SIMBAD references

Observations obtained during the last two years are reviewed, and are summarized in Table 1. These new data appear to have slightly shifted the balance of evidence towards larger values of the Hubble Parameter. In particular it is argued that supernovae of Type Ia have a large luminosity dispersion at maximum light, and may therefore not be good standard candles. Furthermore spiral galaxies of a given Hubble type and luminosity class have too large a range in diameters to be useful as standard meter sticks. On balance available evidence suggests that Hubble paramter ≥ 75 km s^-1 Mpc^-1.