U.S. Secret Service

According to its not-so-secret web site, the United States Secret Service "was established in 1865, solely to suppress the counterfeiting of U.S. currency. Today, the agency is mandated by Congress to carry out dual missions: protection of national and visiting foreign leaders, and criminal investigations."  Apparently, in our current era of rampant self-promotion, even a secret agency can't help posting some selfies.  So, please enjoy one of the most oxymoronic of all federal web sites, the United States Secret Service Photo Gallery:

http://www.secretservice.gov/photo_gallery.shtml

Autism Awareness

Do you know someone who has an autism spectrum disorder?  Chances are getting better that you do.  As you'll see in this blog posting from the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, the most recent statistics "reported a prevalence of autism of 1 in 68 children in 2010 (based on children born in 2002), up from 1 in 88 in 2008 (based on children born in 2000):" 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2014/autism-awareness-april-2014.shtml

Whether the increase is due to better diagnosis or an actual increase in persons with the disorder, it's clear that additional funding will be needed for research and treatment.  (And I'm not fooling.)

Landslides

As we were reminded over the weekend, "Landslide" is not just a catchy tune written by Stevie Nicks.  Landslides "occur in all 50 states and U.S. territories, and cause $1-2 billion in damages and more than 25 fatalities on average each year." The U.S. Geological Survey monitors landslides and offers a great deal of information about them on their Landslide Hazards Program page: 

http://landslides.usgs.gov/current/

Take a look and be prepared in case a rain-soaked hillside tries to strangle you.

Irish-Americans

It's fortunate that the U.S. census isn't conducted on March 17, because on St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish.  That raises the question, how many people claim to be Irish the rest of the year?  According to the Census Bureau's "Facts for Features" page for this month, 34.1 million U.S. residents claim Irish ancestry.  That's more than seven times the population of Ireland itself.  Learn more fascinating facts about Irish-Americans and St. Patrick's Day by visiting the page yourself: 

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb14-ff02.html

And, as the Irish would say, slainte!

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Many people know about the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), but have you heard of the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)?  NCSES was established within the National Science Foundation in 2010 and is "the nation's leading provider of statistical data on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise:"

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/

Through their site you can find information about "research and development, the science and engineering workforce, the condition and progress of STEM education, and U.S. competitiveness in science, engineering, technology, and R&D."  If you want to do a scientific study of science or scientists, this would be the place to start.

Ukraine

Whether you call it "Ukraine" or "The Ukraine," there's no doubt that tensions are high in this former part of the Soviet Union.  If you'd like to keep track of the rapid developments in Ukraine, the U.S. Department of State maintains a page on the country:

http://www.state.gov/p/eur/ci/up/

In addition to highlighting the latest diplomatic news, the page provides links to fact sheets, remarks, major reports, and other information.  There are similar pages available on other countries, so you may want to brush up on the region in case the Russian Army decides to extend its tour.

Carbon Monoxide

Recently one person in a New York restaurant was killed and several others were hospitalized due to inhaling carbon monoxide.  How can you avoid exposure to dangerous levels of this colorless, odorless, poisonous gas?  The Consumer Product Safety Commission has several tips in its Carbon Monoxide Information Center: 

http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Carbon-Monoxide-Information-Center/

At home you need to keep a close eye on any equipment or appliance that burns fuel.  In a public building like a restaurant you can inquire about their most recent safety inspections, but you may also want to consider the charms of dining on the patio.