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) or visit the Web
version of the Scout Report. Subscription instructions are included at the
end of each report.
http://rs.internic.net/scout/report
National Science Foundation grants available
The National Science Foundation has announced a new "Connections to the
Internet" program. The new grant program will encourage U.S. research
and education institutions and facilities to connect to the Internet and
to establish high performance connections to support selected meritorious
applications. It updates and revises NSF 90-7, Connections to NSFNET, and
includes three connections categories: a) connections for K-12
institutions, libraries, and museums that utilize innovative technologies
for Internet access; b) new connections for higher education
institutions; c) connections for research and education institutions and
facilities that have meritorious applications with special network
requirements (such as high bandwidth and/or bounded latency) that cannot
readily be met through commodity network service providers. Grantees will
be expected to collaborate with their campus, regional and national
providers on these issues and may or may not make use of the vBNS as part
of their connection. The first round of proposals is due at NSF by May
15, 1996. After that, grant rounds will take place twice a year, on Jan.
31 and July 31. For details see the Web site below for the full
announcement offered in multiple formats, and a Frequently Asked
Questions document. Or contact Mark Luker, NSF, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Room 1175, Arlington, VA 22230, telephone 703 306-1949, or at
mluker@nsf.gov, and ask for
instructions to
submit a proposal for the Internet Connection Grants.
http://www.cise.nsf.gov/cise/ncri/connect96.html
[Back to Contents]
Colorado River Flooding in the Grand Canyon
The controlled flood of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon can be
monitored in real time on the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Web site.
Starting on March 26 and continuing for seven days, the Bureau of
Reclamation (BOR) is releasing approximately 45,000 cubic feet of water
per second from Glen Canyon Dam. Line graphs of provisional stream flow
data at 15 sites in Arizona are being made available in real time on
the Internet via satellite telemetry technology. "This controlled flood
will provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the usefulness of
the real-time network during flooding conditions." Historical stream
flow data is also available, as are calculated hydrographs, channel sand
data, and detailed fact sheets on the rationale of the study and data
collection methods.
http://wwwdaztcn.wr.usgs.gov/
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Mad Scientist Network
The Mad Scientist Network, provided by Washington University at St. Louis
Medical School, is a Web based "ask a scientist" forum. You ask a
question, and a scientist answers it. Answers are usually concise. The
expert scientists include high school teachers, university faculty, and
others. Both questions and answers are submitted via Web forms. A
browsable and searchable question and answer archive is maintained.
Scientists interested in joining the Mad Scientist Network will find
information at the site. The Mad Scientist Network is part of the St.
Louis Science Education Network.
http://pharmdec.wustl.edu/YSP/MAD.SCI/MAD.SCI.html
Scientists interested in participating:
http://pharmdec.wustl.edu/YSP/MAD.SCI/wu/rec.html
List of "Mad Scientists":
http://pharmdec.wustl.edu/cgi-bin/YSP/mad.scilist
[Back to Contents]
Opportunity Alert, from the Federal Information
Exchange
Opportunity Alert is a free e-mail service that delivers items about
research and education funding opportunities within a user's areas of
interest. A forms based questionnaire is provided that allows the user to
customize the items received by choosing keywords from among thirteen
subject categories. Once this registration procedure is completed,
announcements of funding opportunities are automatically delivered via
e-mail. The announcement includes information about the funding and a
pointer to the FEDIX URL with complete information. A service of the
Federal Information Exchange, Opportunity Alert is an excellent way to
keep appraised of FEDIX's funding opportunities for research and
education.
http://nscp.fie.com/wincgi/fed/all/any/any/foa/any/keywords.exe/Menu
[Back to Contents]
Directory of Scholarly and Professional E-Conferences,
Revised
The "10th Revision Directory of Scholarly and Professional
E-Conferences," by Diane K. Kovacs and the Directory Team, is now
available. "E-conference" is the umbrella term that includes discussion
lists, Internet interest groups, Usenet newsgroups, forums, and other
networked conferencing methods. New in the 10th Revision are the
text-based virtual reality systems known as MUDS, MOO'S, Muck's, Mushes,
etc. that are used primarily for scholarly, pedagogical or professional
activities. " Scholarly e-conferences in over 50 subjects, from
agriculture to women's studies, are available. Discussion names, topics,
and access instructions are provided in each citation.
http://www.n2h2.com/KOVACS
gopher://gopher.usask.ca:70/11/Computing/Internet%20
Information/Directory%20of%20Scholarly%20Electronic%20Conferences
gopher to: gopher.usask.ca
Select: Computing/Internet Information/Directory of Scholarly Electronic
Conferences
Email access instructions to the Directory can be found in the "What is
Directory" file at the Web site (under "How to Access"), or under the
"Read Me" menu at the gopher site.
[Back to Contents]
University Wire
University Wire is a daily Internet news service for college newspapers.
Included are a story of the day, a large list of pointers to Internet
resources in topics such as current headlines, politics, medicine and
health, and women's resources; a "Kopyedit Korner," with pointers to
writing reference materials; a placement center with job openings lists
for college journalists; a large selection of pointers to college
newspapers; and pointers to general circulation newspapers. Pointers to
student and professional journalism organizations, as well as a calendar
of journalism related events, are also provided. University Wire is a
service of The Main Quad.
http://www.mainquad.com/uwire/
[Back to Contents]
The Psychology of the Internet: Research & Theory
discussion list
The Psychology of the Internet: Research & Theory discussion list will
discuss research and theory on the psychology of the Internet. The topics
that are appropriate to this list are broadly defined, but can include
such things as: how to conduct psychological research via the Internet;
theory behind virtual support groups; on-line psychotherapy; "Internet
Addiction Disorder"; and the psychology of various on-line phenomenon,
such as flame wars, relationships, etc. All who are interested in
participating in this type of discussion are encouraged to subscribe. It
is polite to send an introductory message to the list introducing
yourself, a little bit about your background, and what you might hope to
gain from participation on the list.
Send email to:
LISTPROC@CMHC.COM
In the body of the message type:
SUBSCRIBE RESEARCH yourfirstname yourlastname
[Back to Contents]
The Global Library exhibit at the New York Public
Library
The Global Library, a New York Public Library real and virtual exhibit in
honor of the library's centennial, is underway now and until August 17.
In the words of the exhibit's curator, Paul Evan Peters of the Coalition
for Networked Information, "...it presents the digital revolution within
the context of a 5,000 year history of communications... and a timeline
of seminal moments in the history of humankind's collective memory of
accumulated knowledge and received wisdom." The virtual exhibit features
an explanation of the Web site, "Collective Memory", a multimedia exhibit
that covers such subjects as "Leaving a Mark," "Honoring Ideas," "Books,"
"Moveable Type," "Technology and Culture," and "Promoting Creativity,"
among others; an eclectic tour of over 100 Web sites from A to Z; and a
"Questions about the Future" section, featuring interactive bulletin
boards on six topics. Suggested reading lists are available in both the
"Collective Memory" and "Questions About the Future" sections. For those
who will be in New York between now and August 17, 1996, exhibit hours
and information are available.
http://globallib.nypl.org/
[Back to Contents]
Life on the Internet (PBS)
The "Age of the Internet" has arrived and already it touches virtually
every aspect of life - from medicine and religion to entertainment and
publishing. It has affected the way people communicate and how they relate
to one another, and has raised sensitive issues of privacy and national
security. In April 1996 (check local listings), PBS presents LIFE ON THE
INTERNET, a new 13-part series about the World Wide Web and the millions
of people who use it every day. Each half-hour episode centers on a single
topic, approaching it with depth and focus. Scott Simon of National Public
Radio's "Weekend Edition Saturday" hosts.
http://www.pbs.org/april96/internetaprilpr.html
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Partnerships Against Violence (PAVNET)
Pavnet Online, the Web site of Partnerships Against Violence, is a U.S.
government interagency resource created to provide information about
effective violence prevention initiatives. Included are 100 federal and
foundation funding sources, 500 program descriptions and contact sources,
and 300 consultation and training programs. Also provided are resource
and curriculum guides, pointers to other criminal justice sites, and
violence resources. In addition, PAVNET sponsors an email
discussion group to help determine its future direction. The Pavnet
Online Web site is an enhancement to an existing, searchable Pavnet
gopher site.
http://www.pavnet.org/
gopher://cyfer.esusda.gov:70/11/violence/
Gopher to cyfer.esusda.gov
Select: PAVNET ONLINE: Partnerships against violence
Pavnet discussion list:
http://www.nalusda.gov:8001/cgi/bin/lwgate/pavnet
Or send email to:
majordomo@nalusda.gov
In the body of the message type:
subscribe pavnet
[Back to Contents]
Mad Cow Disease
Mark Varner, Extension Dairy Scientist at the University of Maryland, is
providing a Web page of links on bSE, Spongiform Encephalopathies -- Mad
Cow Disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human brain disease that
has been linked to Mad Cow disease. The page consists of resources
organized by country -- UK, US, and Canada -- and scientific background
on bSE and CJD.
http://dairy.umd.edu/varner/bse.html
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High Bandwidth Page
The High Bandwidth Page is a good starting point for those who have
decided it's time they learn more about all the hoopla surrounding
high-bandwidth Internet access, especially to the home. The page provides
links to extensive information about cable modems, ISDN, and the newest
group of letters to hit the Net: ADSL. Also provided are sections on
video telephones and general articles related to high bandwidth. A good
individual effort by Gary Zaret.
http://plainfield.bypass.com/~gzaret/hiband.html
[Back to Contents]
The Masters Tournament
Masters96.com, presented by the Augusta Chronicle and Sports Illustrated
Online, lets the user virtually follow this year's Masters Golf
Tournament and provides extensive information about golf as well. When
the Masters gets underway on April 11, updated leaderboards will be
provided. At present it provides leaderboards from tournaments currently
underway. A photo and video archive of past Masters tournaments is
available, as well as a hole by hole course tour of Augusta National Golf
Course. During the tournament daily RealAudio interviews will be
available. The latest golf news is available as well as PGA statistics
and Masters scoring records; a history of the tournament with stories
from the Augusta Chronicle from 1934-1995 and from Sports Illustrated from
1955-1995; and stories on "legends of golf" such as Gene Sarazen, Arnold
Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus. The site is accessible from any of three
URL's.
http://www.masters96.com/
http://masters96.com/
http://pathfinder.com/@@Nk14ebJltwIAQAmu/si/masters96/
[Back to Contents]
The Whole Internet... By E-Mail
"Dr. Bob" Rankin has recently updated "The Whole Internet... By E-Mail,"
a comprehensive guide for using email to access all types of Internet
sites. The guide provides examples of email access to information
available on FTP, Gopher, WWW, Usenet, WAIS, Listserv, Finger, and
"Directory Assistance" (Whois and Netfind) sites. If a user lacks full
Internet connectivity but wishes to take advantage of the complete array
of Internet resources, this guide is for them. It also provides
instructions for accessing several miscellaneous Internet information
sources via email, including dictionary lookup, sending a fax, sources of
U.S. government information, Internet patent news service, currency
conversion, virus protection software, and Internet Service Providers by
area code. "The Whole Internet...By E-Mail" has been translated into over
25 languages. Foreign language access instructions are in the guide.
http://www1.mhv.net/~bobrankin/inetbook.txt
http://www.vip.at/cfeichtner/InternetByEmail.htm
>From the Scout Toolkit:
http://rs.internic.net/scout/toolkit/3d7.html
>Via email from the North or South America:
Send email to:
mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu
In the body of the message type:
send
usenet/news.answers/internet-services/access-via-email
>From Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia:
Send email to:
mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk
In the body of the message type:
send lis-iis e-access-inet.tx
[Back to Contents]
NYNEX Interactive Yellow Pages
BigYellow, provided by NYNEX Information Technologies, is a U.S. national
yellow pages phone directory of over 16 million businesses. The user can
search by city, state, address, business category, and business name.
Results provide name, address, and phone number. BigYellow is a work in
progress, and some of its features, such as the business category
feature, are not yet mature.
http://www.bigyellow.com/
Text only:
http://s15.bigyellow.com/t_service/t_home.html
[Back to Contents]
New in the Scout Toolkit:
search.com--A "meta searcher" that allows you to search any of over
250 searching engines based on subject interest. Can be found under
"Search Tools," "Searchable Indexes."
http://rs.internic.net/scout/toolkit/3b1-9.html
Four11--An email directory with over five million listings.
Can be found under "Search Tools," "Specialized Directories."
http://rs.internic.net/scout/toolkit/3b4-13.html
Switchboard--An online national directory of 90 million residential
and 10 million business phone numbers. Can be Found under "Search
Tools," "Specialized Directories."
http://rs.internic.net/scout/toolkit/3b4-14.html
"The Whole Internet... By E-Mail"--See above. Can be found under
"Specialized Tools."
[Back to Contents]
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Copyright Susan Calcari, 1996. 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.