http://www.bloomberg.com

Bloomberg.com is an online provider of up-to-the-minute financial news, data, and analysis. Because it is part of the larger Bloomberg Media group—which includes news, publishing, television, and radio broadcast services—the site offers access to a wide range of sources in many types of formats. There are links to written content like news articles and editorials, but there are also audio and video reports, charts and graphs, customizable investment tools, and even RSS feeds and podcasts. The site does cover topics like politics, sports, travel, art, and culture, but the focus is definitely on the world of global capitalism, with information on financial markets in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

The menu options are straightforward, providing access to categories like:

• News, with submenus linking to articles on global, regional, economic, political, industrial, editorial, sports, and cultural news and information.
• Market Data, which includes sections on stocks, rates and bonds, currencies, mutual funds, ETFs, commodities, and a calendar of upcoming economic indicators and events.
• Investment Tools, consisting of a chart builder, portfolio tracker, market monitor, fund center, calculators, tutorials, and a glossary.

As these examples suggest, Bloomberg.com is intended for those with a strong interest in the forces driving the world economy. The site assumes its readership has a fairly solid knowledge of economics, although novices will find plenty of basic financial information, including helpful tutorials and a comprehensive glossary. Despite its highbrow content, the design of Bloomberg.com is remarkably user-friendly. Unlike many other financial websites, the site is eye-catching and intuitive, with few intrusive advertisements. This ease of use makes Bloomberg.com an ideal portal for anyone conducting financial research or simply looking for the latest economic news.

Reviewed by Library staff member –Jeremy Salfen – S.F.

Lonely Planet’s The Cities Book: A Journey Through The Best Cities In The World provides a real insider's view complete with photos into some of the cities that make our world an interesting place to live. The format is straightforward in that each city has a two-page spread with four defining photos and includes information such as:

• News, with submenus linking to articles on global, regional, economic, political, industrial, editorial, sports, and cultural news and information.
• Market Data, which includes sections on stocks, rates and bonds, currencies, mutual funds, ETFs, commodities, and a calendar of upcoming economic indicators and events.
• Investment Tools, consisting of a chart builder, portfolio tracker, market monitor, fund center, calculators, tutorials, and a glossary.

The book is a photographic feast for the eyes.  It provides a unique perspective into each city not always seen in most other types of travel books.  The folks at Lonely Planet hand selected the cities included in the book, each for its vibrant nature, diversity, and hypnotic attractive quality.

The photographs also serve as a wonderful resource for graphics, and provide an interesting visual perspective into some lesser traveled global landscapes.  Readers will come away with a true flavor of the cities, especially the native dwellers. The Cities Book is a showcase of the incredible diversity of the world through the urban oases in which most of us live.  For anyone with wanderlust in their blood, this is the coffee table book for you.

Reviewed by Library Staff Member - Lucy Bellamy