Sunday, November 02, 2008
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ECP Network Newsletters


====== Research and Education ====

1.  Molecular Movies: A Portal to Cell & Molecular Animation [Quick Time]
http://www.molecularmovies.com/

The Scout Report is always on the lookout for new and compelling
instructional materials in the sciences, and this new website of cell and
molecular animations is a worthy find. The Molecular Movies site presents an
organized directory of various animations, along with original tutorials for
life science professionals who are learning 3D visualization techniques.
These materials are divided into the following sections: "Showcase",
"Learning", "Toolkit", and "News". The "Showcase" area contains animations
listed by scientific area or individual animator or design studio.
Currently, there are well over fifty animations offered here which
demonstrate everything from cell invasions to DNA replication. Next up are
the visualization tutorials (located in the "Learning" area), which allow
users to learn about the techniques used in making such lovely animations.
Visitors can browse these tutorials by skill level, software type, or topic
area. Before leaving the site, visitors should also check out the site
weblog for further updates and links to other related works. [KMG]


2.  Global Strategy and Organization [pdf]
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-220Spring-
2008/CourseHome/index.htm

There's no time like the present to learn about global strategy and
organization, and such edification is possible via this nice set of
resources offered courtesy of MIT's OpenCourseWare initiative. This
particular course is titled "Global Strategy and Organization" and it
contains materials offered by Professor Donald Lessard's Spring 2008 version
of this course. The primary goal of the course is "to provide the
foundations for taking effective action in the multi-layered world of
international business." On the course page, visitors will find a syllabus,
readings, lecture notes, and various assignments. Of course, visitors who
know they want all of these materials can just click on the "Download Course
Materials" to download all of the above files. [KMG]


3.  Podcasts from the Society for Applied Anthropology & the University of
North Texas [iTunes]
http://sfaapodcasts.net/

The Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) has moved into the world of
podcasts quite nicely with this fine set of talks, lectures, and discussions
culled from their annual meetings. The site was created and is currently
maintained by Jen Cardew, a master's student in applied business
anthropology at the University of North Texas. Those individuals who've
never listened (or heard about) podcasts or weblogs may wish to first visit
the "About Podcasts & Blogs" area on the homepage.  After that, visitors can
click on the "Short Cut to Podcasts" area to move directly to the podcasts,
which include "Working with Governmental Agencies", "Mobile Work, Mobile
Lives: Cultural Accounts of Lived Experiences", and "Embodied Danger: The
Health Costs of War and Political Violence". All told, there are over two
dozen podcasts currently available here, and more are on the way. Finally,
visitors can sign up for their RSS feed here as well. [KMG]


4.  The Bidding Game [pdf]
http://www.beyonddiscovery.org/content/view.article.asp?a=3681

At a big auction, most people expect to see fine rugs, statues, and many
other high profile items. In 1994, the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) began to auction off something a bit more abstract, yet just as
important: a section of the electromagnetic spectrum for a new generation of
cell phones, pagers, and other such devices. That particular auction is the
starting point for this interesting article on the world of game theory
created for the "Beyond Discovery" website. Offered as an educational
resource, courtesy of the National Science Foundation, the article takes an
interactive look into how game theory has been applied in a variety of
settings, including auctions of all shapes and sizes. The article is divided
into six thematic sections, including "The Rules of the Game" and "The
Winner's Curse". Each section contains an explanation of a different aspect
of game theory, written in lucid and jargon-free prose. At the bottom of
each explanation, visitors are directed to other relevant online resources.
Overall, it's a fine resource, and one that could be used in any number of
courses, including economics, statistics, or finance. [KMG]


5.  Pure and Applied Chemistry [pdf]
http://www.iupac.org/publications/pac/

Established in 1960, the journal Pure and Applied Chemistry is committed to
publishing notable research papers arising from various international
scientific events and projects that are sponsored by the International Union
of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). First-time visitors can view the
"News" area to learn about the most recent work published in the journal,
and then they may wish to move on to the embedded search engine displayed
prominently on the homepage. Other sections on the site include "Editorial
Board", "Notes For Authors", and "Publication Policy". Visitors with a deep
and abiding interest in the journal may also wish to consult their RSS
feeds, which include those related to the publication of new articles and
reports from the IUPAC. Finally, the site also contains a drop down menu
titled "PAC Archives" where visitors can browse the contents of each volume.
[KMG]


6.  Stereoviews of the French Second Empire, ca. 1855-1870
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/History/subcollections/StereoFranceAbout.html

Emperor Napoleon III cast a great shadow over France during his reign in the
middle of the 19th century, and he brought a tremendous amount of change to
the nation. Not all of that change was welcome, and some of it took the form
of massive urban projects, such as the rebuilding of Paris. This lovely
online collection created by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections
group brings together 201 remarkable stereoviews from the Second Empire
period. For those who might not be acquainted with such matters, stereoviews
are created through the use of stereoscopy, which is a technique used to
create the illusion of depth by presenting two images to the eyes. Each
image is taken from a slightly different perspective, and the resulting
images, when viewed through a stereoscope, appear three-dimensional.
Visitors to the site can browse through the images at their leisure, and
they will find documentation of Notre Dame, the Arc De Triomphe, and the
Boulevard de Strasbourg here. Those persons with an interest in urban
infrastructure and the creation of modern Paris will find much to admire and
enjoy here. [KMG]


7.  Cultivating Demand for the Arts: Arts Learning, Arts Engagement, and
State Arts Policy [pdf]
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG640.pdf

How can governments stimulate interest and demand in the arts?  This
compelling report from the RAND Corporation takes a close look at how well
institutions in the United States cultivate demand for the arts and whether
they should make this a higher priority item in the future. Authored by
Laura Zakaras and Julia F. Lowell, this 151-page report was released in
September 2008 and it contains six chapters that include "The Support
Infrastructure for Youth Arts Learning" and "Enabling Individual Engagement
with Works of Art". In the report the authors argue, "arts policies have
long focused on supporting supply and expanding access while neglecting
demand, which calls for cultivating the capacity of individuals to have
engaging experiences with the arts." By the conclusion of their work, the
authors conclude that "greater investment in comprehensive arts learning,
particularly for the young is the most effective strategy for building
demand." It's an intriguing proposition, and one that will be of great
interest to arts administrators, policy analysts, and education specialists.
[KMG]


8.  UNdata [pdf]
http://data.un.org/

The United Nations (UN) website contains a tremendous amount of data, and
for some new users (and even those who are more experienced), it may be a
bit overwhelming. Recently, the UN created this fine website designed to
assist those who might need a bit of assistance with this whole process. On
the UN Data site, visitors can simply type in their search terms, look over
a list of popular searches, and even take a look at their "News" section,
which offers up a selection of helpful recent additions. Further down on the
homepage, visitors can look through the "Database Coverage" area. Here they
can take advantage of some specially culled statistics, including data sets
related to the World Health Organization (WHO), refugees, industrial
commodities, and children. The site is rounded out by a "Glossary" section,
which offers a nice summary of each term that might be encountered while
utilizing the site. [KMG]



====== General Interest ====

9.  Great Conversations in Music [Real Player]
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/greatconversations/great-home.html

Before he died in 2003, the late classical musician Eugene Istomin sat down
with some of his musical compatriots to record a series of programs titled
"Great Conversations in Music". These four wonderful programs are included
here on this website, which is maintained by the Library of Congress. The
programs were produced and directed by Peter Rosen, and visitors may wish to
start their travels through the site by reading a bit about Istomin in the
short essay titled "Remembering Eugene Istomin". Moving on, visitors will
find the full-length programs "The Pianists", "The Composers", "Chamber
Music", and "The Virtuosos". Each program contains performances and
conversations with people like Emmanuel Ax, Leon Fleisher, Charles Rosen,
Lynn Harrell, and Yo-Yo Ma. [KMG]


10. SoundAboutPhilly [iTunes]
http://www.gophila.com/soundabout/

Some Scout Report readers may know about "The Sound of Philadelphia", but
have they ever encountered the "SoundAboutPhilly" site? If they haven't,
they will want to do so at their earliest convenience. This series of
"sound-seeing" tours are told by real-life Philadelphians, and dynamic
mapping features, audio, text, and photographs accompany these lively tours.
This whole project is sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism
Marketing Corporation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The tours present a
heady brew of Philadelphia lore, past and present, and visitors can wander
through offerings like "History Unplugged", "Philly Noir", and "My Philly".
Anyone who knows anything about Philadelphia will not want to miss
"Philadelphia Flavorhoods", as it will take them through the flavorful
haunts of Chinatown, the Reading Terminal Market, and the famous corner of
9th and Passyunk. [KMG]


11. Tarahumara People: National Geographic Magazine
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/tarahumara-people/gorney-text

The Tarahumara people of northern Mexico are well known for their long-
distance running ability, and they have survived a variety of challenges
over the past five hundred years, including the influx of Spanish
conquistadors into their region. Recently, National Geographic sent Cynthia
Gorney and photographer Robb Kendrick to take an investigative look into
this unique group of people. Visitors can read their account here on this
interactive feature, which contains both the published text and the
accompanying photographs. The article looks at how the Tarahumara are coping
with the increasing pressures of modernity, along with offering some
commentary on their own cultural and social milieu. Additionally, visitors
should not miss the GeoPedia article on the Tarahumara, as it features other
online resources about them and an extensive bibliography. [KMG]


12. Le Garde-meuble
http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Art-Design/garde-meuble/

The Smithsonian Institute Libraries has placed their ten-year collection of
Le Garde-meuble, a bi-monthly periodical interior decoration publication
from France, online here.  The collection covers the early years of the
periodical, 1841-1851, and consists of more than 400 images. Clicking on
"Explore the Collection" at the top of the homepage takes visitors to a
search page that allows them to browse by "Style/Period of Furniture," "Type
of Furniture" or "Volume".  The type of furniture search feature is divided
up into the broad categories of "Floor Plans", "Window Treatments",
"Furniture-Casework", and "Furniture-Seating."  Clicking on a broad category
of furniture, such as "Sofas", under "Furniture-Seating", will allow you to
choose a specific type of sofa, like "Chaises Lounges" and "Loveseats," or
you can just choose "Show All."  Once you've chosen the specific category
you would like to see, click on it to see thumbnails, and then click on an
individual image to see a beautiful color illustration that is so detailed
and exquisite that even the shadows the furniture would cast are present in
the drawings.  Visitors shouldn't miss the "Beds (furniture)" category,
under "Furniture-Casework," to see elaborate beds with canopies and curtains
galore.  Clicking on "Show All" will lead you to these sleep thrones. [KMG]


13. USDA: Animal Welfare Information Center [pdf]
http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=3&tax_level=1

The USDA's Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) was mandated by the
Animal Welfare Act, and the website contains everything from current animal
issues to workshops for those in industries that utilize animals to
licensing forms.  Specifically, the AWIC is designed "to regulate and
improve care of animals in research, testing, teaching, and exhibition." The
site includes the proposed government rules about animal welfare that are in
their public comment period, and how and where to submit your comment.
Visitors can click on "In The News" to see all the animal-related rules that
are in their public comment period.  If visitors want to learn about the
origins of veterinary medicine, they can click on "Companion Animals" on the
left side of the homepage to find a link to "Veterinary History Resources at
the National Agricultural Library". Finally, AWIC provides very important
information and resources on alternatives to animal testing, under
"Alternatives," on the left side of the homepage. Here visitors will find
links to websites that explain the principles of alternatives to animal
testing, as well as several papers from conferences that address the issue.
[KMG]


14. Zorba Paster on Your Health [Real Player]
http://www.wpr.org/zorba/

Family doctor Zorba Paster's Wisconsin Public Radio show is healthcare's
answer to Tom and Ray Magliozzi's Car Talk.  Zorba Paster and his sidekick
Tom Clark answer calls from listeners about healthy living, with a big shot
of humor.  Dr. Paster's website links directly from its host's site,
Wisconsin Public Radio.  To listen to his current show click on "Listen to
show," on the left side of the page, to see a link to the current show and
the three most recent shows.  To listen to older broadcasts, click on
"Browse Show Archives" and check out an archive of his shows beginning
October 27, 2007.  If you want some heart healthy recipes to savor, click on
"Recipes" on the left side of the page to see recipes sent in by listeners,
as well as from the good doctor himself.  Each recipe includes complete
nutritional information as well.  Visitors shouldn't miss the "Resources"
link on the left side of the page, for a slew of health-related web links
plus articles by and about Dr. Zorba, such as "Vitamin D FAQ" and "Dr. Zorba
Goes to Washington".  Visitors should also check out "Past Featured
Resources" for entries like "Tips for Condensed Soy Milk" and "Workplace
Ergonomic Links".  [KMG]


15. Caribbean Views: Personal Selections by Mike Phillips [Macromedia Flash
Player]
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/carviewsvirtex/index.html

In this online gallery of the British Library, they have taken an
interesting approach to highlighting one of their collections.  They asked
Mike Phillips, an author and historian born in Guyana, to comment and react
to their large British West Indies collection.
There are illustrations, maps, and pages of text from books written during
the period of colonization, all with explanations and responses from
Phillips.  Although the images are interesting, Phillips' narrative is far
more so, and it's like having your own curator walk you through this
exhibit.  And a curator, no less, who knows firsthand the painfulness of
what the images represent.  Interestingly, in his narrative in the section
titled "A Personal Journey" he points out that while the illustrations of
the slave trade in the books in the collection, are rather "sanitized" and
don't depict the brutal reality of the treatment of slaves, the text of the
books is very honest in its description of the brutality toward the slaves.
Visitors can zoom in on each image as well as navigate with great ease
within the image.  Each image is of excellent quality, and can be printed
out at full size.  Finally, visitors who are interested in reading a brief
description of Mike Phillips can click on a link at the bottom of the
homepage. [KMG]


16. Face-to-Face blog - Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (NPG)
http://face2face.si.edu/

Online for less than a year, Face-to-Face is written by a team of National
Portrait Gallery staff members with diverse responsibilities, from web
design to curatorial. The blog is "dedicated to art, history, and the
telling of American lives." There are four categories on Face-to-Face:
Biography, Events, Exhibitions and News. "Biography" currently features an
article series on presidential trivia, just in time for the election and
"Exhibitions" provides coverage of current and recent exhibits, including
"RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture", "KATE" - celebrating
Katherine Hepburn's 100th birthday, and the saga of the reinstallation of
the painting <i>Grant and His Generals</i> by Ole Peter Hansen Balling, oil
on canvas, 1865, when NPG re-opened in 2006 after 6 years of renovation. And
of course, since it's a blog, interested readers can sign up for the RSS
feed of Face-to-Face, so as not to miss a thing. [DS]

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