Crisis in China, Myanmar, and Tibet

The recent earthquakes in China, cyclones in Myanmar, and political unrest in Tibet has dominated news headlines this Spring. Here are some government and ngo resources to turn to if you need more information on these devastating events:

* USGS Earthquake Center lists the earthquakes occuring around the world, including those in China
* USGS China Earthquake Information page contains maps, images, and also mentions its historic earthquakes
* "Reconstruction After Earthquake" compiles government articles, response, videos, and details about the China earthquakes
* USAID disaster assistance in China website includes a link to a pdf fact sheet on the recent earthquakes
* NASA's Earth Observatory page with images of the earthquake

* UN news release on the cyclones in Myanmar, with links to those offering relief and assistance
* University of Colorado at Boulder's comprehensive government resource guide on Burma (Myanmar) for more information about this area
* USAID responds to Cyclone Nargis, Burma
* NASA's Earth Observatory page with images of the Cyclone Nargis Floods in Burma (Myanmar)

Also, visit ReliefWeb for more information on the Chinese earthquakes and the Burmese cyclones.

For information on the situation in Tibet, consult the following:

* House Resolution 1077
The House passed a resolution calling on the Chinese government to end its crackdown in Tibet and to enter into a dialogue with the Dalai Lama
* Statement on Bush's Call to Chinese President Hu on Tibet
* Text of the Dalai Lama's Speech on the 49th Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day
* Speaker Pelosi's blog entry on leading bipartisan delegation to meet with the Dalai Lama
* Human Rights Country Report on China 2007
* CECC Analysis on Tibetan Protests (CECC=Congressional-Executive Commission on China)
* Library of Congress guide to resources on Tibet

National Hurricane Preparedness Week

It's Hurricane Preparedness Week! By knowing what actions to take when a hurricane looms, you can reduce the effects disaster. Learn how to prepare and take action!

NOAA has predicted a "near normal" or "above normal" Atlantic hurricane season. To learn more, visit NOAA's National Hurricane Center.

Memorial Day

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! For information on the history of how Memorial Day came to be, check out these links:

Origins of Memorial Day
History of Memorial Day

If you can't visit these memorials in D.C. anytime soon, then visit them virtually:

WWII Memorial
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the virtual Vietnam Wall

Read about veterans' experiences at the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

And learn ways you can support our troops!

Free Foreign Language Courses

Want to learn French? Hindi? How about "Igbo"?(West African language)You can study these languages and many more for free by accessing the course textbooks and audio tapes published by the U.S. Government's Foreign Service Institute now hosted at a non-profit website, the FSI Language Courses homepage. They also have links to podcasts for learning Chinese, French, and more.

Happy Mothers Day!

Did you know that President Woodrow Wilson established Mothers Day? He proclaimed it on May 9, 1914 and deemed the second Sunday of May to be Mothers Day. For more interesting Mom facts, visit the Library of Congress page, "Honor Your Mother" and the Census Bureau's Mothers Day Fact Sheet for some interesting statistics about Mothers (i.e. there are 82.8 million moms in the U.S. as of 2004!)

New Orleans Data Center

Although it is a non-governmental site from a non-profit organization, I'd like to point out a very useful website for those in need of recent demographic data on New Orleans GNOCDC: Greater New Orleans Community Data Center. Some of their information is obtained from census.gov and the Louisiana Department of Education. GNOCDC also has an interactive map of repopulation indicators for New Orleans based on who is receiving postal service mail! Check it out here.

Boll Weevils

Yes, Boll Weevils. Who knew that we had several documents in our Louisiana Government Documents collection about these little buggers? Including: "Proceedings of the Boll Weevil Convention called by Governor W. W. Heard in New Orleans, Louisiana, Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st, 1903." A Boll Weevil Convention!! I stumbled across these documents while browsing the Louisiana agriculture documents today.

I still refuse to look at our documents about Nutria Rats. *shudder* Ick.

If you desperately need information on Boll Weevils and Nutria Rats (or want to learn how to eradicate them from your crops) do a keyword search for nutria or "boll weevil" in our library's catalog and come visit the 4th floor, Government Documents Department.