A Publication of the Internet Scout Project
Computer Science Department, University of Wisconsin
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Virtual Autopsy [Frames]
http://www.le.ac.uk/pathology/teach/VA/
Designed
with medical students in mind, Leicester (England) University's new Virtual
Autopsy site takes the student on a virtual tour of seven autopsies. Several
options allow for efficient navigation of the site: Cause of Death is a
self-assessment quiz students may take after "performing" each
autopsy; Return to History takes the user back to the beginning of each case;
and Choose another Case lets the user move between the seven cases. Each case
contains nearly a dozen detailed color images of certain key parts (including
tissues) of the human anatomy--lung, body, heart, head--with hyperlinks to
further information. By clicking on the dictionary icon, for instance, a student
links to a pop-up page with detailed descriptions of that particular condition.
Aspiring pathologists are sure to find this worthwhile, and the absence of
gruesome images makes it a good learning site for many budding medical
scientists as well. [LXP]
[Back
to Contents]
ERPA: European Research Papers Archive
http://olymp.wu-wien.ac.at/erpa/
ERPA,
the European Research Papers Archive, provides a common interface for searching
a database of online working papers relevant to European integration.
Contributors to the archive include the Robert Schuman Centre of the Academy of
European Law at the European University Institute, the Max Planck Institute for
the Study of Societies, the Jean Monnet Working Papers Series at Harvard Law
School, and the European Communities Studies Association-Austria. Users can
select either a short form to search recent additions to the archive or a long
form to either or to also access the many advanced search options, including
full-text searches. [AO]
[Back to
Contents]
The Ethics Connection [Java]
http://www.scu.edu/Ethics/homepage.shtml
Created and maintained by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa
Clara University, the Ethics Connection demonstrates the power of the Web as an
interactive information and communication medium. This site combines excellent
content, form, and function to provide teachers, researchers, community leaders,
and the public "with strategies to heighten ethical awareness and improve
ethical decision making." The rich information resources at the Ethics
Connection include an interactive forum for the discussion of ethical issues; an
extensive collection of the latest news and publications on ethics, featuring
the Markkula Center's own quarterly, Issues in Ethics; a collection of
several case studies on ethics, which include message boards for visitors'
comments; a Practicing Ethics section, offering numerous resources for
day-to-day ethical decision making; and a compilation of 900 ethical links, all
of which are categorized, rated, and reviewed. [AO]
[Back to Contents]
A Field Guide to the Philosophy of the Mind
http://lgxserver.uniba.it/lei/mindguide/
Provided by SWIF (Sito Web Italiano per Filosofia) at the Universita' di
Bari, this site offers "Guided Tours" (in-depth explorations) of
selected topics related to the "philosophy of mind and the philosophical
issues arising in the allied domain of cognitive sciences." These tours are
composed of two parts: an overview report on the topic explaining the question
at hand and detailing various approaches and theories, and an annotated
bibliographic guide to the relevant literature. Users should note that the site
is under development, and currently only three sections are available (which
themselves are not yet in their final forms): Internalism/Externalism, Language
of Thought, and Symbolic Grounding. Annotated items can also be individually
searched by author or title in the Database section. [MD]
[Back to Contents]
The Body: An AIDS and HIV Information Resource [RealPlayer]
http://www.thebody.com/index.shtml
Body
Health Resources Corporation (BHRC) is responsible for this site, a wide-ranging
collection of resources related to AIDS and HIV. The Body acts as a
clearinghouse for experts and organizations to exchange information with each
other and make it available to the public. The sources of information are
varied, from the Center for Disease Control to POZ magazine to individual
people with AIDS, and the site is consequently comprehensive, even contradictory
at times. Articles on treatment, quality of life, and governmental issues are
complemented by action alerts, conference announcements, and electronic forums,
to name just some of the resources available here. In short, The Body has
something to offer anyone interested in or living with AIDS or HIV. [TK]
[Back to Contents]
The Parasitic Plant Connection
http://www.science.siu.edu/parasitic-plants/
Created by Dan Nickrent of the Department of Plant Biology at Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale, this site offers a wealth of information on
parasitic plants. Plants are organized by family, with distribution maps,
descriptions, photos, lists of genera, bibliographic references, and DNA
sequence information. Nickrent also provides links for sequence information,
ribosomal RNA secondary structure diagrams, and multiple sequence alignments to
all parasitic flowering plants. Additional resources at the site include contact
information for parasitic plant specialists, a list of terms associated with
parasitic plants, and related links. While the site is, of course, aimed at
Plant Biologists, interested non-specialists may enjoy the numerous photos of
beautiful and sometimes extravagant flowers. [MD]
[Back to Contents]
Casebase [frames]
http://www.smithbernal.com/casebase_frame.htm
Smith Bernal, the official reporters to the British Courts of Appeal, offer
this free database of all judgments rendered within the Courts of Appeal (Civil
and Criminal Divisions) and Crown Office since April 1996. The database
currently contains over 20,000 full-text judgments, and new records are added 30
days after approval, increasing the archive by over 600 cases each month. Two
search options are available: a Specific Search using four key criteria (Case
Name, Date, Case Number, and Division) or a Scrolling Search, which allows users
to browse cases within a division by chronological order. [MD}
[Back to Contents]
PORTFOLIO: Princeton University Library, Department of
Rare Books and Special Collections
http://libserv3.Princeton.EDU/rbsc2/portfolio/portfolio.html
As anyone who has ever looked for images to illustrate a publication knows,
many of the best pictures are in smaller collections at historical societies,
museums, and university libraries. Often, despite the richness of their
collections, these institutions have limited numbers of staff to provide
reference and access. To address this dilemma, Princeton University's Special
Collections Department presents the Portfolio Website, which offers digital
versions of the 452 images most frequently requested for reproduction in recent
years. The images are arranged in several series for ease of browsing. Users can
view thumbnails with accompanying identification and then enlarge images. Also
included are fax- or mail-back forms for ordering reproductions, fee schedules,
and publication permission information. [DS]
[Back to Contents]
Chicago History Society's History Files
http://www.chicagohs.org/history/index.html
This new site explores some of the most notable events and characters in
Chicago's history: infamous (Al Capone, The Black Sox scandal), tragic (the
Chicago Fire), and enterprising (The World's Columbian Exposition, A Century of
Progress). Each story is told through photos and narrative, with an additional
photo gallery, bibliography, and artifacts collection also available. Future
exhibits are planned on Parades, Protests and Politics; The Pullman Era; The
Stockyards; and The Haymarket Affair. [MD]
[Back to Contents]
Kids' Castle
http://www.kidscastle.si.edu/
Smithsonian
Magazine recently unveiled the Kids' Castle Website to capture the interest
and imagination of eight to fourteen year-old kids. The site features a link of
the day and topical entry into site sections in the major areas of History,
Arts, Worldwide, Personalities, Sports, Air & Space, Science, and Animals.
Each of these sections features articles and images from the Smithsonian
archives as well as safe (first name and last initial only) response options
that will be posted for all to read. Links to additional, related sites are
included. Brief articles and singular graphics optimize the content at the site;
other exemplary design features include a pull-down menu at the bottom of the
screen that allows users to go to any general topic area from every point in the
site. Kids can also join the Kids Club at the site to receive a monthly
newsletter via email that contains poems and stories from ordinary kids,
articles, and notification of upcoming contests an! d games. [JR]
[Back to Contents]
He who destroyes a good Booke, kills reason it selfe
http://www.ukans.edu/~spencer/exhibits/bannedbooks/bannedbooks.html
In 1955, the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas
presented an exhibition compiled by librarian Robert Vosper on intellectual
freedom and the banning of books. Demand for the exhibition catalog was so great
that it was reprinted until over 20,000 copies had been distributed. This year,
Alexandra Mason and Richard Clement issue this electronic edition of the catalog
to "continue the travels of this exhibition and reaffirm our commitment to
free enquiry." The electronic catalog is a descriptive bibliography of
books banned in England, Germany, Russia, France, Spain, and the United States,
and includes images. Given this range, the catalog provides good examples of
printing and illustration of books from the early seventeenth century through
the first half of the twentieth, along with thought-provoking commentary on
book-banning. [DS]
[Back to
Contents]
The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit
http://www.bhere.com/ruins/
Created by
Lowell Boileau, this site documents what some feel is the "American
Athens": postindustrial Detroit. In the first two decades of this century,
Henry Ford and his contemporaries spurred a massive industrial expansion in the
city. Now, at the end of the century, many of these huge factory and office
buildings lie silent, abandoned, and slowly decaying. Boileau's site offers a
number of thematic tours (Detroit's Gilded Age, Industrial Ruins, Downtown
Ruins, Neighborhood Ruins) with many photos. Users can take the Express Tour
through the highlights as well as select from a number of detailed Side Tours.
Those motivated to see Detroit's ruins in person (not "virtually")
will appreciate the clickable map pinpointing locations listed at the site.
Additional features include an Interaction Zone, a What's New Section, and a
gallery of urban paintings by the author. [MD]
[Back to Contents]
Koffee Korner
http://www.koffeekorner.com/
Worshippers
of the bean will enjoy this site, which offers a number of articles on the
social, historical, and culinary aspects of java--the beverage not the language.
Users can trace the history of coffee, read up on health issues related to
coffee drinking, learn how to speak coffee lingo like a real barista, and of
course, find tips on brewing and savoring the perfect cuppa joe. Additional
sections include coffee recipes, coffee origins, and trivia. [MD]
[Back to Contents]
ICAST Viewer and Guide
http://www.fvc.com/
The ICAST Viewer and Guide
are two of a set of audio/video receiving and broadcasting tools offered by
FVC.COM. The ICAST Viewer is an easy to install receiver of multicast Internet
video commonly known as the "MBONE." The ICAST Guide is an integral
counterpart to the viewer. The guide shows listings and descriptions of
available multicasts along with information such as the length and time of the
feature. Many Internet service providers do not support the new multicast
technology, but FVC.COM provides a gateway service and product (I-Relay) through
which MBONE broadcasts can be viewed over a standard Internet connection. The
ICAST Viewer and Guide are both simple and useful for anyone interested in
receiving the numerous lectures and other live and prerecorded video available
via this technology. The Viewer and Guide Version 3.0 are available for Win95/NT
and are free to download and use. [CL]
[Back to Contents]
Searchopolis--Filtered Search Engine
http://www.searchopolis.com/
N2H2,
creators of the Bess Internet filtering service, have recently released
Searchopolis, the first filtered search engine. Users who would like a kid-safe
search engine or who simply wish to avoid unrelated search returns with explicit
language can use this free site. Interestingly, however, no mention of filtering
is made on the homepage. While Searchopolis is not absolutely foolproof, almost
all test searches produced returns with no objectionable language or links to
adult sites. In keeping with the current trend in search engine pages, N2H2 has
designed a portal around Searchopolis, offering a number of reference and
educational resources. The engine would be improved perhaps by informing users
of total hits on search returns, but for the most part, it has considerable
potential, especially for K-12 classrooms and school libraries. [MD]
[Back to Contents]
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From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project
1994-1998.
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
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Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-1998. The Internet Scout Project (http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, is preserved on all copies.
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