The Scout Report - January 31, 1997

January 31, 1997

A Publication of Internet Scout
Computer Science Department, University of Wisconsin

A Project of the InterNIC

The Scout Report is a weekly publication offering a selection of new and newly discovered Internet resources of interest to researchers and educators, the InterNIC's primary audience. However, everyone is welcome to subscribe to one of the mailing lists (plain text or HTML). Subscription instructions are included at the end of each report.


In This Issue:

Research and Education

General Interest

Network Tools


Research & Education

Supreme Court Opinions 1937-Present--FindLaw
http://www.findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html
Findlaw (discussed in the February 23, 1996 Scout Report) has recently made an excellent site even better by adding a browsable and searchable archive of US Supreme Court opinions from 1937 to the present. Cases can be browsed by volume number or year, and searched by citation, title and the full text of the opinions. The Findlaw opinions database, while still a "public beta," offers two enhancements over the Fedworld/FLITE Supreme Court Decisions Database (discussed in the September 26, 1996 issue of the Scout Report). One is that it runs from 1937 to the present, whereas FLITE runs 1937-1975. The other is that each case is presented in hypertext format, which allows linking from case to case, and thus invites users to follow along with the Justices' reasoning. [JS]
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Science and Engineering Degree Data from the National Science Foundation [Excel, .pdf]
Science and Engineering Degrees 1966-94
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf96321/start321.htm
Science and Engineering Degrees by Race/Ethnicity 1987-1994
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf96329/htmpdf.htm
Microsoft Excel Viewer
http://www.microsoft.com/excel/internet/viewer/
The Division of Science Resources Studies of the NSF has recently made these two statistical compendia available. The bulk of each site is made up of statistical charts and tables (15 charts in each, and 63 and 38 tables respectively). Tables, unfortunately, are available in Microsoft Excel format only, while charts for both are available as .gifs. Charts are also available in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format for Degrees by Race/Ethnicity. Data for Science and Engineering Degrees include mathematics, psychology, political science, and sociology (among others), as well as the title subjects. For Degrees by Race/Ethnicity, there are several tables on historically black colleges and universities, and institutions in Puerto Rico. Data is national in scope. [JS]
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Two Music Scholarship Resources
Online Music Scholarship Resources
http://scribe.iat.unc.edu/campus/music/muslinks.nsf
Beethoven Bibliographic Database (description)
http://www.music.sjsu.edu/Beethoven/Database/database.html
Beethoven Bibliographic Database
telnet://sjsulib1.sjsu.edu
telnet to: sjsulib1.sjsu.edu
Select "O" (Other Databases) and then "B" (Beethoven Bibliographic Database)
Located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Institute for Academic Technology has recently added a meta-site of "Webliographic Resources" on music scholarship. Compiler Jane Duff Harris has arranged the directory into twenty subject areas, including "Music Professional Societies," "Dissertation Listings," "Corpus Sites," and a section on pilot projects "in the area of digital libraries in music." Brief annotations are given for most of the websites. The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San Jose State University has produced a "fully-indexed bibliography of published (and selected unpublished) materials relating to Ludwig van Beethoven" held by the Center's own library. The Beethoven Bibliographic Database is accessible via Telnet and contains over 6,500 records of research materials on Beethoven, including books, manuscripts, articles, and scores. Users can search the database by author, title, subject, genre, scores, RISM locations, and standard number, such as ISBN. [AG]
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Primer on Molecular Genetics
http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/publicat/primer/intro.html
With all of the attention human genome research is getting, the Primer on Molecular Genetics, provided by Denise Casey of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, deserves a revisit. Published in June 1992 (a revision is in progress) and available in both Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and HTML format, the Primer is divided into logical sections via a table of contents, which aids navigation. The major sections include an Introduction, Mapping and Sequencing the Human Genome, Model Organism Research, Informatics: Data Collection and Interpretation, Impact of the Human Genome Project and a Glossary. The site is straightforward, includes hyperlinks to figures, and is a very accessible introduction to the basic principles of molecular genetics. [ATW]
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Two Cartographic Resources
Tiger Mapping Service--US Census Bureau
http://tiger.census.gov/
SPOT Satellite Images
http://catalogue.spotimage.fr:8001/www/dali/guest/s_req_libre.htmlx
SPOT Images main page
http://www.spot.com/
A new version of the Census Bureau's Tiger Mapping Service (TMS) is now on the prowl. Users enter city and state or zipcode information, and choose from among the matches from the Census Bureau's database of places (for example, cities, towns, and regions may have the same name). The maps returned are clear, detailed (though street names are not included at this time), and precise. Why use this service instead of one of the others freely available (such as Mapquest, described in the August 16, 1996 Scout Report)? Because of TMS's extraordinary flexibility. In addition to standard atlas features, TMS offers access to a good deal of the 1990 Census's data, which can be plotted onto the maps as well. Most impressively, since the maps and accompanying data are available in the public domain, website creators can make a cgi-bin link to the TMS server that will return a customized map, complete with multicolored pins and labels, for placement on a web page.

If you often have the sense that you're being watched, it may be because every 26 days the SPOT (Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre) satellites pass overhead and snap your picture. Now, the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, France, has made available a browsable archive of more than 4,500,000 images dating back to 1992. Guest users enter a location's coordinates, and the server will return up to five images of the area, in either color or black and white, with less than 10% cloud coverage. If you would like to view images of the United States but don't have coordinates at hand, TMS (above) will provide latitude and longitude for census regions in the US. Information on SPOT Images' commercial products is also available at the site. [ML]
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Two Archaeological Resources
Hudson's Bay Company Digital Collection
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/hbc/ind1en.htm
Feathered Serpent Pyramid Pages
http://archaeology.la.asu.edu/teo/fsp/
For those interested in a look at aboriginal life on the North American continent, these two archaeological sites should fit the bill. Hudson's Bay Company Digital Collection, provided by the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature, is a graphical collection of 19th and 20th century aboriginal (and European and Canadian) artifacts. The collection was donated to the Manitoba Museum by the Hudson's Bay Company, and while there is little explanation of the artifacts, they are beautiful to look at while being graphically economical. Feathered Serpent Pyramid Pages, provided by the Archaeological Research Institute of Arizona State University, is a much more detailed, scholarly look at an ancient pyramid at Teotihuacan, Mexico. The site details arts and artifacts of the pyramid. It includes architecture, graves, and offerings. [JS]
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HS-ATC-High school athletic trainers and HS student athletic trainers mailing list
The HS-ATC moderated discussion group is for high school athletic trainers and high school student athletic trainers, to discuss information pertinent to athletic training at the high school level. Subjects could include athletic injuries, athletic therapy, student athletic training programs, facilities and more. Other health care professions that work with injured high school student athletes are also welcome. [JS]

To subscribe send email to:
LISTSERV@LVILLE.PVT.K12.NJ.US
In the body of the message type:
SUBSCRIBE HS-ATC
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General Interest

Dept. of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1996
http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1996_hrp_report/96hrp_report_toc.html
gopher://gopher.state.gov
gopher to: gopher.state.gov
select: 03 Publications - Major Reports/Human Rights Country Practices/
ftp://ftp.state.gov/pub/1996%20HRC%20Report/
ftp to:ftp.state.gov
change directories to: pub/1996 HRC Report/
These reports, annually issued to the US Congress by the State Department, as mandated by law, contain information "regarding the status of internationally recognized human rights... in countries that receive [US] assistance as well as in other foreign countries." The reports are provided by the US embassies in the countries covered, as well as other State Department officers (see the preface for more information). Reports are arranged by continent, and then country. This is a major annual series of documents that is watched closely by journalists, diplomats, and policy makers. The country reports can be downloaded individually, and will soon be available as one .zip file. Note that the gopher site also contains 1993-95 reports, and that the FTP site does not contain prefatory material (including an overview essay) at this time. [JS]
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1997 TIIAP Grant Announcement--US Department of Commerce
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/tiiap/
Notice of Availability of Grant Funds
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/tiiap/Application/Ffinal.htm
The US Department of Commerce is now accepting applications for the 1997 round of the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program. TIIAP "provides seed money for innovative, practical projects that extend the benefits of advanced telecommunications and information technology to rural and urban underserved Americans....Priorities in the 1997 grant round will include funding outstanding projects that identify specific problems or needs in a community, use information infrastructure services and technologies to offer concrete solutions, and target measurable outcomes. Non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and all non-federal governmental entities are eligible to apply." See the Notice of Availability of Grant Funds for more information. The deadline for submitting applications is March 27, 1997. For more information about TIIAP, send email to: tiiap@ntia.doc.gov. [JS]
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Chicago--Anatomy of a City
http://home.digitalcity.com/chicago/
A city is, in the end, the sum of the neighborhoods that make it up. Chicago has 77 "officially defined community areas." The Chicago Tribune (discussed in the March 15, 1996 Scout Report) has provided, at its Digital City site, detailed information on each of them. Included is demographic, education (including subject- and grade-based "report cards,") employment, crime, and health information. There is also a short article about each neighborhood, written by a Tribune staffer. Chicago is, on many levels, a fascinating microcosm of America, and these pages profoundly demonstrate this. [JS]
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The Ultimate Mutual Fund Guide 1997--Money Magazine
http://pathfinder.com/money/funds/
This site is highlighted by an interactive "best funds" guide, which lets interested users query a search engine of over 3,400 funds for the investment funds most suitable to them. Users can search on fund type, investment style, risk level, performance, expenses, and fund assets. The database is also browsable. The site also links to Money Magazine features on investing, saving, and retirement, among others. [JS]
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US and State Tax Forms [PDF]
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/govdocs/taxes.html
As thoughts in the US turn to taxes (April 15 is just around the corner), Mary Jane Ledvina of the Louisiana State University regional government depository library has provided a simple, effective pointers page to downloadable tax forms. Included are federal tax forms and those for 43 states. Of course, available forms vary by state. Most forms are in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. This is a simple, crisply designed page that should save time, although probably not headaches. [JS]
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Internet Public Library Exhibit Hall--Dinosaurs [QuickTimeVR]
http://www.ipl.org/exhibit/dino/
IPL Exhibit Hall
http://www.ipl.org/exhibit/
The Internet Public Library has recently made available this exhibit, provided by the Exhibit Museum at the University of Michigan, and created as a student project of the School of Information at the same university. This extremely graphics-intensive site contains QuickTimeVR movies of sauropods, perissodactyls, and artiodactyls, along with explanatory text. Users can move around in the galleries, and zoom in and out. The exhibit also contains a multi-node movie, which incorporates all three galleries in one movie, allowing the user to move from one gallery to another. A special QuickTime plug-in is needed for this movie, and is pointed to from the site. This exhibit, like the Oriental Institute Virtual Museum (discussed in the July 19, 1996 issue of the Scout Report) gives us a primitive, yet exciting glimpse of what the virtual museum of the future might look like. The Dinosaur Exhibit joins a number of other interesting and eclectic exhibits in the IPL Exhibit Hall. [JS]
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The South End Zone
http://southendzone.com/
The Ice Bowl
http://southendzone.com/games/.stats/1967-19671231.html
If you're a football fan, you've seen the play a thousand times in highlight films: the wind chill is 40 below. You can see the breath of the players and the fans. The Packers have the ball inside the 1 yard line. Bart Starr takes the snap, Jerry Kramer blocks his man, and Starr goes over the goal line into The South End Zone for a touchdown to win the 1967 NFL Championship, more commonly known as The Ice Bowl. Now you can visit the Net's version of the South End Zone, complete with even more Packer information and trivia than you've heard on ESPN in the last month. View complete stats on the 1996 season plus a preview of opponents for 1997 and where they will play. See summaries of all Packer seasons since 1921, and a separate summary of the oldest rivalry in the NFL, the Packers vs. the Bears. Read about all Packers draft picks since 1936, and those Packers who are in the Hall of Fame, have won the Heisman Trophy, been named the NFL's most valuable player, or had their jersey numbers retired. Most amazing, use the Packers Games Database to search for the results of any game or series since the start of the franchise in 1919. The advanced query page lets you search by year, by team, by coach, by wins or losses, and will sort the results by date, opponent, city, coach, or results. Much more is available here on a site devoted to the 1996 Superbowl Champions, including details on where to watch Packer games in any state in the country and how to request tickets to next year's Superbowl to watch the Pack RE-PEAT, RE-PEAT... [SC]
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NCCS-The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship Cyberspace Town Hall Forum
NCCS defines one as a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis and for the rest of one's life. Welcome on the list are survivors, caregivers, loved ones, and others interested in the discussions. Raised each month will be a topic for discussion which the listmembers will comment on. These comments will then be gathered together to provide guidelines, testimony, and information on the area involved. The list is not a substitute for other cancer lists on the Internet and those asking general questions or directed to a specific type of cancer will be directed to the appropriate lists. [JS]

To subscribe send email to:
LISTSERV@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
In the body of the message type:
SUBSCRIBE NCCS yourfirstname yourlastname
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Net Tools

NetObjects Fusion--Website creation and management tool
http://www.netobjects.com/
NetObjects Fusion is a cross-platform website creation and management tool that takes a site-oriented approach rather than simply being a page editor. NetObjects Fusion allows authors to create the site structure visually, make global changes, automatically update links, and construct and organize the individual pages without writing HTML. Once the site is designed, the entire site structure and HTML pages are generated from the NetObjects database. The only drawback is that sites designed within this proprietary database would be difficult to move to a different program in the future. A free 30-day trial version of NetObjects Fusion can be downloaded for both Power Macintosh and Windows 95/NT. [TB]
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UK Plus
http://www.ukplus.co.uk/ukplus/
This subject directory, provided by Associated Newspapers (owners of the Daily Mail and London Evening Standard), claims thousands of reviews in 18 major categories from arts/humanities to entertainment to work. It contains a search engine (without advanced user options at this time). Its browse interface is quite Yahoo!-like, so most users will be comfortable with it. It is not nearly as large as other meta-subject directories, but it is editorially selective, and its main mission is to provide sites of interest to UK users. As with all subject directories, content quality varies. [JS]
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Macs in Science and Engineering Mailing List
If you are a Mac-using scientist you may want to subscribe to the Macs in Science and Engineering Mailing List. This list includes but is not limited to software announcements/reviews, programming, finding software to suit a particular purpose, application, MacOS and instrumentation help, etc. Postings also include MacOS success stories and employment opportunities. [PJD]

To subscribe send email to:
macjordomo@mse59.eng.ohio-state.edu
In the body of the message type:
SUBSCRIBE MacSciEng yourfirstname yourlastname
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Copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-1997. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the Scout Report provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on all copies. The InterNIC provides information about the Internet to the US research and education community under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation: NCR-9218742. The Government has certain rights in this material.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, the National Science Foundation, AT&T, or Network Solutions, Inc.


The Scout Report is published weekly by Internet Scout

Susan Calcari
Jack Solock
Matt Livesey
Pete DeVries
Amy Tracy Wells
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