Dirt Diggers Network: Digest No. 18
September 17, 2002
Editor: Philip Mattera
1. Query regarding reverse lookup services for fax numbers
2. Suggested sources for Congressional Research Service reports
3. The "Scandalously Rich" of the Forbes 400
4. Free Pint business research newsletter
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Query regarding reverse lookup services for fax numbers
Rick Rehberg writes:
Question: InfoSpace has removed their free reverse fax number lookup
service, and I wanted to ask if anyone knows of another free source. I am
aware of several paid sources, primarily the Powerfinder CD from
www.infousa.com, but was also hoping to find a free source.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Suggested sources for Congressional Research Service reports
Rick Rehberg also writes:
My two favorite newsletters for research sources are "The Cyber Skeptic's
Guide to Internet Research" www.bibliodata.com ($105/year for nonprofits)
and "The Information Advisor" www.informationadvisor.com ($165/year). These
are monthly newsletters that cram a lot of good information into their eight
pages. Information Advisor covers a few subjects in-depth each month, while
Cyber Skeptic briefly covers dozens of sources. Both websites have article
indexes, samples and trial subscriptions available.
I wanted to summarize a recent "Information Advisor" article on
Congressional Research Service reports. CRS reports are produced by
researchers at the Library of Congress at the request of members of
Congress, and they are well-researched and clearly written. As the article
states, they cover subjects from the EU's ban on hormone treated meat to the
chip mill industry to greenhouse gases.
The following sources for CRS reports are available:
PAID SOURCE:
- www.pennyhill.com has every CRS report since 1995, selling for $19.95
and $29.95. My advice is to exhaust the free sources below before purchasing.
FREE SOURCES:
- National Library for the Environment, www.cnie.org/NLE/CRS/, has over
1,200 free CRS reports on environmental issues, searchable by keyword.
- Rep. Christopher Shays www.house.gov/shays/CRS/CRSProducts.htm and Rep.
Mark Green www.house.gov/markgreen/crs.htm have hundreds of CRS reports on
their sites, although you can only browse the titles, not search by keyword.
- US Department of State, www.fpc.state.gov/c4763.htm, selected CRS
reports on foreign affairs/international relations, browse only.
- Federation of American Scientists, www.fas.org/irp/crs/, browse reports
divided into categories relating to science and national security.
- Your Senator or Representative. Many people believe that CRS reports
have historically been difficult to obtain because members of Congress are
protective of this perk they provide to constituents, just like tour tickets
and flags. How often you want to go to this well is up to you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. The "Scandalously Rich" of the Forbes 400
Forbes magazine has just published the latest edition of its
annual list of the wealthiest people in the country. It can be found
online at http://www.forbes.com/2002/09/13/rich400land.html.
While the magazine is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the list--which
has served as a gauge of the changing distribution of wealth in the
United States--it has also had to acknowledge the current controversies
about the rich and powerful. The issue contains an article entitled
"Scandalously Rich: A Forbes 400 ranking doesn't always go hand in
hand with a sqeaky-clean reputation" that features a variety of chief
executives that are currently behind bars or may soon be.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Free Pint research newsletter
Those of you who can't get enough of business research tips may be interested
in knowing about a twice-monthly online newsletter from Britain called Free Pint
<www.freepint.com>. The publication does not necessarily take a critical view of
business, but it does have useful information. The current issue, No.120, has
features on offshore tax havens and on international business rankings. You can
view the newsletters on the website or sign up there to get them via bulky e-mail
messages.
Philip Mattera
pmattera@goodjobsfirst.org