Almanac of American Politics 1996 Whether you're looking for the best way to contact your district representative or are just curious to know which senator spent the most money on his 1994 campaign, this is the place to check for an in-depth look at the American political scene. The Almanac includes state and territory profiles, a directory of congressional committees and their members, and profiles of all governors and members of congress. politicsusa.com/PoliticsUSA/resources/almanac

Central Intelligence Agency For the Walter Mittys of the world who sit at their desks and dream of being Robert Redford in Three Days of the Condor, John Deutch and the CIA serve up an intriguing collection of agency publications, maps, and descriptions. A QuickTime video recounts the genesis of this 49-year-old institution at the hands of Harry Truman, while a virtual tour guides you through the agency's D.C. headquarters (a treat that, needless to say, you can't enjoy in person). You can also access the latest edition of the World Fact Book. www.odci.gov/cia

Consumer Information Catalog When you use the trusty U.S. Postal Service to order a government pamphlet like How to Buy Canned & Frozen Fruits, the wheels of federal bureaucracy can usually rush it out to you within four to six weeks. The Consumer Information Catalog lets you download the same brochure in only a matter a minutes. An amazing range of topics is covered, including automobiles, employment, travel, food, nutrition, and investments. You may have to pay for some publications, but you will never be ignorant of foreign-entry requirements or adjustable-rate mortgages again. http://www.gsa.gov/staff/pa/cic/cic.htm

FedWorld Information Network As the classic electronic bulletin board begins to fade into obscurity, FedWorld still offers access to over 130 government-based BBSs as well as many Web, ftp, and Gopher sites that deal in federal matters. The National Technical Information Service, the agency of the Department of Commerce that runs FedWorld, covers every governmental area you can imagine: space technology, natural resources, health care, transportation, and the military. www.fedworld.gov

GPO Gate Whether you're intrigued by Bill Clinton's role in the Whitewater scandal or the radio broadcast services of Clinton, Kentucky, a keyword search on the GPO Gate Web page will uncover more information than a federal subpoena. The University of California at San Diego, the founder of GPO, serve up the full text of several U.S. Government Printing Office publications, including the Federal Register, the Congressional Record, the Senate and House calendars, and the United States Code. ssdc.ucsd.edu/gpo

The Library of Congress At the Library of Congress's site, you gain access to over 70 million documents without having to endure cranky librarians. This 195-year-old library offers access to the U.S. Copyright Office, digitized documents of American cultural and historical significance, descriptions of federal events, indexes, and THOMAS, a Web version of the Congressional Record and other Capitol Hill publications. Also at this site: a stunning collection of exhibits called American Memory. www.loc.gov

The United Nations You can now visit this 50-year-old institution without having to brave the traffic on the FDR Drive or talk your way past security at Dag Hammarskjold Park. The handsome U.N. home page offers tours of its famous facility, conference updates, summaries of General Assembly activities, news releases, Security Council information, and multimedia coverage of the fiftieth-anniversary celebration. www.un.org

The United States Department of Justice If you suddenly uncover information on the Unabomber and could make good use of the reward, this site lets you e-mail your startling discovery directly to an FBI agent. The Department of Justice--which oversees the FBI, DEA, and INS--is a hub of information on legal organizations, government legislation, presidential policies, and law enforcement. Most important, however, it keeps you up to date on the nation's leading criminals. The Ten Most Wanted List is among this site's most popular features. www.usdoj.gov

The U.S. Census Bureau The Census Bureau home page isn't just for frustrated statisticians who can ingest more numbers in an afternoon than Al Capone's bookkeeper. In addition to straight population stats, the Bureau also provides demographics relevant to current debate (such as mothers receiving public assistance), leading economic indicators like monthly wholesale trade and housing starts, and software tools that let you extract information from its enormous databases. But if you want to verify the population of Sparta, North Carolina, in 1914, no one is going to stop you. www.census.gov

The White House The last time the president was this accessible, James Garfield was shot on his morning walk. The White House home page offers intimate portraits of First Family life, tours of Hillary's gardens, and audio files of Socks's meow, not to mention Executive Branch publications, press releases, and databases. President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore each offer digital audio welcome greetings, to which you can respond via the on-line guest book. Don't let your comment get too rough, though; the Secret Service is TCP/IP-literate. www.whitehouse.gov