FBI Explosives Unit

After yesterday's horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon, you may be wondering who is leading the investigation.  The FBI has a unit dedicated to investigating these sorts of events--the Explosives Unit of the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center:

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/lab/terrorist-explosive-device-analytical-center-tedac/eu

On their site you can read about the techniques that their scientific and forensic experts will be using to analyze the evidence and, with luck, track down and arrest the responsible parties.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

If you'd like to honor Holocaust Remembrance Day by learning more about the Holocaust, the best place to go is the site of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:

http://www.ushmm.org/

According to the site, "Chartered by a unanimous Act of Congress in 1980 and located adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, DC, the Museum strives to broaden public understanding of the history of the Holocaust through multifaceted programs..."  The Museum also serves as a potent reminder that no matter how unhappy we may be with our government at times, if it isn't openly looting our valuables and actively trying to kill us, it could be worse.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Here on World Autism Day, at the start of Autism Awareness Month, how aware are you about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)?  Family members of the 1 in every 88 children that has been diagnosed with ASD are certainly aware of the symptoms, but may not be familiar with all the treatments that can help autistic children develop important skills.  Even those who don't have a close relative with ASD could benefit by learning more, because folks with ASD are everywhere.  The page below from the CDC is an excellent place to start learning: 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html

As the aunt of a young man with ASD, I find it helpful to think of it this way--autism isn't really a bug in the software, it's a different operating system.      

MyEnvironment

Once you've watched the weather report and found out the temperature and humidity, that's about all you need to know about your local environment, right?  Wrong!  It's also useful to stay informed about the quality of the air, land, and water in your neighborhood.  The MyEnvironment site from the EPA will tell you all that, plus give you information about energy consumption in your area, and allow you to share good news about the environment in your town by giving a MyCommunity "shout out:" 

http://www.epa.gov/myenvironment/

At the moment, the good news about my environment is that I smell coffee, so I'm going to go investigate the source. 

SaferProducts.gov

Has your microwave ever started all by itself?  Has your electric toothbrush ever shocked you?  Has your string-trimmer left big balls of string all over your yard?  If so, you may want to report these problems to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's SaferProducts.gov web site:

http://www.saferproducts.gov/Default.aspx 

Your reports, and those of other consumers, can also be searched before you purchase a consumer product.  Knowing about the experiences of those who were sorry rather than safe may help you be safe rather than sorry.

United States Government Manual

The United States Government Manual is the official handbook of the Federal Government.  It's maintained by the Federal Register Office of the National Archives and Records Administration:

http://www.usgovernmentmanual.gov/Home.aspx

The Manual provides the text of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and a description of Federal agencies, boards, commissions, and so on, in all three branches of the government.  It could be considered the "owner's manual" for the U.S. Government.  In fact, if the U.S. was a car, this manual would probably be kept in the glove compartment.

Sinkholes

Do you ever get that sinking feeling?  If so, pay attention because you could actually be sinking.  Roughly 35 to 40% of the ground in the United States is susceptible to developing sinkholes.  The page below from the U.S. Geological Survey explains how sinkholes form and includes a map showing which areas of the country are more prone to sinkhole formation: 

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sinkholes.html 

All things considered, it's somewhat surprising that no one has written "Chicken Little II:  The Ground is Falling!  The Ground is Falling!"