September 2011
65 posts
7 tags
WatchWatch
This video shows the the flowing ribbons and rays of the aurora australis, or “southern lights,” filmed by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) while passing over the Indian Ocean on September 17. This was filmed while ISS passed from south of Madagascar to just north of Australia between 17:22 and 17:45 Universal Time. Solar panels and other sections of the ISS fill some of the...
Sep 30th
236 notes
2 tags
How to Enroll in the U.S. Visa Lottery
There are many ways to legally immigrate to the United States, but only one of them depends completely on luck: the congressionally mandated visa lottery, which offers 50,000 green cards to people from certain countries. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is open to countries with low rates of immigration to the United States, such as Malaysia, Belarus, and Algeria. In order to diversify the...
Sep 30th
51 notes
3 tags
Refunds Available for Reebok EasyTone or RunTone...
From the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, charged Reebok with making claims about EasyTone and RunTone shoes that the company couldn’t support. According to the FTC, Reebok claimed that using these products would strengthen and tone leg and butt muscles. To settle the case, Reebok has agreed to pay $25 million for refunds...
Sep 29th
77 notes
4 tags
How To Avoid Improper Acetaminophen Doses for Kids
Acetaminophen is a medicine commonly used to reduce fever and relieve pain. While generally considered safe and effective if you follow the package directions, giving a child even a little more than directed can cause nausea and vomiting or lead to liver failure. Confusion about dosing is partly caused by the availability of different formulas, strengths, and dosage instructions for children of...
Sep 29th
12 notes
2 tags
Learn How To Get More Vitamin D →
Vitamin D is essential to prevent osteoporosis and other diseases, but deficiencies are common in U.S. adults. Learn how you can get more vitamin D to help prevent problems in the future.
Sep 29th
7 notes
3 tags
Sep 28th
27 notes
3 tags
Watching Two Hours of TV Per Day Can Put Your...
People who watch two or more hours of TV a day are much more likely to have severe health problems than people who do not, according to a study from the Harvard School of Public Health that analyzed data from the past 30 years. Too much TV is linked to: a 20 percent increase in diabetes a 15 percent increase in cardiovascular diseases a 13 percent increase in death by any cause. A key...
Sep 28th
153 notes
3 tags
Find Out When Rivers Near You Could Flood →
Sign up to receive alerts when water in rivers or streams near you is rising to dangerous levels.  From the U.S. Geological Survey: To sign up go to WaterAlert and select a specific site. Then select the preferred delivery method (email or text), whether you want hourly or daily notifications about river data, and the specific water levels at which you want to be notified.
Sep 28th
36 notes
2 tags
Sep 27th
59 notes
3 tags
FDA Proposes New Gluten-Free Food Labeling...
Gluten-free foods have become very popular in supermarkets with $2.6 billion in sales - a 30 percent increase over the last five years. Gluten, a protein naturally present in wheat, rye and barley, causes allergic reaction and intestinal damage in the approximately 3 million Americans who suffer from celiac disease. The only way to manage the disease is to eat foods free from gluten. In order...
Sep 27th
28 notes
3 tags
What is Money Made Of? →
Get answers to this and other questions about U.S. currency, like how many dollar bills are printed each month?
Sep 27th
20 notes
2 tags
Sep 26th
13 notes
3 tags
New Air Passenger Protections in Effect
New rules from the Department of Transportation give airline passengers more rights. The new rules require that: If you’re involuntarily bumped from a flight, you can receive twice as much compensation as before. Airlines must refund your baggage fees if they lose your luggage. Tarmac delays at small airports must be limited to three hours, and delays of international flights at U.S....
Sep 26th
50 notes
2 tags
Today is Johnny Appleseed's Birthday →
Learn more about his life and how he earned his nickname.
Sep 26th
21 notes
4 tags
Find Healthy Recipes from the USDA →
Learn about and try new recipes or find healthier versions of some of your favorites in the recipe databases from the USDA’s National Agriculture Library. The recipe finder database lets you explore new and traditional recipes. You can give feedback, rate the recipes on a 1-5 scale, and submit your own recipes to be included in the database. If you’re looking for vegetarian options, the fruits...
Sep 26th
10 notes
3 tags
Sep 23rd
450 notes
2 tags
How to Identify Unknown Pills
It can be hard to identify a pill if you’ve lost the container. Pillbox, from the National Library of Medicine, can help you quickly and easily identify unknown pills. You can search by shape, color, size, and more. Once you’ve identified the pill, you can also find drug information and labels. Search Pillbox now.
Sep 23rd
24 notes
3 tags
Today is the Autumnal Equinox →
Learn what ancient cultures knew about the sun’s movements in this article from NASA.
Sep 23rd
27 notes
4 tags
Sep 22nd
45 notes
2 tags
Get Your Car Seat Inspected This Weekend
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 -14. This Saturday, you can get a free car seat inspection and hands-on advice about car seat safety at National Seat Check events nationwide. To help your child stay safe on the road: Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, and choose a seat that fits in your vehicle and use it every time. Always refer to...
Sep 22nd
5 notes
3 tags
Saturday is National Public Lands Day →
Celebrate our beautiful country and volunteer to help take care of it. 
Sep 22nd
32 notes
2 tags
Sep 21st
62 notes
6 tags
Find Out How You Can Participate In National...
By Wilma Townsend, Public Healthy Analyst, Center for Mental Health Services As part of National Recovery Month, National Wellness Week, which runs from September 19-25, highlights ways to live a longer, healthier life if you or someone you know is in recovery from a mental or substance use disorder. People with untreated mental and substance use disorders often die decades earlier than those in...
Sep 21st
22 notes
4 tags
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month →
Find your local public library to check out books, movies, and more.
Sep 21st
41 notes
3 tags
Sep 20th
247 notes
3 tags
Create a Video That Explains Government Services...
If you create a video that helps people understand how to get the government benefits and services they need, you could win $1,000 and have your video seen by millions. We provide answers to the public’s most common questions, at Answers.USA.gov, but we need your help to create how-to videos that explain the process. We are looking for videos that answer these common questions: How do I check...
Sep 20th
23 notes
2 tags
Join the National Dialogue on Improving Federal... →
Share your ideas for how to improve online information and services, and re-invent federal government websites.
Sep 20th
18 notes
3 tags
Sep 19th
18 notes
5 tags
Recognize Warning Signs to Prevent Gynecologic...
From the CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Gynecologic cancers start in a woman’s reproductive organs. The five main types of gynecologic cancer are cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancer. Each gynecologic cancer has different symptoms, risk factors, and prevention strategies. All women are at risk for gynecologic cancers, and risk increases with age. When...
Sep 19th
23 notes
3 tags
Apple Juice is Safe to Drink →
The Food and Drug Administration says there are not dangerous levels of arsenic in apple juice. Learn more about why apple juice is safe to drink.
Sep 19th
49 notes
3 tags
Sep 16th
27 notes
3 tags
WatchWatch
Video transcript: (Music) NASA’s Kepler Mission has made the first detection of a planet orbiting two stars. About 200 light years away from our solar system, the planet Kepler-16b orbits two of the 150,000 stars that the spacecraft is monitoring between the constellations of Cygnus and Lyra. Kepler detected the planet directly through what is known as a planetary transit, an event where the...
Sep 16th
60 notes
4 tags
Volunteer to Clean Up the World's Oceans, Coasts,...
The International Coastal Cleanup will take place this Saturday. The cleanup is an annual event, sponsored in part by the Environmental Protection Agency, that includes over 100 countries and territories bordering every major body of water on Earth. It is the world’s largest volunteer effort to clean up the marine environment. Last year, more than 8 million pounds of debris were removed...
Sep 16th
18 notes
3 tags
What You Should Know Before Buying a Car →
Buying a new car is a big decision. Use these tips to make sure you are prepared before you go car shopping.
Sep 16th
27 notes
1 tag
Hispanic Heritage Month is a Celebration for All
Hispanic Heritage Month takes place every year between September 15 and October 15. Although it is set aside for the nation to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans, the nationwide festivities are really about celebrating who we are as a country. With its diverse food, music and language, the Hispanic culture is an integral part of the social and cultural fabric of the United...
Sep 16th
11 notes
3 tags
Sep 15th
56 notes
3 tags
Learn About the Signing of the Constitution
Saturday is the 224th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America. On September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the document. All through the summer, the delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution. At issue was how much power to allow the central government, how many representatives each...
Sep 15th
27 notes
4 tags
The 2013 Diversity Visa Lottery will be open from... →
Find out if you qualify and how you can apply.
Sep 15th
23 notes
5 tags
Sep 14th
38 notes
2 tags
Going Abroad? Get Your Passport on Passport Day
By Navdeep Aujla, U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Winter travelers, spring break planners, day trippers to Toronto, and even those planning on attending the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, crack open your passport book for the third annual “Passport Day in the USA” on Saturday, September 17. On Passport Day you can travel to the nearest passport agency or acceptance facility...
Sep 14th
66 notes
3 tags
Today is the anniversary of the Violence Against... →
Find out how you can help stop the violence.
Sep 14th
42 notes
3 tags
Sep 13th
8 notes
3 tags
Learn About Financial Aid Options for College
Preparing for college can be stressful, but there are lots of resources from both federal and state governments that can help you decide if college is right for you, and if so, how to finance your education. College.gov College.gov shows you how to avoid scams targeted at college students as you learn the best ways to fund your education. You can also find the best college to fit your goals, find...
Sep 13th
23 notes
2 tags
September is National Preparedness Month →
Find out how you can prepare for emergencies and what to include in your emergency kit.
Sep 13th
16 notes
3 tags
Sep 12th
22 notes
4 tags
Hospital Patients Can Now Choose Their Own...
Patients in Medicare- and Medicaid-participating hospitals now have the right to choose their own visitors during a hospital stay, regardless of whether or not the visitors are family members. According to new guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, hospitals can’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender...
Sep 12th
448 notes
3 tags
Find And Buy Items From Government Auctions →
You can buy new, seized, and surplus merchandise and real estate from the government. Some items are sold online by auction or fixed price sales. Others are available by public auction, sealed bid, or contract with a Realtor.
Sep 12th
30 notes
5 tags
Honoring the Victims of the September 11 Attacks
Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, DC, and Shanksville, PA. Please observe a moment of silence on September 11 at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to honor the victims. The anniversary is a day to remember those we lost, and to stand with their families and loved ones. It’s a time to honor all victims of terrorism, including those who...
Sep 9th
48 notes
6 tags
How to Get Help After Floods and Fires
If you live in an area impacted by fire or flooding, follow instructions from your local emergency management agency. We have information to help you replace vital documents, apply for disaster assistance, stay safe, and file an insurance claim after a flood or fire.
Sep 9th
28 notes
2 tags
Sep 8th
12 notes