WHY USDA ?

When we face disasters – natural or manmade – of all sorts, the people suffering the displacement or ruin of their homes and livelihoods may put out a call for expert help. The USDA organizes itself to provide immediate help in situations which may arise unexpectedly as dire emergencies or as calls for expert assistance to execute plans to improve human living standards.

Founded in 1862, the USDA has provided information and reference materials in a broad range of subjects, including the ones listed below. The website at www.USDA.gov is the portal through which we can enter into this library… a great deal of which is available just for the asking.

10 Examples of Subjects You Can Research on USDA.gov

1.   Animals
2.  Conservation
3.  Farming
4. Gardening
5.  Food and Nutrition
6.  Plants
7. Recreation
8. Trade
9.  Emergency Response
10. Forestry

10 Reasons to Look for Your Answers in USDA.gov

1. It’s written in plain English.
2. It’s available 24/7.
3. It’s written by smart people.
4. Some of it was written a long time ago.
5. Most of it was written recently.
6. People use it all over the world.
7. It’s used by people right here in the U.S.
8. If you don’t understand something, you can call them and they’ll explain it.
9. They don’t laugh at you if you’re from the city.
10. It’s all free.

 1 Final Thought

You may want to go to the food safety page on the USDA site and read about cooking your turkey for Thanksgiving.

LET'S TALK TURKEY

10 Reasons to Visit the CDC Website

The Centers for Disease Control protect our people and save lives. Have you thought about the CDC lately? What an amazing organization!

CDC is more than some impressive buildings in Atlanta, where scientists store all kinds of rare germs. It is a valuable resource for all of us, has already been purchased by our taxes. It’s ours, and it’s one of the best places to go on the Internet for loads of information.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most valuable news items begin with according to the CDC? Who needs the Center for Disease Control website?

• Educators
• Health care providers
• Journalists and authors
• People who get sick
• People who care about our planet

The CDC has a policy called plain writing, which means providing nontechnical explanations that any person can read will be able to understand.

10 Ways to Use  CDC.gov

1.    Read about outbreaks of salmonella in places you may not expect.

2.      Find out what you need to do about the destination of your next trip.

3.      See the latest press releases. For Example, did you know that rural people are more likely to commit suicide than city dwellers?

4.      Schedule a trip to the CDC museum in Atlanta.

5.      Research health conditions as a background for the novel you are writing.

6.      Read ahead about disaster preparedness.

7.      Learn more about what is going on. For example:    
------Locally—autism 
------Internationally—Ebola. 

8.     Get a vaccine Information Sheet. If you’re a medical provider, this information is the standard you will give your patients. If you simply want to know about the vaccines scheduled for some disease, go and loo.

9.      Learn the facts about health concerns, current and historical. For example, you can read volumes about   
------Diphtheria

------Whooping Cough

------Tetanus

10.  Be informed about current health practices. For example,
------October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The most up-to-date information is here. 
------October 15 was Global Handwashing Day and Latino Aids Awareness day.
------Wildfires are all over the news. CDC has help to prevent wildfires, as well as other relevant information.

The items mentioned here are a mere sampling of what is available. It is possible to place a CDC app on your phone. If you need to, you can look at the bottom of the website, find a phone number, and call the CDC about some special concern. 

It’s amazing to discover that the CDC has a wealth of royalty free pictures in the Public Health Information Library. Just do a search on whatever you are looking for, and if you find a picture you can use, make sure it is one listed in the public domain. Give attribution.

TBR Non-Fiction Selections

TO BE READ:
 I continue preparing to write an informative book about the peril of diphtheria.

I’ve discussed the idea with readers of well-written history books. Two people mentioned Rising Tide, The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America, by John M. Barry. They suggested the book to help me with my craft, since all I've written lately has been fiction.

The content is especially interesting to me because Rising Tide is a story about the flood of 1927 and its effect on Greenville, Mississippi, as well as the entire nation. Because I ived in Greenville from 1964 to 1973, I can’t wait to read this book. Also, now is a time to feel what others are experiencing in the floods of Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico, and other places.

Reading articles online about diphtheria, I check the sources. Childhood’s Deadly Scourge, The Campaign to Control Diphtheria in New York City, 1880-1930. by Evelynn Maxine Hammonds. I can’t wait to read about the fifty-year campaign to conquer diphtheria in New York City.

These two books are hardback books, but I’ve chosen to listen to my third choice as I exercise, wipe the cabinets, and dress. I’ve listened to three-fourths of The Cruelest Miles:The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic  co-authored by two cousins, Gay and Laney Salisbury.          

                                                                                           

It is an elegantly written adventure. This true story of the race against time and the Alaska winter to deliver anti-diphtheria toxin to save the lives of the children of Nome Alaska, in 1925. For the fans of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, this book is a must-read.

What are you reading?

Diphtheria, Closer than Most of Us Think

An epidemic of diphtheria occurred as recently as one year ago--October 2016--and as close as South America.

In the United States, we are only one airplane trip away from the horrendous disease, diphtheria. Are there holes in our wall of defense?

Diphtheria has occurred in Venezuela, where it has not been seen in 20 years. At the time the disease appeared there, the country had a limited amount of antitoxin, which had expired in 2009.

 The link below leads to an in-depth article.
Long-eradicated diphtheria reappears in Venezuela; government blames the CIA

I really want you to see this article, but sometimes the above link isn't working. Let's try again:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/10/21/long-eradicated-diphtheria-reappears-in-venezuela-government-blames-cia.html