Research and Education
At the Scout Report, we try to bring some of the most compelling new scholarly reports to the attention of our readers, and we often run across other people doing equally informative work. One such group is the good people at ResourceShelf.com (who include such persons as Gary Price and Shirl Kennedy), which launched in June 2004. Essentially DocuTicker is a daily update of new reports and other research culled from various sources, including think tanks, research institutes, and government agencies. The site is set up as a weblog, and visitors can search the archives dating back to the creating of the site earlier this year, or just scroll through recent entries. Some of the more recent entries include a report on the use of antibiotics in animals and a report from the 2000 Census on black same-sex households in the United States. [KMG]
http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/
When thinking about the Volunteer State, many people's minds may immediately turn to the accomplishments of President Andrew Jackson or the far-reaching impact of the massive public works project that resulted in the formation of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Interested parties can learn about these aspects of the state's history and culture, along with many other facets of the state, at this fine site which is the digital version of The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Originally released in 1998 as a large print volume, the Encyclopedia was placed online in a searchable format in 2002. Here visitors can browse through more than 1500 entries, along with 500 additional images and some audio and video files as well. For those interested in looking at the material by themes, they will be pleased to learn that the materials are also divided into categories, such as medicine, sports, county history, and industry. [KMG]
At the turn of the 20th century there was increased interest in bringing the benefits of a liberal arts education to the general public. A number of prominent leaders in the field of education, including such personages as Charles W. Eliot (who was the president of Harvard), edited various works that were thought to stand as representative as the best and most valuable writings down through the centuries. One such legendary set was the 50-volume, "Five-Foot Shelf" of books and then the 20-volume Shelf of Fiction. Published originally between 1909 and 1917, The Harvard Classics and the Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction comprised much of what was (and is) great in the field of literary endeavor. The people at Bartleby.com have placed the entire set online for the general public, along with the special volume of lectures originally composed for the set that introduce the reader to some of the primary themes of these works. On this site, visitors will find various works as the pensive observations offered by Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations and Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops To Conquer. Additionally, the Shelf of Fiction section contains such important works as Vanity Fair by Thackeray and two short stories by the celebrated French author Guy de Maupassant. [KMG]
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) addresses the issue of how the decline in the quantity and quality of the world's freshwater resources "may prove to be the dominant issue on the environment and development agenda of the coming century." Users can learn about water scarcity, water and sanitation, water quality, groundwater, floods and droughts, and other key water-related issues. The website provides links to case studies of some of these key issues such as the mitigation of the impact of urbanization on freshwater resources in Africa. Researchers can find conference proceedings, information on institutions and programs dealing with water resource issues, and policy documentation. [RME] This site is also reviewed in the October 15, 2004,_NSDL Physical Sciences Report_.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2005/Resources/complete_report.pdf
This annual report released by the World Bank draws on surveys of over 30,000 firms in 53 developing countries, along with various country case studies sponsored by the World Bank. Released in September 2004, the 288-page report highlights opportunities to improve its investment climates by expanding the opportunities and incentives for firms of all types. Throughout its rather broad scope, the report suggests that governments remove barriers to competition, along with placing a premium on delivering the basic foundations for increased investment, such as creating a stable infrastructure and securing property rights. The report also details what the international community can do to assist in this long-term process and also provides some helpful indicators of world development, along with technical and methodological notes. It is worth noting that the report is available in a number of different languages. [KMG]
Founded in 1985, the American Council on Fitness is largely known for operating as a fitness certification and education provider. Fortunately for the average person looking for helpful information about exercise materials, the Council website is a treasure trove of free resources on the subject. Not surprisingly, most of these materials are contained within the "Get Fit!" section of the site. Here visitors will find free exercises, a number of healthy recipes, and discussion boards where they may ask questions of fitness professionals. Another useful area is the Operation FitKids section of the site. This section provides tips of keeping fit especially geared towards young people, along with informational fact sheets. Finally, there are a number of reports (sponsored by the ACE) that investigate various health and fitness practices, such as the best (and worst) abdominal exercises. [KMG]
Founded in 1907 by Mrs. Margaret Olivia Sage, the Russell Sage Foundation was established for "the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States". Located in New York City, the Foundation is a source of funds for scholars at various institutions around the country and is also an active research center. Currently, the Foundation is pursuing three principal programs, including one on the future of work, another on current U.S. immigration, and a final program that deals with understanding and improving relations between racial and ethnic groups in schools, workplaces, and neighborhood settings. As might be expected, the publication section is quite strong, and includes a number of working papers available at no charge as .pdf files. Some of the titles include studies of welfare recipients and the rise of markets in the Western world. [KMG]
BeeSource.com, a great resource for both amateur and professional apiarists, was created by Barry Birkey, a Web designer, remodeling business owner, and beekeeper. A stand-out website feature is the Plans section, which contains downloadable plans (with images) for a variety of beehives, honey extractors, pollen traps, an Apidictor, and more. The site contains many relevant news stories, and opinion articles, as well as links to suppliers of bees and beekeeping equipment in Australia, Europe, Canada, South America, South Africa, and the United States. The site includes a Bulletin Board with multiple forums, links to apiary discussion groups, and a page of annotated links. The site also contains hyperlinks to Beekeeping Journals and U.S. Beekeeping Associations.
[NL]
This site is also reviewed in the October 15, 2004 NSDL Life Sciences Report.
