If you like your Web sites easily navigable, you should avoid any URL ending in .gov.
Recovery.gov may be the best-designed government Web site we can find. However, that's a bit like saying Tucson is the ski capital of Southern Arizona—it's technically true, but it doesn't count for much.
From October through December 2009, according to Recovery.gov, Tucson raked in nearly $190 million in federal stimulus dollars, or 5.9 percent of the $3.2 billion allocated to Arizona so far.
The top Tucson project? That would be the $18 million going to the Tucson Unified School District, largely to fund teacher salaries.
The federal site also has a YouTube page which walks you through how to use the data. While you have to do some digging through dry data to get to the local allocations, another site, az.gov/recovery, lays out the info in plainer terms—such as detailing which university has the most stimulus projects. Answer: The UA, which has more (116) than Arizona State University (70) and Northern Arizona University (10) combined.
Initial expectations for the state's site remained high thanks to all of the colorful, graphical data, and the Google map breakdown of stimulus projects. Those expectations sharply fell, however, when we saw that neither the YouTube site nor the Flickr page linked to on the homepage had any content at all.
Check out TucsonWeeklyTV.com for a video tour of what both stimulus sites offer.
BEST OF WWW
Everyone likes a good political blowup. At TucsonWeeklyTV.com, we've got the video of the recent incident that got Tucson Rep. Daniel Patterson kicked off the state's House Committee for Military Affairs and Public Safety. Don't forget to stick around to 6:11 to see the big storm-out after the vote.
COMMENTS OF THE WEEK
"I would handle it differently if I had a do over. But removal from committee was overkill and another jab at Tucson from Maricopa County-based majority leadership. As a rep, I have a right to get questions answered. The reality is (being kicked off the committee) does not do much since most of the committee work for this legislative session is done. ... I've been effective for Tucson/Pima ... and I will continue to champion (military and public affairs) issues in the Arizona Legislature."
—Rep. Daniel Patterson, via TucsonWeekly.com, regarding the video of his House committee outburst
The removal of you from your seat was not "overkill." ... This statement is just another pathetic, lame excuse for your behavior and to shift the focus off yourself. ... The Maricopa County-based leadership did not cause you to behave the way you do—so stop the childish blame game. For crying out loud—act like a man for once in your life, instead of the petulant, angry child that you have continually exhibited!
—TucsonWeekly.com user "lucy 2" in response to Rep. Patterson's above comment.
THE WEEK ON THE RANGE
In the big scoop of the week, The Range broke the news that Playboy will soon be on the UA campus looking for coeds.
In politics, we brought you photos from the McCain-Palin rally at the Pima County Fairgrounds; broke down reaction to the passage of health-care reform, including photos of the vandalism at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' office; and shared the news that Miguel Ortega, aide to City Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, announced via Facebook that he was seeking a seat on the Tucson Unified School District board.
On the science beat, we shared a look at Mars' Melas Chasma, as viewed by the UA Lunar and Planetary Lab's HiRISE camera; and posted another video from the Tuesday night Mind and Brain lecture series presented by the UA College of Science.
On the Chow beat, we let you know that Joe Scordato has opened a new Italian restaurant; and shared the sad news that downtown's Barrio Food and Drink had closed, although the owners plan to continue doing business as Barrio Catering.
In Artistic Range, we highlighted Jack Dykinga's photography at Etherton Gallery; and Warhol: From Dylan to Duchamp, a dazzling photography show at downtown's Eric Firestone Gallery. We also posted a commentary defending government funding of the arts that Jim Nintzel delivered on KUAT Channel 6's Arizona Illustrated.
