August 2011
81 posts
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Find Out Which Drugs Are Safe for Breastfeeding...
By the Specialized Information Services Division of the National Library of Medicine
Women often wonder if a certain drug is safe to take while breastfeeding. LactMed, from the National Library of Medicine, is a free online tool with information that addresses those safety concerns.
You can find information about several hundred prescribed drugs, including
the safe level of a drug in a mother’s...
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Making Your Home Safe For A Baby →
Summer has the highest birthrate in the U.S. If you’re expecting, learn how to ready your home for a new arrival.
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Americans Devoted 8.1 Billion Hours to...
Research released by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service also shows that Generation X (born 1965-1981) served 110 million more hours than ever before, giving them a 2010 grand total of 2.3 billion volunteer hours.
The states with the highest volunteer rates were:
Utah
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
South Dakota
You can get involved by finding volunteer opportunities in your...
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Find Out If Your Kids Are Eligible For Free or... →
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How To Apply for Disaster Assistance After...
If you need assistance after Hurricane Irene, the Federal Emergency Management Agency can help you:
Locate a disaster recovery center near you
Get food and water
Return home safely
You can apply for disaster assistance:
Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
From your mobile phone at m.fema.gov
By calling 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585
Learn more about what to do immediately after a...
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Learn How to Recognize and Report Disaster Relief... →
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Stay Safe During and After a Flood
If you live in an area that’s likely to flood, you should:
Listen to the radio or television for local information.
Be aware of flash floods. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.
Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons, and other areas known to flood suddenly.
If you have to leave your home, do not...
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How to Make Sure Your Food and Water Are Safe →
These tips can help you determine if your food and water are safe during a power outage or after a flood.
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Tips for Communicating During Emergencies
During and after Hurricane Irene, voice data networks may be busy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that you let friends and family know your status by sending a text, e-mail, or updating social media sites.
If you do need to make a phone call, keep it brief to free up “space” on the network for emergency communications and to conserve battery power, if you are using...
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How to Track Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene is gaining strength and getting ready to make landfall along the East Coast. It’s important to be prepared if you live in the path of the hurricane.
You can find the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center at hurricanes.gov, find the latest evacuation information from your state, and get the latest news and information about the storm from these federal agencies:
...
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Today is Women's Equality Day →
Today is Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the success of the women’s suffrage movement. Read the original documents proposing an amendment to the Constitution.
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Librarian of Congress Appoints Philip Levine Poet...
Philip Levine will be the next Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. Levine is the author of 20 collections of poems and has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize.
The Poet Laureate is selected for a one-year term by the Librarian of Congress and the position has been around since 1936. In recent years, Poet Laureates have started projects to broaden...
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Recognize the Symptoms of Depression →
It’s important to recognize the symptoms of depression and know how to help a loved one who may be suffering.
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Expanding Access to Health Services for Women
It’s important that women have access to the preventive medical services they need. New guidelines now allow millions of women to receive preventive health services by removing barriers such as copays, co-insurance, and deductibles for several common services including:
well-woman visits
screening for gestational diabetes
human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 and older
...
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Looking for a Job? →
If you’re looking for a job, there is one place you might have overlooked: the U.S. government. Search the USAjobs database to find open positions.
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Watch the Space Station Fly Over Hurricane Irene →
Today at 4:05 p.m., the Space Station will fly over Hurricane Irene. Watch live views on NASA TV.
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What to do after an earthquake →
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake occurred in Virginia at 1:51pm EDT today. It is among the largest earthquakes ever recorded in Virginia and was felt as far away as Massachusetts. Learn what to do after an earthquake, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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Prescription Drug Safe Practices and Cost...
If your health care provider gives you a new prescription, you can use these resources relating to drug safety and cost, including:
Verify Drug Appearance – Protect yourself from possible mistakes at the pharmacy by verifying how your pills should look (color, shape, and imprinted numbers or text).
Drug Interactions – If you’re taking a combination of prescription drugs and/or over-the-counter...
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How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet →
The internet is full of medical advice, but who should you believe? MedlinePlus has tips to help you evaluate the online resources you turn to for advice.
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Find Resources to Help You Prepare For and Recover... →
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Hurricane Irene Heads Toward Florida
Hurricane Irene is expected to head toward Florida and the southeast coast of the U.S. by the weekend.
Hurricane Irene has moved away from Puerto Rico. It is predicted to pass just north of Hispaniola and reach the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas on Tuesday.
The storm is expected to gain strength and may threaten Florida and the southeast coast of the United States by the weekend.
If...
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Is There a Link Between Work-Related Diseases and...
By the Specialized Information Services Division of the National Library of Medicine
Have you ever wondered if there are links between certain hazardous job tasks and work-related diseases? You can find the answer to your questions by using Haz-Map, a database of chemicals, jobs and diseases from the National Library of Medicine.
The database lists 225 work-related diseases and over 4,556...
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How Dangerous is That Little Green Spot of Mold on... →
Learn about mold and food safety from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Listen to Smithsonian Folkways Radio →
You can download songs for free and listen to streaming music.
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The Truth About Cell Phones and the National...
You may have received an email telling you cell phones will start to get unwanted telemarketing calls unless you add your wireless number to a special Do-Not-Call Registry.
However, placing telemarketing calls to wireless phones is, and always has been, illegal.
It is unlawful for anyone to place a call using an automatic telephone dialing system or a prerecorded voice message to a telephone...
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Back to School Tips →
Learn more about check-ups and immunizations, shopping for school supplies, planning healthful lunches, and financial assistance for families.
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Home-Buying Program Offers Houses at a Discount
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is offering single family HUD-owned homes at a 50% discount. Firefighters, law enforcement officers, teachers and others can purchase homes at the discounted rate through the Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program.
In order to receive the discount, qualified persons must occupy the home as a personal residence for a required 36-month...
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Get Advice on Helping Your Kids with Homework →
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Share Your Ideas for Mobile Apps from the...
The USA.gov mobile apps gallery has more than 50 free apps and mobile web sites from across government that can help make your life easier. There’s an app to find out how long the security line is at the airport or to see if your child’s new toy has been recalled. You can also find mobile apps to:
Protect your child: The FBI Child ID app provides a convenient place to store photos and vital...
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Men Between the Ages of 18 and 25 Must Register... →
Learn more and register online.
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Marine Sergeant Will Receive the Medal of Honor
Sergeant (then Corporal) Dakota Meyer stands at an awards ceremony in Afghanistan.
Congratulations to Sergeant Dakota L. Meyer who will receive the Medal of Honor for his acts of extraordinary heroism in Afghanistan on September 8, 2009.
Over the course of a six hour fire fight, Sgt. Meyer entered the battle zone five separate times to evacuate the wounded, provide essential aid, and save the...
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Find the Best Hospitals In Your Area →
To find the best hospitals in your area, use this tool from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Back to School is Easier with Help from the...
The start of a new school year is an important time for planning and preparation. For millions of children and teenagers, it’s time to plan new academic schedules and activities. For parents and guardians it’s a good time to plan financial support for school-aged children. There are several programs and resources available for families who qualify for federal assistance, including low cost...
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Keep Your Child's Immunizations Up-to-Date
If your child is heading back to school soon, make sure his or her immunization shots and vaccines are up-to-date. Each state has its own requirements, and your child’s school may require documentation of immunization records. Depending on the state, children could need to be vaccinated against mumps, measles, tetanus or other diseases. If you have questions, schedule plenty of time to ask your...
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Find the Most Energy-Efficient Appliances →
ENERGY STAR can help you find the most efficient TV, fridge, washer, and heating or cooling system for your money.
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