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Saturday, April 03, 2004

Weekend update: Other things I found last week:

Some ask how blogging can have anything to do with investigative reporting. I could cite a lot of examples, but one really stood out this week:

Kathryn Cramer, a blogger from New York, has been discussing the use of mercenary forces in Iraq (and other countries) for awhile on her blog. This week, as the story of the Blackwater employees killed in Iraq came out, her research became relevant to breaking news. Besides discussing the situation, Kramer's research into the subject made her blog a great place to go to find quick links to stories and reports on civilian contractors, from lots of different sources. How many other 'civilian reporters' are there out there doing research that can help journalists find the background they need? A lot more than you think. This is the sort of thing news librarians/researchers should be doing for their own organizations, and do. But sometimes having that extra eye looking is really useful. And, going to a blog that discusses 'guns for hire' in one posting, then breastfeeding or school lunches in the next is a nice dose of real life.


The links....
Reference :
  • GESource World Guide: a new guide to world geography, politics, social and economic issues, by country.
  • USA Today's Bestseller list: searchable database back to 1993.
  • Online Climate Atlas of the U.S..
  • Current Time around the world: see it on a map.
    Tools:
  • PC Problems? Fix 'Em Yourself. Good hints from PC World.
    People:
  • Mobile Phone Directory: contains only voluntary listings, name search only. A link to reverse search for $85 (takes several days).
    Business:
  • Zapdata has free Dun & Bradstreet reports on companies, slight cost for more detail. Need to register (free).
  • Delaware Corporate Records.
    News:
  • Advanced search syntax for Yahoo News: Gary Price says you can search by source, headline, URL, and more. Very useful.
    Journalism:
  • A Statement of Principles: ASNE's Code of Ethics Online.
  • SJP Code of Ethics.
    Governments, Politics, Public Records, Statistics: no links this week

    Some Interesting stories/Weblogs:
  • The unofficial Google Weblog. For all those fascinated by this company.
  • Yellowstone Wolf's Journal, a lovely photoblog from the Rocky Mountains. (via Smoky Mountain Journal.)
  • Mead Data Central and the History of Nexis in Searcher magazine.
  • How winning a Pulitzer changes your life at MediaBistro.
    Fun/Entertaining:
  • Wonderful short film of Jerry Seinfeld hanging out with Superman from American Express. (click on 'Uniform').

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