May 2011
34 posts
2 tags
How to Pick A Safe Helmet
As part of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, it’s important to remember to wear a helmet when you ride your bike. Helmets are the only protection you have for your head if you’re in an accident.
Use these tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help you choose the best option.
Select a style:
Full coverage: These helmets provide the most protection,...
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Plan Care for Your Pets During Emergencies
A Coast Guard technician helps a family and their pets near a submerged road along the Red River in Kindred, North Dakota. Photo from the Coast Guard on Flickr.
Recent disasters remind us how important it is to prepare for emergencies. When you have to evacuate your home because of an earthquake, tornado, flood, or other emergency, there’s no time to prepare. The time to prepare is now.
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Know Your Options When Selecting Disability...
Do you know if you have disability insurance coverage? It can be just as important as life or home insurance. If you or a family member get sick or injured and can’t work, disability insurance helps you pay the bills, buy groceries and take care of other necessities.
You generally have three options when it comes to disability insurance:
Government–sponsored program: Worker’s compensation or the...
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EnergyGuide Labels Help You Select Most...
Example of what a TV EnergyGuide label will look like after May 10
If you’ve replaced your old TV with a big flat-screen HDTV, you may have noticed a rise in your electric bill too. While the new technologies are generally more energy-efficient than the old tube TVs, the increase in screen size often offsets any efficiency gains.
To help you buy an energy-efficient TV, the Federal Trade...
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Take the Women's Checkup Day Pledge
Today is National Women’s Checkup Day, a day to remind women that regular medical checkups are vital to the early detection of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, sexually transmitted infections and more.
From WomensHealth.gov:
As a participant in National Women’s Checkup Day, I will:
Contact my current health care professional to schedule a checkup and get important screenings.
...
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“On Mother’s Day, we celebrate the extraordinary importance of mothers in...”
– President Barack Obama’s Mother’s Day Proclamation
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2010's Most Popular Baby Names
Chart of the most popular baby names from the Social Security Administration
Having trouble picking a name for your baby? How about Jacob, Isabella, Ethan, or Sophia? These are the most popular names for babies born in the United States in 2010. The Social Security Administration tracks the most popular names for boys and girls each year.
Some names that didn’t make the 2010 top ten lists,...
Summer Jobs with the Federal Government
Summers are synonymous with hot days at the beach, picnics at the park, and lots of fun outdoors. For some, summers are also a busy time of year—especially if you’re a student looking for a summer job. Fortunately for you, the government is hiring. Federal agencies have many summer jobs available for both students and recent college grads. The best part is that many of these positions are...
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Understanding the Air Quality Index and How it...
Map from Airnow.gov shows today’s air quality for the country.
Each day, the Environmental Protection Agency measures five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Based on these measurements, air quality around the country is graded on a scale from...
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Prevent Underage Alcohol Abuse
Most parents have heard the message: Talk to your kids about drug and alcohol abuse. But it’s hard to know when and how to initiate a conversation about the dangers of underage drinking.
Here are some tips from the experts:
Don’t wait until your kids are teenagers to start talking. Tweens—9 to 13 years of age—look to their parents for guidance about alcohol.
Talk often. One big conversation...
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3 Ways for Tornado Survivors to Apply for...
Tuscaloosa tornado damage. Image from the National Weather Service.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working hard to provide shelter, food, and water for people whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged by tornadoes last week.
If you need help, there are three ways to apply for assistance:
Register online at www.disasterassistance.gov
Register through a web enabled...
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WatchPresident Obama’s remarks on Osama Bin Laden from the White House:
Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright...
U.S. Department of State: Worldwide Travel Alert... →
statedept:
The U.S. Department of State alerts U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad to the enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counter-terrorism activity in Pakistan. Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could…
April 2011
32 posts
3 tags
Drop Off Unused Prescription Drugs on Saturday
If you have old prescription drugs sitting in your medicine cabinet, you can get rid of them safely on Saturday. The Drug Enforcement Administration will hold a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, when you will be able to drop off expired, unneeded or unused prescription drugs at events across the country.
Prescription drug abuse is a fast-growing problem in the United States. In 2009, more...
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WatchApril 27 and 28, 2011 brought the deadliest tornado outbreak in the United States since 1974.
For the latest information on how to help tornado survivors and apply for assistance, please visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) blog.
The above animation is from from NASA Earth Observatory:
The animation starts on April 26 and runs through the morning of April 28. The...
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Learn how your tax dollars are spent →
Follow the above link to learn how the government spends the money you pay in taxes.
From the White House:
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama promised that this year, for the first time ever, American taxpayers would be able to go online and see exactly how their federal tax dollars are spent. Just enter a few pieces of information about your taxes, and the taxpayer receipt will...
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What to do After a Tornado
When you return to a damaged home or business after a tornado, you should take extra precaution to stay safe:
Check the foundation, porches, and overhangs for damage. If you find obvious damage, ask that a building inspector check the building first.
Enter the building carefully - if a door sticks at the top as it opens, it could mean the ceiling is ready to cave in. Do not walk under a sagging...
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Pick Five for the Environment
Can you make a few little changes in your life to lessen your personal impact on the environment?
Use biodegradable and environmentally friendly home cleaning products to help keep our water clean.
Plant a garden this spring, or shop at your local farmers market so you don’t have to rely on produce trucked long distances to your grocery store.
Compost your food scraps instead of throwing them...
