The Scout Report -- Volume 18, Number 24

June 15, 2012

A Publication of Internet Scout
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sponsored by University of Wisconsin - Madison Libraries.




Research and Education

General Interest

Network Tools

In The News




Research and Education

New Jersey History

http://njh.libraries.rutgers.edu/
Founded as the Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society in 1845, the journal was re-launched as New Jersey History in 2005 under the direction of historians at the New Jersey Historical Commission, Kean University, and the New Jersey Historical Society. This website offers access to issues of the journal dating back to 2009. Recent articles from the journal include "Challenging Containment: African Americans and Racial Politics in Montclair, New Jersey, 1920-1940" and "When the Cat is Away the Mice Will Work: Thomas Alva Edison and the Insomnia Squad. " Visitors can also send feedback on the articles. [KMG]



Biosecurity at the National Academies

http://nas-sites.org/biosecurity/
The National Academies provide a broad range of material for both the general public and for specialists in the scientific research community. Biosecurity at the National Academies brings together materials dealing with "biosecurity, biodefense, relevant aspects of public health, and broader discussions of the relationship between science and security." The site contains literature and information about ongoing projects and activities within sections that include "Whats New," "Biosecurity 101," and "Academies Reports & Activities." First-time visitors might do well to peruse the "Understanding Biosecurity" bookleta nice primer on the topic. The "What's New" section includes featured reports, projects, and information on upcoming conferences and talks. The "Biosecurity 101" area contains a brief summary about the scholarly and philosophical challenges surrounding this area of concern. Finally, the "Academies Reports & Activities" area includes hundreds of reports contained within five categories, including public health and education. [KMG]



Digital Forensics and Cyber Security Center at the University of Rhode Island

http://www.dfcsc.uri.edu/
Based at the University of Rhode Island, the Digital Forensics and Cyber Security Center (DFCSC) "supports state, national, and international public welfare through education, research, training, and service in forensic investigations and securing information systems." The website provides access to news from the fields of digital forensics and cyber security, along with working papers, materials on ongoing research projects, and academic programs. In the "Resources" area, visitors can look over information from the Department of Homeland Security, along with a collection of free cyber security tools. In the "Academics" area, visitors can learn about the Center's academic degree and certificate programs. Finally, the "Research" area contains their technical reports and student theses on a diverse set of topics. [KMG]



Doing Biology

http://www1.umn.edu/ships/db/
Scientists Joel Hagen, Douglas Allchin, and Fred Singers created the "Doing Biology" book and its accompanying website. They are concerned with reforming science education, and their goal is to have students learn more "about the history and nature of science, about science in practice-about doing biology." The first iteration of their book, which appeared in 1996, contained over a dozen historical case studies arranged in a guided inquiry format. The version on this site contains seventeen different chapters, organized into themes such as cellular biology, evolution, and diversity. Each chapter contains a biography of a scientist, along with a discussion about their work and area of inquiry. The online chapters include "Nettie Stevens & Sex Discrimination," "Peter Mitchell & How Cells Make ATP," and "Lynn Margulis & How Cells Evolved." Additionally, at the conclusion of each chapter, questions and activities can be found. [KMG]



The Human Heart: An Online Exploration from The Franklin Institute

http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/index.html
This website from The Franklin Institute lets visitors explore the mysteries and inner workings of the human heart. The site contains some remarkable facts, including the observation that over the average human's lifetime the heart beats more than two and a half billion times. The site includes seven sections, including "Development," "Structure," "Vessels," "Blood," and "Monitoring." The "Development" section is a great place to start because it contains a brief discussion about how the heart grows over time and an engrossing image of a preserved heart. Educators will find much to enjoy in the "Enrichment" area. Here they will find activities for the classroom and an extensive heart image gallery. Finally, visitors should not miss the "History" area, as it contains information on milestones in cardiology and examples of hearts in popular film, books, poetry, and music. [KMG]



The Whole Brain Atlas (Last reviewed in the Scout Report on April 19, 2002)

http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB/home.html
Created by Keith A. Johnson and J. Alex Becker of Harvard University, the Whole Brain Atlas is a wonderful resource for physicians and others in the allied health sciences. First-time visitors may wish to start with the "Neuroimaging Primer," a nice introduction to process courtesy of Dr. Johnson. After this introduction, visitors can compare the "Normal Brain" images to those that display the results of cerebrovascular disease and neoplastic disease. The site also has an area of "Inflammatory or Infectious Disease," which includes images of brains affected by multiple sclerosis and Lyme encephalopathy. Along with images, each sections features a written overview of the topic and updates on new medical procedures and the like. [KMG]



Water Resources Center

http://wrc.umn.edu/
The Water Resources Center at the University of Minnesota was authorized by Congress as one of the nation's 54 water resources research institutes. The Center "provides leadership in freshwater management through cutting-edge research, educational opportunities for students and professionals, and community outreach." The centers homepage guides visitors through sections that include "Water Resources Science Graduate Program," "Publications," "News & Events," and "Research & Public Engagement." Members of the general public will want to look over the short publication "A Pocket Guide to Reducing Your Water Footprint." The guide helps individuals make smart water choices on a daily basis. Moving on, the "Publications" area contains the current issue of their quarterly newsletter, the "Minnegram," along with links to their biennial reports and research bulletins. Finally, visitors can wander through the "Water Links" area to look for information from other institutions, such as the Minnesota Geological Survey and the Environmental Protection Agency. [KMG]



Windows to the Universe: Biomes and Ecosystems

http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/ecosystems.html
The Windows to the Universe website is maintained by the National Earth Science Teachers Association, and it has been around since the mid-1990s. One particularly interesting area of the site focuses in on the world of biomes and ecosystems. For those who might be unacquainted with such matters, biomes are large regions of the world with similar plants, animals, and other living things that are adapted to the regions climate and conditions. Visitors can use the interactive map to explore these various biomes, and learn about the natural history and current conditions in the dry steppes, Alpine tundra, and a dozen other biomes. Each section contains photographs and a narrative essay that describes in summary detail the key features of each biome. [KMG]



General Interest

Princeton Art Museum: Video Archive

http://www.princetonartmuseum.org/resources/video-archive/
The Princeton Art Museum, like many other museums, is increasingly using video to record on-site events, and then making the recordings available online. The Princeton Art Museum video archive provides a broad selection of content, including musical performances, artist interviews, lectures, behind the scenes videos, and videos that originally appeared on exhibition websites. Nicely underscoring the nature of video, the musical performance is part of the Museum's Memory and the Work of Art Project, an April 13, 2011 performance of Steven Mackeys Ars Moriendi, and Barbara White's Reliquary. Composer White introduces the performance with a short speech about the ephemeral and indelible duality of musical performance. Several of the lectures and artist interviews in the archive are also part of the Memory and the Work of Art Project, including a lecture given in 2011 by architect Maya Linn, and a conversation with artist Christian Boltanski and biographer Mark Stevens. [DS]



Pacific Fisherman Journal, 1903-1911

http://content.lib.washington.edu/pacfishweb/index.html
The fisheries industry in Washington state flourished through much of the 19th and 20th centuries. In the past several decades, stocks of fish have declined, and there is much hand-wringing about what should be done about the situation. This historical collection from the University of Washington Libraries provides access to the Pacific Fisherman journal from the years 1903 to 1911. Visitors can browse and search over 5000 pages of the journal at their leisure. As the site notes, "The journal has a broad base of appeal; scientists looking for long-term salmon population data, genealogists and regional historians will all find something to intrigue them." [KMG]



NEA Arts Magazine

http://www.nea.gov/about/NEARTS/2012_v1/index.html
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has published their fine quarterly magazine since 2004. This site provides access to the NEA Arts Magazine, a great resource for anyone with an interest in the cultural milieu of the United States. Visitors can read the entire magazine as a pdf, or they can just peruse select articles. Recent articles in the magazine have covered the creative rebirth of Lowell, Massachusetts, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and an interview with poet Nikki Giovanni. It's a tremendous resource for anyone with an interest in the arts and worth revisiting often. [KMG]



Leslie Jones Collection

http://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/collections/72157623971760983/
During a long career, Leslie Jones (a self-described "camera-man") took well over 40,000 photographs documenting the city of Boston and environs. Jones was a staff photographer for the Boston Herald-Traveler from 1917 to 1956, and he covered everything from a fox stuck in a tree on the Boston Common to Charles Lindbergh's U.S. tour after his historic crossing of the Atlantic. This remarkable online collection of photos was created by the Boston Public Library from the images generously donated by Jones' family. The photos are divided into over five dozen topical collections, including "Animals: Birds," "Boston: Neighborhoods," "Boston: Waterfront," and "Maritime: USS Constitution." Also of note are several particularly unique groupings dedicated to fires and fire departments around the city and the state of Massachusetts. [KMG]



Systems at Work

http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/systemsatwork/index.html
What exactly happens when you drop a letter in a mailbox? Where does it go first? How does it get moved around the world? Are planes involved? These are all fine questions, and all of them (and more) are answered in this fun digital exhibit created by staff members at the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. Visitors can take a digital tour via the "Enter the Exhibit" tab. Here they can watch a 9-minute film titled "All System at Work" an inside look at the technology driving the world of the mail system in the United States. Moving on, they can browse through key dates and important transformations in the technology involved with moving the mail. Visitors shouldn't miss "1988," which features a profile of how Optical Character Recognition (OCR) transformed mail routing forever. Also, visitors shouldn't miss the "Catalysts of Change" topics, which profile ZIP codes, postage stamps, and barcodes. [KMG]



British Portrait Miniatures Catalogue

http://www.clevelandart.org/art/departments/portrait_miniatures.aspx/iscardlayout/1
Portrait miniatures have been a core part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection since the day it opened in 1916. Some of the museums initial holdings came from London, Austria, and St. Petersburg. Today, the miniatures collection includes approximately 170 examples of the art form. The collection is particularly strong in British and French specimens, and this digital exhibit allows users to view all of the portrait miniatures. The miniatures are organized alphabetically by artist, and include works by Joseph Daniel, Henry Bone, and Horace Hone. Hone's work is quite distinguished, and visitors would do well to look at his masterful portrait of Lady Grace Anna Newenham for starters. Visitors to the site can read short catalogue essays and also share their favorite portrait miniature via social media sites. [KMG]



Digital Library of the Caribbean

http://ufdc.ufl.edu/dloc1?n=dloc
This rather remarkable collection based at the University of Florida is a unique collaboration between that institution and a range of academic libraries, historical societies, and other organizations throughout the Caribbean. The collections here include the Panama and the Canal, Caribbean Newspaper Digital Library, and the Vodou Archive. The Panama and the Canal archive contains 172 items related to the history and geography of the Panama and Canal Zone. The items here include annual reports on the progress of the Canal's construction, along with photographs and maps. Moving on, the Caribbean Newspaper Digital Library offers a range of historic newspapers from Cuba, Brazil, and other countries in the region. Finally, the Vodou Archive contains 70 photographs, paintings, book covers and other items that document Vodou religion and culture. [KMG]



The Future of Gamification

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Future-of-Gamification.aspx
Some may wonder: "What exactly is gamification?" That's a good question and in a nutshell it is using game design techniques and mechanics for non-game ends. Gamification is "interactive online design that plays on people's competitive instincts and often incorporates the use of rewards to drive action. These rewards are often virtual points, payments, badges, discounts, "free" gifts or status indicators. The phenomenon of gamification is on the rise, and this research report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project explores this rather interesting trend. Released in May 2012, the report, authored by Janna Anderson and Lee Rainie, uses a range of survey questions and studies to look into how this trend may positively affect education, health, business, and training. The report also quotes experts and study participants to better understand how gamification may also lead to "invisible, insidious behavioral manipulation". [KMG]



Network Tools

FastStone Screen Capture 7.1

http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm
If you're looking for a well-designed and easy-to-use screen capture program, you may wish to give this version of FastStone Screen Capture a look. It allows users to capture and annotate anything on the screen, including windows, objects, menus, freehand regions, and scrolling windows. Additionally, visitors can also choose to send captures to editor, file, clipboard, or email. Version 7.1 is compatible with systems running Windows 2000 and newer. [KMG]



You-Twit

http://www.you-twit.com/
You-Twit is appropriately named, as it brings together the videos from YouTube that are trending on Twitter. It's a nice effective tool for those who love social media. Visitors to the site can sort through videos that are currently trending, or look through the previous days trendsetters. This version of You-Twit is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]



In The News

A Massachusetts Town Moves to Combat Swearing in Public

Town Considers Fine For Cursing
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304821304577439192334221350.html

Middleborough profanity ban touches a nerve
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/06/13/middleborough_profanity_ban_touches_a_nerve/?p1=News_links


Put $20 in Middleborough's Swear Jar
http://www.wgbh.org/articles/Swear-Jar-Law-Draws-Reactions-Far-and-Wide-6451


Mass Moments: Christmas Banned
http://massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=369


Banned in Boston: Selected Sources
http://www.bu.edu/library/guides/boston/banned.html


Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home
http://www.bartleby.com/95/


Over the course of recorded human history, different localities and governments have attempted to ban certain types of activities, entertainments, and so on. Massachusetts is no stranger to such prohibitions, and this week the townspeople of Middleborough in the heart of cranberry country decided to start fining people who use profanity in public. In true New England town hall meeting fashion, the citizens of the town voted as a group on Monday to decriminalize a bylaw against profanity in public. This act effectively revived the law because now police have the power to issue $20 tickets without being concerned that a criminal case will be brought to court. One of the people behind this movement is Mimi Duphily, a local resident and member of the Middleborough Beautification and Activities Group. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal she remarked that "The cursing has gotten very, very bad. I find it appalling and I won't tolerate it." Commenting on the recent decision, David Hudson, a scholar at the First Amendment Center said that "Profanity is protected unless it is fighting words, true threats, or incitement to eminent lawless action. Those are narrow definitions." [KMG]

The first link will take users to a news article on this recent development in Massachusetts, courtesy of The Wall Street Journal. The second link takes interested parties to a Boston Globe article from this Tuesday with first-hand commentary from local Marlborough residents about this recent decision. The third link will whisk users away to another piece on the subject from WGBH's Cristina Quinn. The fourth link leads to a "MassMoment" that narrates the story behind the banning of Christmas by the Puritans in Massachusetts back in 1659. The fifth link will take visitors to a great site from Boston University that provides copious details on various books, entertainments, and so on that have been "banned in Boston." Speaking of etiquette and related matters, this last link leads to the complete text of Emily Post's 1922 work "Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home".






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