http://www.bath.ac.uk/pr/releases/picasso.htm

This article describes the Picasso-effect software that is part of a suite of imaging technologies developed by computer scientists at the University of Bath. The scientists have found a way to turn photo albums, videos and movies into drawings, paintings, and cartoons. The researchers were able to "teach the computer how to pick out the elements of photographs that, until now, only humans have been able to recognise as important." Basically, the computer identifies elements, such as a nose, eye or mouth, and proceeds to cut the images into chunks. The chunks are then statistically shuffled and then randomly-selected chunks are distorted to create a 'cubist' composition. The author ends the article with a discussion of some of the applications for this "automated art" in animation. [VF]

http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/

TechWeb Network is an online resource for IT professionals providing "contextual access to the resources of CMP's network of industry-leading technology publications." The site offers this handy encyclopedia of technology terms where visitors can search a database of over 20,000 IT terms. Results are given as short definitions with links to related terms, along with links to definitions of other terms that are similar to the original term requested. For fun, visitors will also find a featured "random definition" and can browse the top 10 requested definitions. [VF]

http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/madhist.html

Dr. Scott W. Williams, a Professor of Mathematics at the State University of New York at Buffalo, maintains this webpage, which provides a Modern History of Blacks in Mathematics. In addition to a timeline highlighting key figures in mathematics, the author also considers the greatest Black Mathematicians, The First African American Women in Mathematics, The First Africans, and Other Important Events in the past 300 years. Another section, which covers Mathematics in Ancient Africa, addresses earlier periods in history, while an article from Kenneth Manning asks, Can History Predict the Future? [VF]

http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/pom/polling101.html

The U.S. Presidential election season seems like a good time review the basics on polling. The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Connecticut is "the largest library of public opinion data in the world." (See also Scout Report for Social Science, December 1, 1998.) This section of the website gives visitors a short lesson on public opinion polling. The Polling 101 page reviews Sampling, Total Survey Error, Reading Tables, and provides links to other pages with additional information on polling. A final section talks about the Role of Polls in Policymaking based on a 2001 phone survey conducted for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in collaboration with Public Perspective magazine. Visitors can also browse through the Public Opinion Matters section of the website to view recent polls on economic issues, education, technology, and more. The full database of polls, however, is accessible only through paid membership. [VF]

http://www.worldspace.com/howitworks/index.html

WorldSpace is part of Noah Samara's vision "to 'create a new form of electronic media' using satellites to broadcast directly to people across the globe." WorldSpace claims to be the first to bring Satellite Radio to the world, among other "firsts." This section of the website describes how satellite radio works. A map shows the coverage area for their two satellites. The rest of the website describes their product. The Listen Now section provides some sample mp3 files to give you a taste of their programming and sound quality. [VF]

http://www.worldofnumbers.com/

The World of Numbers is "an amalgamation of randomly gathered numbers, curios, puzzles, palindromes, primes, gems, your much valued contributions and more general information." Choosing "number palindromes" from the drop-down menu will take you to a page with a list of links to webpages on palindromes -- numbers that read the same from left to right as from right to left. Also posted are more examples of square palindromes, circular primes, Palindromic Primes, Palindromic Tetrahedra, and much more. Visitors are invited to make their comments and contributions as well. Also provided are links to websites on integers and other special numbers, such as primes and zero. [VF]

http://math.ucsd.edu/~mathclub/games/games.html

This website provides links to a few Games, Jokes, Trivia, and Brainteasers from the University of California at Santa Diego Math Club. The Math Club serves as "a gathering place, as well as an academic and career resource, where all students interested in mathematics can further their involvement in the subject, meet other people with simi liar interests, and discover some of the opportunities mathematics has to offer." This section of the website provides some light-hearted math fun. There are a few interactive games, but by far the largest section is the jokes page. The brainteaser section includes an invitation to anyone who solves the currently unsolved brainteaser to submit their solution to an Advisor, who will then post it, if correct, online. Links to related pages allow visitors to explore some topics further. [VF]

http://www.davidsarnoff.org/

The David Sarnoff Library is "devoted to the study and understanding of the innovative spirit personified in the greatest technological visionary of the 20th century and realized in the accomplishments of Radio Corporation of America (RCA) employees at laboratories, factories, and offices in New Jersey and around the world." From this website, visitors can examine timelines, galleries, links, and references that relate to David Sarnoff's life, the history of radio, television, electronics, and communications, and the history of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). The RCA timeline includes links to related websites for additional information on select innovations. Note that some pages are not complete since the website is still under construction. [VF]