Zika Virus

The spread of the Zika virus was recently declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. For the latest news on the impact and outlook for this virus, see this page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html

If we have the early spring that the groundhog predicted this morning, you can help to slow the spread of Zika by ensuring that those spring rains don't turn into "standing water" where mosquitoes can breed. This virus is just one more good reason to stay vigilant and "fight the bite."

Legal Services Corporation

The legal landscape in this country is difficult to navigate without an expert guide, and many people simply can't afford to hire a lawyer when they need one. That's why the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) was established by Congress in 1974:

http://lsc.gov/

Its purpose is to "provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. LSC promotes equal access to justice by providing funding to 134 independent non-profit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories." So, if you have a low income, need help with a legal problem, and don't happen to be related to the type of lawyer you need, the LSC site can help you find a legal aid organization in your area.

Constitution Annotated

The upcoming Presidential election and a number of other recent events have raised many questions about what is and is not "constitutional." Is Ted Cruz qualified to run for President? Is President Obama legally empowered to take executive action on gun control? One of the best places to seek an answer to those questions, and others, is the Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation, popularly known as the Constitution Annotated:

https://www.congress.gov/constitution-annotated

If you don't have the time to go get a law degree or the money to hire a lawyer to answer these questions for you, doing a bit of research here may help to put your mind at ease. If nothing else, it's an impressive source for you to cite the next time a debate breaks out at the dinner table.

International Lottery Scams

This week's $1.3 billion Powerball prize may have given you a case of lottery fever, but this page from the Federal Trade Commission can help you avoid getting caught by an international lottery scam:

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0086-international-lottery-scams

Whenever you get a solicitation that sounds tempting, just keep in mind that it's against federal law to play a foreign lottery.

There's additional information from the U.S. Department of State here:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/emergencies/scams/lottery.html

And from OnGuard Online here:

https://www.onguardonline.gov/articles/0002c-lotteries-and-sweepstakes-scams

Even when you gamble, you should try to minimize your risks.

National Wildlife Refuges

You may have heard on the news that a group of armed individuals has taken over part of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. The reason they've done this seems to be a dispute over the use of federally-owned lands. If you're curious about what uses the federal government is making of that land, see this site from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency that runs the National Wildlife Refuge System:

http://www.fws.gov/refuges/about/

The Malheur Refuge is closed for the time being, but every state has at least one Refuge and Oregon has 17 in addition to Malheur. Feel free to visit one near you, and don't forget your bird-watching binoculars.

Santa Tracker

One of the more whimsical services offered by a government agency is the Santa Tracker provided each Christmas eve by NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command):

http://www.noradsanta.org/

According to the site, "For 60 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight. The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations 'hotline.' The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born." The tradition continues this year.

Happy holidays to one and all.

U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness

As the colder weather and the holidays approach, people often think more about helping their fellow man. If the season has you wondering exactly what the Federal government is doing to help the homeless, then exploring the site of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness may answer many of your questions:

http://usich.gov/

The Council's mission "is to coordinate the Federal response to homelessness" and it's composed of "19 Federal Cabinet secretaries and agency heads." One of the many resources available on the USICH site is a database that's "a searchable source of up-to-date information drawn from around the country that federal, state, and local partners can use to further their collaborative efforts to end homelessness." So, even if you can't afford to donate money to a charity, your tax dollars are already at work helping your fellow man.