The Scout Report -- Volume 13, Number 25

http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/Homepage

Few organizations can claim to have such a far-ranging grasp of the world of human rights as Amnesty International. Their annual report has become a multimedia affair, and this website provides access to the report in its many formats. The site itself contains multimedia profiles including Living in Dignity, Civilians Under Fire, and War on Terror. Other sections include those dedicated to providing information on new and updated human rights treaties around the world and some basic facts and figures on the state of human rights across the globe. Teachers will appreciate the section which contains video and audio clips, as they may find such highlights useful in their classrooms. Of course, visitors can also just download the entire report and read it at their leisure. It is available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic. [KMG]

http://www.mu.qub.ac.uk/tomita/bachbib/

Starting a research project on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach can be a bit like attempting to take a drink from a fire hydrant. You could get overwhelmed immediately, or alternately, you could browse on over to the very fine Bach Bibliography website. This prodigious online database is complied and maintained by Yo Tomita of the School of Music at Queens University in Belfast. First-time visitors would do well to start by reading through the Introduction section and also the helpful Q&A forum area. All visitors should definitely stop by the Essential Collections area, which brings together information on the most-commonly cited works on Bach and his music. Of course, those who wish to check out the newest materials on this master composer should click their way through the New Publications area to have a look around. The site is rounded out by a section of peer-authored reviews of books on and about Bachs work, life, and other germane matters. [KMG]

http://www.innovations-report.com/

The Innovations Report is described on their site as the forum for science, industry and economy that promotes innovation dynamics, networking of innovation and performance potentials. It is certainly a momentous project, and with over 6700 content partners from across the globe, they certainly do an admirable job of bringing together research results and interesting studies in one site. Visitors can search the entire contents of the site, or they can also peruse a list of thematic reports, including communication media, earth sciences, information technology, and traffic logistics. Within each report, visitors can view headlines for each topic, and they can opt to click through to get to the entire news report, working paper, or presentation. While the site doesnt appear to have RSS feeds, visitors can email items of interest along to colleagues. Overall, its a great way to keep abreast of developments in different fields, and it is worth noting that the site is also available in German. [KMG]

http://www.who.int/tdr/

Tropical diseases are a serious business, particularly in the developing world, so its good to know that the World Health Organization has had an independent scientific research group working in this area since 1975. From their homepage, visitors will find sections titled Research Results, Grants, and Publications. Visitors who may not be familiar with their work will want to look over the Headline News area, as it brings together news features on river blindness, malaria eradication, and community-led public health initiatives. The Research Results area is a fine way to learn more about the organizations work over the past decade, and the Publications area contains working papers organized by year and over two dozen valuable training aids. Additionally, visitors looking for material related to a specific tropical disease can click directly on visual icons representing malaria, leprosy, dengue, and chagas disease. [KMG]

http://www.geogratis.cgdi.gc.ca/geogratis/en/index.html

While there may in fact be no such thing as a free lunch, there is in fact such a thing as free geospatial data, and such nuggets of information can be found right on this site. Created by the Earth Sciences Sector of Natural Resources Canada, this portal provides a wide range of geospatial data for everyone from the casual novice to the seasoned GIS expert. New visitors should start by clicking over to the Read more on GeoGratis Data Collections, where they can learn more about the worlds of raster and vector data and their relevant uses and applications. The portal currently features 71 items, including land cover data from across the provinces, urban land use data, and a digital elevation model of the Canadian landmass. [KMG]

http://www.chem1.com/acad/webtext/atoms/

Any online chemistry textbook that contains a photograph of Max Planck and Albert Einstein on its first page definitely sets the right tone, and Stephen Lowers textbook certainly falls into that category. Over the past several years Lower has been working on this textbook, and for students looking for a bit of refresher on the world of the structure of atoms and the periodic table, this is the right place in which to spend a bit of time. Through the use of short and concise chapters, the textbook provides six different lesson titles which cover the world of quantum physics, the Bohr atom, and the periodic properties of the elements. Within each chapter, users will also find illustrations and a What you need to know section that effectively summarizes the key principles and concepts in each section. [KMG]

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/

Amidst all of his other responsibilities as a lawyer, politician, and father, Abraham Lincoln found time to write. In fact, he wrote quite a bit, and it took scholars decades to assemble the majority of his various published (and unpublished) writings. After working on bringing together his writings, the Abraham Lincoln Association published The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln in 1953. In total, there were eight volumes, and they included Lincolns correspondence, speeches, and other writings. Recently, the University of Michigans Digital Library Production Service digitized all eight volumes and placed them online here for the benefit of historians, rhetoricians, and those who are generally enamored of the 16th President. Visitors can perform simple searches, boolean searches, and proximity searches to their hearts content. Also, they can look over other documents that were digitized for the collection, including Paul M. Angles Here I have lived: A History of Lincolns Springfield. [KMG]

http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/military-legal-resources-home.html

The Library of Congress has developed a number of specialized digital collection designed to be of special use to researchers, and this very thorough collection of materials follows in that most welcome tradition. The site contains digitized legal documents and related ephemera such as the Military Law Review, various U.S. Army Field Manuals, and transcripts of the Nuremberg Trials. One important recent addition to these materials is a full set of the Commentaries on the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which were originally published between 1952 and 1959. Additionally, the site also contains legislative histories of such important acts as the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts of 1974. Finally, the site is rounded out by a section that provides direct links to the official investigations of the My Lai Incidents during the Vietnam War. [KMG]

http://www.pbs.org/weta/crossroads/

Since the events of September 11, 2001, Americans have done a great deal of soul-searching about what the future role the United States will play in international affairs. In many ways, any response to such an inquiry will contain many different layers and ideas. In April 2007, PBS began their investigations into this complex area by showing the first episode of America at a Crossroads. Through eleven independently produced documentaries, the series hopes to explore topics such as the experience of American troops stationed abroad and global perspectives on Americas role overseas. On the series website, visitors can view clips from the various documentaries, take a look at some video diaries, and explore an interactive timeline that covers such topics as The War in Iraq and Middle East Modern History. The site is rounded out by a discussion guide which serves as a jumping-off point for groups who which to discuss the issues raised by these programs. [KMG]

http://www.history.com/civilwar/shermansmarch/

Watching this site load up is quite a treat, as visitors are presented with a brief audio clip of a brass band playing The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Its an appropriate introduction to this site, which offers an exploration of General William Tecumseh Shermans well-known March to the Sea, which cut across Georgia in the 1864, leaving a trial of destruction and a good deal of scorched earth in its wake. After reading a brief overview of Shermans military endeavors, visitors can explore interactive sections within the site that provide detailed information about his various campaigns, including those that took place within the Carolinas and Savannah. Within each section, visitors can click on different sites of interest, and in doing so, they will be presented with various historical photographs and other items of interest. [KMG]

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/emigration/index.html

Scotland has given the world a great many things, and during the 19th century, many Scots set sail to seek their fortune in other parts of the world. Social historians and others will be glad to know that the University of Aberdeens Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies has created this online database of Scottish emigrants. Currently, visitors can examine the records of over 21,000 passengers who embarked at Glasgow and Greenock for other ports. While the database only covers a small time period, the database is well-designed for general use. First-time visitors should take a look at the User Guide, which includes details about the different fields used in each record, such as occupation, urban district/village, and destination port. [KMG]

http://sechtl-vosecek.ucw.cz/en/

The Sechtl family has been in the photography business for over 150 years, and they have been working on digitizing their extensive archive for use by the general public. Of course, visitors can also visit their museum in the Czech Republic, but this website functions as a great entry point for learning about their body of work. Visitors may wish to start their journey by reading some of the family biographies offered here, and then moving on to the actual archive. Using the archive can be a bit tricky, so new visitors may wish to start by browsing through categories like castles, tableauxs, and sport. The archive provides a number of visual insights into the history of the Czech people, urban life, and the culture of this very diverse region. [KMG]

http://mtl.math.uiuc.edu/classroom_resources.htm

Over the past several years, the Math Teachers Link initiative at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has created a number of online math courses for teachers at the secondary level, along with offering additional workshops and seminars. They have also researched and compiled a set of online resources that will be of interest to those teaching mathematics and related subjects at the high school and college level. The links are divided thematically into sections that include geometry, algebra, calculus, and a special section titled Integrating Internet Projects In Your Classroom. [KMG]

http://math.rice.edu/%7Elanius/Lessons/

To the unconverted, the words fun and mathematics might not seem to be words that should be that close together in any one sentence or phrase. Educator and mathematics guru Cynthia Lanius proves any potential naysayers wrong as she offers up over two dozen interesting and engaging math exercises for educators to use in their classrooms on this site. Shes served as a consultant for the Math Forum@Drexel and other educational websites, and her work here includes some great examples of sound educational pedagogy. While some of the activities are geared towards young children, some of the activities (such as Mathematics of Cartography and Online Geometry) will work well with older students who might be enrolled in a developmental math course at the high school or community college level. One other nice feature of this site is that some of the activities are also available in Spanish. [KMG]

http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/domestic-finance/financial-institution/fin-education/resources/credit.shtml

The people at the U.S. Treasurys Office of Financial Education know a bit about interest rates, mortgages, and other related matter, so its good to learn that they have developed a good set of educational resources designed for teachers. The site includes materials developed by organizations within the U.S. Treasury, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and others. The materials here include Money Smart, which is a curriculum designed to help adults understand basic financial services and Building Wealth, which presents an overview of such important strategies as creating a household budget and managing debt. These various tools could potentially be used in applied economics and mathematics courses, and teachers will appreciate the flexibility of these different resources. [KMG]

http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/2007/serra/
Richard Serras work has usually involved very large sculptures, and many of them have tested the limits of museum display techniques. Recently, the Museum of Modern Art mounted a forty-year survey of Serras work, and for those who cant make it to New York, this online collection is a nice way to look at some of the pieces featured at the museum. [KMG]

http://www.fxfoto.com/fxdownload.htm

Users looking for a way to put their summer solstice celebration photos online should take a look at this very handy application. With this version of FxFoto, users can create animated slide shows, collages, and scrapbooks. Of course, they can also tweak various images (should they require it) via the use of a blemish removal feature and an image enhancement tool. This particular version is compatible with computers running Windows 98 and newer. [KMG]

http://www.apple.com/education/itunesu/

You may have been to Harvard and the Sorbonne, but have you ever looked at the handsome educational offerings at iTunesU? Well, it may not be an actual bricks and mortar campus, but this helpful application offers up a healthy sampling of lectures, discussions, and seminars from Duke, MIT, Texas A&M, and a number of equally fine institutions of higher learning. First-time visitors should take a listen to Martin Lewiss Geography of World Cultures or some of the lectures culled from Pennsylvania State University. Needless to say, this application is compatible with computers running iTunes. [KMG]

Speed-eating kings reign cut short by arthritis of the jaw
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1988877.ece

Hot-Dog Champ is Coming To Brooklyn, Manager Insists
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/manager-insists-kobayashi-is-coming-to-brooklyn/

Coney Island History Project
http://www.coneyislandhistory.org/

National Hot Dog & Sausage Council
http://www.hot-dog.org/

Takeru-Kobayashi.com [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://takeru-kobayashi.com/

International Federation of Competitive Eating
http://www.ifoce.com/home.php

Surf Avenue in Brooklyn is always a pretty happening place in the summer and visitors flock from around the globe to take in the always lively Mermaid Parade, snap a few photos of the well-worn souvenir shops, and grab a hot dog at Nathans Famous. One particular visitor has been a staple at Nathans Famous over the past few years, but his visit is all business. That visitor is one Takeru Tsunami Kobayashi, who is perhaps the worlds most famous competitive eater. Kobayashi has become the darling of the competitive eating set by consuming copious quantities of dumplings, cakes, and hot dogs. He is perhaps best known for his ability to eat a staggering number of hot dogs at the annual 4th of July Nathans Famous hot dog eating event which happens right at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island. Unfortunately, Kobayashi announced this week that he has suffered a severe jaw injury, commenting on his blog that My jaw refused to fight any more. He remains committed to attending the festivities at Nathans Famous, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to actively compete against such noted rivals as Joey Chestnut and Ed Cookie Jarvis. [KMG]

The first link will take users to a news article from the Times Online about Kobayashis recent jaw injury. The second link leads to a news story from this Wednesdays New York Times which indicates that Kobayashi will in fact be participating in both the hot dog eating contest at Nathans Famous and a subsequent pizza eating contest the following week. Moving along, the third link leads to the very fun and interesting Coney Island History Project website. On the site, visitors can listen to different oral histories, browse through historic photo galleries, and learn more about this urban playground. The fourth link leads to the homepage of the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, where visitors can look over recipes, trivia, and historic photos of celebrities with their encased meat treats. The fifth link leads to Kobayashis official homepage where visitors can read his blog and learn more about his life and passion for competitive eating. Finally, the last link leads to the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) website. It is worth noting that on the site, the Federation draws a firm line in the sand by empathically noting, The IFOCE strongly discourages younger individuals from eating for speed or quantity under any circumstances. [KMG]