Reverse Mortgages

Henry Winkler is just the most recent celebrity spokesperson to pitch reverse mortgages on TV.  What exactly is reverse mortgage anyway?  Is it really a good idea, or more of a scam?  This page from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides a breakdown of the basics:

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/hecm/hecmhome

See the "General HECM Frequently Asked Questions" for a clear explanation about how a reverse mortgage differs from a traditional home equity loan.  And yes, for some people they can be a very good idea.  (Aaaaay, Fonzie wouldn't lie, right?  Exactamundo.)

Federal Theatre Project

Most people know that the National Endowment for the Arts currently provides grants for theatrical productions, but did you know that the federal government once took a much more active role in funding and producing live theater?  One of the Depression-era projects of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was the Federal Theatre Project:
 
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/federal-theatre-project/index.html

All told, the Project "employed more than 12,000 people within 150 regional administrative units that produced more than 2,700 stage productions."  Read all about it on this page from the Library of Congress (but don't read it on your mobile device while you're walking, or you might break a leg).

Young Workers

Whether they're high school students flipping burgers for the summer, or recent college graduates starting their first real jobs, many young people are unaware of the dangers they may face in the workplace.  They may also be unaware of their rights and the responsibilities of their employers.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a page designed specifically to educate young workers: 

https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/index.html

It's a jungle out there, so make sure the young folks in your life go out armed with the machete and pith helmet of good information.

Free Government Publications

Not only are many government publications freely available online these days, you can also order free or low cost copies of some publications in print.  Check out the selection on this page from the General Services Administration: 

http://publications.usa.gov/

Notice that one of the publications you can get for free is the Consumer Information Catalog, which lists other publications that are available for free.  So, if that catalog is metadata, is this web page meta-metadata, or metadata-data?

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, has been in the news quite a bit recently because the first cases were just discovered in the U.S.  The disease causes fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, and about 30% of the people who've been diagnosed with it have died.  Read more about it, including the latest updates on cases in the U.S., on this page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 

http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/index.html

And, as always, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue if you cough or sneeze and wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.  Cleanliness may or may not be next to godliness, but it certainly is next to healthiness.

National Mental Health Awareness Month

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) web site provides a great deal of information about various mental health problems, their treatment, and their prevention: 

http://www.samhsa.gov/

According to the site, "It is SAMHSA's mission to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities."  So, if you're stressed and you're stressing out about how stressed you are, or even if you have a more serious condition, SAMHSA may have some information or advice that will help.

Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  As people around the country today celebrate the 1862 victory of Mexican peasants over French invaders in Puebla, Mexico, their minds will naturally turn to tacos, margaritas, and Denver, Colorado.  Why Denver?  Read all about it on this page from the Library of Congress:

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/es/co/es_co_cinco_1.html

If your celebrations today will involve Tequila, please remember to designate a driver.  Andale!