The Scout Report -- Volume 20, Number 4

The Scout Report -- Volume 20, Number 4

The Scout Report

January 31, 2014 -- Volume 20, Number 4

A Publication of Internet Scout
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison




Research and Education

  Mathematical Association of America: Student Resources
  Internet Archive: Computers & Technology
  Blue Mountain Project
  Chicago and the Midwest: Newberry Library
  National Flood Insurance Program: Flood Hazard Mapping
  Profiles in Science: The William Osler Papers
  United States Department of Justice: Legislative Histories
  University of Illinois: Department of Geology Teaching Resources

General Interest

  Discovery of the Pacific Northwest Series
  Martin Wong Graffiti Collection
  Robert E. Williams Photographs, 1872-1898
  Newseum: Digital Classroom
  Charles Peirce Collection of Social and Political Caricatures and Ballads
  Christian Science Monitor: Innovation
  National Invasive Species Information Center

Network Tools

  Younity
  Storehouse

In the News

  Noted singer and activist Pete Seeger passes away



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Research and Education

Mathematical Association of America: Student Resources

·http://www.maa.org/math-competitions/student-resources

The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is always creating great new resources for students near and far. The Student Resources section of their site contains a host of materials, including a list of basic suggestions for students seeking to get involved in math olympiads. Crafted by Kiran Keglaya of MIT, the suggestions provided here are both practical and inspirational. Additionally, the site contains a Links area which leads to the daily MAA Minute Math problems, several mock math olympiad tests and quizzes, and an online forum on the art of problem solving. [KMG]


Internet Archive: Computers & Technology

·https://archive.org/details/audio_tech

The Internet Archive has gathered up this excellent audio collection featuring interviews, discussions, and musings about computers, technology, and science. All told, there are over 700 audio files here, including the popular Groks Science Radio Show and Podcast and Textfiles BBS Audio. This last collection contains a varied set of audio files assembled by Jason Scott, curator of textfiles.com. Here, visitors can learn about the days of ASCII and Dial-up Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) that were popular from the 1970s to the early 1990s. To get started, first-time visitors can look over the Most Downloaded Items for a few suggestions, or simply find out more via the About the Archive area. [KMG]


Blue Mountain Project

·http://library.princeton.edu/projects/bluemountain/

Based at Princeton University, the Blue Mountain Project encompasses the work of scholars, librarians, curators, and digital humanities researchers whose "mission is to create a freely available digital repository of important, rare, and fragile texts that both chronicle and embody the emergence of cultural modernity in the West." The materials here are contained within 5 sections, including The Archive, The Journals, and Our Partners. Within The Journals area, visitors can make their way through over 35 selected works, including "Dada," "Broom: An International Magazine of the Arts," and "Bruno's Weekly." Moving along, The Archive provides a brief overview of the digital guidelines for creating and maintaing the project's collection. Users can learn more about its recent work via their blog or by signing up for the project's newsletter. [KMG]


Chicago and the Midwest: Newberry Library

·http://www.newberry.org/chicago-and-midwest

Located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, the Newberry Library is one of the country's most distinguished private research libraries. This particular corner of its lovely website brings together digital collections as well as a detailed research guide to all things Chicago and Midwestern. Here, visitors can avail themselves of cartographic resources, city directories, manuscript collections, newspapers and periodicals, and even printed histories. The items include "Chicago Ancestors" (an interactive map of genealogy materials), the celebrated "Chicago Biography and Industry File," and the "Chicago Neighborhood Guide." This last item is quite noteworthy as it contains a bibliography of neighborhood histories from Hyde Park to Hegeswich. The site also provides a Research Guides, which features links to fire insurance maps, county-wide genealogies, and more. [KMG]


National Flood Insurance Program: Flood Hazard Mapping

·http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-flood-hazard-mapping

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created this helpful set of resources for policymakers, elected officials, journalists, and members of the general public who would like to know more about the world of flood hazard mapping. On this site, visitors can find a host of resources and over a dozen thematic links, such as Coastal Projects, Change My Flood Zone Designation, and User Groups. Each link is preceded by a brief introduction to the resource, along with a description of the various items within each link. Visitors shouldn't miss the Online Tutorials offered here, as they include several multimedia instructional resources designed to provide in-depth training on different facets on these programs. [KMG]


Profiles in Science: The William Osler Papers

·http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/GF

The National Library of Medicine has worked tirelessly to bring new Profiles in Science to the curious public over the past decade. This particular collection casts its gaze on William Osler, the 19th century Canadian physician who is sometimes referred to as "the father of modern medicine" for his central role in revolutionizing medical education. Borrowing on materials from Johns Hopkins University and the Osler Library at McGill University, this clutch of materials includes photographs, personal and professional correspondence, case notes, and published articles. The items are divided into chronological sections that include "Osler, Medical History, and Medical Libraries" and "Sir William: Regius Professor at Oxford, 1905-1919." Additionally, visitors to the site can use the Search section to look for specific items of interest. [KMG]


United States Department of Justice: Legislative Histories

·http://www.justice.gov/jmd/ls/legislative_histories/legislative-histories.html

Over the years, the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) library staff has created a prodigious number of legislative histories that encompass a range of legal issues. Originally, these paper volumes were available only to DOJ employees through the Department's Main Library Collection. Now, these items are freely available for anyone with a penchant for such matters. These exhaustive reports cover two dozen well-known public laws, including the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992, and the Dent Act of 1919. Visitors can scan through each history at their leisure and they can search each document as well. [KMG]


University of Illinois: Department of Geology Teaching Resources

·http://www.geology.illinois.edu/resources/teaching.html

The University of Illinois has a well-regarded department of geology with staff members and associates who have created a trove of resources for students and educators seeking to know more about the Earth and its forms. The resources are divided into two dozen topical sections, including Big Bang, Building Blocks of Earth, and Geologic Time. Each section contains links to high-quality resources from the Smithsonian, the National Science Foundation, and other reliable institutions. Additionally, a brief description is available for each item, which is most welcome. The site is rounded out by some classroom materials specifically created by professors within the department. [KMG]


General Interest

Discovery of the Pacific Northwest Series

·http://cdm16118.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/mcallister/collection/p15015coll5

Many decades ago, big city newspapers used to commission paintings, drawings, and special illustrations for commemorative issues, special events, and such. From 1954 to 1956, the Seattle Times Sunday Magazine published a 42-article series, "Discovery of the Pacific Northwest," and commissioned staff artist Parker McAllister to offer up dramatic interpretations of these heroic events. Through this site, the Seattle Public Library has digitized 37 of McAllister's original watercolors, along with brief notes on each work. Visitors can opt to Browse this Series to examine such pieces as "Massacre on the Washington coast," "Bering Discovers Alaska," and "Peter Puget and the Puget Sound Indians." The details in these works are fantastic and visitors will enjoy strolling around these most compelling bits of Pacific Northwest history. [KMG]


Martin Wong Graffiti Collection

·http://collections.mcny.org/Explore/Highlights/Martin%20Wong%20Graffiti%20Collection/

Graffiti as part of a museum's collections? It might have been unthinkable just a couple of decades ago, but curators and other professionals have realized the value of such forms of creative expression. In 1994, the Museum of the City of New York was given a graffiti art collection assembled throughout the 1980s by painter, Martin Wong. This pioneering collection includes more than 300 objects, including some 50 artists' black books, more than 100 canvases, and over 150 works on paper. Visitors to the site can look over these amazing works in all their glory with featured pieces by Keith Haring, Christopher "Daze" Ellis, and Basquiat. Also, users can create their own lightbox so they can return to items later. It's a remarkable trove of art that will certainly inspire visual artists and other creative folks. [KMG]


Robert E. Williams Photographs, 1872-1898

·http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/hargrett/williams/

Robert E. Williams was an African-American photographer who had his own studio in Augusta, Georgia from 1888 to 1908. During this period Williams took thousands of photos documenting domestic life, dwellings, baptism rituals, harvesting and transporting cotton, vehicles and transportation, and family life. The staff members at the University of Georgia have curated this collection of 84 images from Williams' work to provide insights into his art as well as the area's history. Visitors can look through the images at their leisure or use the search function as well. The site is rounded out by a wonderful section about the archival collection. [KMG]


Newseum: Digital Classroom

·http://www.newseum.org/digital-classroom/default.aspx

If you can't get to the Newseum in Washington, D.C., you'll definitely want to check out its Digital Classroom. Created to help bring the "First Amendment to life for students," the site contains primary sources, interactives, videos, and lesson plans for everyone. From the homepage, visitors can make their way through areas that include Modules, Video Lessons, Primary Sources, and Standards of Learning. The Video Lessons area contains twelve different wonderful programs, including "The Berlin Wall and the Press" and "The Digital Revolution." Moving on, the Modules provide a thoughtful look at how the First Amendment shaped the civil rights movement and the 2012 Election. Finally, the site includes a rich Primary Sources area which includes newspaper front pages from the Civil War along with 30 artifacts from the struggle to secure women's rights in the United States. [KMG]


Charles Peirce Collection of Social and Political Caricatures and Ballads

·http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Inventories/Peirce/index.htm

Who doesn't enjoy a good satirical print now and then? The Charles Peirce Collection of Social and Political Caricatures and Ballads brings together a range of fabulous prints published in London during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This was a golden age of caricature as these risible items were often displayed in a variety of settings, becoming increasingly popular with Londoners. Interestingly enough, Charles Peirce was a well-regarded New Hampshire bookseller who bound a set of these items in 1807. This collection eventually found its way to the American Antiquarian Society, and this website lets visitors peruse all 65 prints from Peirce's volume. The items are contained in five folders here and visitors can also search the entire collection. First-time users might do well to look over the "Folder 45-60" section, which contains items like "A Triffling Mistake!!" and "The Pious Coachman!!" [KMG]


Christian Science Monitor: Innovation

·http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation

The Christian Science Monitor has offered innovative and thoughtful news coverage for over a century. Its website has a number of fascinating nooks and crannies, and the Innovation area is a real find. On this site, visitors can look over the Innovation news feed, which brings together pieces on a plethora of topics, including new online music sharing programs, patent information, and new apps. Additionally, the site contains thematic areas such as Pioneers, Tech, Responsible Tech, and Tech Culture. Visitors may wish to look over the Editors' Picks, which bring together a curated collection of the most timely news updates within innovative fields. [KMG]


National Invasive Species Information Center

·http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov

What's an invasive species? It's a great question and one that is much more complex than one might think. The United States Department of Agriculture has created the online National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC) to bring together key resources on these types of species in the United States as well as other corners of the world. On the site, visitors can Browse by Subject to find Aquatic Species, Plants, Animals, and Microbes. In each of these areas, visitors can read the legal definitions of these species and also use the search feature to look for additional resources. The Spotlights area also contains a useful interactive learning module, a calendar of related conferences, government bills, and funding resources. [KMG]


Network Tools

Younity

·http://getyounity.com/

Are you interested in going into the cloud? Perhaps you'd like to share a few files for reference on the go, as you travel, and more? This is all possible with Younity, which is a great way to keep important items on hand. Interested parties can simply download the app, read the FAQ area, and get started. It's a seamless way to share lots of files and is compatible with iPhones as well as Windows and Mac computers. [KMG]


Storehouse

·http://www.storehouse.co/

What's the easiest way to "create, share, and discover beautiful stories?" Well, some might say Storehouse. Visitors can use this handy application to add photos and videos from an iPad, Dropbox, Flickr, or Instagram account to create compelling stories about travel, personal exploration, and family life. This version of Storehouse is compatible with all iPads running iOS 7.0 and newer. [KMG]


In the News

Noted singer and activist Pete Seeger passes away

Pete Seeger, Champion of Folk Music and Social Change, Dies at 94
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/music/pete-seeger-songwriter-and-champion-of-folk-music-dies-at-94.html?_r=0

Pete Seeger taught America to sing, and think
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/01/28/pete-seeger-obit-appreciation/4781403/

Postscript: Pete Seeger
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2014/01/postscript-pete-seeger.html

Dave Matthews on Pete Seeger: "He Made Me Want to Be a Better Person"
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dave-matthews-on-pete-seeger-he-made-me-want-to-be-a-better-person-20140128

Smithsonian Folkways: Tribute To Pete Seeger
http://www.folkways.si.edu/PeteSeeger

Pete Seeger: Career Timeline
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/seeger_timeline/

This Monday, America lost one of its icons as Pete Seeger passed away in Manhattan at the age of 94. Seeger meant many things to many people. Some remember him as a kindly singer of children's songs, while for others he remains the man who took a stand against the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s. As a young man, Seeger rode the rails across the United States, immersing himself in music, meeting Woody Guthrie along the way, and building a sophisticated repertoire of peace and union songs. In the 1950s and 1960s, Seeger served as a mentor to a new generation of folk singers, including Bob Dylan and Bernice Johnson Reagon, who founded Sweet Honey in the Rock. Over the decades, Seeger also participated in a vast range of political and social movements, including the struggle for civil rights. As he noted in 2009, "My job is to show folks there's a lot of good music in this world, and if used right it may help to save the planet." [KMG]

The first link will take interested parties to an obituary of Seeger written by Jon Pareles in the New York Times. The second link will take interested parties to an appreciation of Seeger's work and legacy from the USA Today's Bon Minzesheimer. Moving along, interested parties will find another commentary on Seeger's life from the New Yorker. The fourth link will take visitors to a piece that talks about Dave Matthews and how he was influenced by Seeger's work. The fifth link will take the curious visitor to another Seeger tribute, this time from Jeff Place, and the final link will lead to a great interactive timeline of Seeger's life and times, courtesy of PBS's American Masters series.





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