Weekend update: The weekly reference collection/research gleanings:
Rather disturbing news this afternoon: former priest John Goeghan killed in prison. This sad story just keeps getting worse.

Two interesting sites for more background on last week's blackout:

Geographic Outage Animation: this map from Renesys shows animated blackout route (there was one in Florida that day too). (via Sheila Lennon)

System Disturbance Reports, 1996-2001 from NERC (North American Electrical Reliabilty Council.

More on another of this year's big stories:

Columbia shuttle accident report is due in a few days: Nature magazine special report.

And: some things covered on The Herald blog this week: South Florida team in the Little League World Series (playing for the U.S. Championship tonight); indictment of Cuban MiG pilots and Air Force chief in shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996; and more.
The useful links....

Reference

Distance tables between U.S. Ports from NOAA.

Collect Britain online exhibitions from The British Museum.
News:

MediaPost's AllMedia Directory covers newspapers, broadcast, networks, agencies, Internet, and a media 'people finder' database; free registration. Suggested by Gary Price.
Tools:

Alta Vista Toolbar

Poynter's Al Tompkins posted a downloadable file that will install a rule on Outlook or Outlook Express that will move any Sobig worm emails out of your inbox.
Journalism:

Media Casualties story, links, reaction to shooting of cameraman by U.S. troops in Iraq.
Public Records:

Wisconsin Criminal History records check

Pennsylvania criminal history (PATCH) system

Washington Criminal History database $10 with credit card.
Governments, Politics:

Center for Responsive Politics' Capital Eye has a report on top Bush fundraisers.

The Hutton Inquiry into the death of Dr. David Kelly, in the UK.
Statistics:

Prevalence of Imprisonment in the U.S. Population, 1974-2001 from BJS.
Florida:

Biscayne Bay Digital Library from Rosensteil School.
Business, People, : No links this week.
Some Interesting stories/Weblogs:

California Insider new blog by Sac Bee political columnist.

Breaking Views blog at Chicago Tribune by Eric Zorn.

New York City blackout photos

RSS hits critical mass good explanation of RSS/XML syndication from Dan Gillmor of San Jose Merc.

Hatless.com a blog from Broward Co., Florida by Steve Koppelman.
Fun/Entertaining:

Learning to love Powerpoint: using it to create art.

Moon the White House: these folks want you to help finance a trip so they can do this....