06/09/04
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This newsletter is available to the public at the following locations:
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/swain/nsflibnews/index.html
http://www.eevl.ac.uk/scitechnews/
http://avel.edu.au/scitech.html
U.K. Academics and Librarians Disagree Over Open Access
Publishing
http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb040503-3.shtml
The
Inevitable and the Optimal
http://www.infotoday.com/it/apr04/poynder.shtml
“On
April 21, the U.K. Parliament's Science and Technology Select Committee held
the third evidence session in its enquiry into the pricing and availability of
scientific publications. Having heard testimony from publishers, British
politicians now wanted to hear the views of librarians and academics. As it
turned out, the librarians and academics disagreed with one another.” From
Info Today.
Declaration on Access to Research Data from Public
Funding
http://www.oecd.org/document/15/0,2340,en_21571361_21590465_25998799_1_1_1_1,00.html
The
OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy met at Ministerial
level on 29 30 January 2004. The meeting was preceded by a High-level Forum on
“Key Challenges for Science and Innovation Policy”, in which prominent
representatives of research institutions and business participated. This
statement is the result of that meeting.
Federal FY05 R&D Funding Progress
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/approp05.htm
“The FY
2005 appropriations process has begun. The House Appropriations Committee
began work on the Defense, Interior, and Homeland Security bills this week.
AAAS R&D Funding Updates on R&D in DOD, DHS, and Interior in House
appropriations will be available after the committee files these bills (next
week). Beginning today, the AAAS R&D web site features a continually
updated page on the Status of FY 2005 Appropriations. The page tracks the
progress of R&D in the FY 2005 appropriations process, and offers
highlights of recent federal budget news and links to the latest AAAS R&D
Funding Updates on the progress of the FY 2005 budget. See the ‘What's New’ or
‘FY 2005 R&D’ pages on the AAAS R&D web site.” (From AAAS.)
Are We as Crazy as
Mad Cows?
http://mitworld.mit.edu/
Susan
Lindquist
Director, Whitehead Institute
MIT Professor of Biology
presents
“Are We as Crazy as Mad Cows?”
Lindquist explains the process of protein folding, and the terrible outcomes when the folding goes wrong. In this presentation filled with vivid and memorable slides, she explains and demystifies Mad Cow Disease, and how and why it takes a long time to do the damage that it does.
The Future of the Triple Helix
http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/20040610.htm
AEI-Brookings
Joint Center for Regulatory Studies Symposium - The Future of the Triple
Helix: Finding the Balance among Government, Industry, and Academic Research
Relationships.
Thursday, June 10, 2004, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Falk
Auditorium
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue
NW
Washington, DC 20036
Both Congress and the National Institutes of Health have been actively engaged in reviewing conflict of interest policies for government researchers. This AEI-Brookings Joint Center symposium will focus on the implications for university-industry relations and feature a new working paper on those relationships by three of the leading experts in the field -- Professors David Blumenthal, Eric Campbell, and Greg Koski of Harvard University. The paper pays special attention to this issue in the context of emerging drug discovery and development practices in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Qs and AAAs About Global Climate Change
http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2004/0603climate.shtml
June
15, 2004
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
AAAS Auditorium, 2nd Floor
1200 New York
Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20005
RSVP TO RSVP@aaas.org
AAAS is pleased to invite you to an important conference on the science of climate change: “Qs And AAAs About Global Climate Change.” The meeting, co-sponsored by the Conference Board, will feature 11 of the nation's leading climate scientists discussing what is known and what is not known about global climate change in a series of objective, nonpartisan presentations. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 15, 2004, in the AAAS Auditorium located at 1200 New York Avenue, NW, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
The conference, planned and presented by the journal Science and the AAAS Directorate for Science and Policy Programs, responds to the Washington policy community's need for unbiased, clear-eyed analysis by scientific experts of what is known, what is likely but unproven, and what is a plausible but untested prospect. The introductory presentation by Professor Sherwood Rowland of the University of California, Irvine, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, will be followed by panels of specialists covering a wide range of climate change topics: history, role of greenhouse gases, models and their limitations, the fates of glaciers, and more. The agenda and the full meeting announcement are available on the AAAS web site (http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2004/0603climate.shtml).
There is no charge for this conference, but pre-registration is essential because seating is limited -- first come, first served. RSVP by e-mail to RSVP@aaas.org. Please include your name, title, and organizational affiliation. We look forward to seeing you at this landmark event.
The
Coming Generational Storm
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/202/
Laurence J.
Kotlikoff,
Professor of Economics,
Boston University:
“The Coming
Generational Storm
What You Need to Know about America's Economic
Future”
Kotlikoff discusses his new book (co-authored with Scott Burns) that provides a bleak outlook for the Social Security system. Hear it first hand from Kotlikoff and see why he has earned the title of “Mr. Generational Accounting”.
Fostering the Independent Research of Early-Career
Scientists
http://www.national-academies.org/
The National
Academies' Board on Life Sciences holds a daylong workshop on ways to foster
the independent research of early-career scientists in order to enhance the
vitality of the biomedical research enterprise. The event begins at 8:30 a.m.
EDT Wednesday, June 16 in Room 100 of the National Academies' Keck Center, 500
Fifth St. N.W., Washington, D.C. Admission is free and open to the public, but
advance registration is required. Participate by listening to a live audio
webcast (requires free RealPlayer) and submitting questions using an e-mail
form, both accessible on the National-Academies.org home page during the
event. Please go to the Bridges to Independence website for additional
information.
“This is an electronic journal based on the editorial concept of publishing 'living' reviews. The journal will primarily cover solar and heliospheric physics, and also explore some topics from solar-stellar and solar-terrestrial research.
The founding editorial board meeting was held on 14 March 2003. About 50 articles are in preparation; editors are currently in negotiation with prospective authors. We expect first articles to be published in the first half of 2004.” From the Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie. Free access
State
indicators of science and mathematics education, 2003. Council of Chief
State School Officers, 2004.
http://www.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/SM03.pdf
Vital
Assets: Federal Investment in Research and Development at the Nation's
Universities and Colleges. RAND, 2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1824/
Will the
Scientific & Technical Workforce Meet the Requirements of the Federal
Government? RAND, 2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MG/MG118/
What
it Takes: Pre-K-12 Design Principles to Broaden Participation in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. BEST, 2004.
http://www.bestworkforce.org/publications.htm
Exploring Information Superiority: A Methodology for Measuring
the Quality of Information and Its Impact on Shared Awareness. RAND,
2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1467/MR1467.pdf
2001 Graduate Student Report [Physics and Astronomy]. AIP,
2004.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/gradtrends.html
Summary of a
Forum on Spectrum Management Policy Reform. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11007.html
Opportunities
to Improve Airport Passenger Screening with Mass Spectrometry. NAP,
2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10996.html
The
Office of Science and Technology Policy Blue Ribbon Panel on the Threat of
Biological Terrorism Directed Against Livestock. RAND, 2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/CF/CF193/
Patient
Safety: Achieving a New Standard for Care. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10863.html
Monitoring
International Labor Standards: Techniques and Sources of Information. NAP,
2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10937.html
Water and
Sustainable Development: Opportunities for the Chemical Sciences - A Workshop
Report to the Chemical Sciences Roundtable. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10994.html
Existing and
Potential Standoff Explosives Detection Techniques. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10998.html
The Engineer
of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10999.html
Immunization
Safety Review: Vaccines and Autism. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10997.html
Maintaining
High Scientific Quality at Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratories. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11009.html
On Evaluating
Curricular Effectiveness: Judging the Quality of K-12 Mathematics
Evaluations. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11008.html
The Markey
Scholars Conference: Proceedings. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11001.html
Indicators
for Waterborne Pathogens. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11010.html
A Vision for
the International Polar Year 2007-2008. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11013.html
Kim Cragin, Sara Daly. The Dynamic
Terrorist Threat: An Assessment of Group Motivations and Capabilities in a
Changing World. RAND, 2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1782/
Peter Chalk, William Rosenau. Confronting
“the Enemy Within”: Security Intelligence, the Police, and Counterterrorism in
Four Democracies. RAND, 2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MG/MG100/
Human Resources in Science and Technology in India and the
International Mobiligy of Highly Skilled Indians. OECD, 2004.
http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2004doc.nsf/linkto/dsti-doc(2004)7
Governance of Public Research: Toward Better Practices.
OCED, 2003.
http://www1.oecd.org/publications/e-book/9203051E.PDF
Small-scale
Terrorist Attacks Using Chemical and Biological Agents: An Assessment
Framework and Preliminary Comparisons. CRS, 2004.
http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32391.pdf
Damp Indoor
Spaces and Health. NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11011.html
Screenwriting in Science
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/05202004?OpenDocument
The
American Film Institute is now accepting applications from scientists and
engineers to participate in a two-day workshop on screenwriting for movies and
television. “Catalyst Workshop: Communicating Science and Engineering” will be
held July 17-18 at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. Applications
are due by Wednesday, June 9.
The Internet
Collegiate Reference Collection
http://icrc.bloomu.edu/
This is the kind of site
librarians love! Billed as “The Best Free Reference Materials on the World
Wide Web”, this site gives you links to free reference sources in any
subject classification. You can browse by Library of Congress classification,
you can search by subject terms. Do not search by the end information you
want, but rather by the type of reference tool you want. For instance, if what
you want is a definition of “archeobacteria”, search by “biology” and
“dictionary”. A variety of brief descriptions of biology dictionary websites
will be presented to you. The links are vetted before inclusion, are checked
frequently, and are aimed for undergraduate-level. (Thanks to Roddy
MacLeod.)
Bio-DiTRL
http://bio-ditrl.sunsite.ualberta.ca/
“Bio-DiTRL
operates as an online database with digital media that can be used to assist
in teaching biology. In it you will find images, animations, video clips and
text excerpts that may be downloaded for use by subscribers. Anyone may search
or browse by following the appropriate links. Contributions of suitable
teaching resources are most welcome.” Although right now the archive is heavy
on Animalia and light on the other taxa, it is a very well put-together
resource, easy to navigate, thoughtfully organized. Keep your eye on this
one.
The Search Engine Wars
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2004/apr/google/
“Companies
like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are battling to be the main gateway to the
Internet. These companies have gained unprecedented influence over what people
see and learn, and have created an industry with brave new rules for business.
In a five-part series, NPR's Rick Karr takes a look at the business of search
engines.”
Science of Hockey
http://www.exploratorium.edu/hockey/index.html
The
Stanley Cup is over for this year, but you can still learn about the science
of Hockey. This site takes you inside the game: you'll hear from NHL players
and coaches from the San Jose Sharks, as well as leading physicists and
chemists. Learn what makes the difference between “fast ice” and “slow ice”,
what high tech materials are used in the game, how a puck can be slapped over
100 mph, and more.
BBC Hot Topics: Intelligence
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/intelligence/
From
IQ tests to the language of the brain. What is intelligence and can we measure
it? What gender is your brain? Watch a video of learning before birth,
visualize the brain at work, explore the multiple facets of human intelligence
at this BBC website.
Ants of Borneo: A
Virtual Museum of Natural History
http://www.antbase.de/
“This website is
dedicated to the ants of Poring, Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, Malaysia, a
tropical rainforest with the world's highest ant diversity: 642 species of
ants from 82 genera and 8 subfamilies of the Formicidae have been found there.
In our virtual museum of natural history you find pictures of Aenictinae,
Cerapachyine, Dorylinae, Dolichoderinae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae,
and Pseudomyrmicinae.” By Martin Pfeiffer, University of Ulm (From Academic
Info)
Fruit Fly
Fight Club
http://labworks.hms.harvard.edu/
The Kravitz Lab Movie Page
http://www.hms.harvard.edu/bss/neuro/kravitz/moviepage.html
“Conflict
and violence, regrettably, seem to be a commonplace element of the human
condition, with certain epochs bearing witness to more of these two phenomena
and, some bearing witness to a relatively absence of these behaviors. In an
attempt to explain the biological factors behind such behaviors, Professor
Edward Kravitz and his colleagues at Harvard University have created this
witness which features fruit flies in intense combat in order to study these
types of behaviors. On the first site, visitors can watch fruit flies in
combat, listen to Professor Kravitz talk about the impetus and reasoning
behind such experiments, and learn more about these extremely compelling
studies. The second site leads to another set of dramatic short films that
document lobster fights and lobster ‘martial arts.’ Of course, information on
the various fights are ‘scored’ is also provided, along with video clips
demonstrating the different phases of each encounter. [KMG]” (From the Scout
Report)
The Science of Love
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/love/
What
chemicals captivate us, or affect us when we are captivated? What physical
characteristics work on our psyches to influence us in choosing a partner? How
do we flirt? Visit this interesting BBC website to learn the science behind
love.
State Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education
2003
http://www.ccsso.org/projects/Science_and_Mathematics_Education_Indicators/State_by_State_Report/
CCSSO
Releases Science and Math Education Indicators.
More students nationwide
are taking higher-level science courses, but the number of certified high
school science teachers is down, says a new report from the Council of Chief
State School Officers (CCSSO). State Indicators of Science and Mathematics
Education 2003, CCSSO's biennial report for its members, policymakers, and
other educators interested in the state of K-12 science and math education,
tracks state data on student achievement in math and science, trends in math
and science course enrollments, and teacher qualifications and compares the
2002 data to earlier studies.
Bayer Facts of Science Education X
http://www.bayerus.com/msms/news/facts/pdf/040511_Exec_Summary.pdf
Science
Still a “Second Tier” Subject, Say College Deans and New Elementary Teachers
Polled by Bayer Corp.
Science is still considered less important than
reading, writing, and math in many elementary classrooms -- and in many
teacher preparation programs -- says a new poll of 1,250 elementary educators
and education deans commissioned by the Bayer Corporation as part of its
ten-year science literacy outreach program, Making Science Make Sense. (From
NSTA Express)
Three Evolution
Reports from National Academy of Sciences
http://nap.edu/hawaii
The National Academy of
Sciences and the National Academies Press are disseminating to science
teachers free CD-ROMS and PDF files of three reports on evolution. Just visit
National Academies Press:
Evolution in Hawaii and complete a questionnaire, and you will receive a
free PDF file or CD-ROM of Evolution in Hawaii: A Supplement to Teaching About
Evolution and the Nature of Science (2004); Teaching About Evolution and the
Nature of Science (1998); and Science and Creationism: A View from the
National Academy of Sciences, 2nd ed. (1999).
Once you complete the questionnaire, you can choose to download a PDF of all three publications immediately or to request that a CD-ROM be sent to you (no shipping and handling fees will be charged). The questionnaire will help the National Academies Press and the National Academies' Center for Education learn more about teachers' needs and product preferences. A limited number of free copies are available, so act fast. (From NSTA Express)
Engineering Survey
http://www.engineeringk12.org/teachers/survey1.cfm
What
do you think about engineering as an academic discipline -- and as a
profession? NSTA and the American Society for Engineering Education want to
know! Please take about 10 minutes to complete the survey and thanks in
advance for your support.
American Experience: Golden Gate Bridge
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldengate/
American
Experience: Golden Gate Bridge
For those of us who've never built so much
as a dog house, just the thought of constructing a bridge can induce
migraines. Ah, but don't break out the Advil quite yet. This site from
American Experience offers a soothing look back at the construction and early
history of the world's most famous (and most photographed) suspension bridge,
the beautiful Golden Gate. As you'll discover, for Joseph Strauss, building
the Golden Gate was nearly as difficult as convincing local politicians to
approve its construction. In the end, it took four years and countless workers
to complete, but anyone who's been to the “seventh wonder of the modern world”
knows the headaches were well worth it. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Project
Ornithopter
http://www.ornithopter.net/
“This site provides
information about the ornithopter, an ‘aircraft that derives all of its thrust
and nearly all of its lift from flapping wings.’ Includes sections on the
history and mechanics of machines that try to copy the flight of birds, a list
of publications (including some online documents), photographs, videos, a
flight simulator, and related links. Also available in Italian. From the
University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies.” (From Librarian's
Index to the Internet)
Global Change Research - A Focus on Mountain
Ecosystems
http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/global.htm
These
webpages do not have a slick presentation, but they do have some very
interesting images, animations and discussion of the recession of glaciers
through time in Glacier National Park.
2004 Tropical Storm Forecast
http://tropical.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/
This
website provides updated forecasts on expected hurricane activity, and
presents an interactive map of the US which gives specific information for any
targeted area.
Dartmouth
Flood Observatory
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~floods/
“The Dartmouth
Flood Observatory produced this website as ‘a research tool for detection,
mapping, measurement, and analysis of extreme flood events world-wide using
satellite remote sensing.’ Users can learn about the Observatory's use of
microwave and optical satellite imaging to determine flooding and extreme low
flow conditions for various places throughout the world. Students and
researchers can discover how the observatory monitors wetland hydrology for
various places. Researchers can find archives of large flooding events from
1985 to the present. The web site features a variety of maps and satellite
images of floods. [RME]” (From the Scout Report)
Atmospheric Optics
http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/atoptics/phenom.htm
“Les
Cowley, a physicist and expert in atmospheric optics, developed this website
to share his knowledge about the visual spectacles produced by light
connecting with water drops, dust, and ice crystals. Students can discover how
and where the amazing displays are formed. The site is divided into five main
categories: Rays and Shadows, Water Droplets, Rainbows, Ice Halos, and High
Atmosphere. Within each topic, users can find an abundance of information and
amazing images of the particular spectacle. By downloading the HaloSim3
Software in the Ice Halo link, users can view simulations of common and rare
halos. Visitors will learn a lot about the atmosphere through this remarkable
website. [RME]” (From the Scout Report)
Asteroid Threat
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/solarsystem/asteroids/asteroidthreat.shtml
Increasing
numbers of near-Earth asteroids are being discovered. There are growing calls
for an international “Spaceguard” programme to determine whether a “near-Earth
object” might hit us soon. But what are the chances of an asteroid hitting
Earth? This BBC website has general information about asteroids, an FAQ, video
clips, an “Asteroid Attack” game, and more.
Chemistry.org Kids
http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=kids\index.html
The
American Chemical Society brings you this new website chock full of
interesting facts and activities, including the adventures of Meg A. Mole,
future chemist.
“Death Star”
on NOVA
http://www.pbs.org/nova/gamma/
“In 1967, a
United States satellite network intended to monitor Soviet compliance with the
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty detected unusual signals coming from outer space.
Defying astronomers' expectations, these turned out to be unimaginably violent
bursts of gamma-ray radiation located at the far edges of the known universe.
The titanic explosions are so far back in time that they conceal clues to the
birth of the very first stars and black holes, back when the cosmos had barely
begun. ‘Death Star’ is an intimate detective story of the quest by leading
astronomers to solve the riddle of the gamma-ray bursts -- the most energetic
events ever detected and brighter than a billion billion suns.”
Student Observation
Network: Tracking a Solar Storm
http://son.nasa.gov/
“At this NASA website,
students and educators can find numerous materials on the changes in the
activity of the sun. The site is divided into four topics: sunspotters, radio
waves, magnetosphere, and auroral friends. Within each of these components,
users can find fun and educational activities as well as information and data
from observatories and satellites. For instance, in the Sunspotters link,
students can learn how to make their own sunspot viewer and pinhole camera.
The Sun-Earth Viewer offers live images of the sun, interviews of scientists,
and astounding Macromedia Flash Player illustrations and visualizations. Users
can learn how to submit their own data to the website. Educators will find a
teacher's edition with helpful hints and suggestions. [RME]” (From the Scout
Report)
Delights of Chemistry
http://www.chem.leeds.ac.uk/delights/
“Developed
by the University of Leeds, the Delights of Chemistry promotes the art of
chemistry demonstrations. Users can find illustrations and explanations of
forty chemistry experiments. Many animations of demonstrations including the
magnesium lamp, thermite reaction, and the volcano reaction are available. The
website is full of pictures of chemistry equipment and scientists at work.
Through this site, students and educators are able to explore fun chemistry
experiments without having to worry about the many hazards associated with
working with chemicals. [RME]” (From the Scout Report)
Nick's
Mathematical Puzzles
http://www.qbyte.org/puzzles/
“We've still never
met Nick in person, but we surely do admire his web site. Pages and pages of
puzzles just waiting to be tackled by enterprising mathematical minds! Come
wrap your mind around the interestingly vexing situation of unobtuse
triangles, the differentiation conundrum, or the case of the absent-minded
professor's disappearing matches.” (From ENC's Digital Dozen)
Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World
Economy
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/
The
purpose of this site, which is a companion to a Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) series, “is to promote better understanding of globalization, world
trade and economic development, including the forces, values, events, and
ideas that have shaped the present global economic system.” The site features
the complete six-hour television program, a timeline from 1911 through 2003,
dozens of country reports, material about key individuals, a glossary, links,
and more. (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Technical Reports and Working Papers in Economics &
Business
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/techreps/techrepshome.php
“Source:
Business Reference Service, The Library of Congress New Compilation, Technical
Reports and Working Papers in Business and Economics From the site, ‘To
increase awareness of and access to valuable grey literature in business and
economics, the Library of Congress provides online access both through its
catalog and through these web pages to a growing number of working papers and
technical reports in the social sciences placed online by institutions
responsible for creating the reports.’ Many thanks to J.B. for the info.”
(From the Resource Shelf)
The following items are from Edupage. To subscribe to Edupage: send mail to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: subscribe edupage Anonymous (if your name is Anonymous; otherwise, substitute your own name). To unsubscribe send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: unsubscribe edupage. (If you have subscription problems, send mail to: manager@educom.unc.edu.)
PANEL CALLS FOR RESTRAINT IN DATA MINING
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/17/politics/17privacy.html
A
federal panel has written a report that calls on the Defense Department as
well as other areas of government to institute strong measures to protect
civil liberties in the context of data mining. Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld appointed the panel, called the Technology and Privacy Advisory
Committee, in early 2003 in response to criticisms of the Pentagon's
data-mining program, the Terrorism Information Awareness program. The panel's
report, which is expected to be released in about two weeks, says that
although the goals of data-mining programs are worthwhile, the government must
take steps to ensure that they do not infringe on individuals' privacy. The
panel also called on Congress, the president, and the courts to be involved in
efforts to safeguard personal privacy, as federal agencies sift through
databases with personally identifiable information, trying to combat
terrorism. Newton N. Minow, head of the panel and former chairman of the
Federal Communications Commission, noted that the panel's recommendations
would add a new burden of responsibility to the government but said that the
changes would enhance personal privacy and ultimately national security. One
panel member, William T. Coleman Jr. filed a dissent, stating that the panel's
proposals far exceed what is required by the Constitution, federal laws, or
former court decisions.
New York Times, 17 May 2004 (registration req'd)
via Edupage.
GAO FINDS WIDESPREAD DATA MINING
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,63623,00.html
A
report from the General Accounting Office (GAO) indicates that a broad range
of federal agencies are involved in data-mining programs, designed primarily
to improve the performance or services of that agency. Programs that use data
mining to fight terrorism accounted for the smallest number of the 199
programs identified by the GAO at 52 different federal agencies. Of the nearly
200 programs listed, 122 use personally identifiable information, according to
the GAO. Fifty-four of the programs use data supplied by private companies,
including credit card companies, and in 77 of the programs, federal agencies
share information with one another. The Defense Department sponsors the
largest number of data-mining programs. Coinciding with the GAO's report, the
Center for Democracy and Technology and the Heritage Foundation released their
recommendations for how data-mining programs can be used effectively without
sacrificing the privacy of individuals. The groups' report urges the federal
government to “anonymize” data to remove personally identifiable information;
to build secure systems that prevent unauthorized access to information; and
to include tools that record instances of unauthorized access or misuse of
information.
Wired News, 27 May 2004 via Edupage.
FORRESTER GIVES NEW ESTIMATES FOR OFFSHORING
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108474869663912901,00.html
A
new report from Forrester Research forecasts that a total of 830,000 jobs will
have been moved from the United States overseas by 2005. The new estimate
compares with about 600,000 projected by Forrester in November 2002. Despite
the increase, however, Forrester said the overall outlook for offshoring is
not substantially different from the earlier report's forecast. The company
had previously predicted a total of 3.3 million jobs sent overseas by 2015; it
now puts that number at 3.4 million. Forrester analyst John McCarthy said that
after the 2002 report, many companies began looking into offshoring and that
providers of such services have expanded their offerings.
Wall Street
Journal, 17 May 2004 (sub. req'd) via Edupage.
LAMBDARAIL ADDS SIX MEMBERS
http://chronicle.com/free/2004/06/2004060301n.htm
Developers
of the National LambdaRail, a fiber-optic network being built by a group of
research universities, this week announced the addition of six new members.
With the additions, the network will cover most of the United States. The
National LambdaRail network -- which has comparable speed to that of Abilene,
the network operated by Internet2 -- will transmit data at four separate
optical wavelengths, giving it four times the capacity of Abilene. Abilene is
currently the nation's fastest network. National LambdaRail will reportedly
expand its capacity to as much as 40 separate wavelengths, and groups of users
may one day be able to lease individual wavelengths on the network. Thomas W.
West, president and chief executive of National LambdaRail, said the
organization is selecting new members based on location in order to create
full coverage for the country. The new members are the Louisiana Board of
Regents, the Oklahoma State Board of Regents, the Texas Lonestar Education and
Research Network, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Cornell
University, and the University of New Mexico. Institutions must pay $5 million
over five years to join National LambdaRail.
Chronicle of Higher Education,
3 June 2004 via Edupage
MORE DEFINITION FOR HIGH-DEFINITION TV
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/technology/circuits/03next.html
Japanese
researchers are working on a successor to HDTV that they say is intended to be
so clear as to rival actually being in the place on TV. So-called Ultra High
Definition Video (UHDV) is expected to have a resolution of 7,680 by 4,320
pixels, for a total of 32 million pixels. This compares to just 2 million
pixels for HDTV. UHDV uses the same 16:9 ratio that HDTV uses, but it expands
the field of view from HDTV's 30 degrees to 100 degrees, the point at which,
according to one researcher, the “immersive sensation” reaches its peak. UHDV
also increases the channels for sound to more than 20. Developers of UHDV said
the technology has potential uses far beyond simple entertainment, including
art, medicine, and education. Limitations of the technology include the
ability of projection tools to create sufficient light contrast, and UHDV uses
an enormous amount of storage space and network bandwidth.
New York Times,
3 June 2004 (registration req'd) via Edupage
ACADEMIC PUBLISHER PURSUES OPEN ACCESS
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/news/0,12597,1230217,00.html
Academic
publisher Reed Elsevier has announced it will begin allowing a version of open
access publishing. Acknowledging ongoing demand from academics for a less
restrictive model for publishing scholarly work, Reed Elsevier will allow
authors whose work has been accepted for publication to post articles on their
own Web sites or those of their institutions. As standard practices for
academic publishing have been challenged by new media and means of
distribution, Reed Elsevier has come under increasing pressure to adapt its
practices and move away from the traditional subscription model, as a number
of other academic publishers have done. Still, the company's announcement did
not convince some critics. Deborah Cockerill of competitor BioMed Central said
Reed Elsevier's approach to open access publishing is based on controlling
access and retains so many restrictions as to pose no real threat to the
subscription model. On the other hand, Stevan Harnad, professor at the
University of Southampton and a strong supporter of open access, commended
Reed Elsevier for its change, saying that “the full benefits of open access
require not one bit more [from Reed Elsevier].”
The Guardian, 3 June 2004
via Edupage
Vancouver
to Moscow
http://www.vancouvertomoscow.com/
“ ‘No sails,
no engines -- just raw human energy.’ That's the mantra of these daring
travelers, one Russian and a pair of Canadians, who have set their sights on a
nine-month, man-powered odyssey to raise the profile of zero-emissions
transportation. Come June, with only their bike pedals, skis, and rowboat oars
to assist them, they will cross two continents and the treacherous Bering
Strait, all the while chronicling their adventures and cultural encounters
with photo galleries and a weblog. As Colin, Tim, and Olya see the journey,
it's a fun and healthy way to demonstrate how everyday people can combat
climate change. Their challenge to us is simple: If they can propel themselves
across 11,000-plus miles on elbow grease alone, will you propel yourself to
work or school?” (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Eavesdropping on Cicadas
http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1910488
What
do cicadas actually talk about when the emerge after 17 years?
All items from the Scout Report are copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-2004. 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.
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