Trudy Hawkins

You Can See the Forest and the Trees: Wood Works from the USDA

October 22, 2015

Wood you like to know more about tree and wood publications from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)? Then read on. And please forgive that starting pun.

In the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory’s 2nd edition of Nondestructive Evaluation of Wood, Robert J. Ross’ synthesizes a number of technical writings on several commercially available nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of wood technologies. NDE is the sensibly non-damaging science of assessing properties and applications of a material without mucking up its long-term usability.

Ross opens with an executive summary of the characteristics of this biologically and industrially rich material. It will leave you pretty much convinced that wood is the virtuoso of the plant world. The spiral-bound compilation continues on in several chapters, with each contributor highlighting the usefulness of their respective testing method. Spoiler alert: ultrasonic veneer grading is the coolest sounding evaluative technique ever.

Dense with authoritative knowledge from forest product technologist, engineers, and research scientists, this publication may have you thinking, “I never thought this knowledge existed but I’m sure glad it’s out there.” Case in point: chapter seven’s research titled Nondestructive Testing in the Urban Forest by Drs. Allision & Wang of the Unversity of Wisconsin, Madison. They attest to “body language” as a method to visually inspect the “presence of internal decay.” Don’t we all wish our own medical examinations were that easy!

Moving on…

If you like trees and you like maps, then you need to get your mittens on a copy of the USDA’s new and improved tree atlas The National Individual Tree Species Atlas, a.k.a. the Modeled Atlas, is the product of the Forest Service’s Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. They used permanent plot data to represent the actual distribution of 264 species throughout the treed zones of the United States.

Each tree was statistically modeled to climate, terrain, soil, and imagery data sets. The result is an impressive collection of accurate, fine-resolution geospatial products. Thumb through the broad, matte pages and you’ll find beautifully mapped individuals from such august tree families as cypress, pine, maple, birch, walnut, elm, olive, and mulberry (can’t mention them all but tree names are awesome!).

Again, trees + maps = tree species atlas. Boom! Make room on your coffee table for it.

How do I obtain these publications?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Office of Public Affairs.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service | Tagged: forests, national forest products, national forest products week, national forests, trees, wood, wood publications | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Our Native Flying ‘Cheetos’: Bee Basics from the USDA Forest Service

October 8, 2015

“The world as we know it would not exist if there were no bees to pollinate the earth’s 250,000 flowering plants.”

A sobering sentence straight out of Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees, a joint publication from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and the Pollinator Partnership. Authors Beatriz Moisset, Ph.D. and Stephen Buchmann, Ph.D. provide a concise primer on the fundamentals and cyclical heritage of our ‘varied and valuable’ native bees.

You may know that bees are sociable, resourceful, and resilient. But did you know that some species are downright parasitically opportunistic? The cuckoo bee is a member of the exclusively parasitic Apidae family. Once it scouts out a potential host site, it furtively waits out of view until the nest is vacated. Then, in a one-two-punch move, the cuckoo bee takes up residence and its young eventually shovel down up any pollen, nectar, and larva in sight.

Buchmann’s highly detailed illustrations of these pixie pollinators show how each species’ morphology is engineered for precise pollination. Bees use wing vibration to shake off a pollen-packed anther like a polaroid picture. This “buzz pollination” is a popular dance in bee social circles. The southeastern blueberry bee uses the same technology to gorge itself on blueberry pollen. Another pollination prodigy is the megachilid bee. Gathering so much puffy yellow pollen on its abdomen, it resembles, as the authors amusingly write, “flying ‘Cheetos’ snacks coming in for a landing.”

Can you identify a bee from a wasp? Excerpt from publication. Click image to enlarge.

The publication also details the homemaker behaviors of bees. The metallic-colored sweat bee is the consummate DIY designer. Nesting itself in the underside of freely-available detritus tree bark, it uses a saliva-pollen amalgam to lovingly tile the interior of its egg chambers. Some domesticating mother bees though the use of mass provisioning—storing up enough food in their brood cell nursery to sustain each larvae for the entirety of their development. New moms, take note!

Bee Basics is a great compliment to citizen science efforts to enrich and sustain a pollinator-friendly ecosystem. It concludes with a ecological call to action. The list of worrisome environmental realities are extensive: honey bee die-offs, shrinking native ranges, pesticide use, fungal infestations, and more. Protecting the ecosystem well-being of these minuscule pollinators requires a concerted conservation effort and a respect for the priceless services they provide. Bees have more than paid their dues to this planet. And for that, we are indebted.

How do I obtain this publication?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Office of Public Affairs.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Environment, Teachers and teaching | Tagged: bee pollination, Bees, bumble bee, bumblebee, native bees, pollenate, pollinate, Pollinator Partnership, southern blueberry bee, wasps | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

New Works from the U.S. Army War College: Rivalries, Resurgence and Security Implications in the Middle East

September 28, 2015

Several publications published by the U.S. Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute address issues relating to regional security, international relations, political science, and foreign policy in the Middle East and Central Asia.

The Resurgence of Al-Qaeda in Syria and Iraq by Azeem Ibrahim

This text takes a look at Al-Qaeda’s loss of leadership and prominence as it pivoted from Afghanistan to Syria as well as the origins of ISIS in Syria. With ISIS holding strong in Syria, Al-Qaeda moved to Iraq for a resurgence in power until it met ISIS forces.

ISIS forces emerged in April 2013 under the leadership of Al-Baghdadi, who played a key role in establishing the Al NusrahFront and converging it with what later became the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Al-Baghadadi, who claims to be a descendent of the Prophet Muhammad, has been described as a “philosopher jihadi”—something quite different from other al-Qaeda leaders.

The Saudi-Iranian Rivalry and the Future of Middle East Security by W. Andrew Terrill

Our allies within Saudi Arabia play a key role to the stability of the Gulf states and the Middle East writ large. In this effort, Saudi Arabia has its challenges with neighboring Iran. Saudi Arabia is a conservative Sunni Muslim Arab state while Iran is the leading Shi’ite state. The rivalry between Riyadh and Tehran is reflected in how the two powers exercise political influence and defend their interests in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Bahrain, and beyond. The 2011 wave of pro-democracy and anti-regime protests, known as the “Arab Spring,” introduced new considerations for both Saudi Arabia and Iran within the framework of their regional priorities. The Saudi-Iranian rivalry therefore is likely to intensify as a central feature in the Middle Eastern security landscape, expanding into both the Gulf region and the Arab-Israeli theater.

Turkey’s New Regional Security Role: Implications for the United States by Richard Weitz

This book provides a historical view of the U.S.-Turkey bilateral relationship. America keeps a watchful eye on Turkey and its dealings in Iran’s nuclear position, Israeli-Palestine relations, and trade agreements between both countries.

All of these books may appeal to political scientists, and students writing research papers for public policy, history, military science, international relations, and global studies classes at the high-school level and above.

How do I obtain these publications?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Noble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and more.

Leave a Comment » | Army War College, Department of Defense, Iraq, Middle East | Tagged: Army War College, Iraq, ISIS, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, SSI, Strategic Studies Institute, Syria, Turkey, US Army War College | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

September 13: Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day

September 10, 2015

What do you think is the only job in the world that is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and no pay? I am sure you guessed it; parenthood. Although well worth it, being a parent is a hard, tiring job. Parents often find themselves bogged down after going through a full day of work to come home to work another full time shift; taking care of your children. As adults, it is recognized how busy and time consuming parenthood is. Parents do not ask for pity while doing their duty, but it is always nice to give parents a break every now and then. Parents must find time to play with their children, help them with homework, pick out their clothes, bathe them, and feed them, among many other things.

Parents often travel home every day asking themselves “what will we have for dinner tonight?” (And if they don’t ask themselves that, their kids will remind them really fast) Then depending on what they decide on, they then have to get the ingredients. Cooking a good, healthy dinner for a family can take a good amount of time and energy depending on the dish. I’m sure if kids, let’s say at the age of 10, fully recognized all the things that really goes into being a parent they would find themselves maybe asking “what can I help with to give my parent a little rest?”

I’m sure parents often find themselves saying “I really wish my kids knew how to cook.” Well that wish may not be too far off. The National Heart and Lung Institute presents Deliciously Healthy Family Meals (Cookbook) as a cookbook designed for families and parents that want to keep cooking a family affair. The book includes many kid-friendly recipes that are pretty easy to grasp without needing much assistance from a parent. Not only are these recipes and tips kid-friendly, but also heart-healthy. It is loaded with tips on meal planning, meal preparation, and nutritional facts to keep obesity and other health issues at bay. Deliciously Healthy Family Meals (Cookbook) also starts to teach children how to be self-sufficient by learning how to cook quality meals for themselves. Life skills and quality experience that will stay with them forever.

How do I obtain Deliciously Healthy Family Meals (Cookbook)?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Avery Poole is a Summer Intern in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales office.

Leave a Comment » | Children, Department of Health & Human Services, Family, Parenting | Tagged: Deliciously Healthy Family Meals, diet and nutrition, Family Cookbooks, family meals, Healthy family meals, kid-friendly recipes, Kids take over the kitchen day | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

September is National Preparedness Month

September 3, 2015

As the year goes by, the temperature gets colder and the nights grow longer, so remember to stay safe and prepare for the unexpected. September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), and we are here to provide some helpful publications you can use to get ready. NPM was established in 2004 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It was created in response to the 9/11 attacks and is meant to reach out to citizens and help them plan for any disaster, man-made or natural, that could strike.

GPO has a handful of different guides from our U.S. Government Bookstore, and each covers steps to help prepare for a wide variety of different situations. The publication Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Lightning, Nature’s Most Violent Storms: A Preparedness Guide, Including Tornado Safety Information for Schools focuses on the many different weather-related disasters that can occur, the damage and destruction each could cause, and the best plans for preparing before such a catastrophe happens.

Another notable guide is Are You Ready?: An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness; it offers tips on anything from terrorist disasters to flash floods. Focusing on the before, during, and after, this manual is a great asset in creating some comprehensive safety techniques for yourself and family in the months to come.

For those looking for a piece oriented more towards the best options to take in the case of a tornado or hurricane, GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications has an extremely in-depth guide online for free! Safe rooms for tornadoes and hurricanes: guidance for community and residential safe rooms provides excellent background on the science of high-speed wind disasters and offers up some great advice to those living with the threat of such an event occurring. From the structural engineering of homes and buildings to the design of state-of-the-art safe rooms, this guide, developed by FEMA, outlines the best direction for creating a safe room for your home or community.

If you are more interested in hearing about the history and Federal side of National Preparedness Month, GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys) has stored all of the proclamations made by the President to make this month official, as well as any Congressional Hearings or other related documents. For complete, free access, and to take your search further, click here.

If you just want more info on the entire month of September, and any events related to National Preparedness Month, we have a website for you to visit and browse, click here for access! You can also head over to the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration websites, which have steps and services to keep you updated on the weather around you. For those with disabilities who want to become better prepared, there is a website designed with helpful tips and steps for you in case of almost any emergency. Click here to get started. Feel free to go through all the links above and discover the best ways to prepare yourselves and your families for any situation. Stay safe!

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

You can obtain the resources mentioned in this blog by clicking on the links above or through any of these methods:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Giovanni Salvatori is a Summer Intern in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management office.

Leave a Comment » | Disasters, Emergency Response, FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency | Tagged: disaster preparedness, emergency management, emergency preparedness, emergency preparedness plan, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Preparedness Month, Preparedness Guide, U.S. Government Publications | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Hurricane Katrina, 10 Years Later

August 26, 2015

Image compliments of noaa.gov click to enlarge.

August 29^th will mark the tenth (10^th) anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It was one of the deadliest and the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.

As you may recall, this hurricane touched down in Mobile, Alabama, and significantly damaged and left people stranded in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Biloxi, Mississippi during President George W. Bush administration’s second term as President of the United States of America.

A few key primary source references based on Hurricane Katrina that should be included in your historical U.S. Government publications, or weather-resources library include the following:

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, George W. Bush, 2005, Bk. 2, July-December by National Archives and Records Administration

This primary source reference work chronicles George W. Bush’s second term presidency from July through December 2005. This volume includes the President’s remarks on Hurricane Katrina on Sunday, August 28, 2005, plus additional remarks on September 1, 2, 5-8,12, and an Address to the Nation on Hurricane Katrina Recovery from New Orleans, LA on September 15, 2005, a Memorandum on the National Flood Insurance Program on October 12, and more.

Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned, February 2006 by the President of the United States and the Assistant to the President for the Department of Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

Hurricane Katrina’s historic 115-130mph winds coupled with a powerful storm surge that created a 27 foot long stretch of the Northern Gulf Coast that impacted nearly 93,000 square miles that was not isolated to one state or city. The book is a Lessons Learned view of what can be implemented to prevent natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina from happening in the future. The report’s focus is centered on disaster preparedness and emergency management responses. It contains an analytical, narrative chronology that provides a detailed account of Hurricane Katrina from the point of the storm’s development in the days “Pre-Landfall,” and the next chronicles both the “Week of Crisis” from August 29 through September 5, and concludes with the transition from response to recovery. This volume concludes with the most important chapter: “Transforming National Preparedness.”

A Failure of Initiative: Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee To Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina, February 15, 2006 by the U.S. House of Representatives, Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina

This report is a summary of the Committee’s work to investigate the preparation for leading up to the Hurricane Katrina storm and the two weeks following the storm. It does not cover the extensive rebuilding of the impacted areas after the storm made its landfall to the cities and states that were in its’ path.

Call Sign Dust Off: A History of U.S. Army Aeromedical Evacuation From Conception to Hurricane Katrina by the Department of the Army, Office of the Surgeon General, Borden Institute

This book, published in year 2011, covers the conceptualization of the initial attempts to use aircraft for evacuation, reviews its development and maturity through those conflicts, and focuses on the history of MEDEVAC post–Vietnam to the transformation of the MEDEVAC units from medical to aviation command in 2003 and the response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Much has been written about U.S. Army aeromedical evacuation—or MEDEVAC—and most works have focused on the war in Korea or Vietnam. This book focuses on the unique use of helicopters to accomplish this mission. Part I looks at the heritage of MEDEVAC from its beginnings in World War II through the bitter battles in Korea, the interwar years, and the long struggle in Vietnam. Part II covers the 1980s, a time of domestic duties and contingency operations. Part III reviews the turbulent 1990s with the end of the cold war, a hot war in the Persian Gulf, dramatic military force reductions, and a call to duty in the Balkans. Part IV stretches into the millennium, covering the events of 9/11, further conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq—the Aviation Transformation Initiative that moved MEDEVAC from medical to aviation control—and the national response to Hurricane Katrina. In general, after Part I, a thematic approach is used, and the chapters are organized with interweaving sections covering doctrine (service and joint), organization, and operations.

Operation Dragon Comeback: Air Education and Training Command’s Response to Hurricane Katrina by the U.S. Air Force, Air Training and Education Office of History and Research

This volume is the Air Education and Training Command’s (AETC) response to Hurricane Katrina as a pivotal event in the organization’s history. It showcases the men and women that rushed to the aid of their wingmen at the Kesslar Air Force base in Biloxi, Mississippi, and provided support for humanitarian efforts to the communities and the country in time of need. In addition to the coverage of Hurricane Katrina’s approach and landfall, this resource also attempts to cover the few months of recovery efforts that took place at Kesslar Air Force base during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Air National Guard at 60: A History (eBook) by Air National Guard

Within this commemorative 60 year anniversary of the National Guard, you will also find many accounts of the emergency response relief efforts during the historic Hurricane Katrina to include saving people stranded by the flood waters, supplying medicine food and clean water staples and more.

Are You Ready?: An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Guide for citizens on how to protect themselves and their families against all types of natural and man-made disasters and hazards from tornadoes to terrorism, floods to fires, extreme cold to extreme heat. The “Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness” from FEMA can be used as a reference source or as a step-by-step manual. The focus of the content is on how to develop, practice, and maintain emergency plans that reflect what must be done before, during, and after a disaster to protect people and their property.

How do I obtain these resources?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Leave a Comment » | Disasters, Emergency Response, Environment, FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency, Gulf Coast | Tagged: Gulf coast hurricane disaster, hurricane, Hurricane Katrina, hurricane katrina 10 anniversary, Hurricane Katrina 10th Anniversary, hurricane katrina anniversary, hurricane katrina disaster, hurricane katrina natural disaster, Katrina, Katrina 10th anniversary, katrina disaster, katrina natural disaster | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Summer Safety Resources from the Federal Government

August 20, 2015

Image source: http://www.weather.gov

Summers are all about sun and fun, right? Unfortunately, summer can also come with a lot of things to worry about, from minor things like insect bites, to more major incidents like wildfires. California’s many summer wildfires serve as stern reminders of how a simple flame can get out of hand. Summer can be a downright dangerous season if you’re not careful. A little thing like forgetting to put on sunscreen can turn a fun day at the beach into a disaster; not being properly hydrated can turn a day trip into a trip to the hospital. When you and your loved ones go out to enjoy the weather this summer, it’s important to be informed of what can happen so that you can better prevent it.

Before going out into the heat, make sure you do some research on some summer safety tips.

Poolsafety.gov, Ready.gov, and FEMA.gov are great websites to get more safety tips and resources.

GPO’s U.S. Government Bookstore offers many publications on topics related to summer safety so that you and your family can fully enjoy all summer has to offer.

Mission: Sunwise Activity Book is a great publication for kids that offers puzzles and pages to color all while teaching about sun safety.

Public Playground Safety Handbook shares safety information for public playground equipment and promotes greater safety awareness for those who maintain public playground equipment. This handbook is useful for any member of the public concerned with public playground safety and interested in evaluating their local playgrounds.

Are You Ready?: An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness is an in depth guide for citizens on how to protect themselves and their families against natural and man-made disasters. The guide includes information on how to plan, respond, and recover after a disaster as well as information on assembling a good disaster supply kit.

Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook is a reference originally designed for medics in the field. The book offers medical information for those in outside environments and is organized according to symptoms and organ systems. The book is even printed on tear-resistant and water-resistant paper.

GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys) offers some free related resources as well:

Wildfires: Assessing First Responder Training and Capabilities: Hearing before the subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Drought, Fire, and Freeze: The Economics of Disasters for America’s Agricultural Producers: Hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
The Stafford Act: A Plan for the Nation’s Emergency Preparedness and Response System: Hearing before the Committee on Environment and Public Works
An Act to Amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to Provide an Alternative Process for Review of Safety and Effectiveness of Nonprescription Sunscreen Active Ingredients, and for Other Purposes.
Safety and Convenience in Cross-Border Travel: An Analysis of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative: Hearing before the subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs

GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications provides access to some free, related resources worth checking out:

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

You can obtain the resources mentioned in this blog by clicking on the links above or through any of these methods:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Tiffane Tingle is a Student Intern in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management office.

Leave a Comment » | Consumers, FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency | Tagged: consumer publications, consumer safety, playground equipment, public playground safety, summer, summer safety, summer safety publications, summer safety resources, summer safety tips, summer weather, weather, weather safety | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Fraud Awareness: Fighting cybercrime and other fraud-related issues

August 13, 2015

The hack of the Office of Personnel Management Web site revealed personnel records and security-clearance files of federal employees and contractors that exposed sensitive information. About 22.1 million people were affected by the breach, which included not only federal employees and contractors, but their families and friends as well.

It is timely to note that National Fraud Awareness Week occurs this month. Fraud-fighting professionals from around the world convene to inform people about the threat of phone, internet, and mail fraud for in home and at the workplace. These professionals share tips for employers and employees equally to stay secure and protect their sensitive information.

GPO’s online bookstore has several books that can also benefit and educate people on fraud awareness. For instance, “Ponzimonium: How Scam Artists Are Ripping Off America” is an eBook that tells compelling stories about actual U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) cases stemming from investigations that began with the economic downturn. These are real cases, real fraudsters, with unfortunately, very real victims.

Another useful book that GPO has is the “2014 The FBI Story.” This book features an annual collection of news and feature articles from the FBI website and shows the agency’s most successful 2014 investigations and operations. It also covers an array of cases involving high profile crimes dealing with sex trafficking, serial killers, gangs, scams, frauds, and cybercrime.

With all the scams that are going around, hopefully everyone will take full advantage of these resources. Be mindful of the sites you give your personal information out to. Also remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

How do I obtain these resources?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Epiphany Barnes is a Summer Intern in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales office.

Leave a Comment » | Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fraud Awareness, Law Enforcement | Tagged: cyber crime, cyber security, cybercrime, cybersecurity, fraud, fraud awareness, Fraud Awareness Week, international fraud awareness, national fraud awareness, sensitive information, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Honoring our Nation’s Military

July 28, 2015

While there are many holidays during the course of the year honoring our brave men and women in uniform, we sometimes don’t need a special day to say “thank-you” for all they do for our country. To help celebrate the accomplishments of the armed forces, the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) offers a wide variety of publications and resources on our nation’s military.

In GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys), you can find a variety of documents related to the military. For example, the official record of President Obama’s authentication of Military Spouse Appreciation Day for May 8^th is available, and you can read the President’s remarks on military members and their families. There is also a proclamation by President Obama entitled Armed Forces Day, 2015, where he thanks our military service members for their dedication to the United States and establishes May 16^th as Armed Forces Day. Another document of interest is the Congressional Hearing regarding providing support for Veterans. The hearing, “From Military Service to Small Business Owners: Supporting America’s Veteran Entrepreneurs,” centers around giving veterans more opportunity and training in terms of running a business. By searching “Armed Forces Day” in FDsys, you can look at the various proclamations made by past Presidents, as well as any other related documents.

Using GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) you can access many military-related documents and publications. For example, a paper from the National Defense University titled “China Moves Out: Stepping Stones toward a new Maritime Strategy,” details the evolving tactics employed by the Chinese in their naval defense of their territory. For the techies, you might enjoy the free eBook, “Army Support of Military Cyberspace Operations: Joint Contexts and Global Escalation Implications.” Another piece of interest is called “New Realities: Energy Security in the 2010s and Implications for the U.S. Military.” This document from the U.S. Army War College focuses on the evolution of energy markets throughout the world and how the U.S. armed forces would likely respond. Search the CGP for other military-related documents and publications.

GPO also offers a great collection of military magazines and journals on its U.S. Government Bookstore. From a monthly subscription about the Navy to a single issue on the Air Force, the GPO Bookstore has every publication you need to stay up-to-date on our Nation’s armed forces. Some of the best-sellers include:

Military Review – An Army-written bimonthly publication focusing on the ever-changing tactics of land warfare.

Special Warfare – Aims to discuss various special-operations forces strategies, doctrine, and more (released by the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg).

Citizen Airman – Revolves around the various news and articles published by the Air Force Reserves for commercial media.

Joint Force Quarterly: A Professional Military Journal – Designed for national security professionals in and out of the U.S. Government to promote understanding of the integrated employment of land, sea, air, pace, and special operations forces.

Approach: The Navy & Marine Corps Aviation Safety Magazine – Contains stories, editorials, and accurate information currently available on the subject of aviation accident prevention and safety practices.

While you relax poolside or next to the grill this summer, stay connected with GPO, and stay connected with the country.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

You can obtain the resources mentioned in this blog by clicking on the links above or through any of these methods:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Giovanni Salvatori is a Summer Intern in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management office.

Leave a Comment » | Center of Military History, Department of Defense, Military History, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marines, U.S. National Guard, U.S. Navy | Tagged: Air Force, armed forces, army, Center of Military History, Coast Guard, history of the military, Marine Corps, military appreciation, National Guard, navy, U.S. Coast Gaurd, U.S. Military, U.S. Navy, us military | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

It’s time for meteor watching!

July 16, 2015

Image source: nasa.gov

Did you know there is a special a day set aside to watch meteors? Well, there is such a day, and although “Meteor Watch Day” (June 30^th) has passed; it’s never too late to get out your blankets and hope for some clear skies! Technically, many meteorites enter the Earth’s atmosphere every single day and, to see them, all you need to do is find a dark sky away from city and suburban lights. There are quite a few dark sky parks in the United States for your meteor watching convenience, including Oracle State Park in Arizona and Death Valley National Park in California. Meteor Watch Day leads us into July and August, which are two of the greatest meteor watching months of the year. If you’d prefer to go outside only when you know for a fact that there will be meteors to see, there be will a Perseid meteor shower in August that will be the most viewable if you live in the Northern Hemisphere – this means if you live in the United States you’ll have an opportunity to view this spectacular light show!

Our vast knowledge of celestial events (like meteor showers) that occur in our universe is all thanks to space programs like NASA. Its most recent endeavor of space exploration was the unprecedented mission of the New Horizons spacecraft flyby of Pluto. The U.S. Government Bookstore offers many publications to give you more information on NASA, celestial events, and anything else you’d like to know about outer space.

Astronomical Phenomena for the Year 2017. This booklet, which is free in PDF format, is published by the U.S. Naval Observatory and Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac. The informational booklet includes information such as: Dates for Solar equinoxes and solstices, phases of the Moon, dates for various planetary phenomena, visibility and magnitudes of the planets, the equation of time and declination of the Sun, sunrise/sunset times, and much more.

Commercial Orbital Transportation Services: A New Era in Spaceflight provides a history of the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program executed by the Commercial Crew & Cargo Program Office from 2006 to 2013 at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. It discusses the elements and people that ultimately made the COTS model a success.

Project Apollo: The Tough Decisions details the history of the manned space program from September 1, 1960 to January 5, 1968. It touches on the events that led to the Apollo mission program, the mission that established the United States’ presence in space after it had been working so hard to catch up with the Soviet Union. The book includes the major individuals and decisions that contributed to the world’s first manned lunar landings.

A Researcher’s Guide to: International Space Station Earth Observations highlights the purpose of NASA’s Earth science program and explains why it’s important to develop a scientific understanding of Earth’s system. Readers will learn about NASA’s detailed research and long-term observations of Earth’s surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans so that they can better predict climate, weather, and natural hazards.

Archaeology, Anthropology, and Interstellar Communication Addressing a field that has been dominated by astronomers, physicists, engineers, and computer scientists, the contributors to this collection raise questions that may have been overlooked by physical scientists about the ease of establishing meaningful communication with an extraterrestrial intelligence. These scholars are grappling with some of the enormous challenges that will face humanity if an information-rich signal emanating from another world is detected. By drawing on issues at the core of contemporary archaeology and anthropology, we can be much better prepared for contact with an extraterrestrial civilization, should that day ever come.

GPO’s Federal Digital System also offers some interesting related resources:

Assured Access to Space: joint hearing before the subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services and Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
The Future of U.S. Human Space Flight: hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Challenges and Opportunities for Human Space Exploration: hearing before the Subcommittee on Science and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2014

Remember, on the next Meteor Day or any other summer night when the skies are clear, to take a few minutes for some star-gazing, and perhaps even make a wish!

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Tiffane Tingle is a Student Intern in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management.

Leave a Comment » | NASA, Naval Observatory | Tagged: Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, International Space Station Earth Observations, meteor, meteor showers, meteor watch day, meteor watching, meteors, NASA, New Horizons mission, New Horizons spacecraft, Perseid meteor shower, space exploration | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Headline: Campaign Trails to the United States Federal election process

June 18, 2015

The United Kingdom recently completed their Prime Minister election, and now, the American candidates are aligning for Presidential, Congressional, and Delegate elections to take place in November 2016.

As a result of the candidates’ campaign strategies, many potential voters within the United States of America are beginning to witness campaign advertisements on their local and cable television stations. The news media also has begun their weekly coverage of the nominees’ activities- including their viewpoints on topics currently impacting American culture in the workplace, economy, and personal struggles. Candidate telephone calls and mailings about candidates are beginning to make their way to the general citizen as well, in hopes for their votes in this next pivotal election.

Have you ever wondered how much of this activity is consistent with the actual U.S. Federal election process?

To fact check what you hear through numerous news media programs, you can review Title 11 Federal Elections, Code of Federal Regulations volume (available in printed paperback at this link: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/869-082-00031-7. This book opens with the coverage of the Sunshine Act regulations and meetings for this commission. According to Wikipedia, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_in_the_Sunshine_Act), “ the Sunshine Act (Pub. L. 94-409) enacted September 13, 1976, 5 USC 552b (PDF can be found here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2012-title5/pdf/USCODE-2012-title5.pdf) is a law passed in 1976 that affects the operations of the Federal Government, Congress, Federal commissions and other legally constituted bodies. It is one of a number of Freedom of Information Acts, intended to create greater transparency in government.”

In addition to the public records that are available through the Freedom of Information Act, this volume also covers all items relating to the election process of The Presidential election for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States, plus the Congress- US House of Representatives, United States Senate, and Delegates as it relates to the U.S. Federal election process.

Some specific areas of the U.S. Federal election process included in this regulatory work are:

candidate nominees with possible party affiliations, and their responsibilities
campaign committees are defined
potential candidate personal income funds, including stocks, and other investments, income from trusts, gifts of a personal nature, and jointly owned assets by the candidate and their spouse are detailed
Contributions, such as loans, fundraiser or political event attendance, compensation for personal services for employees employed as part of the political activities,
And much more

Americans can gain insights to some past election campaigns of their elected officials by reading or reviewing the following titles in the Congressional Minority election collection series published by the US House of Representatives:

Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822-2012 available in printed paperback at: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/052-071-01567-1

Printed Hardcover format to utilize as a reference for years to come: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/052-071-01563-9

ePub eBook to download to a digital smartphone or tablet device:

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/052-300-00008-8

MOBI eBook to download to a Kindle digital e-reader or tablet device:

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/052-300-00008-8

These volumes are also part of the Minority series compiled and produced by the U.S. House of Representatives:

Women in Congress, 1917-2008– printed hardcover edition http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/052-070-07480-9

Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007 in printed paperback edition

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/052-070-07520-1

To find public documents about the first days and months of a new President, you can refer to the Public Presidents of the United States series volumes, published by the National Archives and Records Administration, Office of the Federal Register. Here are a few volumes to get your reading started with first term presidential history. Students at all levels doing comparative politics or history research papers may wish to review the State of the Union addresses in each of these volumes to obtain information about past Presidents’ initiatives for the United States of America.

First Term, Barack Obama

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Barack Obama, 2009, Book 1 in cloth edition format can be purchased here: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/069-000-00184-0

In ePub eBook file format can be found here: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/069-300-00002-2

First Term, George W. Bush

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, George W. Bush, 2001, Book 1, January 20 to June 30, 2001

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/069-000-00147-5

First Term, William J. Clinton

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, William J. Clinton, 1993, Book 1, January 20 to July 31, 1993

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/069-000-00057-6

James (Jimmy) Carter

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Jimmy Carter, 1977, Book 1, January 20 to June 24, 1977

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/069-000-00111-4

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

To obtain the resources mentioned in this blog, click on the links above.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Leave a Comment » | Federal Elections Process, Polls, Presidential Commissions, Presidents | Tagged: Campaign finance disclosure, Campaign Financing, Campaign funding, Campaigns & Elections, Campaigns and Elections, Code of Federal Regulations, Congressional elections, Election Law, Federal Elections Commission, Political Campaigns, Political process, Political process history, Political Science, POTUS, President Barack Obama, President George W Bush, President James (Jimmy) Carter, President of the United States, President of the United States of America, President William (Bill) J. Clinton, Presidential elections, U.S. Congressional History, U.S. Federal Elections Commission, U.S. history, U.S. Presidential History, United States (U.S./U.S.A.), United States Congress, United States House of Representatives, United States Senate, Voting, World Leaders, World Leaders history | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Environmental resources from the Federal Government

June 4, 2015

It’s time, once again, for World Environment Day (WED), a globally-celebrated day for positive environmental action. Established by the UN General Assembly in 1972, WED is celebrated annually on June 5^th and inspires worldwide environmental awareness, attention, and action.

2015’s theme is “resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production in the context of the planet’s regenerative capacity, as captured in the slogan ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care’.”

There are countless resources from the Federal Government on the topics of environmental protection, conservation, sustainability, green initiatives, and footprint reduction, just to name a few.

The White House has pioneered many initiatives focused on energy, climate change, and our environment. You can read more about all these initiatives, get the latest news, and even sign up for energy and environment updates via email at https://www.whitehouse.gov/energy.

And let’s not forget the obvious authority on tackling these issues, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). From epa.gov, you can get important facts and information about a host of environmental issues, including: air, chemicals and toxics, climate change, emergencies, greener living, health and safety, land and cleanup, pesticides, waste, and water. Of course, you can also access laws and regulations that are in the works to support these issues. And with summer nearly here, you can also get sun safety tips and learn about insect repellents. You can even locate resources in your own community to address local environmental challenges by inputting an address, zip code, or location name.

USA.gov offers a browseable list of .gov resources on the topics of “environment, energy, and agriculture.” From there, you can also sign up to receive updates when there is new information available on these topics.

GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications offers access to a wide variety of related publications and resources from across the Federal Government. Here is just a small sampling:

Education for Environmental Sustainability from the ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education
Environment and Conservation: Wildfire Protection: Agreement between the United States of America and Mexico, Signed at Washington and Boquillas, April 8 and 10, 2015 from the U.S. Department of State
Clean Water Rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Climate Change Impacts in the United States: U.S. National Climate Assessment from the U.S. Global Change Research Program
NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan: Supporting the National Strategy for the Arctic Region from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Endangered Sea Turtles: Better Coordination, Data Collection, and Planning Could Improve Federal Protection and Recovery Efforts: Report to Congressional Requesters from the U.S. Government Accountability Office

GPO’s Federal Digital System also provides free access to countless pieces of legislation and Federal regulations on the topic. Here are just a few:

Food for Thought: Sustainability from Counter to Compost: hearing before the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, House of Representatives
Species Protection and Conservation of the Environment Act
Potential impacts of proposed changes to the Clean Water Act jurisdictional rule: hearing before the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives
Clean Estuaries Act of 2014
Examining threats and protections for the polar bear: hearing before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate
Migratory Bird Habitat Investment and Enhancement Act

The U.S. Government Bookstore offers a wide variety of U.S. Government publications related to this important and timely topic.

Take a look at our 19 collections of publications related to the topic of Environment and Nature.

There are U.S. Government publications on topics ranging from Environmental Protection and Conservation collection to Biofuels and Renewable Energy to Earth Day and more!

Celebrate World Environment Day by taking in all of the environmental information resources provided by the U.S. Government, and share this information with others.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Click on the Links: For the free resources, click on the links above in the blog post.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Environment and Nature collection

About the author: Kelly Seifert is the Lead Planning Specialist in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management division.

Leave a Comment » | Environment, Environmental Protection Agency | Tagged: environment, environment day, Environment Protection Agency, environment resources, environmental protection, Environmental Protection Agency, environmental resources, EPA, WED, World Environment Day | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Government Book Talk

You Can See the Forest and the Trees: Wood Works from the USDA

Our Native Flying ‘Cheetos’: Bee Basics from the USDA Forest Service

New Works from the U.S. Army War College: Rivalries, Resurgence and Security Implications in the Middle East

September 13: Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day

September is National Preparedness Month

Hurricane Katrina, 10 Years Later

Summer Safety Resources from the Federal Government

Fraud Awareness: Fighting cybercrime and other fraud-related issues

Honoring our Nation’s Military

It’s time for meteor watching!

Headline: Campaign Trails to the United States Federal election process

Environmental resources from the Federal Government

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