Afghanistan's Opium Business Booms During Terror War
Shielded by the ongoing war against embedded terrorists, Afghanistan's opium poppy growers were able to more than double production during 2003, according to the White House's Office of Drug Control Policy.
Do Not Call List is Free: FTC Warns of Scam
The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers to be on the lookout for persons claiming they can, for a fee, register or pre-register consumers for the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry. Congress Sends Anti-Spam Bill to Bush
By a voice vote, the House of Representatives has given Congress' final approval to a bill outlawing several forms of junk email, or 'spam' and creating a national 'do not spam' registry, similar to the anti telemarketing 'do not call' registry. New Law to Protect Against Identity Theft
"Slips of paper that most people throw away should not hold the key to their savings and financial secrets," said President Bush as he signed a new law intended to protect Americans from identity theft and unfair credit practices. Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Identity theft complaints soared to 380,000 during 2002. Following these simple credit security tips from the Federal Trade Commission can help protect you, your identity and your money.
Bush Signs Healthy Forest Act
After months of debate and controversy, President Bush has signed into law the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 designed to reduce the risk of wild fires by thinning dense undergrowth and brush in forested areas. Exactly what will this new law do to prevent forest fires? CPSC Issues 2003 Hazardous Recalled Toys List
From 'Woody' dolls with choking buttons to sidewalk chalk with loads of lead, the Consumer Product Safety Commission releases is 2003 list of recently recalled toys and children's products that pose serious safety threats to youngsters. California Offers Online Unclaimed Property Auction
The State of California now offers an online auction of certain unclaimed property. Get the links and details here. IRS Offers Tax Relief for Military Personnel
The recently enacted Military Family Tax Relief Act provides significant tax benefits for U.S. military personnel. The IRS has offered the following details on these new benefits. How to Access Declassified CIA Documents
Since 1995, some 27 million pages of formerly sensitive CIA documents have been declassified and made available to the public. The documents chronicle major CIA programs such as the U-2 airborne system development and deployment, including records of the National Photographic Interpretation Center. The documents are stored at the National Archives, and here is how to access or request them. About the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Now that the war on terror has expanded its range, exactly what are the legally defined duties and functions of the Central Intelligence Agency? It's no secret. Read about the formation and function of the CIA. President Bush's 2003 Thanksgiving Proclamation
With hearty helpings of blessings and dressings, President Bush issued his 2003 Thanksgiving Day proclamation. "Our Founders thanked the Almighty and humbly sought His wisdom and blessing," wrote the President. Why Women Still Make Less than Men
Despite a sense of continued progress toward gender equality in the workplace, the federal government has confirmed that the workplace earnings gap between men and women still persists today. About the General Accounting Office
The General Accounting Office is the investigative arm of the Congress and is charged with examining all matters relating to the receipt and disbursement of public funds. NTSB Blames Pilots for Wellstone Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the probable cause of the crash late last year of a Raytheon (Beechcraft) King Air 100 airplane, carrying Senator Paul Wellstone and seven others, was the "flight crew's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which they did not recover." Small Business Grants from Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is looking for several good ideas and is offering grants to help small businesses develop them.[ Battle Looms Over Massive Energy Bill
Despite the elimination of provisions allowing oil drilling in the Alaskan wilderness and requiring higher gas mileage for SUVs, President Bush's latest attempt at a national energy policy bill is bound to face stiff opposition in Congress. Number of Executions in U.S. Increases
Thirteen states carried out 71 executions in 2002, five more than in 2001, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Texas led all other states with 33 executions in 2002, followed by Oklahoma (7), Missouri (6), and Georgia and Virginia (4 each). FEMA to Release Report on Texas A&M Bonfire Disaster
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the release of a technical review of the emergency response to the 1999 Texas A&M University bonfire collapse, which killed 12 university students and graduates. Report Compares Health of Teens in U.S., Europe
U.S. teens suffer more common aches and pains, and have a harder time sleeping than their European counterparts, according to a new report from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). FDA Finds Cloned Animals Safe to Eat
In a recently released "draft risk assessment" report, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that food products derived from cloned animals and their offspring are likely to be as safe to eat as food from their non-clone counterparts. Women's Heart Attack Symptoms Different from Men's
Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates that women often experience new or different physical symptoms as long as a month or more before experiencing heart attacks. Union Workers Earn More Than Nonunion
American workers who are members of unions earn significantly more per hour than their nonunion counterparts, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Bush: U.S. to Remain in Iraq
In his Nov. 1, 2003 radio address to the nation, President Bush stated that pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq now, "would only embolden the terrorists and increase the danger to America." Many Tax Rebate Checks Go Undelivered
The IRS is reminding eligible taxpayers that they have until Dec. 5 to claim 115,744 undelivered checks from this summer’s advance child tax credit. After the December cut-off, taxpayers cannot claim the checks until they file their tax returns next year. | 