BEA’s New Data Tool Provides Fast Access to Trade and Investment Stats for Countries

"A new data tool--International Trade and Investment Country Facts Application--on the Bureau of Economic Analysis website gives users a snapshot of statistics on trade and investment between the United States and another country by simply clicking on a world map.

These fast facts at your fingertips can include:

• Total exports, imports and trade balance between the United States and the country you select.
• The top five categories of goods and services the United States buys from and sells to that country.
• Country level data on U.S. direct investment abroad and foreign direct investment in the United States and on the activities of multinational enterprises such as employment and sales..."Trade data

Disaster Preparedness for Your Pet

"Leaving pets out of evacuation plans can put pets, pet owners, and first responders in danger. Even if you try to create a safe place for them, pets left behind during a disaster are likely to be injured, lost, or worse.  It is your responsibility as a pet owner to find out what type of shelters and assistance are available in your area to accommodate pets and to include pets in your disaster plan to keep them safe during an emergency.

Have you included pets in your disaster plan? Don’t wait until it’s too late. Start today by:

• Making a plan and
• Preparing a disaster kit..."
  Pets and disasters

Nonemployer Statistics:2013

"Nonemployer Statistics is an annual series that provides subnational economic data for businesses that have no paid employees and are subject to federal income tax. The data consist of the number of businesses and total receipts by industry. Most nonemployers are self-employed individuals operating unincorporated businesses (known as sole proprietorships), which may or may not be the owner's principal source of income.

The majority of all business establishments in the United States are nonemployers, yet these firms average less than 4 percent of all sales and receipts nationally. Due to their small economic impact, these firms are excluded from most other Census Bureau business statistics (the primary exception being the Survey of Business Owners). The Nonemployers Statistics series is the primary resource available to study the scope and activities of nonemployers at a detailed geographic level. For complementary statistics on the firms that do have paid employees, refer to the County Business Patterns. Additional sources of data on small businesses include the Economic Census, and the Statistics of U.S. Businesses.."
Nonemployer

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2014

"As the economy of the United States continues to rebound from the Great Recession, the well-being of households and consumers provides important information about the scope and pace of the economic recovery. In order to monitor the financial and economic status of American consumers, the Federal Reserve Board began conducting the Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking in 2013 and conducted the survey for a second time in October 2014. The findings from the October 2014 survey are covered in this report. Topics examined in the survey include the financial health of individuals on a number of levels, such as overall well-being, housing, economic fragility, savings and spending, access to credit, education and student loans, and retirement planning..."
Economics of us households

Clean Water Rule Protects Streams and Wetlands Critical to Public Health, Communities, and Economy

 "In an historic step for the protection of clean water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army finalized the Clean Water Rule today to clearly protect from pollution and degradation the streams and wetlands that form the foundation of the nation’s water resources.

The rule ensures that waters protected under the Clean Water Act are more precisely defined and predictably determined, making permitting less costly, easier, and faster for businesses and industry. The rule is grounded in law and the latest science, and is shaped by public input. The rule does not create any new permitting requirements for agriculture and maintains all previous exemptions and exclusions.

“For the water in the rivers and lakes in our communities that flow to our drinking water to be clean, the streams and wetlands that feed them need to be clean too,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Protecting our water sources is a critical component of adapting to climate change impacts like drought, sea level rise, stronger storms, and warmer temperatures – which is why EPA and the Army have finalized the Clean Water Rule to protect these important waters, so we can strengthen our economy and provide certainty to American businesses.”..."Clean water

CDC Data on Foodborne Disease Outbreaks

"Outbreaks provide important insights into how germs spread, which food and germ combinations make people sick, and how to prevent food poisoning. Public health and industry use outbreak data to create information on prevention, education, and policy.

CDC has a long history of summarizing outbreak reports from local and state health departments. CDC also collects outbreak data and makes it available to the public. Tracking and reporting outbreak data is the first step towards prevention..."
Foodborne diseases

Prevent Hepatitis A: Get Vaccinated Before You Travel

"Hepatitis A is common in many parts of the world, particularly in some popular travel destinations such as Mexico, and Central and South America. On May 1, 2015, CDC released an advisory to travelers to Tulum, Mexico, as public health officials had recently identified 27 cases of Hepatitis A in 12 states as of the end of April – all sharing this travel destination. Unvaccinated travelers to Tulum and other areas where Hepatitis A is common are at a greater risk of getting infected with the hepatitis A virus. During Hepatitis Awareness Month, learn more about how the hepatitis A vaccine can protect you from getting infected when traveling..."
Hepatitis-A

Your Preteens and Teens Need Vaccines Too!

"While your preteens and teens are thinking about all the fun things they'll be doing this summer, you're probably thinking about keeping them healthy and safe. When you're planning trips to get new swimsuits and sunscreen, make an appointment for vaccinations before the back-to-school rush begins at the doctor's office. Vaccines can help our kids stay healthy, and most states require certain vaccinations before school starts again in the fall.

There are four vaccines recommended for preteens and teens—these vaccines help protect your children, their friends, and their family members. While your kids should get a flu vaccine every year, the three other preteen vaccines should be given when kids are 11- 12 years old. Teens may also need a booster of a vaccine that requires more than one dose to be fully protected..."
Preteen and vaccines

Competition in the Pet Medications Industry Prescription Portability and Distribution Practices

"The U.S. market for companion animal medications (“pet medications”) has grown significantly in the last decade. This growth is reflected in increased sales of both prescription and nonprescription (also referred to as “over-the-counter” or “OTC”) medications.  Recognizing the economic importance of the pet medications industry for American consumers,  and in response to legislative proposals regarding prescriptions for pet medications,  the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC” or “Commission”) staff compiled information concerning historic and current business practices in the sale of pet medications.  Staff primarily focused on two related issues that directly affect consumers’ access to competitively priced pet medications:

• the availability of “portable” pet medication prescriptions, obtained from veterinarians and used to purchase prescription pet medications somewhere other than the prescribing veterinarian’s office; and
• manufacturer distribution policies and practices for both prescription and OTC pet medications..."
Pet Medication

An Introduction to Health Insurance: What Should a Consumer Know?

"Congress has seen a renewed interest in the market for private health insurance since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended). This report provides an overview of private-sector (as opposed to government-provided) health insurance.It serves as an introduction to health insurance from the point of view of many consumers under the age of 65. No background in health insurance is assumed, and all terms are defined in the body of the report.

 A consumer may find the purchase of health care inherently different from some other purchases. Health care can be expensive, and many relevant details concerning future health care may not be known when the consumer is choosing an insurance plan, including when over the course of a year (if at all) health care will be purchased, which services will be needed, and the costs of those services. These characteristics of purchasing health care decrease the consumer’s ability to plan financially and increase the consumer’s exposure to financial risk. The purchase of health insurance reduces the risks and unpredictability inherent in paying for health services..."
Health insurance

Travel Smart: Get Vaccinated

"Before you travel internationally, ensure that you are up to date on all your routine vaccines, as well as travel vaccines.

More and more Americans are travelling internationally each year. Today more than a third of Americans have a passport.  It is important to remember that some types of international travel, especially to developing countries and rural areas, have higher health risks. These risks depend on a number of things including:

• Where you are traveling
• Your activities while traveling
• Your current health status
• Your vaccination history.."
  Vaccines and travel

Department of Justice Policy Guidance1 Domestic Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

"The law enforcement agencies of the Department of Justice ("the Department") work diligently to protect the American people from national security threats, enforce our nation's laws, and ensure public safety. In doing so, these agencies use a wide variety of investigative methods. Some of these methods have been in use for decades; others are relatively new and rely on technological innovation. In all cases, investigations and other activities must be conducted consistent with the Constitution and the laws of the United States-and with our commitment to protecting privacy and civil liberties..."
Drone policy

Tracking Federal Funds: USAspending.gov and Other Data Sources

"Finding data on federal grants and contracts awarded to states and congressional districts, local governments, nonprofit organizations, contractors, and other eligible entities may present challenges. The official website, USAspending.gov, at http://www.usaspending.gov, collects data on grants, loans, insurance, assistance, and contracts, and it presents various searching and downloading options to Congress and the public. Because of continued data quality problems identified by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), researchers need to be aware that search results may be incomplete or have inaccuracies..."
Federal funds

Population and Housing Unit Estimates:2014

"The latest population estimates for cities and towns (incorporated places and minor civil divisions) and housing unit estimates for the United States, states, and counties - for July 1, 2014 - were released May 21, 2015..".
Population estimaes

IC3 Releases Annual Snapshot of Internet Crimes

"Today, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released its annual report highlighting the numbers and common types of complaints it received during 2014 on suspected Internet fraud and other Internet-based crimes.

The report mentions two new trends that took shape during 2014: criminals increasingly taking advantage of personal data found on social media to start relationships with victims and scam them out of their money; and the emerging popularity of virtual currency, which has attracted perpetrators who capitalize on the vulnerabilities of the developing digital currency system..."
Internet crimes

SaferCar

Use the Safercar.gov web site to check on automobile recalls and safety, including crash test results, car seats, complaints and defects, and tire safety. 
Automobile recalls and safety

Geography and mapping give new dimension to study of the Holocaust

"Numerous scholars in recent years have made the horrors of the Holocaust real to the public through various media, including books and memoirs, films, art, photography and museum exhibitions. Anne Kelly Knowles and her collaborators are using a different approach to better understand the genocide: geography and mapping.

More specifically, the researchers are employing historical geographic information systems (GIS), computer programs that store, display, and analyze data of past geographies to gain new insights into how the Nazis implemented the Holocaust, the patterns of events, and the impact of the Holocaust on different places..."

Geography and Holocaust

Preventing Dog Bites

"Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States. Almost 1 out of 5 bites becomes infected. Don't be a victim.

Dogs can be our closest companions. They often live in our homes, have been proven to decrease stress, increase our exercise levels, and are frequent playmates for children. But sometimes man's best friend will bite. In addition to causing pain, injury, or nerve damage, dog bites can become infected, placing the bite victim at risk for illness or even death.

Though the idea of being bitten by a dog is scary, it doesn't mean that it is time to send Fido packing. People who work and live around dogs should be aware of the risk and take precautions. With a few tips, you can learn how to prevent dog bites and reduce the risk of illness and injury..."
Dog bites

FTC, All 50 States and D.C. Charge Four Cancer Charities With Bilking Over $187 Million from Consumers

"The Federal Trade Commission and 58 law enforcement partners from every state and the District of Columbia have charged four sham cancer charities and their operators with bilking more than $187 million from consumers. The defendants told donors their money would help cancer patients, including children and women suffering from breast cancer, but the overwhelming majority of donations benefitted only the perpetrators, their families and friends, and fundraisers. This is one of the largest actions brought to date by enforcers against charity fraud.

Named in the federal court complaint are Cancer Fund of America, Inc. (CFA), Cancer Support Services Inc. (CSS), their president, James Reynolds, Sr., and their chief financial officer and CSS’s former president, Kyle Effler; Children’s Cancer Fund of America Inc. (CCFOA) and its president and executive director, Rose Perkins; and The Breast Cancer Society Inc. (BCS) and its executive director and former president, James Reynolds II..."
Cancer fraud

Hepatitis Awareness Month

"May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day. Find out if you should be tested or vaccinated for hepatitis by taking a 5-minute online Hepatitis Risk Assessment.

"Hepatitis" means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that plays many roles essential to good health. It processes nutrients, filters the blood, and helps fight infections. When the liver becomes inflamed, its function can be affected. Many things can cause hepatitis, including heavy alcohol use, certain toxins, and some medications and medical conditions. However, hepatitis is most often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, andHepatitis C..."

Hepatitis

Skin Cancer Awareness

"Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. To lower your skin cancer risk, protect your skin from the sun and avoid indoor tanning.

Sun Safety Tips

Check the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s UV Index before you spend time outdoors and plan your sun protection accordingly, using these tips—

• Seek shade, especially during midday hours.
• Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin.
• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
• Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
• Use sunscreen with broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) protection and sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher.
• Remember to reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off..."
  Skin cancer

Plessy v. Ferguson

View a facsimile of the Supreme Court decision in Plessy Vs Ferguson issued on May 18, 1895  upholding a "Louisiana law that allowed equal but separate accommodations for the white and colored races..." 
Plessy vs Ferguson

Protect Your Move

"Before hiring a mover, make sure you know your rights and responsibilities! Learn to spot the red flags of moving fraud and make your next move a success by downloading a free Moving Fraud Prevention Guide. Interstate movers must comply with federal rules and regulations, which include registering with FMCSA. Search for registered movers and view their complaint histories before selecting a mover..."
Moving

Heatstroke Tragedies Can Happen to Anyone: Look Before You Lock

"The signs of spring are all around: warmer weather, blooming flowers, and the return of America’s pastime, baseball. When the weather heats up, it’s time for us all to step up to protect kids from heatstroke caused by being left unattended in a vehicle.

On an 80 degree day, the temperature inside your car or truck can rise to deadly levels in only 10 minutes, even if the window is rolled down two inches. When a child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child dies..."
Heatstroke and cars

New Data Show a Decline in School-based Bullying

"New data indicate the first significant decrease in school-based bullying since the federal government began collecting that data in 2005, suggesting that efforts at the federal, state and local levels to prevent bullying may be paying off. According to new data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the reported prevalence of bullying among students ages 12 to 18 dropped to 22 percent after remaining stubbornly around 28 percent for the past decade..."
Bullying and school

U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues

"Even though the United States plans to reduce the number of warheads deployed on its long range missiles and bombers, consistent with the terms of the New START Treaty, it also plans to develop new delivery systems for deployment over the next 20-30 years. The 114th Congress will continue to review these programs, and the funding requested for them, during the annual authorization and appropriations process..."
Nuclear weapons

Identity Theft

Steps to take if you think you are a victim of identity theft.
Identity theft

HPV in Communities of Color

"HPV Does Not Discriminate
HPV (human papillomavirus) is so common that almost everyone who becomes sexually active gets it at some point in their lives. Everyone is at risk of getting  HPV and the cancers related to this disease, which is why vaccination and screenings are so important. There are various factors that have increased the risk of HPV cancers in communities of color. Health disparity factors including socioeconomic status (SES) and limited access to healthcare services¹ have made it hard for minorities to overcome the burden of cancer..."
HPV and race

The Future of Internet Governance: Should the U.S. Relinquish Its Authority Over ICANN?

"Currently, the U.S. government retains limited authority over the Internet’s domain name system, primarily through the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions contract between the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). By virtue of the IANA functions contract, the NTIA exerts a legacy authority and stewardship over ICANN, and arguably has more influence over ICANN and the domain name system (DNS) than other national governments.

On March 14, 2014, NTIA announced the intention to transition its stewardship role and procedural authority over key Internet domain name functions to the global Internet multistakeholder community. To accomplish this transition, NTIA has asked ICANN to convene interested global Internet stakeholders to develop a transition proposal. NTIA has stated that it will not accept any transition proposal that would replace the NTIA role with a government-led or an intergovernmental organization solution..."
Internet Governance

World War II: 70 Years On

"On May 8, 1945, the Allied countries of World War II formally accepted Germany's unconditional surrender of its military. Victory in Europe (V-E) Day marked the end of World War II in Europe. August 14, 1945, Victory Over Japan (V-J) Day marked the day Japan unconditionally surrendered to the Allies, effectively ending World War II..."
World War 11 graphics

How Many Breaths Do You Take Each Day?

"Watching the news and the problems that some countries are having with high levels of air pollution makes me appreciate the Clean Air Act, which calls on EPA and the states to protect air quality through programs based on the latest science and technology. I am especially appreciative today, the first day of Air Quality Awareness Week..."
Air quality

National Women's Health Week

"National Women's Health Week starts each year on Mother's Day and encourages women across the country to make their health a priority. Take these steps to live a safer and healthier life!

Get recommended screenings and preventive care

Take steps to protect your health by getting the care you need to prevent disease, disability, and injuries. Regular check-ups are important. Preventive care can keep disease away or detect problems early, when treatment is more effective. Talk to your health care provider to learn more about what screenings and exams you need and when..."
Women's Health

Ending Youth Homelessness

"In 2012, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) issued theFramework to End Youth Homelessness detailing the steps necessary to achieve the goal of ending youth homelessness by 2020, and strategies to improve outcomes for children and youth experiencing homelessness. This framework articulates the need for government, non-profit, civic, and faith community partners to focus together on the overall well-being of youth experiencing homelessness — addressing not just their need for stable housing, but also their educational and employment goals, and the importance of permanent adult connections in their lives..."
Youth homelessness

Rail safety

"Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation is issuing a final rule that will enhance the safety of transporting flammable liquids –including crude oil and ethanol– by rail...

The final rule applies to trains transporting large volumes of flammable liquids and regulates their operation.  It includes a new requirement for a modern, robust braking system that will be a game-changer in mitigating damage in the event of an accident. It requires significant safety improvements in tank car design standards, for both new cars and existing cars used for flammable liquid service. It addresses the need for greater accuracy in the sampling and classification of the products being put into those tank cars. And it requires selective routing requirements and contact with public safety and emergency first responders so they know what is being transported through their jurisdictions and can better prepare..." 
New rail safety

Death Notification with Compassion

"At an event held during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week last week at FBI Headquarters, the Bureau—in conjunction with its partners at Penn State University—announced a new, no-cost training website for law enforcement agencies and other first responders responsible for notifying the family members of those who have died suddenly as a result of a crime, an accident, a suicide, or other type of incident.

This initiative was developed to better equip law enforcement personnel, victim advocates, coroners, medical examiners, chaplains, hospital staff, and others who find themselves delivering death notifications to do so with professionalism, dignity, and compassion..."
Death notification

Community Water Fluoridation 70th Anniversary

"This year, the United States marks the 70th anniversary of community water fluoridation, one of public health's greatest success stories.

Almost all water contains some naturally-occurring fluoride, but usually at levels too low to prevent tooth decay. Water fluoridation is the process of adding a small amount of fluoride to public water supplies to a level known to make teeth stronger and prevent cavities. In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first city in the U.S. to fluoridate its water, and by the early 1950's, results were clear: Compared to school children from nearby areas that did not fluoridate their water, children in Grand Rapids had fewer cavities..."
Fluoride and water

Home Canning and Botulism

"It's almost summer, and home gardeners will soon start to harvest the delicious produce they've been growing this year. Did you know 1 in 5 U.S. households can their own food, and 65% of those households can vegetables? Home canning is a great way to preserve your garden goodies. But beware: if it's done the wrong way, the vegetables you worked so hard for could become contaminated by a germ that causes botulism, a serious illness that can affect your nerves, paralyze you, and even cause death..."
Home canning

Transportation Alternative by Census Region

From the 2013 American Housing Survey comes recent inforamtion on transportation use by  Census region.
Transportation and Census regions

Civilian Nuclear Waste Disposal

"Management of civilian radioactive waste has posed difficult issues for Congress since the beginning of the nuclear power industry in the 1950s. Federal policy is based on the premise that nuclear waste can be disposed of safely, but proposed storage and disposal facilities have frequently been challenged on safety, health, and environmental grounds. Although civilian radioactive waste encompasses a wide range of materials, most of the current debate focuses on highly radioactive spent fuel from nuclear power plants. The United States currently has no disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel..."
Nuclear waste disposal

Data Point: Credit Invisibles

"Consumers with limited credit histories reflected in the credit records maintained by the three nationwide credit reporting agencies (NCRAs) face significant challenges in accessing most credit markets.1 NCRA records are often used by lenders when making credit decisions. In particular, lenders often use credit scores, such as one of the FICO or VantageScore scores, that are derived entirely from NCRA records when deciding whether to approve a loan application or in setting a loan’s interest rate. If a consumer does not have a credit record with one of the NCRAs or if the record contains insufficient information to assess her creditworthiness, lenders are much less likely to extend credit. As a result, consumers with limited credit histories can face substantially reduced access to credit.."
credit, consumer finance

Build America Investment Initiative:Federal Guide to Infrastructure Planning and Design.

"Purposes of this Guide This Guide describes the important role of planning and design – typically known as ‘predevelopment’ – in the life of an infrastructure project and provides:
• Guiding principles for predevelopment;
• Case studies highlighting how the Federal government has partnered with local and State governments and other stakeholders on predevelopment activities to advance more and better infrastructure projects; and
• An extensive list of Federal agency resources that support predevelopment through funding and technical assistance. The audience for this Guide is local, State and tribal governments, public and private utilities, non-profi t organizations, investors, project sponsors, Federal agency staff, and other stakeholders..".
Infrastructure planning

Defense Acquisitions: How and Where DOD Spends Its Contracting Dollars

"The Department of Defense (DOD) has long relied on contractors to provide the U.S. military with a wide range of goods and services, including weapons, food, uniforms, and operational support. Without contractor support, the United States would be currently unable to arm and field an effective fighting force. Understanding costs and trends associated with contractor support could provide Congress more information upon which to make budget decisions and weigh the relative costs and benefits of different military operations—including contingency operations and maintaining bases around the world..."
Military spending

Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

"The U.S. Energy Information Administration's Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) is the only nationally representative source of statistical information on energy-related characteristics, consumption, and expenditures for the nation's 5.6 million commercial buildings totaling 87 billion square feet of floor space.Building characteristics information from the 2012 survey is being released in stages through the spring, and consumption and expenditures data will follow later in the year..."
Buildings energy consumption