FreeLists / networknewsletters / The Scout Report -- October 13, 2006

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=======
The Scout Report
October 13, 2006
Volume 12, Number 41
-----
A publication of the Internet Scout Project.
Sponsored by University of Wisconsin - Madison Libraries.
=======


==   I N   T H E   S C O U T   R E P O R T   T H I S   W E E K  ========



====== Research and Education ====
1.  Barnard Center for Research on Women
2.  J-Learning
3.  Chronic Poverty Research Centre
4.  To Recruit and Advance: Women Students and Faculty in Science and
Engineering
5.  Ancient Greece
6.  Conversations on the Constitution
7.  Interactivate: Lessons
8.  Climate Change: The Environment Network

====== General Interest ====
9.  Frontline: Return of the Taliban
10. Charles Sheeler: Across Media
11. National First Ladies' Library
12. Digital Freedom Network
13. Reference Maps from the Wisconsin Historical Society
14. University of Illinois Extension: Horticulture
15. Stray Dogs: Danijel Zezelj
16. Library Support Staff Resource Center

====== Network Tools ====
17. Widget Manager 1.3.1
18. OpenTalk 3.10

====== In The News ====
19. While alluring to many, some diamonds continue to pose a serious ethical
dilemma


====== Research and Education ====

1.  Barnard Center for Research on Women [Macromedia Flash Player, pdf]
http://www.barnard.edu/bcrw/

Started in 1971, the Barnard Center for Research on Women has welcomed a
wide range of visionaries and public intellectuals in recent years,
including Anna Deavere Smith, Sister Helen Prejean, Winona LaDuke, and Lani
Guinier. Along with their very fine lecture series and other such public
programming, they have developed a delightful website which contains a
number of features that can only be found in the virtual world. One such
resource is the webjournal "Scholar & Feminist Online", which was started in
2000. With a mix of essays and informed commentaries by such persons as Anna
Quindlen, each issue takes on a different theme, such as the cultural value
of sport. One of the other quite handy additional resources is the guide to
New York City's Women and Social Justice Organization. [KMG]


2.  J-Learning [pdf]
http://www.j-learning.org/

A lot of pundits have talked about "liberating" mass forms of media, so that
everyday folk can participate in various journalistic endeavors. The idea is
generally referred to as community journalism, and there are a few groups
out there that have developed some fine resources for those who want to
bring these opportunities to different communities. One such resource is the
J-Learning website, which is housed at The Institute for Interactive
Journalism at the University of Maryland's College of Journalism. Under the
direction of Jan Schaffer and her colleagues, they have worked together to
create this community journalism primer. The site is divided into sections
such as "Plan It!", "Build It!", and of course, "Promote It!" Within each
section, visitors will have the opportunity to learn the nuts and bolts of
working on webpage layout, reporting community data, and advertising. It's a
fine site, and it also includes a number of fine examples of how different
community groups have used these tools. [KMG]


3.  Chronic Poverty Research Centre [pdf]
http://www.chronicpoverty.org/

Established in 2000, with a series of innovative grants and funding schemes
from the United Kingdom's Department for International Development, the
Chronic Poverty Research Center (CPRC) is primarily concerned with
researching chronic poverty around the globe and creating well thought out
analyses that will be useful to different government agencies, non-
governmental organizations, and other researchers. Specifically, their
approach is designed to focus on "three pillars", which include thematic
research, policy analysis, and policy engagement. The site is divided into
several primary sections, including "Resources", "Partners", and "News and
Events". The homepage isn't a bad way to delve into some of their materials,
which as of late have included calls for papers and a presentation on a
report on the state of the chronically poor in Bangladesh. [KMG]


4.  To Recruit and Advance: Women Students and Faculty in Science and
Engineering
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11624.html

In recent years, there has been some rather positive news about the absolute
number of women who are choosing to go to college. In short, there are more
of them then ever, and they are moving towards constituting a statistical
majority of the college-age population. What many consider to be quite
troubling is the fact that relatively few women are able to effectively
pursue advanced careers in science and engineering. The National Academy of
Sciences has commissioned this recent work, which examines a number of
related questions, including how institutions might better recruit and
retain female undergraduates and graduate students and also how said
institutions might be able to increase the tenure rate for female faculty in
these fields of academic endeavor. Published in 2006, the 131-page report is
divided into seven chapters, an introduction, and a conclusion. Overall, the
report will be most useful to those in higher education administration and
outside parties who might be concerned about these trends. [KMG]

Best Online Resources For Women and Minorities in Science and Technology.
http://tinyurl.com/k5pzr


5.  Ancient Greece [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/

Presented with a physical relief map of Greece and its many islands,
visitors to the homepage of this site will then be treated to a range of
material objects, ranging from masks, urns, and stone tablets. All of these
items are part of the British Museum's vast holdings of materials from
ancient Greece, and brought together, they constitute the online website
titled "Ancient Greece". Previous online collections have presented material
from other civilizations, and this assemblage is divided into traditional
sections that include geography, time, war, and Athens. While many of the
sections follow traditional online collection conventions, there are a
number of splendid Flash-enabled features that present a day in the life of
the city of Athens, and of course, Plato's immortal cave. [KMG]


6.  Conversations on the Constitution [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.abanet.org/publiced/conversations/constitution/

Perhaps the United States might be a better place if at the dinner table one
interested party might ask the question, "Hey Mom, can we talk about the
establishment clause tonight?" Until such topics spontaneously arrive in a
pre-prandial setting like the one just mentioned, there will still be great
interest in this lovely website created by the American Bar Association. As
its mission statement declares, "This project is designed to further
dialogue in schools and in the workplace about American constitutional
principles and values."  Within the site, visitors can peruse a list of
topics, such as war powers, the establishment of religion, and cruel and
unusual punishment. Each area has a brief overview of each topic, and then
three "starter" questions. These starter questions feature a list of
specific queries, accompanied by brief illustrations (such as political
cartoons and the like) that can be used at the dinner table, the boardroom
table, or just about any table. Finally, interested parties can also take a
few interactive tests on such areas as Supreme Court rulings and students'
rights in the classroom. [KMG]


7.  Interactivate: Lessons
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/lessons/

With the kind support of the National Science Foundation, the Shodor
Education Foundation continues to provide a wide set of resources designed
to assist educators with the formidable task of teaching young people about
math and science. Since 1994, they have been responsible for the
Interactivate website, which is designed to create, collect, and disseminate
Java-based courseware for exploration in science and mathematics. On this
part of the website, visitors can consider some of the 90 items they have
created so far. The subjects covered include geometry, algebra, probability,
and discrete functions. Within each activity, visitors can read more about
the intended audience for each one, and also learn about the prerequisites
and objectives for each lesson. [KMG]

The Element Song + Songs about Math and Science
http://tinyurl.com/w5ram



8.  Climate Change: The Environment Network [pdf]
http://climatechange.unep.net/index.cfm

Established as part of the United Nations Environment Network, this area of
their site serves as a portal for resources that deal specifically with
climate change. First-time visitors will want to cast a glance on the left-
hand side of the homepage, as the whole topic of climate change and global
warming can be a bit daunting, to say the least. Here they will find a "Key
Issues" area which offers a set of resources that provide introductions to
the topic, along with sections on the overall environmental, social, and
economic implications of climate change. The "Featured Resources" area of
the site will be of great interest to educators, as it includes a "do-it-
yourself" climate model program that could be used in the classroom and a
series of greenhouse gas emission graphs. [KMG]



====== General Interest ====

9.  Frontline: Return of the Taliban [QuickTime, Windows Media Player]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/taliban/

Much like the janjaweed bands that have devastated parts of the Sudan since
the early days of the Darfur crisis, the Taliban continues to dominate their
own region, which happens to be around the border between Pakistan and
Afghanistan. With noted Frontline correspondent and producer Martin Smith
leading the way, visitors to this site can learn more about their role in
the region, and what the future might bring. While visitors may eventually
want to watch the complete program in its entirety (it's available here as
well), they may begin by reading the introduction to the program, and then
proceed to taking a look at the "Inside the Lawless Tribal Areas" section.
As it combines first-hand descriptions with video clips, this area is quite
remarkable, and visitors will certainly want to look at Winston Churchill's
commentaries on this area from 1897, as some of his observations ring true
today. The site is rounded out by a section of interviews with such
personages as Richard Armitage and President Pervez Musharraf. This
documentary and its website are both troubling and thoughtful, and one can
think of a diverse set of classroom uses for such a program. [KMG]


10. Charles Sheeler: Across Media
http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/sheeler/index.html

With a body of work that combined the machine aesthetic of Marcel Duchamp
and a subject matter that was of great concern to Americans of his
generation, Charles Sheeler had a decades-long artistic career that is
closely associated with the rise of American modernism. This online
exhibition is designed to complement an in situ exhibit at the Art Institute
of Chicago, and overall, it does a nice job of conveying a sense of
Sheeler's work and focus. Interested users may wish to begin by reading an
overview of Sheeler's life, and also taking a look at the brief, yet
thoughtful, bibliography of related works that tell the story of his life
and times. Of course, the real essence of the site is the "Selected Works"
area. Here, Sheeler's devotees (and new converts) can look over works such
as "Church Street El" and "Ballet Mechanique". [KMG]


11. National First Ladies' Library
http://www.firstladies.org/index.htm

Certain major edifices dot many college campuses (and a few seemingly
outlying locales) around the United States that generally don't seem to fit
into the normal campus plans. No, they are not demonstration farm buildings,
but rather those all-important presidential libraries. Of course, some have
pondered two questions after seeing such buildings: What about the First
Ladies? Where might people go to research and learn about these important
and influential individuals? Such questions (and many others) may be
answered at the National First Ladies' Library (and its accompanying
website), located in scenic Canton, Ohio. While the site does provide a
great deal of information for researchers seeking to make a trip to Canton
in person, the online "Resources" section may also sate the demands of the
web-browsing public. Here, visitors may consider a timeline, an extended
bibliography, and biographies of each of the First Ladies. [KMG]


12. Digital Freedom Network [pdf]
http://www.dfn.org/

Under the banner of "Advancing freedom worldwide through information and
technology", the Digital Freedom Network is primarily concerned with
providing the general public with information about current events around
the world that may impinge on a variety of individual freedoms, particularly
in the realm of journalism and related activities. One of the highlights of
their site is the "Literature of Freedom" area, where visitors can learn
about different works that have been banned in countries such as Cuba, South
Africa, and Saudi Arabia. "The Frontline" is another moving section of the
site, as it focuses on those individuals who have been placed in prison for
expressing their thoughts and opinions freely. The site is rounded out by a
very well-developed section of external links, organized into such areas as
international organizations, publications, and educational tools. [KMG]

Net Neutrality Explained
http://tinyurl.com/yyz822


13. Reference Maps from the Wisconsin Historical Society [pdf]
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/reference/maps/

Wisconsin is a state that certainly knows how to take care of its history,
and the Wisconsin Historical Society has been doing an admirable job of
presenting items from the Badger State's history to the general public since
1846. Recently, they expanded their online efforts by creating a reference
collection of thematic maps that offer spatial representations of different
phenomena and occurrences throughout the state's history. From the main
page, visitors can explore the selections chronologically through such
headings as "Early Native Peoples", "Wisconsin in the Civil War Era", and
"The Progressive Era". The maps have been culled from a variety of print
publications and other sources, including the landmark multivolume work,
"The History of Wisconsin", which was published between 1973 and 1998. [KMG]


14. University of Illinois Extension: Horticulture [pdf]
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/hort.html

Located at the crossroads of the United States, the University of Illinois's
well-regarded Extension division has provided outreach services to the
state's residents for over a century. For over a decade, they have also
provided assistance to both residents of the state and a diverse set of
interested parties from all over the world via their visually attractive
website. One of their sites is dedicated to providing information about
horticulture, with specific sections on plant propagation, urban
agriculture, and composting. Colorful photographs on the horticulture
homepage will deliver visitors to brief and well-written treatises on
"Selecting Trees for Your Home", "Composting for the Homeowner", and
"Gardening with Perennials". Those persons interested in instructing fellow
horticulturalists and neophyte gardeners in the fine art of vegetative
propagation will want to click on over to the "Houseplants" area which
addresses this topic in detail. [KMG]


15. Stray Dogs: Danijel Zezelj [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.gardnermuseum.org/straydogs/index.htm

This Web exhibition based upon Danijel Zezelj's graphic novel, Stray Dogs,
is presented by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Created in 2004, while
Zezelj was the 50th participant in the museum's artist-in-residence program,
the exhibition is designed to allow users to either view the 68 original
black & white ink drawings for the book, or page through the book itself.
When viewing the drawings, the magnify feature will enlarge rectangular
slices of each drawing. Similarly, when viewing the book, magnify will
enlarge text that is enclosed in rectangular boxes. There are links to
additional biographical information about Zezelj, and for any organization
that wishes to book the show, the Exhibition details section provides all
the necessary information, from costs to space requirements, and how to
schedule an artist's talk or hire related performance pieces by Zezelj and
his collaborator, Jessica Lurie to accompany the exhibition. [DS]


16. Library Support Staff Resource Center [pdf]
http://www.ala.org/ala/hrdr/librarysupportstaff/Library_Support_Staff_Resource_Center.htm

Librarian professionals and support staff are more important than ever, and
there are a number of helpful websites that bring together web-based
materials designed for just such persons. One such site is the online
Library Support Staff Resource Center, created and maintained by the
American Library Association. Organized as an extended set of links and in-
house resources, visitors can scroll through the materials, which are
divided into such topics that offer insights into the future of these
professions and even more "hands-on" resources, such as a link to online
journals designed specifically for library support staff members. Other
pragmatic resources offered here include lists of key competencies and
training techniques for those who might be leading professional development
seminars or continuing education sessions in this field. [KMG]



====== Network Tools ====

17. Widget Manager 1.3.1
http://www.downtownsoftwarehouse.com/software/WidgetManager/

Widgets are fun and quite helpful, as they can be set up to periodically
update users with everything from stock quotes to the score of the
proverbial "Big Game". Of course, some users may also wish to find a way to
wrangle those widgets in an organized fashion. Enter Widget Manager 1.3.1
which allows users to find out the version number of each widget, along with
its exact location. This version is compatible with all computers running
Max OS X 10.4. [KMG]


18. OpenTalk 3.10
http://www.opentalklive.com/

Talking to various friends and associates on the internet just got a bit
easier with the addition of OpenTalk 3.10. With this application, visitors
can effectively chat via a text box, voice, or video. For some of these
options, visitors will need to have a headset microphone or a webcam, but
with these additions, all of these modes of communications become readily
available. This version is compatible with computers running Windows 98 and
newer. [KMG]



====== In The News ====

19. While alluring to many, some diamonds continue to pose a serious ethical
dilemma Ivorian diamonds 'still on sale'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6036605.stm

U.S. Watchdog Urges Tighter Rein on Conflict Gems
http://allafrica.com/stories/200610100005.html

Kimberly Process [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.kimberleyprocess.com:8080/

Making It Work: Why The Kimberly Process Must Do More to Stop Conflict
Diamonds [pdf]
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/diamond/2005/stopconflict.pdf

History of Diamonds [QuickTime, Windows Media Player]
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/earth/rock-
minerals/130705Diamonds/history-of-diamonds.html

Crater of Diamonds State Park, Arkansas
http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/

Decades before the DeBeers company created the "A diamond is forever"
marketing slogan, diamonds had become the premier precious stone of choice
for many engagement rings. In the past few years, diamonds mined in a
variety of countries in West Africa have acquired a rather dramatic
sobriquet: "conflict diamonds". The word "conflict" is specifically meant to
refer those diamonds that have been smuggled and sold on the international
market in order to fund various wars in countries including Sierra Leone,
Liberia, and Angola. This week a number of news organizations reported that
diamonds from the Ivory Coast are still being sold on the international
market, which is an explicit breach of an international ban that went into
effect a year ago. On a broader scale, the country is also subject to the
innovative requirements of the Kimberly Process, which was started in 2002,
and which was also meant to prevent the sale of such "conflict diamonds".
Members of the United Nations' Security Council remain optimistic about
monitoring the situation, but oversight in this area of international trade
remains difficult. [KMG]

The first link will take users to a news article from this Tuesday's BBC
News Online that reports on the revelation that Ivorian diamonds are still
available on the international market. Moving along, the second link leads
to a news article by Emad Mekay that reports on a recent paper from the U.S.
Government Accountability Office that suggests that the United States should
adopt stronger oversight measures in order to determine the origins of
various diamonds. The third link will lead users to the site that provides
detailed information about the Kimberly Process. The fourth link leads to a
fascinating 51-page report from the Global Witness organization that
provides information about the current shortcomings of the Kimberly Process,
and how its scope of operations might be improved over the short and long
term. The fifth link will take users away to a very engrossing video
introduction to the history of diamonds, proffered by the Natural History
Museum's Andy Fleet. During this presentation, visitors will learn about the
aesthetic and utility value placed on these gems. Interested diamond
prospectors and rock-hounds will be delighted to learn about the final site,
which is the virtual home of the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.
For those not in the know already, this park is the only site in the world
where any one can just come, search, and keep any diamonds they might
uncover. [KMG]



>From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2006.
http://scout.wisc.edu/

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