A century ago June 30th, settlers and tribes near the Tunguska River in Russia saw a flash in the sky. Then they heard what sounded like artillery fire and experienced a shock wave that knocked some people to the ground, destroyed nearby trees and broke windows hundreds of miles away.

Scientists call this phenomenon the "Tunguska event" and believe the explosion was caused by a large meteoroid or comet fragment entering the Earth's atmosphere and exploding in the sky. Experts say that if the meteor had hit four hours later it would have destroyed the imperial capital of Russia, St. Petersburg.

I'd never heard of the Tunguska event until a GovGab commenter asked me what the likelihood of another Tunguska type event was and how we might avert a situation where a space rock would hit the Earth's surface. I can't answer that question, but the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has a program that can.

NASA's Near-Earth Object Program based at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California monitors the threat of near-Earth objects (asteroids and comet debris) and they say the risk of such an impact is low. In fact, it's lower than the daily risks we face like automobile accidents, disease or natural disasters. Still the NEO Program says monitoring space for potential threats and identifying them years before they can occur helps keep this risk low.

The NEO Program's Sentry impact assessment system continually scans the current asteroid catalog for potential impacts over the next 100 years. If a major threat is found, the NEO Program says the solution is not to destroy the object like they do in the movies, but to simply divert the object from the Earth's path. NEO says this can potentially be done by attaching rocket boosters to a near-Earth object to change its course.

The NEO program demonstrates this process and other facts about near-Earth objects in their "Keeping an Eye on Space Rocks" multimedia presentation. The NEO Program is not the only place on Earth that has their eye on the sky monitoring near-Earth objects; there are a number of other nations also studying them.

Several folks in the Gov Gab office have family in Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin, so it’s not uncommon these days to hear talk of the Midwest floods. We pass each other in the hallway or on the stairwell and ask, “How are your folks? Have you talked to them today?” So far, most of the extended Gov Gab family seem to be okay. 

If you’re worried about a family member, or have been affected by the floods, you can visit our newest page for help.

From there, you can search for loved ones to see if they have registered as "safe and well" with the Red Cross. Or you can register yourself as "safe and well."

You can also apply for disaster assistance or volunteer to help in the recovery efforts.

There are lots of other helpful links. For example, you might want to know about scams prevalent in flooded areas or learn more about personal health and safety after a flood.  If you lost important documents during the flood, like your birth certificate or social security card, you can find information about replacing your vital records. 

The U.S. Geological Survey has posted photos of the flooded areas on their website, along with related news releases and updates. 

Are there other bits of information you need regarding the flood?  Let us know, and we’ll try our best to help you find them.

Two weeks ago, my neighborhood was torn up by an "unconfirmed" tornado. Roofs ripped off. Trees through homes. I got off easy, only losing power for three days and having to chuck most of the food in my fridge. But my neighbor two houses down also lost her deck, her new fence and the front of her car when a huge oak tree took them out—along with all the power lines.

Two days ago, the back of my car was torn up in a parking lot by a very contrite lady who got her brake and gas pedal mixed up. My poor old car's bumper is smashed and hanging. The liftgate is dented. And I had to secure the tailpipe with a wire hanger to keep it from dragging. Again, I got off easy; the other car has a crushed hood, fender and headlight and a jammed-shut driver's side door.

The most important thing is that nobody got hurt in either event. People are infinitely more important than "stuff." But times like these are good reminders to review the insurance policies that protect your “stuff” and ask yourself some questions.

Does your homeowner’s policy cover the current cost of rebuilding your home? If your house is a total loss, will your insurance pay for complete rebuilding or only give you a limited amount of money toward it? Find out from a local realtor or builder how much rebuilding your home would cost and make sure your insurance coverage is in line with that estimate.

How about what’s inside? Your premium will be less if you're insured for only the depreciated value of your possessions. But then you'll have to make up the difference yourself when you shop for replacements. Consider getting insured for the full replacement value of what you own and be sure to keep your home inventory up-to-date.

What about flooding? Most homeowner’s policies don’t cover it, as so many people in the Midwest and South are tragically finding out. Consider separate coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program.

How high should your car insurance deductibles be? The higher your deductible on things like collision or comprehensive coverage, the more you save on premiums, but the more you'll have to pay out of pocket for repairs before insurance kicks in. How much coverage you want to get also depends on you car’s age, condition and value.

I’m glad the lady who crashed into my car was covered. Her insurance is paying for everything, including the rental car that will be waiting for me next week at the body shop when I take my baby in for a new bumper.

What have been some of your more memorable insurance claim stories?

If I'm forced to be on the road while gas prices are sky-high, few things bring me more joy than cruising right through toll plazas while lines of cars, each paying cash, sit in traffic and prolong their gas guzzling.

Suckers.

I can honestly say that my E-ZPass has changed my life—maybe not to the extent that my iPod has, but it has saved me much time and considerable road rage over the past three years.

With the help of a transponder mounted to your windshield, E-ZPass allows you to drive right through specifically marked toll lanes without stopping. Your transponder is linked to your personal checking account, and simply deducts the cost of the toll from your balance. No stopping. No reaching in the seat cushions hoping for exact change. No risking rolling up to the tollbooth with insufficient funds. (This MAY have happened to me, summer of '04 crossing the Walt Whitman Bridge into Philadelphia.)

E-ZPass specifically works for toll roads in the Northeast, reaching into the Midwest, and the southern border of Virginia. Other regions of the country have their own E-ZPass equivalent systems. Check out your state's department of motor vehicles website to see what program they have to offer.

Hopefully, saving time not sitting in toll lines will get you to your summertime destination a little quicker, and you'll have to suffer from one less "are we there yet?" coming from the backseat.

Road trips not your thing? Here are some travel tips to expedite the airport security process.

There's a new notice on the door of my neighborhood supermarket: "Don't Leave Pets in Hot Cars." As I read the sign, I learned that it's more than a gentle reminder—apparently it's the law in my county. Even though my 40-year-old pet turtle seems to like temperatures as hot as possible, the warm weather brings hazards to many of our warm-blooded pets that we may not even think about.

Like the sign on my supermarket door advises, don't leave your pets in the car when it's hot outside. In my county, people can be charged with animal cruelty if their pets are left in a vehicle, even with the windows cracked, if the temperature is above 70 degrees (which can get much hotter in a matter of seconds). Since dogs and cats are less efficient at cooling themselves, they react to the high temperatures and humidity faster than humans.

According to the Army Medical Department, signs that your pet is having a heat injury include a bright red tongue; thick, sticky saliva; rapid panting; and weakness, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea and shock. If your pet is overheating, you can lower its temperature by hosing it off with a garden hose or placing it in a sink or tub of cold water. Move the pet to a cool environment and contact your vet.

Another Army website reminds owners to provide shade and plenty of cool, clean water for pets staying outside, and to bring them inside during the hottest part of the day (if not simply keep them inside all day when it's especially hot). Exercise pets in the cool of the day, and be alert to hot pavement that can burn their feet.

If you take your dog to the beach, provide it with a shaded area and plenty of fresh drinking water, and rinse it off if it's been in salt water. And don't forget that pets with light-colored noses and fur can get sunburn, too.

The summer brings some other hazards to our four-legged friends, too, including cars leaking antifreeze and coolant that can taste sweet to a pet but be deadly, even in small amounts. And ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are most prevalent in the warm weather. As fellow GovGabber Colleen notes, check your pets to be sure they don't have ticks on them. Don't use human repellents that contain DEET on animals—check with a vet for the appropriate products. Lyme disease vaccines are available for dogs (my pup received the vaccine). Pueblo.gsa.gov offers information for both people and pets on the disease.

As we approach the Fourth of July, be sure to keep your pets indoors during fireworks, which can frighten them and damage their sensitive hearing.

Do you have any other tips for keeping pets safe this summer?