No. 225 October 2001
FEDERAL INFORMATION CENTER / NATIONAL CALL CENTER --HISTORY According to the Government Organization Manual 1994/1995 (GOM)(AE 2.108/2:) Section on the General Services Administration (GSA) on page 620, there were about 70 Federal Information Centers throughout the fifty States, with the number reduced to about 50 in the GOM 1995/1996 (pages 588-589). The GOM 1996/1997, GSA section, page 575 gives an email address as a replacement for all the Federal Information Centers which are not listed but are said to be found though local telephone directories. The GOM 1997/98, GSA Section page 575 gives the Consumer Information Center's 800 phone number and it's Website address and includes the fact that "Federal Information Centers" are found in local telephone directories.The GOM 2001-2002 GSA page 442 provides all the web sites and 800 phone number for the new electronic version of the Federal Information Center and the (same) Consumer Information Catalog (CIC) (GS 11.9:), both of which are on the Internet. The GSA’s electronic “Federal Information Center” is now the "National Call Center: ASK U.S." whose web page is "Federal Consumer Information Center National Contact Center ASK U.S. 1-800-688-9889" http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/call/. The "National Call Center/National Contact Center" is the 21st century Federal Information Center. Another URL for the electronic “Federal Information Center” is http://www.info.gov/. In the paper version, Federal Information Center (GS 1.2:F31/991) is one of the latest 2-page GSA publications listing the cities and phone numbers for each of the Federal Information Centers existing in 1991.
CONSUMER INFORMATION CATALOG ONLINE The General Services Administration has issued the Pueblo, Colorado Consumer Information Catalog (CIC) of free and inexpensive publications to the American public (at least) since the 1970s. Publicity included ads on television (to write for a copy), getting on a mailing list, or picking up the latest (quarterly) issue at a local library. The CIC is found in many Federal Depository Libraries (GS 11.9:). Now the CIC is electronic and found on the Federal Consumer Information Center, Pueblo Colorado website at http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/. You can view, order printed copies, and download your own copy as a text or pdf file. If you like "computer shopping" the electronic version of the CIC "views the books online" http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cars.htm lets you browse the CIC's content (i.e. publications), add selected items to your cart, proceed to a billing information form, where you can finalize your purchase, and get billed. At the "order printed copies" link http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_shop/cicshop.htm paper publications can be ordered with a credit card. The CIC at your electronic fingertips, what more could you ask for other than a floppy disk?
NTIS e-GOVERNMENT VIRTUAL LIBRARY INITIATIVE A.K.A. VIRTUAL HEAVEN Currently there are many Federal agencies, offices, commissions, etc., which have hundreds of websites and thousands of electronic pages of information. But the current existence of all these electronic publications and information depends on the agencies funding, policies, and goals. The continued existence of these electronic publications is not guaranteed. Winter 2001 will see the birth of the National Technical Information Service creation of a virtual heaven for electronic scientific, technical, engineering and business-related information in an electronic format. NTIS Virtual Library Initiative will create an “Electronic Collection (1997 – Present). The NTIS single point of entry will provide access, for a fee, to downloads of the reports held only by NTIS. There will also be links to other agency web sites for free download of their currently existing electronic publications. When any agency no longer maintains an electronic publication, NTIS will archive that publication/web page and ensure permanent availability. Current electronic publications are identified by a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). NTIS will manage and identify these archived electronic information resources by assigning a unique “Handle” to each on behalf of federal agencies. This was part of the presentation by William Finch of the NTIS at the Federal Depository Library Council Fall Council Meeting and Conference on October 14-17, 2001 in Alexandria VA.
BALLOONS: A GOOD USE OF HOT AIR It was Joseph and Etienne (Jacques) Gondolfier in Annonay France who developed and flew the first, basic and unmanned, hot air balloon in 1782. In the United States, June 1784 was the first tethered balloon flight, and January 9, 1793 was the first aerial balloon flight in Philadelphia. "Ballooning a Simple History" (by A. Mario Toscano, FAA Aviation News, V. 40, No. 7, October 2001, pages 18-20) describes the balloon history for Europe and "Ballooning in America – In the Beginning” by Louise Oetrly FAA Aviation News, v. 40, No. 7, October, 2001 pages 20-23 describes the role of the balloons and ballooning in 19th century American history. Though the history is interesting, what is more interesting and colorful are the two articles "Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2001 - 'Our 30th Journey'" by A. Mario Toscano, pages 1-14, and "Balloon Competitions and Events Around the Globe" page 15 is a quick review of current ballooning events. If you are, literally speaking, really into balloons, or want to be, take note of (page 14) the "FAA's New Video and Ballooning Handbook" article that provides order information for the new video and handbook. Pilot Decision-Making: Aircraft and Equipment Preflight is a safety video geared to hot air ballooning.The Balloon Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-11) has been updated, now costs $16.00 ($20 foreign) and can be ordered from the Government Printing Office with Stock Number 050-007-01313-2 or through the GPO web page at http://bookstore.gpo.gov/ . All these articles are in the FAA Aviation News V. 40, No. 7, October 2001 that is in paper in some depository libraries (as TD 4.9:40/7) or on the FAA web site at http://www.faa.gov/AVR/afs/news/archive/october.htm. An appropriate piece of music for this hot air event is the popular 1960s song by (the music group) the Fifth Dimension Up, Up and Away in My Beautiful Balloon.
WOMEN IN THE NEWS Have you heard the news about the 5000 thousand women who marched in Washington D.C.? On Monday, March 3, 1913, lawyer Inez Milholland Boissevain, clad in a white cape and riding a white horse, led the great women's suffrage parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in the nation's capital. The parade took place from 2 PM to 6 PM and encountered many problems and reactions by the anti-feminist crowd due to inadequate police protection. The result was a public outcry, a congressional inquiry and hearing into District of Columbia police negligence. This controversial parade resulted in Henry L. Stimson Secretary calling out the U.S. Calvary for parade protection. We all missed the Parade, but it was the subject of many articles. The New York Times newspaper had a series of articles found through the New York Times Index January-March 1913, page 270, under “Woman Suffrage—‘Parade in Washington’”. There are about 29 news citations dated March 3 to 26, 1913. The Senate Committee on the District of Columbia issued Suffrage Parade, Report of the Committee on the District of Columbia, United States Senate Pursuant to S. RES. 499, of March 4, 1913, Directing said committee to investigate the conduct of the District Police and police department of the Distinct of Columbia in connection with the woman’s suffrage parade on March 3, 1913, with hearings and list of witnesses. (1913) (63rd Congress, 1st Session, Senate Report No. 53) is 750 pages of information. Senate Report No. 53 can be found in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set No. 6512. The text of the Congressional hearings in Report No. 53 was also issued separately. Suffrage Parade, Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Committee on the District of Columbia, United States Senate (Sixty-Third Congress, Special Session of the Senate) under S. RES. 499, of March 4, 1913. Directing said committee to investigate the conduct of the District Police and police department of the Distinct of Columbia in connection with the woman’s suffrage parade on March 3, 1913, March 6-17 and April 16 and 17, 1913 may be found under Y4.D63/2:W84 in some documents collections. "Marching for the Vote, Remembering the Women Suffrage Parade of 1913," by Sheridan Harvey, The Library of Congress Information Bulletin, V. 57, No. 3, March 1998, pages 54 -57, (LC 1.18:57/3 and http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9803/suffrage.html ) is a very good summary of these 1913 events which includes colored pictures of Inez Milholland Boissevain, on horseback, leading the parade.
MISTER ROGER'S NEIGBORHOOD & 123 SESAME STREET MAPS Mister Rogers Neighborhood originated in Pittsburgh's PBS Educational television WQED in 1968, and Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969 on PBS Educational Television, but thus far the city for Seseame Street is a mystery. Where are the “Neighborhood” and “Seseame Street? Are they real? The Census Bureau’s American FactFinder ( http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet ) has a “Street Address”search engine which will find any (authentic) address. However, my search on American Factfinder neither found and nor provided a map for “Sesame Street” or “Mister Roger's Neighborhood”. If there is not a map for either location, the solution is to make a one. The American Factfinder page allows the creation of Reference Maps and Thematic Maps. Thematic Maps are data maps that use color(s) to show data for all the county, city, place, tract, or block data for a topic or theme. A Kentucky county map in red could show Kentucky’s population density, darkest red for most populated to lightest for least populated. The creation of a Reference Maps requires a selection of boundaries, and there are 30 geographic options that include tract, block, block group, voting district, congressional district, tribal subdivision, and zip code. After selecting the Boston Block Boundaries (for Sesame Street) and Pittsburgh Block Group Boundaries (for Mister Roger's Neighborhood), then move to the 18 physical map features, such as hospitals, schools, power lines, cemeteries, airports, and railroad tracks. From these, chose the map features appropriate for Sesame Street and Mister Roger's Neighborhood. Last, the Title option allows a name to be inserted into each map: SESAME STREET and MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD. Printing or downloading is the final option. After the completion of these two maps, one will have had good practice using one of the mapmaking functions of the Census American FactFinder web site, which is a very easy way to create and obtain a Census Map of your own design.
INJURIES: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, DEGREE, AND FREQUENCY? Injuries affect everyone at some time in their life. Infants and the aged fall, bones get broken, dog bites, husbands hit wives (and vice versa), some injuries heal but others can be fatal. Some injuries are accidental, some are intentional, and some are criminal. Some sports are more likely to cause injuries than others. Injuries can happen in any city and state, to people of all ages, in any occupation, at any time. There is a new injury statistical package offered by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System) Program is an interactive database system which provides customized reports of Fatal Injuries and NonFatal Injuries Data. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/ WISQARS for Fatal Injuries issues two Fatal Injury Reports. (1) “Injury Mortality Reports” which is mortality data by cause(s), census region/state, race, sex, manner/intent, year(s) (1981-1998), Hispanic origin, output options, age-adjusting, and age selection. Complementary reports (2) “Leading Causes of Death Reports” create customized mortality statistics reports for from 5 to 20 causes of fatal injuries in terms of census region/state, race, sex, year(s) (1981-1998), Hispanic origin output options, and age group formatting. The WISQAR Nonfatal Injury database of national estimates of nonfatal injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. The two NonFatal reports include (1) “Nonfatal Injury Reports” which provide standard and customized reports on annualized numbers of injuries, population estimates, and injury rates per 10,000 population. Nonfatal Report components include about 10 options concerning Intent, Cause, and Select specific categories relating to additional causes and factors such as Transportation, Vehicles, and Pedestrian related circumstances. These reports also have Age and Age-Adjusting Options. The second series, (2) “Leading Causes of Nonfatal Injury Reports” contains information about common causes of nonfatal injury for a broad or specific population. This option offers 9 choices of common reports on 10 leading causes of nonfatal injury, already compiled and ready for viewing. There is the Customized Report option for those needing a tailored report.
December 3, 2001
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