Hurricane Season

June 1st marks the beginning of a new hurricane season.  Even though predictions seem to agree that this will be a relatively calm season in the Atlantic, that may not be true in the Pacific.  To keep up to date on all the latest developments, see this site from the National Hurricane Center:   

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Not only will it show you the predicted paths of any active hurricanes, it tells you about the outlook for this season and how to be prepared.

If the predictions hold, we may make it all the way to November 30th without ever seeing hurricanes Larry through Wanda.

Cooperative Extension

Here in the late spring and early summer, many people will be getting serious about their home gardens.  If you're one of these people and your garden has a problem with bugs, or root rot, or blighted foliage, who can you turn to for help and advice?  If you're lucky enough to live near a land-grant college or university, you may be able to contact your local Cooperative Extension office.  To read more about Extension offices and their educational role, see this page from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture: 

http://nifa.usda.gov/Extension/

Even if you don't have a green thumb, with their advice you may be able to produce some produce that will make people think that you do.

Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

A biker gang shootout in Waco, Texas on Sunday left 9 people dead and landed 192 people in jail.  Outlaw motorcycle gangs are not just something you see on TV.  They are very real and they're involved in numerous criminal activities.  To read more about the major outlaw gangs, see this page from Organized Crime and Gang Section of the U.S. Department of Justice:
 
http://www.justice.gov/criminal/ocgs/gangs/motorcycle.html

The prevalence of biker gangs is just one more reason to watch carefully for motorcycles as you're driving and be courteous to their riders.

Finding a Job

It's graduation season and newly minted graduates all over the country will soon be looking for jobs.  Whether they're seeking a summer job or a more permanent position, the USA.gov site from the General Services Administration provides links to information that can be invaluable, especially to those who might want to work for the federal government: 

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Education-Training/Finding-Jobs.shtml

Congratulations graduates and happy hunting!

Tequila (Space Image)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  One topic near and dear to many revelers hearts today will be tequila.  Much tequila, of course, comes from the Mexican city of Tequila, seen here in this "Space Image" from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California: 

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA15073

Many beautiful images of other locations are available if you click the "View All Images" link near the bottom of the page. 

If you're celebrating today, please remember to designate a driver. (Especially if you work for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  Tequila and jet fuel do not mix.)

Nepal

Even before the recent devastating earthquake, Nepal was a country facing a number of challenges.  The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been active there for a number of years seeking to "reinforce recent gains in peace and security, stabilize the transitional government, strengthen the delivery of essential social services, expand proven health interventions, and address the global challenges of food insecurity and climate change." To read more about the country both before and since the disaster, see this page from USAID:

http://www.usaid.gov/nepal

To read about the additional aid now being offered by USAID, and to see how you can help too, see this page:  http://www.usaid.gov/nepal-earthquake.

Electronic Cigarettes

"Mind if I vape?"  If you've heard that question, you're likely aware that the usage of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) is on the rise in America.  We don't yet know if e-cigs are a healthier alternative to their tobacco counterparts, but we do know that they sometimes explode unexpectedly.  This October 2014 report from the U.S. Fire Administration discusses incidents of fires and explosions related to e-cigs:

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/electronic_cigarettes.pdf

As for the overall health effects of these devices, the Food and Drug Administration is collecting public comments through July 2 to assist them with making appropriate rules.  See this site:  http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm172906.htm.  Until e-cigs are carefully studied and regulated, if you must vape, vape with great caution.