Drones and Privacy

Is the annoying buzz you hear outside your window someone trimming their lawn, or is it a drone hovering nearby and spying on you? These days, one never knows. If you're concerned about drones and privacy, you may want to attend/watch the Federal Trade Commission's Oct. 13 workshop/webcast on this issue. Details about how to participate can be found on the FTC site.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/events-calendar/2016/10/fall-technology-series-drones

It doesn't say, but I'm going to assume you can't "attend" by sending a drone with a camera to sit in for you.

Parents Get Involved

School has started once again and parents may already be helping their children deal with homework, bullying, teachers they don't like, or other school-related problems. Fortunately, the Kids.gov site also has a lot of information for parents:

https://kids.usa.gov/parents/get-involved/index.shtml

Even though parents may no longer be in school themselves, having children is always an educational experience.

Antibacterial Soaps and Body Washes

If you're a big fan of antibacterial soaps and body washes, you may want to run out and stock up. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a new rule that manufacturers will no longer be able to sell products with certain antibacterials ingredients. This announcement from the FDA explains why:
 
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm517478.htm

Germaphobes can still rest easy--hand sanitizers are not affected by this rule.

Talcum Powder

Talcum powder has been in the news lately because some people claim it causes ovarian cancer. Even if that claim proves not to be true, you should be careful when using talcum powder because it can be poisonous. (Yes, poisonous.) This article from the National Library of Medicine's MedLinePlus Medical Encyclopedia offers details:

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002719.htm

Just to be safe, you might want to think about switching to corn starch.

Wildlife and Other Animals

Like humans, wild animals can encounter situations that they need some help to handle. We all know to call 911 if we see a human that needs emergency assistance, but who would you call to get help for an injured bear or to report that you'd seen a moose with six legs? This page from the USA.gov site will lead you to the appropriate resources:

https://www.usa.gov/animals#item-34957

Smokey and Bullwinkle will surely appreciate you sending the right people to help them.

Beaches Database

Even if you aren't an Olympic swimmer, you need to be concerned about pollution and other problems that may be affecting your local beaches. Fortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency provides the BEACON 2.0 (Beach Advisory and Closing On-line Notification) database to help you out: 

https://watersgeo.epa.gov/beacon2/about.html

Using the database you can discover where beaches near you are located and find out about advisories or closings that are in place for each beach. Then, you can be off for some fun in the sun! (But don't forget your sunscreen.)

Nuclear Weapons

From automobiles to butter knives, every type of equipment needs to be monitored and undergo routine maintenance. So, who is it that's taking care of the nation's nuclear arsenal? That job belongs to the Sandia National Laboratories. As their site says, they're, "Ensuring the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile is safe, secure, and reliable:" 

http://www.sandia.gov/missions/nuclear_weapons/index.html

The site not only provides information about how the Laboratories carry out this mission, it also includes a video "tour" of the work being done by Sandia. Laboratories' employees are in a rare position--they spend much of their time and effort ensuring the effectiveness of equipment that we all hope will never be used.