Bastogne Relieved

"

"Situation 1200 hours 27 December 1944 Twelfth Army Group"; Records of Allied Operational and Occupation Headquarters, World War II; Record Group 331; National Archives.

Completely surrounded in the town of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, the 101st Airborne Division held off besieging German forces for eight days until their relief by General George Patton�s Third Army on December 26, 1944. The break in German lines surrounding Bastogne is shown at the center of this situation map from December 27, 1944..."
Bastogne

CONSUMER EXPENDITURES--2018

"Average expenditures per consumer unit(1) for 2018 were $61,224, a 1.9-percent increase from 2017 levels, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. During the same period the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) rose 2.4 percent and average pretax income increased by 6.9 percent.

Nine of the 10 largest components of household spending increased during 2018.(See table A.) The 7.8-percent rise in personal insurance and pensions expenditures was the largest percentage increase among all major components, followed by a 2.5-percent rise in food. The only decrease among the largest components was a 5.6-percent drop in education spending..."
Consumer spending

Criminal Victimization, 2018

"This report is the 46th in a series that began in 1973. It provides official estimates of criminal victimizations reported and not reported to police from BJS's National Crime Victimization Survey. It describes the characteristics of crimes, victims, and offenders.

Highlights:

• The number of violent-crime victims age 12 or older rose from 2.7 million in 2015 to 3.3 million in 2018, an increase of 604,000 victims.
• The portion of white persons age 12 or older who were victims of violent crime increased from 0.96% in 2015 to 1.19% in 2018 (up 24%), while the portion of males who were victims increased from 0.94% to 1.21% (up 29%).
• The rate of violent victimizations not reported to police rose from 9.5 per 1,000 persons age 12 or older in 2015 to 12.9 per 1,000 in 2018, while the rate of violent victimizations reported to police showed no statistically significant change.
• The number of violent incidents increased from 5.2 million in 2017 to 6.0 million in 2018..."
  Crime victimization

Sexual Victimization Reported By Youth In Juvenile Facilities, 2018

"This report, the third in a series that began in 2008-2009, presents estimates of youth-on-youth sexual victimization and staff sexual misconduct in juvenile facilities, as reported by youth. The report includes the prevalence rate of sexual victimization, type of incident, and national, state, and facility-level estimates. Findings are based on data from the National Survey of Youth in Custody, which was conducted between March and December of 2018. This report meets the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-79) requirement for the Bureau of Justice Statistics to rank facilities according to the prevalence of sexual victimization.

Highlights:

• The overall rate of sexual victimization reported by youth declined from 9.5% in 2012 to 7.1% in 2018.
• In 2018, 5.8% of youth reported sexual misconduct by facility staff, and an estimated 2.1% of youth reported sexual misconduct by facility staff that involved force or coercion.
• In 2018, 1.9% of youth reported sexual victimization by another youth that involved force or coercion.
• Out of 113 facilities with enough interviews to qualify for facility-level rankings, 12 were identified as high-rate and 14 as low-rate based on the prevalence of sexual victimization reported by youth.
• Among states that were eligible for state-level estimates and had at least a 50% response rate among eligible sampled youth, the rate of sexual victimization reported by youth ranged from 0.0% to 12.3%..."
  Youth sexual victimization

Immigration, Citizenship, and the Federal Justice System, 1998-2018

"This report highlights trends in federal arrests and prosecutions by the country of citizenship of persons processed through the federal criminal justice system. It shows changes from 1998 through 2018. The report provides statistics on law enforcement and prosecutions along the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as in non-border areas. It shows the number of suspects arrested and prosecuted for both immigration and non-immigration offenses, including by their citizenship status. It details activities for all 94 federal judicial districts, while also separately detailing activities for the 5 districts along the U.S.-Mexico border..." 
Immigration and federal arrests

The Impeachment Papers

 [via Digital Public Library of America]
"DPLA is proud to release this preliminary version of The Impeachment Papers: A Compendium of Documents Related to the Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump and The Report by the Senate Intelligence Committee on Russian Active Measure Campaigns and Interference in the 2016 U.S. Election.   These add to the work we started with our award-winning ebook version of the Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election, i.e. The Mueller Report.

Download the Impeachment PapersDownload the Senate Intelligence Committee ReportDownload the Mueller Report Ebook".. Impeachment papers

We Can Prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

"Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood and can include:

• Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect
• Witnessing violence in the home or community
• Having a family member attempt or die by suicide

ACEs can also include growing up in a household with:

• Substance misuse
• Mental health problems
• Instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison.."
  Adverse Childhood Experience

Dealing with Stress

"Find out how to manage stress after a traumatic event by following CDC’s tips for self-care.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the following information to help individuals cope with stress.

Strong emotions like fear, sadness, or other symptoms of depression are normal, as long as they are temporary and don’t interfere with daily activities. If these emotions last too long or cause other problems, it’s a different story.

Sometimes stress can be good. It can help you develop skills needed to manage potentially threatening situations. Stress can be harmful, however, when it is prolonged or severe enough to make you feel overwhelmed and out of control.

Physical or emotional tension are often signs of stress. They can be reactions to a situation that cause you to feel threatened or anxious. Stress can be related to positive events (such as planning your wedding) or negative events (such as dealing with the effects of a natural disaster).."
Stress

Older Drivers: Stay Safe Behind the Wheel

"In 2017, there were almost 44 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older in the United States.

Driving helps older adults stay mobile and independent. But the risk of being injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash increases as people age.

Thankfully, older adults can take steps to stay safe on the roads.

Facts About Older Adult Drivers

• One in five drivers in the United States is 65 years or older.
• Older adult drivers are more than twice as likely to report having a medical problem that makes it difficult to travel, compared with drivers aged 24-64.
• Four in five older adults take one or more medications daily. Physical changes that occur with age can change the way the body reacts to medicines, causing more side effects and affecting the ability to concentrate and drive safely.
• In 2017, almost 7,700 older adults (aged 65+) were killed in motor vehicle crashes, and more than 257,000 were treated in emergency departments for motor vehicle crash injuries. This means that each day, approximately 20 older adults are killed, and an additional 700 are injured in motor vehicle crashes..."
  Older drivers

Cheese and So Much More: Ag Census Data Show Multi-Faceted Wisconsin Farm Economy

"Wisconsin (PDF, 941 KB) is known as America’s Dairyland; however, the 2017 Census of Agriculture data show us that Wisconsin has a diverse agricultural industry. It’s no surprise Wisconsin ranks number one in cheese production, but did you know it also ranks number one in corn for silage, cranberry, and snap bean production?

On the livestock side, Wisconsin is number one in milk goats and mink pelts. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, Wisconsin farmers sold $11.4 billion in agricultural products and ranked ninth nationally in value of products sold. Sixty-four percent of these sales came from livestock, poultry, and their products, while 36 percent came from crop sales.

Although the number of farms and land in farms decreased from 2012, the average farm size increased 6 percent. In 2017, Wisconsin had 64,793 farms and 14.3 million acres in farms with an average farm size of 221 acres. Forty-eight percent of farms had sales of less than $10,000. Wisconsin ranks number one in the number of dairy farms with 9,037 milk cow farms. That can make a lot of cheese! The state ranks second in the number of organic farms with 1,537 organic farms.." 
Wisconsin 2017 Farm Census

Disgest of Education Statistics: 2018

"LIST OF 2018 DIGEST TABLES

In order to make the data available more quickly, tables for 2018’s Digest will be posted as soon as they are completed, rather than waiting for the entire document to be finalized. tables that are not listed in this directory have not been completed yet, and data users should refer to the 2017 Digest for the most recent versions of these tables.

• Chapter 1.  All Levels of Education.[Show All]
• Chapter 2.  Elementary and Secondary Education.[Show All]
• Chapter 3.  Postsecondary Education.[Show All]
• Chapter 4.  Federal Funds for Education and Related Activities.[Show All]
• Chapter 5.  Outcomes of Education.[Show All]
• Chapter 6.  International Comparisons of Education.[Show All]
• Chapter 7.  Libraries and Use of Technology.[Show All].."

Digest of education statistics

National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day

"Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day raises awareness of the risks associated with homelessness and living unsheltered.

Homeless Persons’ Memorial Dayexternal icon (HPMD – December 21) was created in remembrance of those who died while homeless and without shelter. Events are held in communities on or near HPMD to bring attention to the plight of people experiencing homelessness and the life-threatening risks people can experience when living unsheltered, especially during cold and extreme weather conditions.

According to the last Annual Homeless Assessment Report pdf icon[14.2 MB]external icon to Congress, an estimate of the number of sheltered and unsheltered persons in the United States at a Point-In-Time (PIT), 552,830 people experienced homelessness on a single night in 2018, which translates to a rate of 17 people experiencing homelessness per 10,000 people each day. Among those homeless, most were men or boys (61%), who were more likely to be unsheltered than women and girls. Twenty percent were children, most of whom were sheltered..."
Homeless Persons

Slip-Resistant Shoes

"Slips, trips, and falls (STFs) are the third most common type of non-fatal work-related injuries in the United States. Injuries from STFs often lead to time off the job for workers. Employers: learn how slip-resistant shoes can help prevent worker slip injuries.

Slip-Resistant Shoe Research in Food Services

NIOSH researchers worked with industry partners to study the effectiveness of providing free, highly-rated slip-resistant shoes to workers. This was done to reduce workers’ compensation injury claims caused by food services workers slipping on wet or greasy floors.

What are slip-resistant shoes?

Slip-resistant shoes are different from other shoes because they have rubber soles and tread patterns that can better grip wet or greasy floors. Some slip-resistant shoes are better than others. For example, 5-star – or highly rated – slip-resistant shoes typically offer better grip and other features to help make sure a worker does not slip, trip, or fall..."
Slip resistant shoes

Lead Hazards in Some Holiday Toys and Toy Jewelry

"Protect children from exposure to lead in metal and plastic toys, especially imported toys, antique toys, and toy jewelry.

Many children get toys and toy jewelry as gifts during the holiday season. Some toys, especially imported toys, antique toys, and toy jewelry, may contain lead. Although lead is invisible to the naked eye and has no smell, exposure to lead can seriously harm a child’s health.

Young children tend to put their hands, toys, or other objects―which may be made of lead or contaminated with lead or lead dust―into their mouths. If you have a small child in your household, make sure the child does not have access to toys, jewelry, or other items that may contain lead.

Lead in Toys

Lead may be found in the paint, metal, and plastic parts of some toys and toy jewelry, particularly those made in other countries, as well as antique toys and collectibles.

• In 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was signed into law, requiring toys and infant products to be tested to mandatory standards before being sold, CPSIA and Lead Fact Sheet pdf icon[118 KB]external icon.
• The use of lead in plastics has not been banned. Lead softens plastic, making a toy more flexible to return to its original shape. Lead may also be used in plastic toys to stabilize molecules from heat.
• Lead dust can form on toys when some plastics are exposed to sunlight, air, and detergents that break down the chemical bond between the lead and plastics.
• Lead also may be combined with other metals, such as tin, to create alloys that are used to make toys..."
  Lead in toys

Cancer, the Flu, and You

"If you have cancer now or have had cancer in the past, you are at higher risk for complications from the flu.

Get Your Flu Shot!

Flu vaccination is especially important for people with cancer or a history of cancer because they are at high risk of developing serious flu complications.

Are You 65 Years Old or Older?

Some older adults (65 years of age and older) may have a weaker immune response to flu vaccines. This can make them more likely to get the flu or flu complications.

Two vaccines are designed to create a stronger immune response in people who are 65 or older—

• The high-dose flu vaccine contains four times the amount of antigen as the regular flu shot.
• The adjuvanted flu vaccine contains an additive (called adjuvant).

For more information, see People 65 Years and Older and Influenza..."
Cancer and the flu 

13th Amendment Proclamation

"Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th amendment abolished slavery in the United States and provides that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." Secretary of State William H. Seward issued this Proclamation announcing the ratification on December 18, 1865..."
13th Amendment

2018 NIBRS Crime Data

"The FBI today released details on nearly 6.6 million criminal offenses reported to its National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) in 2018.

Last year, 7,283 law enforcement agencies reported their crime data through NIBRS, which is scheduled to become the national vehicle for crime reporting in 2021.

The FBI has been tracking voluntarily reported crime statistics through its Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program for nearly 90 years. But the FBI is now transitioning from the traditional Summary Reporting System to the more comprehensive data collection..."
NIBRS

Rotavirus Vaccines

"Rotavirus vaccine is the best way to protect your child against rotavirus disease.

Most children (about 9 out of 10) who get the vaccine will be protected from severe rotavirus disease. About 7 out of 10 children will be protected from rotavirus disease of any severity.

Two rotavirus vaccines are currently licensed for infants in the United States:

• RotaTeq® is given in 3 doses at ages 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months
• Rotarix® is given in 2 doses at ages 2 months and 4 months

The first dose of either vaccine should be given before a child is 15 weeks of age. Children should receive all doses of rotavirus vaccine before they turn 8 months old.

Both vaccines are given by putting drops in the child’s mouth.

What Everyone Should Know

Vaccine basics for parents of infants and children..."
Rotavirus

Representatives Moving Forward with Articles of Impeachment

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks announcing that the House of Representatives will move forward with drafting articles of impeachment.  Below are the Speaker’s remarks as delivered:

Speaker Pelosi.  Good morning.

Let us begin where our Founders began in 1776: ‘When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…’

With those words, our Founders courageously began our Declaration of Independence from an oppressive monarch, for, among other grievances, the King’s refusal to follow rightfully-passed laws.

In the course of today’s events, it becomes necessary for us to address, among other grievances, the President’s failure to faithfully execute the law.

When crafting the Constitution, the Founders feared the return of a monarchy in America.  And, having just fought a war of independence, they specifically feared the prospect of a king president corrupted by foreign influence..."
Nancy Pelosi Impeachment declaration

USDA Restores Original Intent of SNAP: A Second Chance, Not A Way of Life

"At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced a final rule to move more able-bodied recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) towards self-sufficiency and into employment. The rule restores the system to what Congress intended: assistance through difficult times, not a way of life.

"Americans are generous people who believe it is their responsibility to help their fellow citizens when they encounter a difficult stretch. Government can be a powerful force for good, but government dependency has never been the American dream. We need to encourage people by giving them a helping hand but not allowing it to become an indefinitely giving hand,” said Secretary Perdue. “Now, in the midst of the strongest economy in a generation, we need everyone who can work, to work. This rule lays the groundwork for the expectation that able-bodied Americans re-enter the workforce where there are currently more job openings than people to fill them.”

More from Secretary Perdue can be found in his Arizona Daily Star oped: The dignity of work and the American Dream.

Background:

In 1996, when then President Bill Clinton signed welfare reform instituting the current work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) he said, “First and foremost, it should be about moving people from welfare to work. It should impose time limits on welfare... It [work] gives structure, meaning and dignity to most of our lives.”

With a booming economy that has more jobs than workers to fill them and the lowest unemployment rate in more than 50 years, now is the time for every work-capable American to find employment. In fact, the latest U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) figures show the unemployment rate is 3.6% and there are 7.0 million job openings. The longer an individual is out of the workforce, the harder it is to re-enter. Now is the time for these individuals to enter, reenter, and remain in the workforce.

To put things in perspective, in 2000, the unemployment rate was 4% and the number of Americans receiving SNAP benefits was just over 17 million. In 2019, during the longest economic expansion in history, the unemployment rate is 3.6% and yet the number of Americans receiving SNAP is over 36 million.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) final rule promotes work for able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 49 without dependents and does not apply to children and their parents, those over 50 years old including the elderly, those with a disability, or pregnant women.."
SNAP (food stamps)

The Trump-Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry Report

"The impeachment inquiry into Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States, uncovered a months-long effort by President Trump to use the powers of his office to solicit foreign interference on his behalf in the 2020 election.  As described in this executive summary and the report that follows, President Trump’s scheme subverted U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine and undermined our national security in favor of two politically motivated investigations that would help his presidential reelection campaign.  The President demanded that the newly-elected Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, publicly announce investigations into a political rival that he apparently feared the most, former Vice President Joe Biden, and into a discredited theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 presidential election.  To compel the Ukrainian President to do his political bidding, President Trump conditioned two official acts on the public announcement of the investigations:  a coveted White House visit and critical U.S. military assistance Ukraine needed to fight its Russian adversary..."
Trump-Ukraine Impeachment

Disability Inclusive Health

"Together, we can improve the health of people with intellectual disabilities by increasing access to quality health care and health promotion programs.

December 3^rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilitiesexternal icon. As CDC honors International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we ask you to join us in being a part of the global movement to change attitudes toward, and promote the inclusion of, people with disabilities in society and in programs that support health and prevent disease.

Intellectual disability (ID) is a term used when there are significant limitations to a person’s ability to learn at an expected level and function in daily life. Although the life expectancy of individuals with ID is now longer than it was a generation ago, it is still an average of 10 to 20 years shorter than that of the general population.¹ In the United States and around the world, people with IDs face significant health inequalities compared to people without IDs. In fact, there is a growing body of evidence that—when compared to people without IDs — people with IDs in the United States are more likely to have obesity, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and asthma.^2,3 They are also more likely to be admitted to the hospital by emergency room doctors for conditions that could have been treated in outpatient settings.^.."
Disability health

Senate Resolution 301: Censure of Senator Joseph McCarthy

"On December 2, 1954, the Senate voted to censure Senator Joseph McCarthy, who had led the fight in Congress to root out suspected Communists from the Federal Government. The censure described his behavior as "contrary to senatorial traditions." This copy of the resolution catches the debate on November 9 as the Senate refined the wording of its resolution. The substance of the first count, charging McCarthy with failure to cooperate with a Senate subcommittee, remained unchanged in the final resolution. The second count was dropped for a condemnation of McCarthy�s attacks on the very members of the committee that considered his censure..."
Joseph McCarthy

Bleeding Disorders in Women

"What are bleeding disorders and how many people are affected by them?

 The bleeding disorders community includes more than 3 million Americans living with hemophilia, von Willebrand disease (VWD), and other rare bleeding disorders (called rare factor deficiencies). These bleeding disorders, which can be deadly if not treated properly, prevent the blood from clotting normally, causing those affected to experience prolonged bleeding after injury, surgery, or physical trauma. Bleeding disorders affect both men and women. However, in the case of certain bleeding disorders such as VWD, women are more likely to notice the symptoms because of heavy or abnormal bleeding during their menstrual periods and after childbirth..."
Bleeding disorders

Holiday Online Shopping Safety from CISA

"The holidays are a prime time for hackers, scammers, and online thieves looking to take advantage of unsuspecting online shoppers. Before starting your online shopping this holiday season, follow these simple steps to stay safe online.

00:43

01:24

Holiday Online Shopping Tip – Check Your Devices

Before you begin your holiday shopping, make sure the device you're using is up-to-date.  Get your devices ready with these tips..."
Holiday shopping safety