Consumer Reports

Tuberculosis spreads through the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, or talks. March 24 is World TB Day. Visit the FAQ at USA.gov for more information.

My New Year’s resolution last year was to get myself more organized in my paperwork and in my life. I share this with you as I sit typing at my desk which has way too much paperwork and clutter on it. Clearly, I have failed another resolution. Last year I got as far as purchasing containers to help me organize. The shopping part of the resolution I liked, but the actual act of organizing failed. Why? Because I find organizing to be one of the most boring activities on the planet, so I lost interest. My empty containers sit in the corner of my office, a nagging reminder of yet another failed New Year’s resolution. My resolutions are always destined to fail because I set resolutions that are in some way a form of punishment for some personal shortcoming. My resolutions are typically about correcting traits that I don’t like in myself. I think many popular New Year’s resolutions involve people resolving to give up a bad habit or start a healthy one, because they recognize a personal imperfection and want to correct it. Most of us don’t follow through on these self-correcting resolutions. Perhaps part of the problem with resolutions is the inward attempts at personal betterment. There isn’t anything wrong with trying to make ourselves better, but maybe if we focus our resolutions on outward goals, we might have more success. Instead of doing things to make ourselves better, we should be committing to something that helps the world and makes the world a better place. Let’s face it, the world needs everyone’s help. In the big scheme of things, I am just one person and it seems doubtful that “little old me” could do anything that would possibly impact the world. Yet, the world is made up of a bunch of “little old me’s.” If we all resolve, in the coming New Year, to perform small, kind acts everyday towards our fellow man, the combined collective of selfless acts could have a global impact. If we all direct our energies on outwardly contributing to the world in small ways everyday, it could bring us that much closer to peace and ultimately make us all better people. Here is my official 2010 New Year’s resolution: I resolve to help my fellow man, every day. In big ways and in small, I will lend a hand, not only to my loved ones, but to strangers on the streets. My mantra for 2010 will be, “How can I help you?” May all of you have a wonderful, safe New Year!

It’s almost time to track Santa’s travels around the world! Visit the link, “Tracking Santa,” near the bottom of the FAQ at USA.gov.

Recent emails, calls and web chats coming into the National Contact Center (NCC) have me thinking about the R.E.M. song, ” It’s The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). ” Of course most of the people sending these inquiries don’t feel fine about the idea of the apocalypse. If you are not aware, the ancient Mayan “Long Count” calendar ends in December 2012 and according to some Mayan and popular myths, the end of this calendar marks the end of the world. There are many books out now that explore the way the world could end and the John Cusack movie 2012’s plot plays out doomsday and a government plan to get people to safety. Most inquiries the NCC receives allude to this movie and people want to know if the government has identified a credible threat in 2012 and if so, are there any plans to avoid it? I looked around and actually found that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has a whole website devoted to the 2012 topic. There, NASA explains why the various doomsday scenarios are not scientifically feasible and, when asked about the claims of the pending doomsday, they specifically state: “For any claims of disaster or dramatic changes in 2012, where is the science? Where is the evidence? There is none, and for all the fictional assertions, whether they are made in books, movies, documentaries or over the Internet, we cannot change that simple fact. There is no credible evidence for any of the assertions made in support of unusual events taking place in December 2012.” Read over the NASA Doomsday webpage . Do you agree with NASA about 2012?

Christopher Columbus landed in the New World at San Salvador Island (today part of the British Bahamas) on October 12, 1492. Visit the FAQ at USA.gov to learn more about the Italian explorer and the national holiday, held Monday, Oct. 12.

More than 88,000 servicemembers, from World War II to the Iraq War, remain missing. National POW/MIA Recognition Day is September 18, to honor prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action. Visit the FAQ at USA.gov for more information.

Take a look at the new and improved CIA World Factbook website, where you’ll find information on the geography, government, economy, and other aspects of 266 world entities.

I’m taking a hiatus from my Gov Gab hiatus today to bring you my GSA coworkers reports about their Fourth of July experiences. My colleague Karen Trebon tells us about the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and my colleague Jonathan Rubin reports out on the National Mall fireworks display. Tell us about your Independence Day celebrations in the comments section and don’t forget to post your photos to the USA.gov Fourth of July Flickr photostream . You have until midnight eastern time tonight and we’ll be highlighting our favorite photos here tomorrow!