2002 Kids Count Data Book
http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/kc2002/
Crafted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Kids Count Data Book is a yearly publication that illuminates the status of America’s children by providing data on the "educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of children" all across the U.S. By updating the book annually, viewers can assess the changes that have or have not been made by individual states and the nation at large. The report is divided into sections including graphs and color coded maps; profiles, which provides data on individual states or the nation as a whole; rankings, which contains data on all 50 states ranked according to an indicator; raw data, which allows downloading of the entire data book as "delimited files"; and PDF files, which allows downloading and printing of the data book using Adobe Acrobat. Those wanting a hard copy of the book can order a free copy from the home page. [MG]
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Hearing on FBI Counterterrorism Efforts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/transcripts/fbitestimony_060602.html
Available on the Washington Post Web site, the above listed link is the entire transcript of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee hearing on FBI counterterrorism efforts held on June 6, 2002. Users can view remarks from members of the committee, and hear testimonials from others such as the FBI director and Inspector General Glenn Fine. Although the transcript is rather long, it not only gives information regarding counterterrorism efforts, but also provides insight into the world of Congressional committees and how they operate. [MG]
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Secrets of Lost Empires: Pharaoh's Obelisk [Shockwave, QuickTime]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/obelisk/
From PBS and WGBH Boston, this companion Website to the NOVA program "Pharaoh's Obelisk," (scheduled to rebroadcast on July 23, 2002) combines material from the show with fun features including two games (requiring Shockwave): How Big Were They, which uses an object to measure the weight of an obelisk in elephants; and Lever An Obelisk, which attempts to lift an obelisk using as few blocks as possible. The "Nova Raises an Obelisk" section of the site uses stills from the TV program and text to illustrate the NOVA crew's attempts to erect an obelisk using two Egyptian methods; one that works and one that does not. There is also a QuickTime virtual tour of Egypt; a link to a 1999 NOVA trip to Egypt; Resources, both Web and print; a map and a time line of the Pharaohs; and a teacher's guide to using the program in the classroom, with printable and online activities. [DS]
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Geoexplorer
http://www.geoexplorer.co.uk/
With the recent announcement that American students are falling further
and further behind in their knowledge of the world, the Geoexplorer site is truly a sight for sore eyes, especially to those attempting to impart geographical and geophysical knowledge to young minds. Alive with information of all sorts, Geoexplorer supports research and learning at all levels, with maps, images, instructional modules, statistical data and much, much more. Particularly strong in links and references, the site is literally networked to the rest of the world and any source that might prove helpful to those studying our planet. Especially fun, and sure to please, are the site's links to resources on rocks and rock collecting, with tours of every kind of rock and how they were created. However deeply you might want to delve, Geoexplorer can get you there. [WH]
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A free Spinal Cord Injury Resource Site
http://www.sci-info-pages.com/
Originating from one individual’s personal interest in the spinal cord and everything associated with it, this Web site, created and regularly updated by M. Ginop, a quadriplegic, is a non-profit, non-commercial site designed for those who suffer directly or indirectly from spinal cord injuries or diseases of the spine. Well crafted and easily navigable, the site contains helpful information such as books, pamphlets, and publication resources; links to online disability communities; a listing, by state, of hospitals and rehabilitation facilities; a research section on treatments and cures; and information on wheelchair set up (manual and power). Additionally, the site has a health issues section that provides information on bladder and bowel management, skin management and much more. On the whole, this is definitely a quality "one stop site for all SCI information!" [MG]
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Did You Ever Wonder?
http://www.lbl.gov/wonder/
The Did You Ever Wonder Web site is offered by the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Each month a dozen questions are posed and answered by lab scientists on various topics. A few topics currently included are how a portable water purifier saves children's lives, about the best bugs for cleaning up toxic waste, how to carve with light, and a discussion of dark energy and how it accelerates the expansion of the universe. The links describe the work each scientist is involved in and by clicking the "more" link at the bottom of each page brings up additional facts, photos, etc. This site is also reviewed in the June 28, 2002 NSDL Scout Report for Physical Sciences. [JAB]
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