If you are not already suffering from "Recall overload," this Web site offers a digest of the current news and stories about the Recall from many of California's newspapers: Rough and Tumble: a Daily Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics.

Here is a handy "Hot Topic" guide from librarians at the Institute for Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley: the California Vehicle License Fee. The site starts with an introduction to the issue, and includes articles and reports, newspaper articles, and opinions and editorials on the subject. The latter are not "live" links, but can easily be accessed through ProQuest. While you are there, check out the other Hot Topics on California Budget Issues.

The Census Bureau has an interesting "Facts for Features" series. Click here for statistics relating to Hispanic Heritage Month (which is designated by Congress to run from September 15 - October 15). There are statistics about marriage and family, use of the Spanish language, income and poverty, jobs, the Latino vote, and more.

A potentially controversial issue that has not had much press up to this point is the concept of "mini nukes." For background and information released to the public, see Special Briefing on the Nuclear Posture Review. Additional commentary and resources can be found on the Western States Legal Foundation Web site. The Union of Concerned Scientists wrote a letter to the Senate on the subject of mini nukes which can be found here.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has a Web site that will be very helpful to anyone who is interested in how the reconstruction effort is going in Iraq. The Rebuilding Iraq Web site includes a chart on the contracts that have been awarded to U.S. firms. Also of interest is the Business Guide for Iraq, which has revealing information in the "Practical Barriers" section about the extent to which the country continues to suffer from sporadic services.

Do you find it hard to find interesting new Web sites? You might want to subscribe to a couple of services that provide lists of new sites on a weekly basis. Try going to the following page on the Librarian's Index to the Internet.

I found the following article on a list put out by Marylaine Block* this week and it is a subject dear to my heart :
Power Point Is Evil [Wired 11:09] Anyone who has suffered through a boring PowerPoint presentation will get a chuckle out of this article.


*Neat New Stuff I Found This Week http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html
Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2003.
[Publishers may license the content at reasonable rates.]