This Week's Facts:
-
Online Tools Assist with New
Year's Resolutions
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Track the Indiana Legislature
on the Web
-
Net Cetera Connects Kids to
Online Safety Tips
-
This Week Help Raise Folic
Acid Awareness
NASA Presents Earth as Art
Satellites provide us with a lot of valuable scientific
information. However, did you know that they can also be a
source of artwork? The
USGS in conjunction with
NASA
presents
Earth as Art, a gallery of
images of Earth, taken from the Landsat-7 satellite and the
Terra Satellite’s Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and
Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). You can browse the images by
continent or check out the
index. Each image also
contains information about the landmark being featured. There
are both “actual” photographs and thermal images; the latter are
colorful and very interesting to look at! All images are also
available for free download.
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Friday Facts is a production of the Indiana State Library
Friday Facts Editorial Team:
Katharine Springer
State Data
Center Coordinator
Elisabeth
O’Donnell
Federal Documents Librarian
&
Kim Brown-Harden
State
Documents Coordinator
-------------------------------------
Join the
FDLP-IN
listserv
for the latest
government info
  |
Online Tools
Assist with New Year's Resolutions
 At
midnight, December 31, 2009, people all over the country made
resolutions for the New Year. The most common resolutions are
to lose weight and stop smoking.
INShape Indiana’s website
has useful tools to help with
nutrition,
physical activity ,
inspiration, and other
resources for obtaining a healthy lifestyle. If you need help
with
smoking cessation, the
website also has information and resources to help you break the
habit. If you are ready to get healthy and make lasting
changes,
click here to join with
your fellow Hoosiers. The federal government also has sources
for reaching your goals. In addition to
weight loss and
smoking cessation, USA.gov’s
Popular New Year’s Resolutions
page has information on
stress reduction,
travel,
education and more. Make
this the year for lasting, healthy changes. Here’s to a Happy
New Year and a new you!
Track the Indiana
Legislature on the Web
 The
Indiana Senate and House of Representatives are back in
session. This year, Legislators will have a short session to
make numerous decisions that will affect Indiana citizens. Do
you know your legislators?
Click here to get an
alphabetical listing of all the members of the Indiana. If you
do not know your legislator by name,
click here to find your
legislator by office. For your convenience, you can
watch the General Assembly
in action from the comfort of your home or office to get the
latest on politics and issues of the day. The
Indiana General Assembly’s website
has useful information and ways for Hoosiers to get involved or
learn about the democratic process on the State level. 2010 is
an election year; knowledge is the key in making informed
decisions!
Net Cetera Connects Kids to Online Safety Tips
 Recent
frigid temperatures mean that more and more kids are staying
inside this winter. Those same kids are probably also spending
more time on the computer. In order to promote online safety,
the Federal Trade Commission has released Net Cetera:
chatting with kids about being online. It is full of tips
for parents and caregivers on how to talk to your children (of
all ages) about everything from sexual predators on the internet
and cyberbullying to keeping your personal information and
passwords safe. It is available for free
download but can also be
ordered from the FTC
directly. You can view it
in English or in Spanish.
The FTC also has a variety of other free publications. Check
out their
website to find out more
information about car buying, home improvement, or even avoiding
telemarketing scams.
This Week Help
Raise Folic Acid Awareness
 The
week of January 4-10 has been declared
Folic Acid Awareness Week.
Folic acid is a B vitamin and is used to make new cells. Women
who may become pregnant in the near future are especially
encouraged to take folic acid, as it also helps prevent birth
defects related to the brain and spinal chord. These defects
most often occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy – usually
before a woman knows she is pregnant. By taking 400 mg of folic
acid each day for at least a month before she becomes pregnant,
a woman can reduce the risk of such defects by up to 70%.
There are several ways to get folic acid over the counter. You
can either take it as an individual supplement or as part of a
multivitamin. Many breakfast cereals have been fortified with
extra folic acid, so be sure to check the label!
**Annual State Documents Checklist Now Available**
The latest
annual checklist for
Indiana state documents is a great way to review and identify
what State documents are in the Library’s collection! The
checklist is available
online. Please call or
email the
State Documents Coordinator
if you have any questions or concerns. |
