Nevada State Agencies links

Check out a handy list of Nevada-specific state agency links here.

US Government Shutting Down Half Its Websites

"The White House is requiring the federal government to cut their 24,000 websites down by half in the next year. This will reduce taxpayer expense, as well as give them easier access to official portals.

The order was made because many of the websites the government currently operates were deemed redundant, out-dated, or hard to use. The Office of Management and Budget has issued a 90-day freeze on new .gov registrations to get the ball rolling. And the Energy Department has already begun to consolidate its sites, saving taxpayers $10 million a year.

In the next 120 days, each governmental agency will have the chance to check out Data.gov to see which sites need saving and which will get the ax. They could call it spring cleaning."

Apps and sources of information on Congress.

Check out this article that covers some smartphone apps and other sources of information about Congress and its members and happenings.

USDA updates dietary guidelines, gets rid of the food pyramid

Via CNN: "The food pyramid has been dismantled in favor of a simple plate icon that urges Americans to eat a more plant-based diet.

One half of your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, with whole grains and lean protein on the other half, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Low-fat dairy on the side, such as a cup of skim milk or yogurt, is also suggested.

The new icon, MyPlate is designed to remind Americans to adopt healthier eating habits, in a time when more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese."

You can look at the USDA's revamped MyPlate page here.