El Dorado County Library's What's New on the Internet for the Week of March 10th, 2008

What's Hot on the Internet This Week
Week of March 10th, 2008
The arrow indicates a recommended site and a points to a site with local information.

Internal Revenue Service: Economic Stimulus Payments Information Center

(Updated March, 6, 2008) "Starting in May, the Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus payments to more than 130 million households. To receive a payment, taxpayers must have a valid Social Security number, $3,000 of income and file a 2007 federal tax return. IRS will take care of the rest. Eligible people will receive up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples), and parents will receive an additional $300 for each eligible child younger than 17. Millions of retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage workers who usually are exempt from filing a tax return must do so this year in order to receive a stimulus payment. But there are more details to know about. Find out more here and visit this page regularly for the latest updates." (Subject(s): Taxes)

America on Stone: the Harry T. Peter's Collection: "The 'America on Stone' Collection comprises 1,686 prints acquired by Harry T. Peters (1881-1948), a wealthy New York coal merchant and sportsman, in the course of his research on 19th-century lithography. His first book, Currier & Ives, Printmakers to the American People (1929), covered the country's best-known firm, but Peters also gathered prints representing the work of other lithographers, and he published America on Stone: the Other Printmakers to the American People in 1931.The collection donated to the Smithsonian in 1960 includes examples of the prints and printmakers identified in that book... The prints offer direct pictorial evidence of subjects and treatments used for advertising, illustration, home or business decoration, and "moral improvement" or instruction. The prints could be crude and simple or tasteful and worldly, commissioned for a specific purpose or printed for a wide audience. Sarcastic political caricatures and sentimental courtship scenes represent only two facets of the complex imagery found in the collection. Many prints feature horses and sporting subjects that were widely popular in the 19th century and with Peters and his social set. While distinctly one man's gathering, the collection is broadly representative of works produced and enjoyed in their day, and as such they present a vivid impression of 19th-century life." (Subject(s): Lithographs--19th Century--United States)
Awesome Africa Home Page - A Photo Gallery For Our Wonderful Continent: "Welcome to South Africa -land of contrasts and cultural diversity. From the lush, indigenous forests of the Garden Route to the dry plains of the Karoo; from the bright lights and vibrant city life of Johannesburg to the quiet and solitude of small coastal fishing villages. A rich and diverse cultural background and a combination of people from all walks of life weaves the colourful tapestry of South Africa's history. Explore the Cape Peninsula and the winelands of Constantia, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek or soak up the sun on one of South Africa's many golden beaches. Choose from a host of leisure, sports and adventure activities or enjoy a round of golf at one of the many world-class golf courses." (Subject(s): South Africa--Photographs)
BookRags: "BookRags is the premier research site for students, with over 5.8 million pages of literature summaries, biographies, literary criticism, essays, encyclopedias, and eBooks sourced from over 100 respected education databases." "BookRags was founded in 1999 by two recent college graduates interested in providing on-demand educational resources to students around the world. Launched with just 40 book notes, BookRags has expanded over the past seven years into one of the largest, most respected student education websites... " (NOTE: This is pay-for-view Website. Only some of the content is available for free!) (Subject(s): Literature)
California Dropout Research Project (CDRP): "A series of recent reports suggest that fewer than 75 percent of ninth graders in California graduate from high school, and the percentage in some districts is fewer than 50 percent [1]. The social and economic welfare of the state depends on finding a solution to this educational crisis. The purpose of this project is to synthesize existing research and undertake new research to inform policymakers and the larger public about the nature of—and potential solutions to—the dropout problem in California. The project will produce a series of reports and policy briefs addressing four facets of the issue: (1) the measurement and incidence of dropping out; (2) the educational, social, and economic costs of dropouts for individuals and the state; (3) the short-term and long-term causes of dropping out; and (4) proven interventions. Drawing on this information, a policy committee composed of researchers, policymakers, and educators will then draft a state policy agenda to improve California's high school graduation rate." (Subject(s): Education--California)
Calvin Photographic Collection: "During the mid-1800's photography became a popular hobby and natural tool for scientists. Samuel Calvin, Professor of Natural Sciences at the University of Iowa (1873-1911) and State Geologist, took more than 5,000 glass plate negatives, which he used to illustrate specific geological features for class instruction, public lectures, and publications. The photographic techniques are of high quality, and the images are as aesthetically pleasing as they are geologically informative. In addition to geological landscapes and features, Calvin documented mines, quarries, mills, and other buildings. The collection also contains portraits of his family, colleagues, and classes in the field. While Calvin may have taken most photographs to exhibit geological features, the images are beautifully composed. Calvin did the developing himself, producing rich blacks and a full range of grays. The light, shadows, and reflections are wonderful. The abstract photographs of rock facades and specimen details are fascinating. Calvin was well aware of the drama of the landscape and, in the fashion of the late1800's, tried to capture nature." (Subject(s): Geology--Iowa--Photographs)
Carbonfund.org: "Our Mission: toward a ZeroCarbon™ world. Carbonfund.org is leading the fight against global warming climate change, making it easy and affordable for any individual, business or organization to eliminate their climate impact and hastening the transformation to a clean energy future. Carbonfund.org achieves its goals through: * Climate change education * Carbon offsets and reductions [and] * Public outreach *Reduce What You Can, Offset What You Can’t™ We encourage everyone to continually strive to reduce their carbon footprint through sensible energy reductions combined with cost-effective carbon offsets to eliminate their overall carbon footprint." (Subject(s): Environment)
Encyclopedia of Life (EOL): "The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is an ambitious, even audacious project to organize and make available via the Internet virtually all information about life present on Earth. At its heart lies a series of Web sites—one for each of the approximately 1.8 million known species—that provide the entry points to this vast array of knowledge. The entry-point for each site is a species page suitable for the general public, but with several linked pages aimed at more specialized users. The sites sparkle with text and images that are enticing to everyone, as well as providing deep links to specific data. The EOL dynamically synthesizes biodiversity knowledge about all known species, including their taxonomy, geographic distribution, collections, genetics, evolutionary history, morphology, behavior, ecological relationships, and importance for human well being, and distribute this information through the Internet. It serves as a primary resource for a wide audience that includes scientists, natural resource managers, conservationists, teachers, and students around the world. We believe that the EOL's encompassing scope and innovation will have a major global impact in facilitating biodiversity research, conservation, and education. The EOL staff is made up of scientists and non-scientists working from museums and research institutions around the world. We currently have 20 full time employees, but as this project grows, so will the EOL family." (Subject(s): Biology, Ecology & Environment)
Encyclopedia Smithsonian: The Smithsonian from A to Z: "Welcome to the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex and research organization composed of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo. Visit the Smithsonian in person or online and you will see why it represents for so many the treasured icons of our past, the vibrant art of the present, and the scientific promise of the future." This Webpage provides users with a topical index to all the collections and exhibitions (from A to Z) available on the Smithsonian's Website. (Subject(s): Searching--Other Search Engines and Indexes & Smithsonian Institution)
Figurines Sculpture, Insights Into the Making of Collectibles: "'Figurines Sculpture Finesse' are the 3 bywords of master sculptor Peter Holland. From the bone china collectibles of Royal Doulton, Royal Worcester, Coalport and Wedgwood to the secrets of clay sculpting – all explained right here in a fascinating insight into the world of prestige china manufacturers. Collectors will enjoy the stories behind the development of artwork. Developing artists will benefit from the free and educational information." (Subject(s): China Painting--Technique & Sculpture--Technique)
From Domesticity to Modernity: What Was Home Economics?: "Canning peaches. Sewing a dress. Making perfect gravy. These are familiar images of home economics, but do they tell the whole story? So often home economics has been cast as a "conspiracy to keep women in the kitchen," an interpretation that has overlooked its impressive and diverse contributions. New scholarship in American women's history suggests that home economics was a progressive field that brought science to the farm home and women into higher education and leadership positions in public education, academia, government and industry." This exhibition from Cornell University will help explain this seeming conundrum. (Subject(s): Home Economics--History)
Global Distribution of Poverty: "The Global Poverty Mapping Project seeks to enhance current understanding of the global distribution of poverty and the geographic and biophysical conditions of where the poor live. Additionally, the project aims to assist policy makers, development agencies, and the poor themselves in designing interventions to reduce poverty." ("The Poverty Mapping Project at CIESIN (The Center for International Earth Science Information Network) at the Earth Institute at Columbia University is funded by the World Bank’s Japan Policy and Human Resource Development (PHRD) Fund. This Project was a partnership between CIESIN, the World Bank, and the Earth Institute at Columbia University and was undertaken in 2004-2005.") (Subject(s): Poverty)
Google Web Search Features: This Web informational page has been designed as part of the "Google Help Center." Google describes its function thusly: "In addition to providing easy access to billions of web pages, Google has many special features to help you to find exactly what you're looking for." And this page will describe each of these features and explain how to use them in your online searches. (Subject(s): Google & Searching--About)
Health Hazards of Computer Use: "There are several health problems associated with computer use. All of them are avoidable, through the use of ergonomic principles. Ergonomics is the science of fitting the job to the worker, rather than expecting workers to accommodate themselves to uncomfortable equipment, postures, and work organization. The following are descriptions of computer-related health hazards and measures you can take to reduce or eliminate your chance of suffering from pain, discomfort or a disabling condition because of extensive computer use." This site has been published by the New York State United Teachers to act as a Health and Safety Fact Sheet for the types of health hazards that computer use brings to humans. (NOTE: You'll need to download and install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat to read or print the Fact Sheet.) (Subject(s): Computers & Health)
History of the American West, 1860-1920 (American Memory, Library of Congress): This is one of the many exhibits from the Library of Congress and their American Memory project: "Over 30,000 photographs, drawn from the holdings of the Western History and Genealogy Department at Denver Public Library, illuminate many aspects of the history of the American West. Most of the photographs were taken between 1860 and 1920. They illustrate Colorado towns and landscape, document the place of mining in the history of Colorado and the West, and show the lives of Native Americans from more than forty tribes living west of the Mississippi River. Also included are World War II photographs of the 10th Mountain Division, ski troops based in Colorado who saw action in Italy." (Subject(s): West (U.S.)--History)

How Netflix Works

An article from the Website How Stuff Works written by Tracy V. Wilson: "When Reed Hastings founded Netflix in 1997, his idea didn't make sense to a lot of people. DVD players had only been on the market for a few months, and many families were still using VHS tapes to watch movies. In spite of that, Netflix's movie inventory consisted exclusively of DVDs. Nay-sayers also doubted that people would want to wait for home delivery when video rental stores seemed to be everywhere. Critics wondered whether Netflix's unlimited subscription plans, launched in 1999, would be profitable. Now, close to 10 years after opening its virtual doors, Netflix has nearly 6.8 million subscribers. [Source: Netflix]. In 2006, its estimated total revenue was more than $1.2 billion [Source: Netflix]. The company's goal is to have 20 million subscribers by 2012 -- that's about 20 percent of the households in the United States [Source: Business Week]." This site explains not only how Netflix handles all those mailings, but how the company started and ends with the answer to the question as to where they're going. (Subject(s): Netflix)

Internet Archive: "The Internet Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library, with the purpose of offering permanent access for researchers, historians, and scholars to historical collections that exist in digital format. Founded in 1996 and located in the Presidio of San Francisco, the Archive has been receiving data donations from Alexa Internet and others. In late 1999, the organization started to grow to include more well-rounded collections. Now the Internet Archive includes texts, audio, moving images, and software as well as archived web pages in our collections." Of particular interest here are the site's Live Music Archive and its Moving Image Archive, which contains a "library of free movies, films, and videos." (Subject(s): Internet)
Kaiser State Health Facts: This site contains facts and stats for a range of health topics: Women's Health, Medicare, HIV/AIDS, Managed Care and Health Insurance and several others. "Statehealthfacts.org is a project of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and is designed to provide free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data on all 50 states. Statehealthfacts.org provides data on more than 500 health topics and is linked to both the Kaiser Family Foundation website (www.kff.org) and (www.kaisernetwork.org).... The data are based on an analysis of the Census Bureau’s March 2005 and 2006 Current Population Surveys (CPS; Annual Social and Economic Supplements) and are restricted to the civilian (not active duty military) population. The state data represent 2-year averages." (Subject(s): Health--Statistics)
The Librarian's Guide to Anime and Manga: "You may have had some very young, so cute from trying to look hip, library patron ask you, "Do you have any Gundam?" Or a serious student requesting the set of the Hakkenden, for a project on 19th century Japanese literature. Or had a club ask to use your meeting room to show anime. Or youngsters ask if you had books on how to draw manga. Or an adult who usually checks out foreign cinema ask for Millennium Actress? Or a peace activist ask for the Grave of the Fireflies. Have you wondered what all of this was about? In 1996 I decided that given the continuing increase in popularity of anime and manga in the English speaking world that it was perhaps time that a resource be created to help librarians understand these forms of entertainment and to aid in the selection of items for their collections. This guide is the result." -- Gilles Poitras. (Subject(s): Anime & Manga)
LibrarySpot: "Find the best library and reference resources at LibrarySpot.com, including top dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, maps, quotations and much more." "We created LibrarySpot.com to break through the information overload of the Web and bring the best library and reference sites together with insightful editorial in one user-friendly spot. Sites featured on LibrarySpot.com are hand-selected and reviewed by our editorial team for their exceptional quality, content and utility. Published by StartSpot Mediaworks, Inc. in the Northwestern University/Evanston Research Park in Evanston, Ill., LibrarySpot.com is the first in a family of vertical information portals designed to make finding the best topical information on the Internet a quick, easy and enjoyable experience. " (Subject(s): Libraries & Searching--Other Search Engines and Indexes)
The Literature Network: "We offer searchable online literature for the student, educator, or enthusiast. To find the work you're looking for start by looking through the author index. We currently have over 1900 full books and over 3000 short stories and poems by over 250 authors. Our quotations database has over 8500 quotes." (Subject(s): Electronic Books, Literature & Quotations)
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: "The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture. Founded in 1961, the museum in Oklahoma City collects, preserves and exhibits an internationally renowned collection of Western art and artifacts while sponsoring dynamic educational programs and ground-breaking scholarly research to stimulate interest in the enduring legacy of our American West. More than 10 million visitors from around the world have sought out this unique museum to gain better understanding of the West: a region and a history that permeates our national culture." This is the online companion Website for the Museum. (Subject(s): Cowboys--West (U.S.))
Quilts and Quiltmaking in America, 1978-1996: "Quilts and Quiltmaking in America showcases materials from two American Folklife Center collections, the Blue Ridge Parkway Folklife Project Collection (1978) and the "All-American Quilt Contest" sponsored by Coming Home, a division of Lands' End, and Good Housekeeping. Together these collections provide a glimpse into America's diverse quilting traditions. The quilt documentation from the Blue Ridge Parkway Folklife Project, an ethnographic field project conducted by the American Folklife Center in cooperation with the National Park Service, includes 229 photographs and 181 recorded interviews with six quiltmakers in Appalachian North Carolina and Virginia. These materials document quilts and quilting within the context of daily life and reflect a range of backgrounds, motivations, and aesthetic sensibilities. The materials presented from the Lands' End All-American Quilt Contest collection include images of approximately 180 winning quilts from across the United States. The collection represents a wide range of quiltmaking, from highly traditional to innovative, and the quilts pictured exhibit excellent design and technical skill in a variety of styles and materials." (Subject(s): Quilting & Quilts)
The Robot Hall of Fame: "The Robot Hall of Fame inducted five robots on June 21, 2006, representing the best of both real and fictional robots. The Sony AIBO (1998-2005) and the SCARA industrial robot arm (1978) are brilliant robotic achievements in consumer entertainment and industrial assembly. The three fictional robot inductees include a female icon, an android child, and a macho intergalactic bodyguard – Maria of Metropolis (1927), David of Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001), and Gort of The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951). These robots are among the most enduring and influential images in science fiction." You can read (and see) these and all the previous inductees right here! 3CPO lives! (Subject(s): Robots)
The Shakespeare Authorship Page: "Many books and articles have been written arguing that someone other than William Shakespeare, the glover's son from Stratford-upon-Avon, wrote the plays and poems published under his name. There exist sincere and intelligent people who believe there is strong evidence that Edward de Vere, Seventeenth Earl of Oxford, was the author of these plays and poems. Yet professional Shakespeare scholars -- those whose job it is to study, write, and teach about Shakespeare -- generally find Oxfordian claims to be groundless, often not even worth discussing. Why is this? Oxfordians claim that these scholars are blinded to the evidence by a vested self-interest in preserving the authorship of "the Stratford Man," and some more extreme Oxfordians claim that there is an active conspiracy among orthodox scholars to suppress pro-Oxford evidence and keep it from the attention of the general public. The truth, however, is far more prosaic. Oxfordians are not taken seriously by the Shakespeare establishment because (with few exceptions) they do not follow basic standards of scholarship, and the "evidence" they present for their fantastic scenarios is either distorted, taken out of context, or flat-out false. This web site is for the intelligent nonspecialist who doesn't know what to make of these challenges to Shakespeare's authorship. Oxfordian books can be deceptively convincing to a reader who is unaware of the relevant historical background and unused to the rhetorical tricks used by Oxfordians. Our aim is to provide context where needed, expose misinformation passed off by Oxfordians as fact, and in general show the nonspecialist reader why professional Shakespeare scholars have so little regard for Oxfordian claims. " (Subject(s): Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616)
Shopping Mall and Shopping Center Studies: "These experimental pages provide an introduction to shopping malls as subjects for historical, social, and cultural studies of the United States." The site has been produced as part of the curriculum for American Studies at Eastern Connecticut State University. "American Studies provides History and English majors with options to diversify their study of American society and culture by choosing a variety of courses not only in US history and literature, but also art, political science, sociology, and other disciplines that study the United States in its broadest aspects." (Subject(s): United States--History)
The Stratemeyer Syndicate: "The Stratemeyer Syndicate was a "book packager" established in 1905 to supply publishers with juvenile and adult books in series. It was the brainchild of Edward Stratemeyer (1862-1930) who was a writer and editor of juvenile stories. As a boy, Stratemeyer enjoyed the works of Horatio Alger, Jr. and "Oliver Optic" (William T. Adams). Towards the end of the nineteenth century when he was establishing his literary reputation, he was asked to "complete" books under these authors' names. He wrote one book as "Oliver Optic" and eleven books as "Horatio Alger, Jr."" This site allows visitors to discover who exactly wrote which volumes of several Stratemeyer series: The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift and The Bobbsey Twins. (Subject(s): Stratemeyer, Edward, 1862-1930)
Times Square: "Visit the Times Square Alliance homepage for the most up-to-date information on Broadway theater, New Year's Eve, restaurants, special events, deals, promotions, history, facts, figures, media info and more at the Crosswords of the World." (Subject(s): Times Square (New York))
NMAH | Treasures of American History: "The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History [NMAH] preserves icons of the American past. From politics to popular culture, innovations to everyday life, the Museum’s collections reflect the diverse experiences and beliefs that have shaped the nation. Selected from more than three million in the Museum’s collections, the objects in this exhibition include a mix of the famous and the familiar, the unexpected and the extraordinary. All are treasures of American history." (Subject(s): United States--History)
USPS - New Prices Coming May 12, 2008: "On May 12 we will adjust prices for mailing services — First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services. The average increase by class of mail is at or below the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. A First-Class Mail stamp will be 42¢. Customers can continue to use the Forever Stamps that they purchased prior to May 12 at 41¢, even after the price change. We will have 5 billion Forever Stamps in stock to meet increased demand before the price change. Forever Stamps are widely available through Post Offices, Contract Postal Units, consignment locations, Automated Postage Centers, vending, and at The Postal Store®. We also will have a 62¢ stamp available shortly after May 12 for 1-ounce nonmachinable First-Class Mail letters, such as square greeting cards." (Subject(s): Postal Rates)
WomenWatch: UN Information and Resources on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women: "WomenWatch is the central gateway to information and resources on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women throughout the United Nations system, including the United Nations Secretariat, regional commissions, funds, programmes, specialized agencies and academic and research institutions. It is a joint United Nations project created in March 1997 to provide Internet space for global gender equality issues and to support implementation of the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action. Since 1997 the intergovernmental mandate has expanded, for example through the outcome document of the Twenty-third special session of the General Assembly in June 2000 and Security Council resolution 1325 of October 2000. The website now also provides information on the outcomes of, as well as efforts to incorporate gender perspectives into follow-up to global conferences." (Subject(s): Women)

U.S. Religious Landscape Survey

"With unprecedented precision, a new Pew Forum survey details the religious affiliation of the American public and quantifies the remarkable dynamism taking place in the U.S. religious marketplace. Read the report and explore religion in America using online tools." "Based on interviews with more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older, this extensive survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life details the religious affiliation of the American public. This online section includes dynamic tools that complement the full report. View Full Report. For a video overview and related material, go to the resource page." This study has been conducted by the folks at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. (Subject(s): Religion--United States--Statistics)


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