Archive for the ‘Social Security Card’ Category
Things I wanted to write about today: Certain Hollywood starlets being sent to the slammer, the ending to the movie "Inception", the 
Phillies current performance making me lose my appetite.
However, none of these things make the rankings on the USA.gov FAQ page of the most searched topics by citizens.
In response to the numerous inquiries we have received, today we talk about: the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Each night the news bums me out with reports of how many people and animals are being affected by this crisis, with no real solution to the problem in place. It didn’t surprise me that this was the #1 searched topic in the USA.gov FAQ database for the month of June. What DID surprise and please me was that the #1 searched issue was not the disaster itself, but how to volunteer to donate to help the relief effort. I’m thrilled that so many people are eager to take action to help, because placing blame ultimately doesn’t do anyone much good.
For state-specific volunteer opportunities check out: Restorethegulf.gov
If you have a boat that can be used to help aid in the clean-up effort go to: Restorethegulf.gov/vessels
If you personally want to volunteer to help, call: 1.866.448.5816
Do you know any other ways to help? What do you think can be done?
Today we congratulate the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and the people of South Africa on the positive findings from the CAPRISA 004 microbicide study, which marks a significant milestone both for the microbicide research field and HIV prevention as a whole.
To coincide with the 2010 International AIDS Conference in Vienna, NIDA has written a special issue of NewsScan on HIV/AIDS which features recent articles on the connection between drug abuse and HIV/AIDS and prevention and treatment strategies, authored by researchers supported by NIDA and other leading research organizations.
A clinical trial in Cambodia has found it possible to prolong the survival of untreated HIV-infected adults with very weak immune systems and newly diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) by starting anti-HIV therapy two weeks after beginning TB treatment, rather than waiting eight weeks, as has been standard. This finding by scientists co-funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, brings physicians closer to optimizing the treatment of severely immunosuppressed individuals with HIV-TB co-infection. The findings were presented today at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna by principal investigators Francois-Xavier Blanc, M.D., Anne E. Goldfeld, M.D., and Sok Thim, M.D.
Almost $6 million has been awarded to investigators and programs to help researchers in the early stages of careers in women’s health research. The funding is from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) and other co-sponsors. The money will go to 12 new and continuing Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) programs nationwide. This is the fifth funding round of an innovative, interdisciplinary career development program for men and women junior faculty in women’s health research.
At your next family reunion or gathering, consider discussing a different type of family tree–the family health history. Find out how to collect, organize and use information about your family’s health at Creating a Family Health History, the newest topic on the NIHSeniorHealth website. NIHSeniorHealth is a health and wellness website designed especially for older adults from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), both part of the National Institutes of Health.
I’m fairly certain that while growing up, my sister and I didn’t miss a single opportunity to watch any cartoon special on TV. 
Because of this, we have some pretty obscure movie lines we use regularly for nearly any life situation.
Unfortunately, because most kids were much cooler than us, nobody has a clue that every time we say, “To the beach, Jon!” it is a reference to “Garfield in Paradise” circa 1986.
One of our favorite specials was “Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown.” In this cartoon epic, the Peanuts gang travels to Europe allegedly to participate in a student-exchange program. For reasons never explained, Lucy doesn’t get to cross the pond, but yells, “Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown, and don’t come back!!” as the rest of the troops board their flight.
Since then, this has been our standard way to say “goodbye” to each other.
Today, I am saying, “Bon voyage, and don’t come back!” to my regular Wednesday blog entry on Gov Gab. When I first arrived at the Federal Citizen Information Center over three years ago, Gov Gab was merely an idea, with a different name. Since then I’ve been able to write about everything from Root Canal Awareness Week, to Smoking Bans, and all things in-between, including an open letter to Punxsutawney Phil.
During my time spent in this office, I’ve realized that there really are many, many resources available to the public from your government to help you out. USA.gov (newly re-designed!) has a wealth of information available- most of which you probably might not even think of as “government” related. The fine people at the National Contact Center (1-800-FED-INFO) passed the ultimate test- dealing with my Mother– and are there to assist you with your needs over the telephone. For your brochures or pamphlets on government services or programs, pueblo.gsa.gov is at your service to send printed information.
But behind all these great services and more, are government workers who really do care, and take pride in their work. I know there is a stigma of the typical bureaucrat worker- but please believe there are people who work tirelessly on weekends and after-hours to do the <a href=”http://www.bestdentalplans.com”>best we can to make sure the government is working for YOU.
I’ve loved interacting with you readers via the comments section and email. Even the ones who gave me a hard time. That’s what the government and this blog are all about- making your voice heard.
I am setting out to continue my education in a sunny and warm location, but leave with nothing but fond memories and experience. I’ll continue to read Gov Gab regularly- so you may see me in the comments section from time to time!
So instead of saying, “Bon voyage, and don’t come back!” I leave you with, “Welcome to Great Britain.” “We’ll never get to England now!” And if you can name that movie, you are a shoo-in for Gov Gab’s reader of the year.
Go Phillies!
~Colleen 
In humans, throwing a ball, typing on a keyboard, or engaging in most other physical activities involves the coordination of numerous discrete movements that are organized as action sequences. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health and the Gulbenkian Institute in Portugal have identified brain activity in mice that can signal the initiation and termination of newly learned action sequences. The findings appear online today in the current issue of Nature.
Do you know someone who collects coins? The U.S. Mint launched a new collectible coin program this year called America the
Beautiful, and they’re about to issue a new coin in the series.
On July 29th, the Mint will issue the
Yosemite National Park Quarter, the third coin in the series. The first
two coins honored Hot Springs National Park in
Arkansas and Yellowstone National Park in
Wyoming.
I dream of having the time to spend time exploring the
beautiful National Parks of the American West especially. I want to go to the Grand Canyon, and
Joshua Tree, and Yellowstone and I’m sure many more. Maybe I’ll
collect the quarters and then visit all 50 America the Beautiful
locations! What’s your favorite?
You can buy America
the Beautiful quarters from the U.S.
Mint, or just wait until you get one as change from a cash register.
An experimental compound appears to improve metabolic abnormalities associated with obesity, according to a preliminary study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. A report of the study, which was conducted with obese mice, appears online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
You know when you go to the doctor’s office, you see your doctor scribbling notes about different things relating to your health. Sometimes they’re writing prescriptions, sometimes jotting down your height and weight. Do you ever wonder what those little scribbles say?
As a super curious person by nature, I know I do. I’m the person who will stretch my neck as far as it goes to see what little boxes are getting checked off so I can ask questions if I have them.
Some researchers are trying to make the process of sharing medical information between doctors and patients a little bit easier by creating a system that lets the patient view all the doctor’s notes online. The idea is to make the patient more aware of their health so they can ask their doctors all the questions they have about their health and keep a consistent record of their overall health.
The software is being tested by a large group of doctors and patients for a year and afterward they will share their experiences with the program and researchers will find out whether or not this would be a worthwhile program.
I definitely think this is a great idea and kind of wish I was part of the piloting testing. Being able to pull everything up online would be so nice. Quick access to important health numbers like blood pressure and cholesterol would be handy, while being able to track a course of treatment for a sickness might help me take better preventative steps in the future.
As long as the system is secure and takes measures to prevent hackers or identity thieves from accessing my information, I’m all for making it readily available.
What do you think about having your doctor’s notes online? Would you like the easy access or would you be too concerned about security risks?
I spent Independence Day in the Shenandoah Valley. Anytime I’m there this time of year I start thinking about how when I was a kid my grandparents would take my brother and me to the orchards to pick fresh fruit. Apples, peaches, grapes, nectarines – it seems we picked everything short of tropical fruit.
I recently learned that this variety of fruit wasn’t around during colonial times. “Government Book Talk,” a blog by the Government Printing Office, highlighted the interesting book, “Fruitful Legacy: A Historic Context for Orchards in the United States” that traces the evolution of orchards from 1600 to today.
In colonial times, chances of grabbing a tasty apple or peach from a tree were slim. Most fruit was grown for animal feed and cider and was not fit for human consumption when raw. Garden orchards, which were only grown on the residences of the wealthy, produced the fruit that we easily find at the store today.
There are still orchards in operation that use these older types of fruits and some of their trees are actually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. If you’ve never picked fruit, you can find orchards in your state or if you want to skip the work, pick up some fruit from your local farmers’ market.
How often do you eat fresh fruit?
A gene implicated in Carney complex, a rare disorder of the adrenal glands, appears to function as a molecular switch to limit cell growth and division, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
Home, it’s more than brick-and-mortar, wood, or even blocks of ice shaped in a dome! Home is your place, your retreat from the world, your sanctuary for the soul. For me, home is all of those things and toilets to clean, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Everyone should have an opportunity to live in a decent, affordable home. No one should have to worry about being able to find a safe place to live.
On July 12, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that more than $550 million will be made available in housing assistance to very low income elderly and persons with disabilities. The funding will provide interest-free capital advances to non-profit developers so they can produce accessible housing, offer rental assistance, and provide supportive services.
The assistance will be in the form of grants. These grants will fund 169 projects in 46 states. To see what kind of assistance is being provided to your state, you can read a detailed summary of each grant. If you have questions regarding housing assistance for low income elderly and persons with disabilities, or any of HUD’s other programs, you can search for a HUD-approved housing counselor in your state.
If you are not elderly or disabled, but you need housing assistance, you should know there may be a program to help you. The Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program
includes opportunities to modify or refinance your mortgage to make your monthly payments more affordable. It also includes the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program for homeowners who are interested in a short
sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. Check the HUD website to find out if you are eligible for this program or call 1-888-995-HOPE
(4673) for help with the Making Home Affordable Program and to speak with a HUD-approved housing counselor for free.
Nine health research centers have received funds to develop ways to reduce the time it takes for clinical research to become treatments for patients. The funds were awarded as part of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program which is led by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Investigators have made a major advance in treating people with a severe form of vasculitis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, a rare but devastating disease of blood vessels. In a six-month study, a new treatment strategy provided the same benefits as the current standard of care used for more than 40 years but required less frequent treatments. Early results also suggest that patients with disease relapses — typically recurrences of fever, fatigue, kidney damage, or bleeding in the lungs — respond better to the new regimen.
National Institutes of Health researchers and grantees have found that gene variants in APOL1, more common in African Americans, come with both health risk and reward, as reported in the July 15 online issue of Science.