Politics Library Blog

Recent Bibliographies from Air University

2008-07-23T17:32:15Z

Staff at the Air University's Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center compile useful bibliographies that list Internet resources, periodical articles and books on a wide variety of research topics. Here are some bibliographies posted in the last several months:

Africa, Central. March 2008. 48p
Africa, Eastern. March 2008. 108p
Africa, Southern. June 2008. 129p
The Caucasus. February 2008. 34p
China. (Special Bibliography No. 318, Supplement No. 2) March 2008. 85p
Climate Change and National Security. April 2008. 13p
Colombia. May 2008. 35p
Cuba after Castro. April 2008. 10p
Cyberspace and National Security. March 2008. 22p
Effects Based Operations. January 2008. 55p
Eisenhower, Dwight D. June 2008. 25p
Iran Nuclear Program: U.S. Options. February 2008. 34p
Islam 2008. April 2008. 65p
Kosovo. May 2008. 35p
Middle East. January 2008. 48p
Non-Lethal Weapons. June 2008. 26p
Persian Gulf. February 2008. 23p
Private Military Companies. March 2008. 13p
Russia. (Special Bibliography No. 327, Supplement 2) June 2008. 68p
Space. (Special Bibliography No. 329, Supplement No.1) February 2008. 57p
Terrorism 2008. (Special Bibliography No. 333) July 2008. 104p
Venezuela. April 2008. 30p

See their complete list of bibliographies.

Arab Political Systems: Baseline Information and Reforms

2008-07-01T14:15:21Z

The Arab Political Systems webpage represents a joint undertaking of the Democracy and Rule of Law Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington and the Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE) in Madrid. It provides easily accessible baseline information about the political systems of Arab countries, with links to official documents and websites, and will be frequently updated to provide information about reforms being introduced. The information about each country includes a section on "Updates and Forthcoming Events" which will be updated as events warrant.

The webpage complements the information about political reform in Arab countries provided by the Arab Reform Bulletin, a monthly online publication by the Carnegie Endowment.

Need to find the Popular Name of a Law or Constitutional Provision?

2008-04-22T13:00:00Z

Try these resources selected by the Librarians' Internet Index:

Popular Names (U.S. Code) http://www.dol.gov/oasam/library/law/lawtips/popularnames.htm
This brief article lists three ways of looking up United States Code items by popular name, including the U.S. Code's print Acts Cited by Popular Name, Westlaw's USCA Popular Name Table (USCA-POP), and the free online source, Popular Names of Acts in the U.S. Code (offered by Cornell University Law School). From the Law Tips Archive of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wirtz Labor Law Library.

Popular Names of Constitutional Provisions http://lib.law.washington.edu/ref/consticlauses.html
Many provisions of the U.S. Constitution are known by popular name or nickname. This page identifies many of those popular names and includes the text of the relevant provisions. The information is arranged in two lists: the first, alphabetically by popular name and the second, arranged by appearance in the Constitution. Some of the popular names include "Citizenship Clause," "Due Process Clause," and "Slavery Amendment." From Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library, University of Washington.

Selections from the Librarians' Internet Index - April 2008

2008-04-21T16:30:22Z

Pope Benedict XVI: Apostolic Journey to the United States 2008 http://www.uspapalvisit.org/
Website for the April 2008 papal visit to the United States. Features a brief biography of Pope Benedict XVI, a list of his travels outside of Italy back to 2005, details about beatifications and canonizations, links to key writings, and details about his itinerary in Washington, D.C. (April 15-17) and New York City (April 18-20). Also includes video clips and a blog. From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Contemporary Global Anti-Semitism: A Report Provided to the United States Congress http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/102406.htm
This 2008 report "is provided to the U.S. Congress to further assess contemporary anti-Semitism by exploring anti-Semitic themes and practices. [It] is meant to be used as a resource for increasing understanding of and informing public discourse." Dedicated to the memory of Congressman Tom Lantos, the report focuses on definitions of anti-Semitism, anti-Semitic incidents and discourse, government-sponsored anti-Semitism, and similar themes. From the U.S. Department of State.

Truth in Immigration http://www.truthinimmigration.org/
This website was created to refute "legal and factual inaccuracies about immigrants and Latinos," specifically those that are "disseminated and promoted in the media, the public messaging of anti-immigration organizations, and political campaigns." Features a list of myths and responses, updates, and links to related sites. From the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF).

Dropouts, Completers and Graduation Rate Reports http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/pub_dropouts.asp
"These reports present the number and percentage of students dropping out and completing public school (among states that reported dropouts and completers)." Data covers dropout and completion rates by age, sex, race/ethnicity, family income, recency of immigration, region, and other factors. Reports go back to 1994. From the National Center for Education Statistics.

The Tax Gap http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=158619,00.html
"Find resources on this page pertaining to the tax gap -- the difference between the amount of tax that taxpayers should pay and the amount that is paid voluntarily and on time." Includes studies and statistics, and fact sheets (going back to 2006) on tax gap topics such as filing past-due returns, avoiding penalties, and reporting specific types of income. From the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

What Is the Tax Gap? http://www.urban.org/publications/1001112.html
This 2007 paper "addresses issues related to measurement of the tax gap -- the difference between tax liability under the current Federal tax law and taxes paid. [It] discusses how the tax gap is defined, reviews the main components of the tax gap, and describes how the IRS estimates it, as well as some of the major methodological issues in and weaknesses of current estimates." Includes links to related research. From the nonpartisan Urban Institute.

Hot Politics http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hotpolitics/
Companion website to a 2008 PBS Frontline documentary that looks at the factors behind "the [failure of the] executive branch of the U.S. government ... to join in climate change agreements adopted by much of the rest of the world." Features investigative reports, a timeline of scientific and political developments concerning global warming, interviews, readings and links, a teacher's guide, and more.

Fight Global Warming http://fightglobalwarming.com/
Website for an Environmental Defense Fund campaign designed as a "wake-up call" about global warming, "the most serious environmental challenge of our time." Includes discussions of the dangers of global warming (such as health concerns, extreme weather, and economic impacts) and the science of global warming (such as pollution and improving energy consumption), an energy calculator, and tips for what you can do at home and on the road.

What $1.2 Trillion Can Buy http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17leonhardt.html
This January 2007 article evaluates the cost of Iraq War in terms of "what you could buy with the money." Includes a graphic comparing the annual cost of the war to the cost of other potential government programs such as universal health care and universal preschool. Also includes links to related materials about the economics of the Iraq War. From The New York Times.

New & Updated Data @ ICPSR - April 21, 2008

2008-04-21T13:54:45Z

These are only selections of data files, for more files and detailed descriptions, see http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/ICPSR/access/recent.html

New Data Files:
13885 Census of Population and Housing, 2000 [United States]: Voting-Age Population and Voting-Age Citizens (PHC-T-31) http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/13885.xml
This collection contains two ZIP archives with 67 tables derived from the Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Summary File 4, Table PCT44 (see ICPSR studies 13512 through 13563). The first archive comprises 17 tables that show the voting-age population and voting-age citizen population, by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, for the United States and the 50 states. The second archive contains 50 tables that show the total voting-age population and voting-age citizen population for the 50 states and their counties.

21380 Voice of the People, 2006 http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/21380.xml
This annual survey by Gallup International Association, fielded July to September 2006, was conducted in over 60 countries to solicit public opinion on social and political issues. Respondents were asked for their opinions about globalization, their opinions about several countries, and whether they would like to live in those countries. The survey also asked the respondents about the United States' involvement in the fight against terrorism and about other issues such as the growth of the world economy. Additional questions addressed Internet usage, terrorism in the respondent's country, women's rights, education, and political ideology. Demographic information includes sex, age, income, education level, employment status, and religious affiliation.

21441 Voice of the People, 2007 http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/21441.xml
Same as above, except for 2007 (survey fielded June to October 2007).

20354 Impact of Prisoner Litigation Reform, 1992-2000 [United States] http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20354.xml
In 1996, the United States Congress enacted two policies to regulate the use of the legal system by state prisoners. They were the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) and the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA). The purpose of this research project was to examine whether the PLRA and the AEDPA had their intended effects of reducing the number of Section 1983 lawsuits and habeas corpus petitions, respectively, at both the national and circuit court levels. The researchers obtained data, from the Research and Statistics Division of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, on the number of civil rights suits and the number of habeas corpus petitions filed by state prisoners in district courts from April 1992 to December 2000.

20344 Consequences of Childhood Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence in Chicago, Illinois, 1994-2000 http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20344.xml
This study used data from the first two waves of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) to analyze the consequences of childhood exposure to intimate partner violence. The researcher for this study attempted to make four contributions: (1) provide theory driven research in the field of intimate partner violence, (2) do practical research, (3) strike a balance between the resolution of measurement problems and the examination of concrete outcomes, and (4) use high quality data and advanced statistical techniques to adjudicate between conflicting findings in existing literature.

Updated Data Files:
3131 American National Election Study, 2000: Pre- and Post-Election Survey http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03131.xml
This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life.

7735 County and City Data Book [United States] Consolidated File: City Data, 1944-1977 http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07735.xml
This study is a compendium of data for all cities in the United States with populations greater than 25,000 in the period 1944-1977. The data provide diverse information ranging from city government activities to population estimates and characteristics to housing unit descriptors. Included is information on city government revenues, property taxes, capital outlay, and debts, and expenditures on education, highways, public welfare, health and hospitals, and police, as well as information on births, deaths, schooling, labor force, employment, family income, family characteristics, electoral votes, number of registered voters, and housing characteristics. Additional variables provide information on manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade, banking, mineral industries, farm population, agriculture, crime, and weather.

7736 County and City Data Book [United States] Consolidated File: County Data, 1947-1977 http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07736.xml
Same as above, except for counties.

Courtesy of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/

Excerpts from the Scout Report - April 18, 2008

2008-04-18T23:14:13Z

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.

Recent Politics-Related Videos (March-April 2008)

2008-04-14T19:25:44Z

All videos below (unless otherwise noted) are held in the Language Resource Center located in East Pyne.

	China from the Inside A KQED Public Television and Granada Production in association with Kostyk Communications. Writer, producer, director: Jonathan Lewis. Arlington, VA : PBS Home Video, 2006 A series of four documentaries that survey China through Chinese eyes to see how history has shaped them, and where the present is taking them. Deals with the governance of China; talks about the past and future for Chinese women; looks at China's environmental challenges; explores China's conflict between personal freedom and governance. DVD 3323
	Banished: How Whites Drove Blacks Out of Town in America Director: Marco Williams New York : Two Tone Productions, Center for Investigative Reporting, Working Films, 2007 Documentary about three communities which forcibly expelled African American residents between the Civil War and the Great Depression. Includes interviews with residents from those communities: Pierce City, Missouri; Harrison, Arkansas; Forsyth County, Georgia. DVD 3415
	No End in Sight Produced by Jennie Amias, Audrey Marrs, Jessie Vogelson. Producer/director: Charles Ferguson. New York : Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2007 An insider's look at the decisions that led to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and the handling of the occupation. Based on over 200 hours of footage, the film provides a candid retelling of the events following the fall of Baghdad in 2003 by high ranking officals, as well as Iraqi civilians, American soldiers and prominent analysts. Examines the manner in which the principal errors of U.S. policy--the use of insufficient troop levels, allowing the looting of Baghdad, the purging of professionals from the Iraqi government and the disbanding of the Iraqi military--largely created the insurgency and chaos that engulf Iraq today. DVD 3416
	Immigration on Main Street Episode of NOW, hosted by David Brancaccio New York : PBS Home Video, 2007 With Washington stuck in place on illegal immigration policy, local governments are taking the matter into their own hands, shifting the cultural and political battleground from Pennsylvania Avenue to Main Street, USA. DVD 3336

New Resource on Latin American Public Opinion

2008-03-28T18:15:06Z

We have recently obtained a subscription to the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP). Now hosted at Vanderbilt Unviersity, LAPOP has systematically surveyed the citizens of Latin America on their political views, specifically on democratic values and their behaviors related to democracy, since the 1970s.

LAPOP surveys analyze citizen views on system support, political tolerance, citizen participation, local government, corruption, and views on authoritarianism in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, El Salvador, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The project has recently been expanded to also cover Albania, Israel, Madagascar, Canada and the United States.

LAPOP features access to AmericasBarometer-- an effort to measure democratic values and behaviors in the Americas using national probability samples of voting-age adults. This is akin to LatinoBarometer for Central America.

Track 2008 Presidential Campaigns via C-SPAN Campaign Network

2008-01-29T16:50:00Z

C-SPAN Campaign Network provides live and archived coverage of many 2008 Presidential Campaign events. From Town Hall Meetings to Victory Speeches to Endorsement Announcements. You'll also be able to access campaign commercials from various candidates. An RSS Feed and email announcements are also available.

Search by:

Candidate Name
Date/Date Range
Title or Description
Event Location

If you can't find the debates on Campaign Network, you can also search the primary C-SPAN site.

Courtesy of Gary Price's ResourceShelf, see: http://www.resourceshelf.com/2008/01/13/c-spans-campaign-network-what-are-people-watching-on-c-span-web-site/.

Religious Demographic Profiles for 10 Nations

2008-01-28T14:30:30Z

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has issued a set of Religious Demographic Profiles for the following countries:

Chile
Guatemala
India
Kenya
Nigeria
Philippines
South Africa
South Korea
United States

Courtesy of Gary Price's ResourceShelf, see: http://www.resourceshelf.com/2008/01/12/fast-facts-country-religious-demographic-profiles-for-10-nations/.

Nice Tool for Tracking Congressional Staff Salaries & Travel

2008-01-25T14:46:35Z

Launched in September 2006, LegiStorm provides a variety of important information about the US Congress.

From their site: "Based on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, LegiStorm's first information product was a database of congressional staff salaries but we have now added other valuable information, such as the most comprehensive database of all privately financed trips taken by members of Congress and congressional staffers."

From Gary Price's ResourceShelf, see: http://www.resourceshelf.com/2008/01/10/databases-legistorm-us-government-salary-database-browse-and-search/.

What's New @ ICPSR

2008-01-09T16:16:46Z

New Data Files:

4665 ABC News 9/11 Anniversary Poll, September 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04665.xml

21120 Japan 2000 National Survey on Family and Economic Conditions (NSFEC)
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/21120.xml

20302 Transatlantic Trends Survey, 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20302.xml

4709 American Time Use Survey, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04709.xml

21140 Preparedness of Large Retail Malls to Prevent and Respond to Terrorist Attack, 2004 [United States]
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/21140.xml

4702 Afrobarometer: Round 2.5 Survey of South Africa, 2004
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04702.xml

4664 ABC News Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Poll, August 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04664.xml

20440 Nations, Development, and Democracy, 1800-2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20440.xml

20262 Response to Terrorism by Local Prosecutors in 70 Large Jurisdictions in the United States, 2004
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20262.xml

21302 The Determinants of Aid in the Post-Cold War Era
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/21302.xml

Updated Files:

4300 AsiaBarometer, 2003
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04300.xml

4341 Eurobarometer 62.1: The Constitutional Treaty, Economic Challenges, Vocational Training, Information Technology at Work, Environmental Issues, and Services of General ...
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04341.xml

20520 Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS), 1991-2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20520.xml

2038 State Court Processing Statistics, 1990-2004: Felony Defendants in Large Urban Counties
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/02038.xml

Courtesy of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/

Selections from the Librarian's Internet Index (Week of 1/3/2008)

2008-01-04T15:00:09Z

Digital Footprints: Online Identity Management and Search in the Age of Transparency
URL: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/229/report_display.asp
This December 2007 report considers whether and how often people search for information about themselves online and whether they have taken steps to limit that information. Also discusses social networking and online profiles and searching for information about others online. Includes full text of the report and the questionnaire used to generate the report. From the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

How Do Caucuses Work?
URL: http://people.howstuffworks.com/question721.htm
This essay explains how caucuses work, and outlines the differences between presidential primaries and caucuses, which are both "a means for each political party to let voters nationwide select their party's presidential nominee." The Iowa caucus (the first of the presidential election year) is used as an example. Includes links to further information about the U.S. presidential election system. From HowStuffWorks.

Iowa Caucus 2008
URL: http://www.iowacaucus.org/
Official website for the Iowa Caucus, in which political party members gather in January to make policy decisions and to select candidates, and which is the earliest step in the electoral process for U.S. presidential candidates. Provides background about the caucus (such as how the caucuses began, how they work, and how Iowa gained its first-in-the-nation status) and links to candidate websites. Also includes links to facts about Iowa.

Facts for Features Special Edition: 2007 Economic Census
URL: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/011092.html
Facts and data related to the Economic Census, which takes place every five years in years ending in 2 and 7 and "measures the nation's economic activity, providing key source data for the gross domestic product (GDP) and other indicators of economic performance. Includes statistics about the census (mailed in December 2007 to businesses), and about driving, gas stations, eating and drinking, shopping, utilities, entertainment, sports, and personal business. From the U.S. Census Bureau.

Pakistan's Political Crisis
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/south_asia/2007/pakistan/
Collection of features, views, and analysis about the political situation in Pakistan, including General Musharraf's declaration of emergency rule in November 2007 and the December 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Includes a timeline about Pakistani politics back to 1988 when Benazir Bhutto was sworn in as prime minister, background about individuals involved (such as Musharraf, Bhutto, and former prime minister Nawaz Sarif), the militant threat, and the diplomatic options. From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

The Soldier's Heart
URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heart/
Companion website to a 2005 PBS Frontline program that "explores the psychological cost of war and investigates whether the military is doing enough to help the many combat veterans coming home with emotional problems." Features video of the full program and additional stories, interviews, readings, and expert options about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in soldiers. Includes 2007 updates on some of the people featured in the program, and a link to a related Frontline report.

CQ Almanac Online Edition

2007-12-29T22:30:54Z

The library has signed on to the new online edition of the CQ Almanac.

Since 1945, CQ Almanac has been the definitive reference for studying the U.S. Congress. Arranged thematically, each annual volume of the CQ Almanac organizes, distills, and cross-indexes the full year in Congress and in national politics.

The Online Edition allows users to:

navigate through more than 60 years of Congressional coverage
access tables, graphs, and charts
search by keywords
browse by subject, decade, or a volume's table of contents

The Policy Tracker feature allows you to trace major policy issues across several volumes of the CQ Almanac to track how the issue has developed over time.

The handy CiteNow! feature allows you to automatically generate appropriate citations in MLA, APA and Bluebook styles. You can also export your citations to RefWorks and EndNote!

You can access the CQ Almanac online via the CQ Electronic Library.

From the Scout Report

2007-12-23T01:31:06Z

Crisis Guide: The Korean Peninsula http://www.cfr.org/publication/11954/
The Council on Foreign Relations has created a number of interactive guides that address everything from Africa's conflict zones to the region along Pakistan's Afghan border. This particular interactive feature deals with the ongoing political situation on the Korean Peninsula. After a brief audio and visual introduction, visitors can take in eight chapters that cover the region's historical background, military history, and nuclear facilities. Along with graphics such as charts and tables, some of the chapters include interactive timelines and maps. One chapter that should not be missed is the one dedicated to exploring the subject of "Military Balance". In this chapter, users can learn about the military assets in the region held by the United States, Japan, China, Russia, and South and North Korea. It's quite an overview, and this site could also be used in an introductory political science or international relations course.

Global Health Reporting http://globalhealthreporting.org/
Information on global health conditions online is quite extensive, though it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Created and operated by the Kaiser Family Foundation (with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), the Global Health Reporting site is designed for journalists and the general public. The site is a frequently-updated and high-quality resource on information about the global health situation regarding HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The site provides country-level data on these conditions, along with a "New & Noteworthy" area, which provides recent articles on these matters. Journalists will appreciate the "Reporting Tools" section, as it features glossaries, reporting manuals, disease tutorials, and multimedia offerings. Additionally, visitors can sign up to receive email notifications and RSS feeds.

More or Less http://www.open2.net/moreorless/
The "More or Less" program created by the BBC and the Open University was "born of the sense that numbers were the principal language of public argument." As statistics and data are everywhere from the newspaper to the grocery aisle, their statement makes a great deal of sense. This program asks everything from "What is economics?" to the various aspects of probability in everyday life. First-time visitors will want to start by looking over the "Essential Guides" area, these guides cover averages, economics, probability, and statistics through the use of straight-forward examples and illustrative devices. Moving on, the "Behind the Numbers" area takes on the notion of chance, media statistics, and the use of tables. Overall, the site is a great place for those who might be generally curious about statistics and related matters.

Human Development Report 2007/2008 http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/hdr_20072008_en_complete.pdf
Released biennially by the United Nations Development Programme, the Human Development Report offers informed commentary and analysis of issues that affect humans across the world. In past years, the report has dealt with civil wars, starvation, economic growth, gender inequality, and a wide range of pressing matters. Released at the end of November 2007, this edition of the Human Development Report takes on the development impact of climate change "that could bring unprecedented reversals in poverty reduction, nutrition, health and education." The 399-page report offers a portrait of the challenges presented by widespread climate changes by looking at growth in certain parts of the world, growing carbon footprints, and how developing and developed nations might mitigate some of these changes.

Sustainability: American Public Media http://sustainability.publicradio.org/
Sustainability has become a popular buzzword in the past few years, yet it can be a puzzling term to some who encounter it. In the words of this American Public Media site, "it's about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." They have decided to contribute to the ongoing public conversation about sustainability by using this site to showcase stories produced by their radio programs, which include Marketplace, Speaking of Faith, and Weekend America. Visitors can dive right in via the "Stories in the Radio" section, where they will find pieces on electric cars, climate treaty agreements, and fuel economy standards. Moving on, visitors can also read their weblog and take in special reports on "greening" Las Vegas and the nature of the consumer society. It's a fascinating site, and one that can be used to spark new conversations among friends, colleagues, and students.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives http://www.atf.gov/
While people may have seen individuals with a jacket that reads "ATF Agent", they may have only a vague understanding of what the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) does. As a law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice, the ATF is "dedicated to preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and protecting our Nation." On the homepage, users can read about their latest work and activities through a variety of press releases divided into sections such as "Violent Crimes" and "Gangs". The site also has a "Field Divisions" area, where users can learn about the activities of the field offices from Maine to Los Angeles. Criminologists and others may want to visit the "Publications" area for some of their latest findings. Here, visitors can look over reports such as annual accountability reports and newsletters.