. Additionally, the Institute has programmed the city's Jazz Festival since it began in 1979. Along with reading about upcoming events sponsored by the Institute and letters from fellow jazz fans, visitors can browse the Jazzgram. The Jazzgram contains interviews with jazz musicians such as Buddy De Franco, commentary on recent recordings, book reviews, and pieces about jazz in Chicago. [KMG]
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One Scotland, Many Cultures
http://www.onescotland.com
With increased immigration from across Asia, Africa, and India over the past few decades, certain parts of Scotland have witnessed a dramatic increase in local conflicts concerning racism and the growing immigrant populations, particularly in the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Developed by the Scottish Executive, this Web site examines many of these belief and attitudes, along with offering a broad appraisal of immigration to Scotland over the past few hundred years. From the homepage, users can browse a timeline of Scottish immigration, examine demographic data on these ethnic groups, and read about racism in Scotland. The research section is particularly helpful, as it contains reports on asylum seekers and the results of recent discrimination surveys. Finally, users have the ability to send feedback to the site administrators, or submit their own stories of discrimination. The site will be useful to teachers looking for resources that explore the complex nature of race relations and cultural change in other countries. [KMG]
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iTunes 4.0
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
This latest version of iTunes will be a welcome addition to Mac users, as it allows individuals to create their own personal music library. Perhaps the most notable feature of this version is that users can now instantly buy and download music from the vast collection contained within the iTunes Music Store. Within the store, users can download free previews, view album cover art, and examine a list of new releases and staff favorites. iTunes 4.0 is compatible with all systems running Mac OS X. [KMG]
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People on Page 1.1
http://www.peopleonpage.com/download.html
People on Page 1.1 (POP) is a small application that allows users the ability to see who else is surfing around the same Web pages. The program runs in conjunction with your Web browser, allowing users to see information about other people who are online. The program is fully customizable, and users can elect to add photographs, profile information, and view a list of Web sites frequented by other POP users. POP is compatible with all systems running Windows 98 and higher. [KMG]
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The "Second City" May See a Return to Legalized Gambling
Mayor Warns Aldermen Who Oppose Casino
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-gamb08.html
Illinois Panel Ok's Part of Gambling Package
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/sns-ap-illinois-gambling,1,5331739.story?coll=chi%2Dnews%2Dhed
A Win-win Proposition, if City Plays its Cards Right
http://www.suntimes.com/output/commentary/cst-edt-edits08.html
Illinois Gaming Board
http://www.igb.state.il.us/
Weekly Addiction Gambling Education Report
http://www.thewager.org/
National Center For Responsible Gaming
http://www.ncrg.org/
Casino Gambling Causes Crime [.pdf]
http://www.igpa.uiuc.edu/publications/PolicyForum/PF13-2_CasinosCrime.pdf
During the 1990s, many states saw riverboat gambling as a way to create new revenue streams to support public schools and other programs. Few large American cities have been able to place land-based casinos in their cities proper, but under the direction of Mayor Richard M. Daley, Chicago seems poised to do just that. Understandably, numerous groups and city officials, including several aldermen, have already voiced their reservations about the plan. Mayor Daley responded this past Wednesday by stating that, "Those who don't want it, don't have to take the money. Morally, if they object to it, they can stand up and say, 'We don't want this money. I don't want the school. I don't want the park.' And they won't get it, then." With the state of Illinois facing a $5 billion dollar budget shortfall, Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich noted that Chicago might be a "very compelling place" for a casino. Others remain skeptical, including Anita Bedell, the executive director of Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems, who commented that, "The casino owners, the racetrack owners -- these are the ones who will be the winner, and the losers will be the taxpayers of Illinois."
The first link leads to a recent news article from the Chicago Sun-Times dealing with the efforts of Mayor Daley to corral support for a government-owned, land-based casino in Chicago. The second link will take visitors to a Chicago Tribune article that talks about the recent approval of a plan to expand gambling around the state by the Illinois House of Representatives gambling committee. The third link leads to a staff editorial from the Sun-Times on the question of whether or not a casino should be located in Chicago. The fourth link leads to the homepage of the Illinois State Gaming Board, which contains information about legalized gambling in the state and its recent history. The fifth link is a weekly research bulletin on pathological gambling published by the Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School. The sixth link is to the National Center for Responsible Gaming, which performs various studies on pathological gambling, and contains information about their upcoming events, programs, and workshops. The final link is to a 2000 policy brief written by Professor Earl Grinols of the University of Illinois that contends that casino gambling causes significant increases in crimes. [KMG]
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