encyclopedia of current events

Features:

schema

The "schema" on the left-hand side of each page is a hierarchical (and somewhat arbitrary) categorization of the pages.

In most cases the tree structure places similar topics close to each other, providing a means of pursuing related material of interest.

The schema display will show the selected node, any child nodes it may contain, as well as sibling nodes (nodes occurring at the same hierarchial level as the selected node).

The "root" page features live feeds of world news stories. This list represents only a small sampling of the stories within our database. It provides a number of significant jump-in points to the huge database of stories that are archived within this website.

  Clickable cross-reference links are embedded throughout Schema-Root.org. These links can take you directly to other related Schema-Root pages.

branch index

This index is a hierarchical listing of links to all pages that are located within the currently selected branch of the schema. For the root directory, this listing is quite large, as it includes over 10,000 pages, and is growing daily.

search window

Another entrance into the body of schema-root.org pages is to use the search window at the top left of each page. This search makes use of the Google search engine. Google does a very good job of indexing our pages, but it may take several days for new topics to find their way into Google's database. This search window uses Google's search syntax.

front page news

Every page has links to front page news sources that have been selected to be appropriate to the current page topic. Find these frontpage news resources in the lower left column.

search links

A pre-defined search argument has been created for each page. In the lower left column is a series of links that apply the page's search argument to a number of quality news and information sources that produce useful results. Click the name of the site for their front page, or click the number in parentheses for the Google search of the page topic within the resource site.

cross-reference links

Now, you can access the same cross-referencing engine that is used to build Schema-Root.org. At the bottom of each page is a window into which you can paste. The window is small, but you may paste text (as much text as you wish!) into it. When you are done pasting, if your text was long, you may not see all of it, but that is not a problem.

I know from the logs that the cross-referencing engine is not much used. What a shame! If only more people knew how easy it is to use. Try this:

(1) From a Schema-Root.org page, click on the headline of a story that interests you.

(2) On the external site, find and click the link that says "print this page" or the like. That will get you a page without the clutter of ads and so on.

(3) Copy the whole story (Ctrl-a will highlight everything, Ctrl-c will copy it to the "clipboard").

(4) Go back to any Schema-Root.org page and paste the text into the cross-referencing window (Ctrl-v), and click the button. In a few seconds you should be looking at the story, complete with all available Schema-Root.org cross-references, highlighted, and in the form of clickable links!

Additionally you have the option to receive back complete HTML code of the cross-referenced page, in case you would like to send it via HTML capable email to your friends or social networking list, or post it on your own web page or blog.

about the ads

In its early years Schema-Root.org did not carry any ads. The idea was that thoughtful people would recognize the value of our website, and would donate sufficient funds to keep it going. During the first two years, we received three donations. These were much appreciated, but they weren't enough.

So, reluctantly, ads were added.

We chose Google Adsense, because of their ability to target ads to the content of the pages.

Then we added an Amazon search window, again because we were able to suggest searches that are appropriate to the particular pages.

Now we also carry Ebay picture ads, also targeted to the particular page's content.

I think the ads add some interest to the pages. Aren't you curious to know what Ebay has that is related to cacao? Personally, I find it fascinating.

who is doing this?

My name is John Tinker. I am the developer and editor of this website, but many thanks go to readers who send links of interest.

Some readers may be familiar with the 1969 U.S. Supreme Court case " Tinker v. Des Moines". It established that public school students and teachers do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate". I was a plaintiff in that case.

a request for your support

Trying to figure out what is going on in the world is a long-time hobby of mine. I read a lot of news on a daily basis, and I developed Schema-Root.org originally as a sort of book-mark system for myself. But one may see that it has become much more than that.

I have tried to focus on usable functionality, rather than bells and whistles. I want Schema-Root.org to be as useful as possible for its users.

I enjoy developing and editing schema-root.org. However, financial support from readers would greatly help with the effort. Besides the fixed costs for the web hosting service, the development of this site represents literally thousands of hours of my time.

I wish I could spend even more time with it, as there are a number of functional improvements I would like to make. And keeping the pages up-to-date is an endless task.

I know that most people are used to the idea that information on the web is free. Certainly I want to keep access to schema-root.org free. I feel that I benefit when people know what is going on in the world. But I am not sure that readers understand that financial support means a great deal to the quality of websites.

So if you appreciate schema-root.org, please support it financially. It will make a big difference.