Where The BFF?

 Inspired by the realization that he had no black friends as he celebrated President Obama's historic victory in 2008, author Tanner Colby (Belushi: A Biography, The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts) set out to learn the history of integration in the United States. The result is this often humorous, fascinating book that examines the long and short term effects of  the civil rights legislation of the 1960s which legally ended American apartheid. The book focuses on four main areas: education, real estate, employment, and religion. An important read.

Getting Money

PLANNING THE "BIG ASK"
Check out books ... at the library on writing a grant proposal
-or on writing a business plan for a new business
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE

Get to know your State

Oregon Transparency is a state government website all about helping you to understand and know your state government.

Information includes:

Money coming in

Money going out

State Workforce

Get acquainted today!


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ReliefWeb

ReliefWeb was launched in October 1996 and is administered by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This site contains reliable and timely information regarding humanitarian emergencies throughout the world. It is highly interactive in that it allows the user to see in-depth profiles, updates and reports on individual countries and disasters. For example, the latest information regarding relief efforts in Japan were listed and as I was creating this blog, several updates to the site were made. Jobs and training opportunities are also listed, letting the user focus on a particular country, type of job, organizational source, etc. This is an incredible resource for anyone interested in humanitarian efforts throughout the world.

Among the Truthers - a new book shedding light on the mind of the Birthers

Kay, the managing editor and columnist at Canada's National Post newspaper, delivers an insightful (and slightly scary) exploration of America's conspiracy movements. Focusing primarily on the Truthers (who believe the U.S. government engineered the September 11 attacks)—and to a lesser extent, the Birthers (those who claim President Obama is a foreign-born Muslim), Holocaust deniers, and JKF assassination theorists—he argues that we must take these movements seriously, however outré they may seem, for the disturbing anti-intellectual trend they epitomize: a "nihilistic distrust of government" and a "rejection of logic and rational discourse." Kay, who spent three years immersing himself in conspiracy culture, traces America's flourishing conspiracism back to Greco-Roman times and explores the technological developments that allow conspiracy theories to flourish: Web sites and message boards where Truthers and Birthers can get news "tailored to their pre-existing obsessions." Kay, although generally a fair-minded conservative, reveals that he isn't immune to conspiracy theories himself: he excoriates the rise of multiculturalism and feminism in the academy for prompting a "reconstruction (and in some cases wholesale invention) of history according to the viewpoint of women, blacks, gays... a project that replaced the historian's once unquestioned goal of objective truth with an explicitly political, Marxist-leaning agenda aimed at empowerment and solidarity-building.
-Publisher's Weekly Review (May)
Other reviews: http://amongthetruthers.com/

Gateway to Science Information

As the website states, "Science.gov is a gateway to government science information and research results. Currently in its fifth generation, Science.gov provides a search of over 45 scientific databases and 200 million pages of science information with just one query, and is a gateway to over 2100 scientific websites." We all have had the experience of trying to do an Internet search and coming up with less that stellar results, usually because someone wants to sell us something! This website is an interagency initiative of 18 U.S. government science organization within 14 Federal Agencies. It is an easy-to-use site which allows you to browse topics like agriculture & food, biology & nature, physics & chemistry and a number of other science related subjects. This site would be of interest to students, the layperson, or those within a science profession. All would benefit from this interesting resource.

Beaverton Cares Awareness Program

The Beaverton Cares Awareness Program was developed by the Mayor's Neighborhood Program to raise awareness of the resources available to those in need and to identify ways that members of the community could help their neighbors. The website has an extensive listing of resources available in Beaverton for those who are struggling to make ends meet. Included in the list is information on food pantries, discount drug cards, housing, utility bill assistance and much more. Also included on the website are opportunities for those who would like to volunteer or donate their time or goods to local organizations who assist those in need. Shopping locally can also give a boost to our business community, keeping jobs within our area and helping our local economy. A definite win-win situation!

New Federal Dietary Guidelines Released

You may have heard that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services jointly released the new 2010 dietary guidelines last week. If you would like to take a look at the full text of the 2010 guidelines, click the link below:

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines

Happy healthy eating!

Radon

Did you know that Radon is a naturally occuring radioactive gas that comes from the decay of urnanium founnd in most soil types. You cannot see, smell, or taste radon but it can be deadly to your health. According to the EPA it is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. It is easy to test for radon and everyone should probably do it. The EPA has a good website that explains all the facts about radon including how to test for it and mitigate it if necessary. Here is a link to the website.



http://http//www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html

Factcheck.org

Do you feel that sometimes the facts from the politicians and media might not be entirely accurate? Try out factcheck.org . Here is a description from their website

Our Mission
We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.

FactCheck

With the November elections fast approaching, you may want to check out a website from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Referred to as the Annenberg Political FactCheck, this site "monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases". Politicians' claims and statements are analyzed and individuals can browse by date or search by keyword to access the last four years of the archives. An analysis of whether the stimulus legislation actually created new jobs was recently published. The Republican "Pledge to America" was also dissected last month. Interesting reading!!

Oregon General Election--November 2nd, 2010

There is an upcoming Oregon general election on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010. For information on ballot drop sites, voter's pamphlets, and other election information, click on your county's link below:

Washington County Elections:
http://www.co.washington.or.us/AssessmentTaxation/Elections/CurrentElection/index.cfm

Multnomah County Elections:
http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dbcs/elections/index_ue.shtml#nov10

Clackamas County Elections:
http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/elections/

Federal Jobs

Did you know...

That the library subscribes to the bi-weekly publication, Federal Jobs Digest.

Federal Jobs Digest lists Federal job vacancies nationwide. Each listing provides the job grade level, salary, agency, closing date and URL to apply for the position.

There are also a few articles in each issue. The October 1st issue answers the question, "How long do I have to wait for an interview" and explains the recruitment process.

Happy Job Hunting~!

Historic Oregon Voters' Pamphlets now available online

Now you can browse individual issues, or search across decades of Oregon's colorful elections history at:  http://library.state.or.us/databases/subjects/Voters_Pamphlet.php

The Government Research Services division of the Oregon State Library has digitized a historic run of Oregon Voters' Pamphlets as part of its mission to make government information available to the citizens of Oregon. Digital and paper copies of the Voters' Pamphlets are also a permanent part of the Oregon State Library's Oregon Documents Collection.
In 1904, Oregon became one of the first states to print and distribute a voters’ pamphlet. Voters' Pamphlets are a rich source of historic information including the full text of all measures voted on by the people; statements, biographical information and portraits of candidates running for state office; and statements for and against candidates and measures.

Foreign Affairs

No, I'm not talking about "that" type of affair but those that deal with foreign policy. Sorry if I disappointed you! But if you are interested in what is going on in the world of international relations and foreign policy in general, the Library subscribes to three journals that will inform and entertain you regarding the ever-changing world of foreign affairs. Check out Current History, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy in our Periodicals Department.

National Park Service Web Site

nps.gov
Check out this well-designed web site if you want to find a park by state, name, activity or topic. 
Activity includes everything from auto touring to wildlife viewing. The site also has information on scenic rivers, national heritage sites, memorials, monuments, historic sites, seashores, etc. so the topic search covers from American Presidents to Wildflowers. Other information on nps.gov includes news, events, photos and multimedia presentations and information for teachers and kids.

Environmental Protection Agency

Did you know the EPA has a blog, Greenversations. Every Wednesday is Science Wednesday and the post deals with the science behind enviornmental protection.





Questions about the BP Oil Spill, the EPA has a website addressing their response to the oil spill,


EPA Response to BP Spill

Free Money -- how to get Help version 2010

PLANNING THE "BIG ASK"
Free books ... at the library on writing a grant proposal
-or on writing a business plan for a new business
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE

All grants megasite from SBA

Oregon Microenterprise Network lots of different local and state organizations (depending on your type of business) who have various programs.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance or come in to the library to flip through the catalog itself in bound form.

View Foundation Grants to Individuals in the library for free or use Foundation Grants to Individuals online at home, fee based.

Microenterprise Development for Small Businesses Individual development accounts.

SBA Loans -- See about Microloans, up to $25,000, if you are a small business. The average loan size is $10,000.

BECOMING NONPROFIT

Books becoming a nonprofit such as the Oregon Nonprofit Corporation Handbook
Books on funding your nonprofitSort results by date for newest items
Filing a 501c3 Application a dowloadable book on the IRS application to become tax deductible.
Help for your local nonprofit: Technical assistance http://tacs.org/
VENTURE CAPITAL
http://activecapital.org/
Venture Capital is NOT available for:
sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, "blank check" companies, (companies that raise money to invest in future ventures not yet identified), development stage companies that have no specific business plan or purpose, development stage companies whose business plan is to merge or be acquired by an unidentified company, investment companies, registered or required to register under the Investment Company Act of 1940, companies involved in oil, gas, or other mineral or extractive interests.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
CCR-Central Contractor Registration-http://www.ccr.gov/ Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is the primary registrant database for the U.S. Federal Government. CCR collects, validates, stores and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions. Click here to learn more about CCR Policy and Background.
Browse Current Available Bids--use FedBizOpps which is on Stat-USA, available at the library. Ask at the Reference Desk, they have to log you on with their password in their rolodex.
http://www.stat-usa.gov/

• click on GLOBUS NTDB
• click on FED BIZ OPPS, type a search keyword. Suggestions of keywords might be "Portland" or "Oregon," or some keyword from his or her line of business such as "transformer" or "janitorial"

Government Contract Assistance Program, or GCAP. Oregon's Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP) is sponsored and brought to you by the Organization for Economic Initiatives (OEI), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).http://www.gcap.org/
HELP WITH LIVING EXPENSES
Find assistance for Food, Housing, Child Care, Healthcare, Adult Education, and More.

Community Action in Washington County http://www.caowash.org/

Oregon Child Care Subsidy Program http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/children/childcare/main.shtml

Oregon Helps - gives you an idea of what to ask for ahead of time
http://www.oregonhelps.org/

Free legal help for living expenses

Legal Aid Services of Oregon
For legal advice about unpaid bills, click on Consumer, Debt Collection, Garnishment.
http://www.oregonlawhelp.com/OR/

Oregon state bar.
Check legallinks for answers to your Oregon Law questions. With the help of legallinks you can find a lawyer with the Lawyer Referral Service, get information on hundreds of common legal topics and learn the basics of Oregon Law.
http://www.osbar.org/public/legallinks.html


INVENTORS, ARTISTS
Grants for People

Foundation Grants to Individuals REF 001.44 FOU
in reference, but you can reserve a copy of last edition

National Directory of Corporate Giving REF 361.7632 NAT
in reference stacks only

Oregon Innovation Center http://www.oregoninnovation.org/ or

Oregon Entrepreneurs Networkd
http://www.oen.org/

HOUSING AND REAL ESTATE

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) http://www.hud.gov/ click on select a state


Grants for communities, business districts
Office of Community Planning and Development - HUD
http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/

Block Grants, Redevelopment, Enterprise Zones, direct loans to help newer businesses get started in Oregon, etc http://www.oregon.gov/ECDD/finance.shtml

Federal empowerment zones offer jobs, job training and small business development
Oregon Empowerment Zones http://www.econ.state.or.us/enterthezones/

STATE AND LOCAL JOBS ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION & VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS

State of Oregon's jobs page http://www.workinginoregon.com/

Oregon Student Assistance Commission http://www.osac.state.or.us/index.html

Capital career center and Worksource Oregon team up to provide career guidance assistance
http://www.workforceallianceonline.org/

Worksource Oregon
http://www.worksourceoregon.org/

College education
Library books on student aid

Career preparation databases via Washington County Library Cooperative
* Oregon Career Information Service-Start with the desired occupation, discover the outlook for that career, then link to schools, then to scholarships. Free at the library and free in many of the public schools.

* Learning Express Library - Prepare for GED, US Citizenship, ASVAB or SAT and many civil service tests online. Take courses on writing resumes and preparing for interviews.

Send your child to private kindergarten through high school
Oregon voters rejected a voucher program. But the subject continues to come up from time to time in news editorials.

FREE Reference sites

Unable to make it to the library and want a quick answer to questions you did not know you had? Here are some great FREE Reference sites worth exploring.


EIA- Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government
http://www.eia.doe.gov/
Provides current and historical energy statistics.
scienc
FLU.gov
http://www.flu.gov/
Everything FLU related: Research, global activity, brochures, 'Ask an Expert', symptoms and prevention.

HopStop.com
http://www.hopstop.com/
If you are travelling to a big city be sure to check out this site. It will calculate the most efficient mass transit route.

National Biological Information
http://www.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt
Provides data about wildlife. Search by species, habitat or geographic region.

Insurance and Medicare Purchasing Decisions

This is an illustration of the catalog display. Clicking on a red book will tell it that you want to reserve a specific copy. This can be helpful when you see newer editions and older editions all blended in from library to library. The libraries that hold on to their old copies may have limited resources but many libraries purchase new copies. Just a quick tip but on to the main show: Insurance

There are many ways to shop for insurance.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners puts out several consumer guides to shopping for insurance, including Auto, Home, Life, Cancer, Long-Term, Deferred and Fixed Annuities, and Medigap.

The Beaverton City library furnishes ratings guide to Health Insurers , ratings guides to Property and Casualty Insurers, and ratings guide to Life and Annuity Insurers to you in the library's reference collection. They are located on the Index tables.

Medicare is another big decision time. Here is a book we get called All About Medicare that may clarify the structure of medicare benefits. The Social Security Handbook is another regularly purchased item that is based on the presentation of public domain data on the Social Security website.

Nolo Press's popular Social Security, Medicare and Government Pensions is another guide for consumers. Ask at the library for these and other resources on Insurance. To reserve a current copy, here's a tip: To distinguish between copies that one library may have that are from 2004 which are too old, review the tip up at top, which is to click on the red book for a specific hold on a specific copy.