Tara K. Harper:
Technical/Literary Resources for Writers

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Links last updated:  Nov 16, 2005
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Science and Technical Links by Discipline

Forensics and Pathology

Zeno's Forensic Page - An excellent, comprehensive listing.
The Routine Autopsy - Dr. Ed Uthman's authentic, detailed account of a routine autopsy.
Autopsy - HBO's site, includes interactive e-documentary of autopsy on anatomical model.
Autopsy Page - Ed Friedlander's comprehensive, low-level description of autopsy.
Forensic Pathology References - Titles, ISBNs, and descriptions of definitive references.

Death Investigation - Decent, layman-level info on types of death, estimating time of death, and definition of terms.
Decomposition - Brief but good descriptions of what happens to a body after death.
Post-Mortem Changes in Fish - Sensory, autolytic, etc. changes during decomposition, including interesting details, eg, that decomposition in tropical fish is accelerated at lower temperatures -- the opposite of decomposition in mammals.
Time of Death - Detailed information, from UK's University of Dundee, dated from 1995, but still good.
Anatomy of a Murder - An attorney's site with definitions of forensics terms, murder investigation, etc.
Court Transcript - Interesting transcript of a coronor's testimony on rigor mortis from a 2002 trial.

Just for Fun:
Tinsbury Deaths - Fascinating annotated index of causes of deaths from1850 to 1875, in Tinsbury, Massachussettes and the area around Martha's Vinyard.  Listings by surnames, dates, ships and localities, etc. can be found through their home page.
A Fishy Situation - Rigor mortis and the slaughtering and freezing of fish for consumption (Aquafarmer).
Adipocere - Layman-level information on cause and formation, including "soap mummies" and images / more images.
A Buddhist's View - A Buddhist's suggestions for caring for the body after death.

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Virology and Bacteriology

Diseases - Overviews, vectors, outbreak notes, etc. for viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases
Emerging Infections Diseases - Journal of trends, causes, effects, and eradication of EID.
All the Virology on the WWW - An excellent, comprehensive listing of web sites
Virology lecture notes, BS3035 (UK) - Lecture notes:  mechanisms of cell transformation, etc.
Intro to Microbiology - Tulane Univ. lecture notes for freshman 100-level course.
Parasitic Diseases - A metadirectory of links for parasitic skin, intestinal, protozoan, etc., diseases.

Your Immune System -  Overview, including activity of lymphocytes, NK Cells, phagocytes, etc.
Medical Microbiology - A gallery of pathogenic and medically important bacteria and fungi.

The "Bad Bug Book" - Easily understandable info on foodborne pathogens and natural toxins.
CDC - Center for Disease Control - General information on disease, including travel warnings.
Virology References - Titles, ISBNs, and descriptions of definitive references.

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Biology, Cell Biology, and Microbiology

BIOSCI/bionet newsgroup postings - Newsgroup for professional, biological scientists.
Molecular Biology - Geneva U. Hospital site for protein and nucleic acid sequence data - highly recommended.
Journal of Biological Chemistry - Jjournal, including archived articles - highly recommended.
University of Cape Town Medical Microbiology - Excellent mycobacteriology and virology lecture notes.
Biology References - Titles, ISBNs, and descriptions of definitive references.

Just for Fun:
Microscopy - Light and electron microscopy images of bacteria, fungi, crystals, arachnids,  vertebrates, etc.
Globular protein of beer foam (LTP1) - Article on the LTP1 protein as it relates to beer foam
Bacterial proteins of artificial snow -- Ice nucleation protein (INP) of Pseudomonas syringae

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Archeology, Paleontology, and Anthropology

Virtual Library of Archeology - Meta-listing of archeology sites; includes site-search capabilities
Archeology - The web companion to K. Greene's Archaeology - An Introduction
Arctic Archeology - Basic information, timelines, field techniques, more.
Paleontology Resources - Extensive links to museums, organizations, research, papers, images, etc.
Anthropology Virtual Library - Excellent meta-listing of anthropology sites, organized by discipline.
Anthropology Exhibits on the Web - Images and descriptions of artifacts from various cultures.

Just for Fun:
Archeology FAQ - Information about careers in Archeology

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General Science and Chemistry

SciCentral - An excellent metadirectory of science and engineering sites.
Neuroscience on the Web - Jumping-off point for excellent neurobiology, neuroscience, etc, sites
Pacific Northwest Laboratory - Environmental and molecular sciences, technology, etc.

Chemical Fact Sheets - For the periodic table, from Spectrum Labs
Periodic Table - Comprehensive info, including articles on hazardous chemicals, etc.
General Science References - Titles, ISBNs, and descriptions of definitive references.
Biocatalysis and Biodegredation Database - Catalyzation and biodegredation pathways of chemicals - excellent site.
Polymers and Liquid Crystals - Case Western Reserve University's virtual textbook guide.

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Engineering

Argonne National Laboratory - Overviews of research into the next-generation of supercomputing.
Computer Characters, Intelligence, Improvisation - Extensive, well-organized list of technical articles online.
Computer Science - Los Alamos Laboratory's list of links to online resources.
Engineering - Los Alamos Laboratory's list of links to online resources.

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Physics and Associated Sciences

Los Alamos National Laboratory - News, advances, theories, technical papers, current projects.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Overview info on energy-related research and development.
Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics - Mass distribution, atmospheres, planetary structure, etc.
Newton's Apple - Listing of basic descriptions of various sciences for K-12 students

Energy:
Energy Basics and an Energy FAQ- On elementary physics, energy, and specifically, nuclear energy.
US Dept of Energy - Very good general semi-technical site for most forms of energy, for lay readers.
Notable Nuclear Accidents - Listing and brief descriptions 1904 to 2005.  Also, partial listing.
Pebble Bed Reactor - High-level overview of this advanced design for a nuclear reactor
Alternative Energy - Wide range of articles for sustainable, off-the-grid, and backup power systems, including projects, schematics, repair info, etc for solar, wind, hydro, standard generators, lead-acid batteries, etc.

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Cryogenics  and Cryonics

Cryotechnology Links - Fairly extensive set of links to home pages, researchers, universities, etc.
Instrument and Cooler Sensing Technology - NASA and JPL collaboration.
Croygenics Facility Descriptions -  research at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Cryogenics at NASA Ames Research Center, including diagrams and descriptions of pulse-tube refrigerators, adiabatic demagnetization cooling, dilution refrigeration, etc.
Cryogenics Journal - International journal; abstracts available online; articles are for-fee.
Dr. Yuan -  Links to articles on mechanical coolers, crygenic systems, superfluid models, etc.
ComboSe - Links to articles, simulations, etc. for Bose-Einstein condensates, crybiology, etc.

Temperature and Materials Properties:
Thermal Resource Center - Comprehensive overview site, extensive technical links.
Knowledge.com - Technical links for cryogenics organizations, researchers, etc., with summaries.
Cryogenic Materials Propertires - NIST's cryogenic technology site.
About Temperature - General article on temperature, kinetic theory, thermal radiation, etc. for grade-school math teachers.

Cryonics:
Cryonics - Overview site with links to articles on technology, facilities, books, etc.  Includes links to organizations that, yes, claim to be preserving whole human bodies for supposed revivication later.  Eg: the American Cryonics Society (includes FAQ, TV interviews, etc), and Alcor, Life Extension Foundation (focused on vitrification).
Cryonics FAQ - Comprehensive listing of questions on terms, science, legal/political issues, etc.
Popular Science - Basic article on hibernation vs. suspended animation for astronauts.
Newton's Apple - Basic description of cryogenics.

Just for Fun:
Cryofracture - Overview of process used to dispose of chemical munitions.
Cryogenic washout - Overview of process used to wash out solid rocket proellants.
Laser Cooling and Trapping - "Cool" simulations you can download.

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Note:  Cryogenics is low-temperature physics and materials science, often as it is applied to superconductivity, magnetic separation, space applications, refrigeration sciences, etc..  Cryonics is the freezing of living organisms or organic tissue, usually with the intent of reanimating such organisms at a later time.

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Polar Regions and Research

Polar Pointers - An excellent meta-listing of sites about polar regions and sciences.
British Antarctic Survey - Overviews, research topics, recent papers, and an antarctic climate Q&A.
Arctic Circle - Interesting site which provides histories, perspectives, and narratives.  
Arctic Circle History and Culture - A moderately in-depth treatment of issues of settlement, etc.
Arctic Archeology - Basic information, timelines, field techniques, more.
Antarctic Terms - Interesting list of terms and abbreviations used by Antarctic researchers.
IcePeople.net - News and pictures from extreme environments.

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Space Science

NASA - Home page for NASA, including links to divisions, archives, other sites.
Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA) - Archive for technical papers.
Are Faster-than-Light Speeds Possible? - A physicist's treatise on the possibility of FTL travel.
Microgravity Science and Application Division (NASA) - Includes technical abstracts/papers.

NASA Shuttle Web - Previews of shuttle missions, current projects, launch status, etc.
Space Sciences Sentinals - Goddard SFC (NASA)'s photos/descriptions of probes and satellites.
Cassini - Mission parameters, articles, photos, downloadable videos, resources
Skyview - NASA's virtual telescope:  images of any part of the sky in radio to gamma wavelengths.
European Space Organization - Archive facilities and links to related sites.

 
Macte nova virtute, puer, sic itur ad astra.
         - Virgil, 70-19 BC

                                        [ Blessings on your courage, boy; that's the way to the stars. ]
 

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Literary Links and Writer Resources

General Literary Sites

Classics:  Authors, Playwrights and Poets - Notes, quotes, bios, bibliographies, links to online works, etc.
Great Books Index - Complete texts of Homer, Dante, Voltaire, Kierkegaard, Austen, etc.
Internet Classics Archive - MIT's excellent archive of classical works, including extensive notes.
Greek and Latin Classics - Detailed notes and photos of surviving editions of these works.
Cambridge English and American Literature - Detailed notes, analyses and critiques.
Alex Catalogue - Online texts of classic authors and poets.

University of Toronto - Extensive alphabetized online library of 12th- to 20th-century poets' works.
Poems Poetry Poets - Over 200 links to poetry sites, including online works from modern poets.
Middle English Literature - Online texts of Chaucer, Gower, Gawain, etc., ca. 1350 to 1485.
The English Server - Carnegie Mellon's online library of the works of English and ancient authors.
Irish Literature, Mythology - Extensive listings, online texts, mythologies, language notes.

American Authors - Links for biographical info, online works, critical reviews, and home pages.
Literary Kicks/Beat Authors - Well-considered notes and biographical info.  Unofficial site.
Modern and Contemporary American Poetry - Extensive list for written, visual and concrete poetry.

Russian Literature - Annotated links to critical resources, online texts, biographies, and author sites.
Classical Japanese Literature - Links to sites for research into classical Japanese literature.
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu - 100 poems by 100 poets, English translations side-by-side with Japanese.
Japanese Noh Plays - English translations online, with notes.

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Science Fiction and Fantasy

Science Fiction Resource Guide - Meta-directory for authors, reviewers, SF/fantasy sites.
SF/Fantasy Authors - Extensive links to author and fan pages.  Includes recommendations and notes.
SF Archive - Book reviews, movie reviews, art gallery, and author links.
SFF Net - Author pages, author-dedicated newsgroups, public and private discussion forums.
Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase - Comprehensive, searchable database of authors and artists.
SF Definitions - Definitions by published science-fiction authors.  Interesting and amusing.
Del Rey Books - SF/Fantasy publisher site for news, author/book updates, promo offers, etc.

Imagination is the key to my lyrics. The rest is
painted with a little science fiction.
                   - Jimi Hendrix

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Genre Links for Writers

SF/Fantasy Author Links - Including recommendations and notes.
Classics:  Authors, Playwrights and Poets - Notes, quotes, bibliographies; links to online works, etc.
Mainstream and Military/Thriller/Suspense Author Links - Including recommendations and notes.

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Additional Resources for Writers

SF/F Writer's Resources Online - lengthy list of links to writer's organizations, advice pages, etc.
Science and Technical References for Writers - Invaluable references, books, journals, etc.
Indispensable Writing Resources - Well-organized links for writing labs, grammar, tips, etc.
Michael McCollum's Columns - In-depth articles on characterization, plotting, etc.

Also:
ASJA Position Papers -  Contract notes, e-rights, intellectual property, work-for-hire, etc.
SFWA Sample Contracts - Suggestions for contract terms for genre fiction authors.
Authors and the Internal Revenue Code - A U.S. tax court litigator describes issues and specific cases.

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Professional Organizations for Writers and Artists

The Author's Guild - Highly recommended.

The Author's Guild is a non-genre-specific organization, whose membership consists of professional authors.  The guild produces a quarterly journal with articles on contracts, e-rights, international issues, etc.  The guild also sponsors lectures and workshops;  provides legal counsel from a professionally staffed legal department;  files briefs and lobbies strongly and effectively for author's rights;  and more.  If I were to recommend any single organization for professional writers to join, this would be it.

Also:
The Writer's Union - Trade guild for freelance writers in all genres.
ASJA - American Society of Journalists and Authors.
ASCAP - American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
Writer's Guild - For authors of screenplays, dramatic pieces, etc.

Genre-Specific Organizations
SFWA - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
HWA - Horror Writers Association
MWA - Mystery Writers of America
RWA - Romance Writers of America
SCBWI - Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

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Agents and Agencies

Agents - FAQ-style discussion of agents, author-agent relationships, reading fees, cautions, etc.
Association of Author's Representatives - (AAR) the professional organization for agents.
Canon of Ethics - AAR's canon of obligations and duties of members (agents) to their clients.

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Publishers

Publishers and Getting Published - Detailed discussion of the publishing industry, trends, statistics...
Publishers Listing - Links to major publishers in genre-fiction and technical categories

(Other publishers should be searched for by Web search engines.)

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Copyright Information

U.S. Copyright Office - Copyright basics, registration, application forms, more.
Copyright chart - An excellent quick reference guide to publication years and length of protection, from Cornell University
Copyright and Intellectual Property - In-depth reports, papers, court decisions, etc.
Copyright Law Materials - Berne Convention, other copyright agreements.
Law Office of Lloyd L. Rich - Clear, well-written articles on publishing/computer law.

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Conservation, Social Issues, and Security and Military Links

Conservation and Biodiversity

The Nature Conservancy
Owning Wild and Exotic Animals
Envirolink Network
The Tiger Information Center
Wolf Park

World Wildlife Federation
US Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species
US Long-Term Ecological Research Network
World Resource Institute Biodiversity Site

Restore America's Estuaries
Rainforest Alliance
Endangered Species Page
National Audubon Society
World Wildlife Fund

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Issues and Ethics

Bad Subjects - Well-written, liberal, often provocative essays that challenge progressive dogma.
The Onion - Political and social satire.  Note:  this publication is now fee-based.
Spoon Collective - Mailing-list format for open discussion of philosophical issues.
Cultural Studies and Critical Theory - Links to works on contemporary texts and cultural practices.

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"Most people would sooner die than think;  in fact, they do so. "

                        - Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)
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Security, Cryptography, and Law Enforcement

The Police Officer's Internet Directory - Issues, case histories, news, and law-enforcement links.
Crime & Clues - Evidence processing, forensic science, death investigation, etc.
Cops and Crime - Crime cases, most-wanted-criminals information, bulletins from the FBI, etc.
Crime Library - Court TV:  serial killers, gangsters, notorious murders, terrorists, crime fiction, etc.
CopSeek.com - Extensive meta site for links to sites related to law enforcement
Virtual Librarian - Extensive links to sites related to law enforcement

Bureau of Justice Statistics - Stats on crime characteristics, victim characteristics, etc.
National Archive of Criminal Justice Data - Searchable database.
Criminal Justice Sourcebook - Extensive reports and tables of criminal stats, issues, etc.

FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation, official site
CIA - Central Intelligence Agency, official site
NSA - National Security Council, official site.

DSS Academy - For DoD/contractor security professionals; computer crime, espionage, case histories, etc.
COAST - Computer Operations, Audit, and Security Technology research, papers, projects.

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Military:  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard

United States Army - Official site.
United States Marine Corps - Official site.
United States Navy - Official site.
United States Coast Guard - Official site.
United States Air Force - Official site.

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"The universe is so vast and so ageless that the life of one man can only be justified
by the measure of his sacrifice."

                    - Pilot Officer V. Z. Rosewarne, 1916-1940
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SpecialForces.net - Books on domestic/foreign special forces, operations, counter terrorism, etc.  
Naval Research Laboratory - Overview of research issues concerning sea, sky, and space.
Strategic Studies Institute - Regional studies, defense transformations, strategic theory, etc.
Military.com - Resources, news, articles on international hot spots, etc.
U.S. Gov't Abbreviations and Acronyms - Common terms.

Military and Strategy References - Titles, ISBNs, and descriptions of classic references.
Author Links - Recommendations, notes, links for military fiction and nonfiction.

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"Veterans don't have to be reminded of their sacrifices.  It's the people who have never been [to war] who need to know about the sacrifices that are represented by all these white headstones."

                    - Frank Perales, Vet. of Korean and Vietnam Wars
                                        Wreath-laying ceremony, Fort Sam Houston National Cemetary, 1998
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Copyright 2005 Tara K. Harper

All rights reserved.  It is illegal to reproduce or transmit in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, any part of this copyrighted file without permission in writing from Tara K. Harper.  Permission to download this file for personal use only is hereby granted by Tara K. Harper.

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