Music Theory Online: A Journal of Criticism, Commentary, Research, and Scholarship
http://www.societymusictheory.org/mto/
In the past few years more academic journals have been moving online, and some have been established to be solely available via the Internet. Edited by Thomas Koozin (a professor of music theory at the University of Houston), Music Theory Online has been online since 1993. Each issue usually contains several full-length scholarly articles, commentaries on previous works, and other like correspondence. At the site, visitors can read the contents of the entire journal, as well as every issue published since its inception. Along with a chronological list of journal contents, the site has an author and dissertation index. For parties interested in submitting material to the journal, there is a complete list of guidelines for contributors. Visitors can also elect to receive each issue of the journal electronically, along with the option to subscribe to a discussion forum, mto-talk. The site is rounded out by an assortment of links to other online music journals. [KMG]
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BioMedNet: Microbiologists Take Homeland Security in Their Stride
http://news.bmn.com/conferences/list/view?fileyear=2003&fileacronyn=ASM&pagefile=confsummary.html
This BioMedNet Web site contains a conference summary for the 103rd General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, held in May 2003. Readers will find engaging, journalistic coverage of conference presentations spanning a dizzying array of microbiology topics such as bioterrorism, rechargeable batteries, and Staphylococcus contamination of the shroud of Turin. Researchers and general readers alike should find this conference summary appealing and informative. The site, which requires free registration with BioMedNet, also includes profiles of each investigator who presented at the 4-day meeting. This site is also reviewed in the June 13, 2003 NSDL Life Sciences Report. [RS]
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International Year of Freshwater 2003
http://www.wateryear2003.org/
Near the conclusion of the year 2000, the United Nations General Assembly created a resolution to proclaim 2002 as the International Year of Freshwater. Given the importance of freshwater to all human, plant, and animal life, this designation seems altogether fitting and timely. As the resolution notes, it is hoped that many governments and political actors will use the year to increase awareness of the importance of sustainable freshwater use, management, and protection. To this end, this helpful Web site provides a host of online resources designed to educate the web-browsing public about various events related to this overriding theme, along with presenting an online library of publications about freshwater. Visitors can read the online newsletter, Splash, along with browsing a water library, organized by themes (such as water and society and ecosystems), and geographic regions. Another compelling feature are the water proverbs taken from a number of areas, including the Middle East and Latin America. Given the global mission of the site it is refreshing to note that many of the materials are also available in French and Spanish. [KMG]
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National Center for Education Statistics: The Condition of Education 2003 [pdf]
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/2003067.pdf
Organized and researched by John Wirt, Susan Choy, Stephen Provasnik, Patrick Rooney, Anindita Sen, and Richard Tobin at the National Center for Education Statistics, this annual report (whose production and publication is required by federal law) offers a broad and thorough inquiry into the current state of education in the United States. Drawing a number of massive data sets, the 327-page report released in June 2003 begins with a nine-page synopsis of the findings offered by Valena Plisko, the Associate Commissioner of the Department of Education. Of particular interest in the synopsis is a discussion of this year's special analysis, which examines childrens' reading achievement and classroom experiences in kindergarten and the first grade, with "a focus on the school, classroom, and home factors associated with the likelihood of children becoming good readers." This synopsis also offers overviews of the other large sections of the report, including discussions of learner outcomes, societal support for learning, and contexts of postsecondary education. Overall, this report will be of great value to educators and those working in education policy implementation and development around the United States. [KMG]
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Yellowstone Volcano Observatory
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/
In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park, and the University of Utah entered into an agreement that effectively established the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Some of the objectives of the Observatory are "to provide seismic, geodetic, and hydrologic monitoring that enables reliable and timely warnings of possible renewed volcanism and related hazards" and "to improve scientific understanding of tectonic and magmatic processes that influence ongoing seismicity and hydrothermal activity." The Web site itself is divided into several major sections that covering collectively all current volcanic and seismic activity in the region, volcanic history in the area, and frequently asked questions. The section dedicated to volcanic monitoring includes real-time and non real-time data on current conditions, along with a monthly summary. The volcanic history section offers a long-form essay (including representative photos) that provides a general overview of the region's turbulent volcanic and seismic history. Finally, the helpful FAQ section covers such topics as the frequency of volcanic eruptions at Yellowstone and the relationship between volcanism and the geysers and hot springs in Yellowstone. [KMG]
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K-8 Kids Place
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/index.html
Developed by Houghton Mifflin, this site contains a number of helpful online educational, interactive materials for students from kindergarten to 8th grade. The Web site is divided into three main sections: School Books, Games, and Brain Power. In School Books, students have the ability to pick from a number of activities ranging from spelling quizzes, mathematic skills reviews, and reading activities for grades 1 through 6. Several of the activity areas here are also available in Spanish. The Brain Power section contains a number of activities designed to challenge and hone the analytic and problem-solving abilities of young people. The questions are geared for students in grades 3 through 8, and an archive containing the previous three week's questions is available for perusal. The Games section features four different activities, including Fake Out! -- where students guess the definition of a word and also have the ability to submit their own fake definitions. Additionally, Houghton Mifflin has placed a statement online regarding its commitment to protecting the privacy of children using the site. [KMG]
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National Park Service Data Information
http://www.nps.gov/gis/data_info/clearinghouse.html
The National Park Service Data and Information Web site contains several helpful links for data related to the Parks. The Data Clearinghouse link has national and regional data sets such as civil war and land status data, local and regional historic and scenic trails data sets, and information on the Virgin Islands in a well designed and easily browseable format. The Interactive Map Center allows visitors to explore the National Parks using interactive interfaces, while other links explain the National Park Service's standards and specifications, and how to use metadata correctly with other data. The unique and limited scope of the data makes the site a good example of how the Web is increasingly becoming an excellent source for hard-to-find free information. This site is also reviewed in the June 13, 2003 NSDL Life Sciences Report. [JAB]
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