Government offers list of holiday apps
It’s not the federal government’s role to send you apps as entertaining as ladies dancing or lords a-leaping.
But it can help you track your presents, whether they’re being delivered by a letter carrier or coming straight from the North Pole. And it can help manage holiday stress in a more healthful way than by spiking the eggnog.
The federal Chief Information Officers Council – a group best known for producing documents like the “25 Point Implementation Plan to Reform Federal Information Technology Management” – has compiled the “12 Days of Federal Government Holiday Apps.”
It’s a mix of typically serious governmental topics – such as consumer fraud and international travel warnings – and the whimsical, such as amusements for children on long trips after all the possible visions of sugarplums have danced through their heads.
Don’t hang a shining star upon the highest bough before checking the Ladder Safety app from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which “provides a measuring tool to ensure that the angle of your ladder is appropriate. It also will tell you the type of ladder you require based on the weight of you and your tools.”
Will the weather outside be frightful on the way back from a holiday party? The National Weather Service’s Radar Pro shows the current conditions and includes severe weather watches, warnings, and alerts.
And if your spirits are a little too bright to navigate your one-horse open sleigh home, SaferRide by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “uses your location to provide information for local taxi services, complete with ratings and contact information. It also includes a feature to select a trusted friend from your address book who you can call for a ride home.”
Heading for Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie? My TSA by the Transportation Security Administration provides updates on security line wait times and airport status; and the Agriculture Department’s Ask Karen “provides many helpful food-related features regarding consumption, handling, preparation, and allergies.”
When all those merry greetings from relatives you don’t know get to be a bit much, the Veterans Affairs Department’s Mindfulness Coach app can help you “stay grounded and peaceful.”
If you’re worried whether the presents you send will be under the tree to accompany the snow and mistletoe, the USPS Mobile app allows you to schedule package pick up, track your shipments, and look up Zip codes among other features.
Finally, you’ll want to be sure Santa is on his way with lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh by monitoring the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s NORAD Santa Tracker, which “features a countdown to tracking Santa’s flight across the globe.”