The Scout Report -- Volume 17, Number 14

http://hcl.harvard.edu/collections/digital_collections/colonialism.cfm

The history of colonialism is a compelling one, and it can be narrated through first-hand documents such as journals, drawings, or photographs. This particular digital collection from the Harvard College Library contains more than 700 images which offer insight into European perspectives on how popular perceptions of Asia and Africa were created and disseminated. The collection is primarily made up of late-19th and early-20th century trade cards and illustrated European newspapers. Visitors can use the collection to draw contrasts between colonial powers, such as the French, the British and the Dutch. First-time visitors will want to dive right into the collection, and the image viewer offered here allows visitors to zoom in for a closer look. While all of the items here are quite worthy, users shouldn't miss the cards created for the Liebig's Extract of Meat Company or the views of Bangkok. [KMG]

http://www.bioedonline.org/hot-topics/tsunami-BeforeAfter.cfm

The BioEd Online website from the Baylor College of Medicine offers a cornucopia of resources for biology teachers, including slide sets, presentation notes, and podcasts. This particular resource deals with the aftermath of the March 11, 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunamis. Created by Gregory L. Vogt, these instructional materials include information about how satellite images are used by recovery planners to allocate recovery resources in the most effective ways possible. The site includes a slide set of the "before" and "after" situation in Japan, a poster depicting the affects of the earthquake, and links to related news pieces. The site also includes direct links to ten other resources including tsunami imagery from NASA and fact sheets from NOAA's Tsunami Information Center. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2011/0401_databuse_wittes.aspx

What does privacy mean in a digital age? Is digital privacy even possible? Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow of governance studies at The Brookings Institution is quite concerned with these questions. This 24-page report on this subject was released in April 2011, and it looks at the nature of what Wittes refers to as "databuse". Wittes argues that when thinking about privacy in a digital age, "we fret simultaneously that we have too much of it and too little." For purposes of clarity and conceptual coherence, Wittes confines his discussion of privacy to "data about individuals held in the hands of third parties." In the work, he offers a brief, yet important, history of privacy and then continues to his main body of analysis and discussion of this area of privacy in the contemporary age. The work is rigorous and thoughtful, and worth reading for anyone involved in information technology, privacy studies, and related fields of law. [KMG]

http://scipio.uark.edu/cdm4/index_Civilrights.php?CISOROOT=/Civilrights

The state of Arkansas has an incredibly nuanced and complex civil rights history, and even as far back as 1868 the state had a civil rights law on the books. This rather intriguing and broad collection from the University of Arkansas chronicles the history of civil rights in the state through documents, cartoons, photographs, and other key items. The site addresses the internment of Japanese Americans in the state during World War II, the proposed adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment, and the treatment of African Americans. The materials are divided into topics that include the aforementioned subjects, along with "Women's Rights" and "NAACP, Freedom Riders, and SNCC". All told, there are over 460 items in the entire collection, and educators may wish to use these materials in courses such as history seminars and women's studies courses. [KMG]

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/index.htm

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) serves as "the national voice for America's baccalaureate and higher-degree nursing education programs." As part of their work they are engaged in advocacy programs and initiatives, nursing education enhancement initiatives, and research across the field. The materials on their site are divided into eight topical areas, including "Nursing Education", "Education Policy", "Government Affairs", and "End-of-Life Care". One of the key sections here is the "Publications" area, which contains links to their white papers, their in-house newsletter, and other important documents. At the bottom of their homepage, visitors will find specific resources on the nursing shortage in the United States, complete with information on how this situation will impact patient care. Finally, on the right hand side of the homepage visitors can find their annual report and information about nursing scholarships. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/

In order to advance a shared scientific understanding of the ocean's carbon cycle and how it continues to change over time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continues to investigate the evolving state of the ocean carbon chemistry with high quality measurements on ships and autonomous platforms. This website provides information on their public outreach efforts, along with news features on how these changes may affect everything from marine animal populations to tourism operations. On the homepage, visitors should check out the "Map & Data Viewer", which allows them to look at the collected carbon data via a 3D projection. The site also contains a "Data Portal" which allows interested parties to examine the data that has been collected thus far, along with historical data sets. The site is rounded out by sections that cover their ongoing research projects and their current observations on these changes. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/index.htm

The General Educational Development (GED) test was created in 1942, as it was requested by the U.S. military to help returning WWII veterans who had not finished high school. The GED enabled the veterans to go on to college or university; civilians were able to take the GED for the first time in 1947, in New York. The American Council on Education's website has a section devoted to the GED, and offers visitors a brief history of the test in the "GED Testing Timeline". Visitors will enjoy the "Profiles of Success" link that features video or text stories of those who were able to succeed in their work or studies after taking their GED. The "Profiles of Success" area also allows GED graduates to submit their own story. The stories are divided up by fields, such as "military", "healthcare", and "law enforcement", and each brief video poses the same five questions to the graduate about what getting their GED means to them. Visitors will find the "Research and Publications" link contains research articles about the success of GED graduates in post-secondary schools, repeat GED takers, and "GED Information Bulletins". [KMG]

http://digitalcommons.utep.edu/casasola/

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has digitized hundreds of photographs from the studio of Agustin Victor Casasola, and it is truly a wonderful pastiche of images from the city's past. Casasola started his career taking photographs of the Mexican Revolution and he set up a photography studio in El Paso in 1921. For the next two decades Casasola took thousands of photos of people in their wedding garb, high school graduation robes, and military uniforms. In 1992, after the studio was closed, a team of workers found the negatives in the former studio, and the negatives found their way to UTEP. Fortunately, many of them were still in good condition, and hundreds of the images can be viewed right here. The collection can be searched by subject or keyword, and they are a wonderful resource for anyone interested in Texas history or portraiture. [KMG]

http://rememberme.ushmm.org/

The United States Holocaust Museum (USHM) has worked on a number of important projects, and this might be one of their most moving. Working with the archives of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), they have digitized approximately 1100 photographs of children who were displaced or orphaned as a result of the persecution carried out by the Nazis and their collaborators. The intent of this project is "to identify these children, piece together information about their wartime and postwar experiences, and facilitate renewed connections among these young survivors, their families, and other individuals who were involved in their care during and after the war." Visitors to the site can browse the photos by name or just by viewing the gallery as they see fit. The site also includes a 1945 BBC radio broadcast seeking relatives of displaced children and a section with updates on the project's progress. [KMG]

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr

The homepage of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has something for everyone, whether they are interested in fishing, hunting, or forest conservation. The site is quite easy to navigate, and many of the topical areas are listed on the left-hand side of the homepage. As might be expected, there is information on fishing, hunting and related activities, along with information about the state parks and guides to Michigan wildlife and habitat preservation. Moving along, the site also has information on land use permits, Michigan waterways, and detailed materials on the governance and legislation as it relates to state-owned land. One of the most interesting sections of the site is dedicated to the last known wild wolverine that lived in the state. As it happens this animal is now preserved through the art of taxidermy and it is on display at the Bay City State Recreation Area. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.steppenwolf.org/

The Steppenwolf Theatre, named after the book by Hermann Hesse, was co-founded by Gary Sinise in 1974 in a suburb outside of Chicago. The website for this fine theater (now based in Chicago proper) thoroughly catalogs its seasons in the "History" link under "The Ensemble" tab. Here, visitors will find the many productions the theater has performed since its inception, as well as information about cast members that have taken part in these artistic endeavors. In their fourth season they put on five productions, and added cast member John Mahoney, who is probably most recognized for his role as a cranky father and former police officer on the TV show "Frasier". The "Watch & Listen" tab offers a video peek inside a rehearsal of "Hot L Baltimore" directed by Tina Landau. There are also photo galleries, podcasts, and program articles that visitors can peruse in the "Watch & Listen" tab. The latest are listed first, but visitors can click on "View All" to see all that are available. Some of the latest podcasts include "Madison Dirks on Virginia Woolf" and "Stage Manager Malcolm Ewen on Steppenwolf". [KMG]

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2011/picassoguitars/

In 1912, Picasso built a guitar from cardboard, paper, string, and wire in his studio in Paris. In 1914, he built a sturdier version from sheet metal. This interactive website from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is designed so that (almost 100 years later) we can view these works in the artist's studio. In addition, visitors will be able to view other related pieces inspired by guitars and musical instruments, which Picasso created during the same two-year time span. For example, a series of three photographs taken in December 1912 shows the cardboard guitar installed a corner of Picasso's studio surrounded by other works on paper, and various random objects - bits of paper cut from magazines, the edge of a rug, and a pot of glue. An image of the sheet metal guitar, now at MoMA, closes the show. Audio accompanies many of the images, and there is also a commentary section with recordings of the words of those who visited Picasso's studio from 1912 to 1914, as well as those who visited the 2011 exhibition. MoMA curators plan to add new audio commentary to this section of the site as new artists and scholars visit the exhibition.

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/horse/

The online exhibit that accompanied "The Horse" at American Museum of Natural History is quite informative and useful. Visitors who are not necessarily that interested in horses, may just be won over by this beautiful and educational online exhibit. The "Evolution of Horses" link explains how horses evolved from being multi-toed to single-toed, and how horses as small as a dog, and larger horses, coexisted. Visitors will find the "Horses and Hunters" link dispels the myth about the hunting tactic of Ice Age people that involved corralling the horses to the edge of a cliff and forcing them to jump off to their deaths. Visitors shouldn't miss the subcategories of "Horses and Hunters", as there is much information here, along with great photos of European cave paintings depicting horses. Horses appear more often than any other animal in European cave paintings. The "Epilogue" shows the influence of horses around the world, by showing toy horses from Afghanistan, India, Japan, Italy, Canada, and North America. [KMG]

http://www.texpirg.org/

A "PIRG" is a public interest research group, and there is one in every state and Washington D.C. The Texas PIRG's mission statement on its website states that it "deliver[s] persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects consumers, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government." Visitors can find the current, and archived, issues of the quarterly newsletter that TexPIRG puts out, in the "Newsletters" link. The issues highlight and explain the successes and setbacks TexPIRG has experienced, including their work on faster food safety recalls, strong insurance exchanges, and providing government funds for a high-speed rail line between the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and Oklahoma City. Under the "Issues" menu, visitors can choose from ten issues to learn about, including "safe energy", "affordable higher education", and "elections and government reform". Each issue is organized into the current campaigns TexPIRG is running, an overview of the issue, reports on it, and news on it. The "How you Can Help" link in the menu, provides a dozen or so ever-changing ways that visitors can make their voice be heard. [KMG]

http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/

Are you looking for a few more workspaces? Well, look no further, as VirtuaWin 4.3 might be just the ticket. This virtual desktop manager gives users the opportunity to organize applications over several virtual desktops. Visitors should also note that there is a FAQ section that is quite helpful, and there are a number of customizable icon sets and modules that can also be used in conjunction with VirtuaWin. This version is compatible with computers running Windows 95 and newer. [KMG]

http://twitterfeed.com/

If you are using Twitter for your small business or other related endeavor, you will also want to give TwitterFeed a look. Visitors can sign up here to have their blog entries fed directly to their Facebook or Twitter accounts, and they will also be able to use the real-time stats feature. Also, visitors should check out TwitterFeed's own in-house blog and the help section here. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

The civil war: Finally passing
http://www.economist.com/node/18486035

The Civil War started in the Panhandle
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/558998/The-Civil-War-started-in-the-Pan---.html

Civil War faces live again at Library of Congress
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/civil-war-faces-live-again-at-library-of-congress/2011/03/31/AFtg7vfC_story.html

Civil War anniversary: Songs, literature and films about the Civil War
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/sns-civil-war-media-pg,0,5934244.photogallery

Civil War Trust: Civil War Sesquicentennial
http://www.civilwar.org/150th-anniversary/

Virginia Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the Civil War
http://www.virginiacivilwar.org/

The Civil War is a rather contentious part of United States history, and it remains a subject that is discussed and analyzed by historians, economists, and countless others. This month many organizations will begin commemorating the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, which began in earnest on April 12th 1861 when shots were fired at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Many states have established commissions to ensure that all aspects of the Civil War's history and legacy are explored, including the legacy of slavery, indentured servitude, the Reconstruction, and other crucial topics. The Library of Congress has created an exhibit titled "The Last Full Measure" which brings together over 400 pictures of Confederate and Union soldiers to offer the public additional insights into the conflict, and it is one of many exhibits that will take place over the next four years. Along with these celebrations and exhibits, other commentators (including The Economist) have noted that one of the most enduring legacies of the Civil War may in fact be a distrust of large federal government. This question, and many more, will continue to be explored, and Americans and others would do well to investigate and consider some of the upcoming Civil War events, commemorations, debates, and conversations . [KMG]

The first link will take visitors to a fine piece from last week's Economist about the ways in which the United States has changed dramatically since the end of the Civil War. The second link leads to an article from the Martinsburg (WV) Journal about the beginning of the Civil War in the state's Panhandle region. Moving on, the third link will take users to an article from this Monday's Washington Post which talks about the new Civil War photography exhibit at the Library of Congress. The fourth link leads to a photo gallery from the Baltimore Sun, which looks at some of the cultural and artistic endeavors inspired, by the Civil War. The fifth link leads to the homepage for the Civil War Trust's Sesquicentennial activities. Here visitors can learn about upcoming events, read about tours of various key battlefields, and so on. The final link will take interested parties to the website of Virginia's Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the Civil War. Here, visitors can learn about upcoming conferences, talks, and related tours.