Topics and article types can be found in the list of classes when you create a new object (drop down box available in all navigation pages like the one you see when you log in to the admin interface) There is no built in calendar or desktop edition for 3.x currently.
If we have a 1-to-1 mapping of attributes and xml structure in OOo and some OOo enhancements (on top of webdav for instance), .... or a port of the XML editors alla bitflux & co with some extra's, we'll have a desktop edition :-)
Look at the preview for Bård's on-going work, it's really great stuff on the horizon.