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Web Reviews

The Earth Times | Posted October 26, 2002

 

Web Reviews
The U.S. Government’s one-stop access to all federal information sources

> BY WARREN SULLIVAN
Copyright © 2002 by The Earth Times. All rights reserved

IIt doesn’t seem right! The government is trying to make it easy for its citizens to find the right place for federal resources? Can’t be. However here are the words straight from the source: “FirstGov allows users to browse a wealth of information everything from researching at the Library of Congress to tracking a NASA mission. It also enables users to conduct important business online such as applying for student loans, tracking Social Security benefits, comparing Medicare options and even administering government grants and contracts.”

I am impressed, and I am not the only one. The site has picked up awards and positive reviews during the last year, all of which are deserved. The information offered is not just tucked away in sections with undecipherable bureaucratic nomenclature. It’s presented in many different ways and is organized so you may either use keywords to search the site or browse to get where you need to be.

A directory similar to the Yahoo! site guides you along progressively narrower descriptions leading, hopefully, to the information you are looking for. Each major section has a main page that offers news of the day. A weekly newsletter is available so you may receive an email about all the new articles recently posted. Pictures and links abound to get you quickly to the most frequently asked for data.

As an example, not long after the terrorist attacks on the USA, information appeared about victim’s benefits and assistance. There is a link to the White House site with timely information on the U.S. response. You can quickly find out the latest air travel restrictions or buy savings bonds. If your looking for a federal job this is a good place to start. If you are a U.S. citizen and speak Arabic, Farsi or Pashto there are jobs paying $27 to $38 per hour as an FBI contractor.

This web site shows what can be accomplished when a group is dedicated to pulling together a huge body of information and providing the mechanisms and intuitive navigation to allow most anyone to find what they need.

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