GeoSearch News
http://geosearch.metacarta.com/
The explosion of geospatial computer applications and their ilk has been exciting in recent years. The MetaCarta company recently created the GeoSearchNews site, and it’s one that visitors may find themselves spending a bit of time with while online. The site pulls news stories from a wide range of sources, geocodes them appropriately, and then allows users to view the locations on an interactive map. Users can type in a location and zoom in on a range of recent news articles and stories. Using the search engine, visitors can also specify their date range and their general region of interest. Currently, visitors can look all over the globe, and the site also includes a FAQ section for general consultation.
Google Earth 4.3
http://earth.google.com/
If visitors haven’t already taken a look through Google Earth, the new version of this mapping application may pique their interest. The visual interface for the application displays a rendering of the globe, and return visitors will notice that the control panel is now translucent and rests in a corner of the map. The application also integrates with Google’s 3-D rendering program, so users can place their new building in a real-life setting to see how it looks in context. This version is compatible with Mac OS X 10.4.
World Press Freedom Committee
http://www.wpfc.org/
As concern about the safety of journalists around the world continues to grow, a number of international organizations remain dedicated to this particular issue. The World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC) is interested in this issue, along with monitoring press freedom issues at the United Nations and other related activities. The information on their site is divided into sections that include “Fundamentals”, “Programs”, “Publications”, and “News”. First-time visitors should stop by the “Fundamentals” area to learn more about the basic international documents related to various press freedoms around the world. Moving on, the “Programs” area contains detailed information on their “Fund Against Censorship” initiative and their work in the area of Internet press freedom. Most scholars and working journalists will want to spend a bit of time in their “Publications” area. Here they will find recent work on press freedoms in the world of new media and the 2007 report “It’s a Crime: How Insult Laws Stifle Press Freedom”. The site is rounded out by an RSS feed and a news media center with recent press releases.
Taking Back Our Fiscal Future
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2008/04_fiscal_future/04_fiscal_future.pdf
The long-term fiscal outlook of the United States is the subject of this probing and insightful paper released by The Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation in April 2008. Authored by a group of scholars and experts who span the ideological spectrum, they all share “a deep concern about the nation’s long-term fiscal outlook.” They seem to agree on a number of things, including that “unsustainable deficits in the federal budget threaten the health and vigor of the American economy.” In this work, they offer a number of proposals for change, including offering up the suggestion that Congress and the president “enact explicit long-term budgets for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security that are sustainable.” The report will be a valuable find for many, including students of public policy, economists, and those in government.
Garibaldi and the Risorgimento
http://dl.lib.brown.edu/garibaldi/
Known as the “Hero of the Two Worlds” due to his military exploits in South America and Europe, Giuseppe Garibaldi played a key role in the Risorgimento in Italy. This movement effectively united the various political states that existed within the Italian peninsula during the nineteenth century. This excellent digital archive, created by the Brown University Library’s Center for Digital Initiative, offers a broad range of materials related to Garibaldi and his various deeds. Perhaps the key element of this fine collection is a dynamic visualization of the library’s Garibaldi panorama, which was a form of public art that was rather prominent throughout the nineteenth century. The panorama is essentially a vast linear canvas that portrayed and interpreted events and subjects from history. Here visitors can learn about the digitization process, view an animation of the panorama, and view a fifty-minute documentary about the panorama. Visitors can also view a selection of depictions of military figures from the Risorgimento. Overall, this is a fascinating exhibition, and one that will warrant several visits.
Copyright 2008 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu
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