Assessment of Health-Related Needs After Tsunami and Earthquake

Assessment of Health-Related Needs After Tsunami and Earthquake: "In December 2004, an earthquake triggered a tsunami, causing the death of nearly 130,000 residents of Aceh Province on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, where an additional 500,000 persons were displaced, and 37,000 remain unaccounted for"

The Dos and Don�ts of Using the Small Claims Court

The Dos and Don'ts of Using the Small Claims Court: "To locate Small Claims Advisors and Small Claims Courts in your county, make a selection below: "

California Announces $150,000-Plus Consumer Protection Settlement with Credit Repair Company

California Announces $150,000-Plus Consumer Protection Settlement with Credit Repair Company: "(SAN DIEGO) - Attorney General Bill Lockyer today announced MyPerfectCredit (MPC) will pay $150,000 in civil penalties and provide restitution to consumers to resolve allegations that the credit repair company engaged in false advertising and unfair business practices."

Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi Announces New Web Site in Fight Against Workers� Compensation Fraud

Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi Announces New Web Site in Fight Against Workers' Compensation Fraud: "Exposing these criminals on my Department's web site should make everyone think twice before they try to beat the system and collect benefits they don't deserve," said Commissioner Garamendi. "Public awareness is the best sunshine to help stop workers' compensation insurance fraud and its devastating impact on the state. "

FDA Approves New Laboratory Test To Detect Human Infections With Avian Influenza A/H5 Viruses

FDA Approves New Laboratory Test To Detect Human Infections With Avian Influenza A/H5 Viruses: "HHS' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the approval of a new laboratory test to diagnose H5 strains of influenza in patients suspected to be infected with the virus. The test was developed by another HHS agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

$2.5 Million Available for Peer-to-Peer Recovery Support Services

$2.5 Million Available for Peer-to-Peer Recovery Support Services: "The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announces the availability of FY 2006 funds for grants to deliver and evaluate peer-to-peer recovery services that help prevent relapse and promote sustained recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders. The Recovery Community Services Program focuses on keeping people in recovery and is a complement to SAMHSA's Access to Recovery (ATR) Program that provides vouchers for substance abuse treatment"

Alternatives to Nursing Home Care

Alternatives to Nursing Home Care: "Nursing Homes serve as permanent residences for people who are too frail or sick to live at home or as a temporary facility during a recovering period. However, many people need a nursing home level of care but would prefer to remain in their own home with the help of their family and friends, community services, and professional care agencies. "

Rectal Cancer (PDQ�): Treatment (Healthcare Professional Version)

Rectal Cancer (PDQ): Treatment (Healthcare Professional Version) rectal cancer toolkit now available.

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WORKSHOP - MARCH 2-4 TO FOCUS ON LEARNING AND GROWING TOGETHER

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WORKSHOP - MARCH 2-4 TO FOCUS ON LEARNING AND GROWING TOGETHER: "Emergency managers and members of the media will have an opportunity to exchange information and techniques for public safety during severe weather with academia and federal government experts from NOAA at the sixth annual National Severe Weather Workshop on March 2-4, 2006, in Midwest City, Okla. "

FOREST SERVICE AND BLM ANNOUNCE 2006 FEDERAL GRAZING FEE

FOREST SERVICE AND BLM ANNOUNCE 2006 FEDERAL GRAZING FEE: "WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2006 - The Federal grazing fee for Western public lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management will be $1.56 per animal unit month (AUM) in 2006, down from $1.79 in 2005. The newly adjusted fee, determined by a congressional formula and effective on March 1, applies to more than 8,000 permits administered by the Forest Service and nearly 18,000 grazing permits and leases administered by the BLM."

FDA Approves New Prescription Drug for Adults for Treatment of Chronic

FDA Approves New Prescription Drug for Adults for Treatment of Chronic: "Chronic idiopathic constipation is generally defined as infrequent and difficult passage of stool and is one of the most common disorders suffered by Americans. This condition affects women more often than men and also affects older patients after the age of 65 more frequently. Symptoms of chronic idiopathic constipation are abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating, straining, and hard stools. "

A Granddad's Advice May Help Thwart Mosquitoes

A Granddad's Advice May Help Thwart Mosquitoes: "Regional wisdom passed on long ago to a boy who grew up to be an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist could lead to the next breakthrough against mosquitoes."

Winamp Playlist Vulnerability

Winamp Playlist Vulnerability: "Winamp, a popular media player, has a vulnerability that could allow an attacker to take control of your system. Upgrading to the latest version of Winamp will take care of this vulnerability."

2006 Foreign Fulbright Student Seminars

2006 Foreign Fulbright Student Seminars: "The annual Fulbright Foreign Student Enrichment Seminar series, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), will take place in nine cities across the United States, beginning with Washington, D.C., starting in early February. Over 1,100 foreign Fulbright students from 130 nations are expected to participate in these seminars, which are offered to students in their first year of study in the U.S. "

Reminder to Employers: Post Injury/Illness Summaries Beginning February 1, 2006

Reminder to Employers: Post Injury/Illness Summaries Beginning February 1, 2006: "Beginning Feb. 1 2006 , employers must post a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred last year. Employers are only required to post the Summary (OSHA Form 300A) "

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES: "The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible affected local community-based organizations in order for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide financial assistance to those organizations through the Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program. The EJSG Program is a multimedia program designed to help communities understand and address their exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks."

Sponsorship Opportunities with the California Exposition & State Fair (Cal Expo)

Sponsorship Opportunities with the California Exposition & State Fair (Cal Expo): "The California Exposition & State Fair (Cal Expo) has various exclusive and non-exclusive opportunities for sponsorship. Contract lengths vary per event or can be year-round. Sponsorship may include providing cash, goods, services and promotional opportunities to Cal Expo that may include venue partnership, signage, advertising, media exposure, targeted display space, retail tie-ins, hospitality, sales and promotion."

Beware of Tax Scams

Beware of Tax Scams: "Don't fall victim to tax scams. These schemes take several shapes, ranging from promises of large tax refunds to illegal ways of "untaxing" yourself. "
Beware of the following common schemes"

Tax Return Preparer Fraud

Tax Return Preparer Fraud: "Return preparer fraud generally involves the preparation and filing of false income tax returns by preparers who claim inflated personal or business expenses, false deductions, unallowable credits or excessive exemptions on returns prepared for their clients. Preparers may also manipulate income figures to obtain tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, fraudulently."

Missing a Form 1099?

Missing a Form 1099?: "If you receive certain types of income, you may get a Form 1099 for use with your federal tax return. Form 1099 is an information return provided by the payer of the income. You should receive your Form 1099-series information returns by January 31, 2006."

Get Out of Any Cell Phone Contract Anytime!

Get Out of Any Cell Phone Contract Anytime!: "Celltradeusa.com announces the launch of the world's first online service that gives cellular customers a way out of their cellular phone contracts. The new service establishes an online community to connect millions of consumers seeking alternative, but effective options when dealing with cellular service provider issues."

Mr. Earthquake Hangs His USGS Hat; Retires After 51 Years

Mr. Earthquake Hangs His USGS Hat; Retires After 51 Years: "After five-plus decades of educating audiences around the globe about earthquakes, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist Waverly Person is calling it quits. Person, a long-time Boulder, Colo. resident, is well-known among media circles as 'the person' to call when an earthquake happens anywhere in the world, and is a fixture both in classrooms and on television sets that many people recognize as Mr. Earthquake."

New USGS Website and Earthquake Notification Service Simplify Ways to Get Information You Need

New USGS Website and Earthquake Notification Service Simplify Ways to Get Information You Need: "The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has unveiled a new design of its earthquake website and a new Earthquake Notification Service (ENS). The redesigned website and ENS will help get earthquake information out to the public in a more timely fashion."

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA CELEBRATES FOOTBALL�S GREATEST NIGHT AT PLAYSTATION� GAME OVER

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA CELEBRATES FOOTBALL'S GREATEST NIGHT AT PLAYSTATION® GAME OVER: "Sony Computer Entertainment America will celebrate football's greatest night on Sunday, February 5 at the exclusive PlayStation Game Over party. Directly across from Ford Field, PlayStation Game Over will transform Motown's GEM Theater into the premier post-game sports bar where celebrities and athletes alike will toast the big game and celebrate the champions. Guests will also have a chance to be a part of Jimmy Kimmel Live, as it broadcasts its hour-long late-night show from the adjoining Century Theater. "

California Invites High Schools to Participate in National Competition that Prepares Students for their Future

California Invites High Schools to Participate in National Competition that Prepares Students for their Future: "California teens can still sign up to participate in LifeSmarts, an educational program that develops the consumer and marketplace skills of teenagers and rewards them for their knowledge. The California Department of Consumer Affairs, which is spearheading LifeSmarts activities in the state, has extended an invitation to high schools and community groups to participate in the no-cost competition. "

MISSING YOUR FORM W-2?

MISSING YOUR FORM W-2?: "You should receive a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, from each of your employers for use in preparing your federal tax return. Employers must furnish this record of 2005 earnings and withheld taxes no later than January 31, 2006 (if mailed, allow a few days for delivery). "

NOAA LAUNCHES COAST PILOT DISASTER IMPACT WEB SITE

NOAA LAUNCHES COAST PILOT DISASTER IMPACT WEB SITE: "The NOAA Office of Coast Survey has established a special Coast Pilot Disaster Impact Web site to help speed the recovery efforts of 21 significant port facilities in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

FEMA Mobile Home And Travel Trailer Occupants Must Be Recertified

FEMA Mobile Home And Travel Trailer Occupants Must Be Recertified: "BATON ROUGE, La. -- Officials with the Department of Homeland Security�s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have begun the process in Louisiana to review the eligibility of occupants living in FEMA travel trailers and mobile homes."

FDA Approves New Treatment for Chest Pain

FDA Approves New Treatment for Chest Pain: "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today the approval of Ranexa (ranolazine), a new drug for the treatment of chronic angina. Ranexa, a new molecular entity (NME), is the first drug approved to treat chronic angina in over ten years."

New SBA Web Portal MY BIZ for Women Offers Women Entrepreneurs

New SBA Web Portal MY BIZ for Women Offers Women Entrepreneurs: "MY BIZ for Women is designed to be the first step for all women business owners, providing one-stop access to information for women entrepreneurs highlighting the best resources the government has to offer. The Web portal provides information on starting and growing a small business, gaining access to capital and contracting opportunities and links to other government agencies and SBA resource partners offering business counseling, a state-by-state listing of SBA's Women's Business Centers and other resource information. "

Open Letter to All Federally Licensed Dealers, Importers, and Manufacturers of Firearms and Ammunition

Open Letter to All Federally Licensed Dealers, Importers, and Manufacturers of Firearms and Ammunition: "The purpose of this Open Letter is to advise all Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) of a recent change to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as it relates to the transfer of certain types of firearms"

CDC Cancer 2006 Partners Summit Partners Event

CDC Cancer 2006 Partners Summit Partners Event: "The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is actively involved in both the UICC 2006 World Cancer Congress, scheduled for July 8-12, 2006, and the 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health (WCTOH), scheduled for July 12-15, 2006. "

Final Report: Interviews with Non-Gay Identified Men who have Sex with Men (NGI MSM)

Final Report: Interviews with Non-Gay Identified Men who have Sex with Men (NGI MSM): "This exploratory research was conducted to learn more about African-American and Hispanic/Latino non-gay identified men who have sex with men and their behaviors, attitudes, community/culture, and communication preferences for receiving information about STDs."

FTC Stops Pornographic Spamming Scheme - Defendants Sent Sexually Explicit Material Through Hijacked Computers

FTC Stops Pornographic Spamming Scheme - Defendants Sent Sexually Explicit Material Through Hijacked Computers: "Three sly spammers have been ordered to stop sending unsolicited pornographic e-mails under a federal judge's temporary restraining order sought by the Federal Trade Commission, which charged them with sending deceptive, unwanted e-mails promoting sexually oriented Web sites, and routing them through other people's computers without their knowledge or consent."

Contractors Board and Partners Target Construction Sites in Three Counties for Enforcement Sweeps

Contractors Board and Partners Target Construction Sites in Three Counties for Enforcement Sweeps: "In this latest series of sweeps, the partnered teams visited over 80 different construction sites around the State last Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday that resulted in scores of violations and close to $200,000 in potential fines"

Community-Based Abstinence Grant Opportunities

Community-Based Abstinence Grant Opportunities: "The Family and Youth Services Bureau is accepting applications to provide support to public and private entities for the development and implementation of the Community-Based Abstinence Education Program. The purpose of these programs is to educate young people and create an environment within communities that supports teen decisions to postpone sexual activity until marriage."

Indoor Air Quality Grant Opportunities in EPA Region 10

Indoor Air Quality Grant Opportunities in EPA Region 10: "EPA Region 10 is soliciting proposals from organizations to fund indoor air quality (IAQ) projects that address any of the five grant program priority areas: assistance on adoptions of EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools program; indoor asthma triggers education and exposure reduction; environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) education and exposure reduction; general IAQ training, education, and outreach; and multi-priority IAQ projects (i.e., projects that address more than one of the above priority areas). The statutory authority for this funding opportunity is provided under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 103(b)."

Counter-narcotics Fact Sheet

Counter-narcotics Fact Sheet: "Opium poppy cultivation and narcotics trafficking in Afghanistan pose serious challenges to good governance, sustainable economic development, and the rule of law. Counter-narcotics programs supported by the Government of Afghanistan, the U.K, the U.S. and the international community are engaged in activities to discourage poppy cultivation, interrupt the trade in illegal narcotics, and lay the foundations for a broad-based and sustainable licit economy to support Afghanistan's new democratic institutions"

Inviting Applications for the Market Access Program

Inviting Applications for the Market Access Program: "The MAP is designed to create, expand and maintain foreign markets for United States agricultural commodities and products through cost-share assistance. Financial assistance under the MAP will be made available on a competitive basis and applications will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria contained herein. All agricultural commodities, except tobacco, are eligible for consideration. "

State Department Website to Audio Stream State of the Union in Multiple Languages

State Department Website to Audio Stream State of the Union in Multiple Languages: "President George W. Bush will deliver the annual State of the Union Address to a Joint Session of Congress, Tuesday, January 31, 2006. The Department of State will provide live audio streams of the State of the Union Address at 9:00 pm EST (0200 GMT) in the following languages: English, Arabic, Farsi, Bahasa Indonesian, Spanish, French, Russian."

College Students and Drug Use

College Students and Drug Use: "Going to college full time in a two- or four-year college is a risk factor when it comes to drinking alcoholic beverages. Surveys routinely find that full-time undergraduate college students use alcohol, engage in high-risk drinking, and drink heavily at higher rates than
peers who are not enrolled full time, including part-time college students and persons not enrolled in college."

Health care plans and establishment size in 2005

Health care plans and establishment size in 2005: "65 percent of workers in large establishments (defined as having 100 or more workers) participated in employer-provided medical plans in 2005."

ICE ANNOUNCES ARREST IN MULTI-AGENCY TUNNEL PROBE

ICE ANNOUNCES ARREST IN MULTI-AGENCY TUNNEL PROBE: "SAN DIEGO - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today that one suspect has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the drug tunnel discovered last week linking warehouses in Otay Mesa, California and Tijuana, Mexico. "

LEADING MAILING INDUSTRY TRADE SHOW JUST AROUND THE CORNER

LEADING MAILING INDUSTRY TRADE SHOW JUST AROUND THE CORNER: "The 2006 National Postal Forum will offer 135 workshops; 4 full- and half-day symposiums, networking opportunities, the industry's largest exhibit hall, and keynote addresses by both Postmaster General John E. Potter and baseball's Hall of Famer and former Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripkin, Jr. A closing night banquet and private concert by southern rock band, Little Feat, will cap off the four-day event"

" Operation Ben Franklin" Cracks Down on Violent Drug Traffickers in Tri-Cities

Operation Ben Franklin Cracks Down on Violent Drug Traffickers in Tri-Cities: "Beginning the week of January 15, 2006, the DEA Yakima Resident Office, in cooperation with the Metro Drug Task Force, the ATF, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Law Enforcement Against Drugs Task Force, and the Prosser Police Department, began conducting undercover methamphetamine buys from 22 drug houses and individuals throughout Benton and Franklin County. "

Pakistan Travel Warning for U.S. Citizens

Pakistan Travel Warning for U.S. Citizens: "Due to on-going concerns about the possibility of terrorist activity directed against American citizens and interests, the Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens to defer non-essential travel to Pakistan"

Your Life Has Changed Over the Past Year; But Has Your Insurance Kept Up?

Your Life Has Changed Over the Past Year; But Has Your Insurance Kept Up?: "Major purchases and lifestyle changes such as marriage, divorce or retirement can have a profound effect on your insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.)."

Ethiopian Ambassador Speaks at Business Lunch

Ethiopian Ambassador Speaks at Business Lunch: "On Thursday, January 26, U.S. Charge d"Affaires Ambassador Vicki Huddleston was among the speakers at the monthly meeting of the Ethio-American Business Community Association. Her remarks, on the theme of Mapping Africa in 2020 - The Challenge Ahead, surveyed the domestic and international challenges facing Ethiopia's business community."

Dollar General Literacy Foundation 2006-2007 Grant Application due February 17

Dollar General Literacy Foundation 2006-2007 Grant Application due February 17: "Since 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has improved the functional literacy of adults by providing grants to non-profit organizations dedicated to the advancement of literacy."

Check Out Free File - Your Link to Free Online Filing

Check Out Free File - Your Link to Free Online Filing: "The IRS and the Free File Alliance, a private-sector consortium of tax software companies, continue their partnership to help taxpayers electronically prepare and file their federal tax returns for free."

Croatian Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic to Speak on Feb. 14

Croatian Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic to Speak on Feb. 14: "Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Croatian minister for foreign affairs and European integration, will give a speech titled �Croatia: Partnerships, Priorities and Progress� at the Library of Congress at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C."

Dieting Study Highlights Benefits of Group Support

Dieting Study Highlights Benefits of Group Support: "Dieters who have the help of a support group may experience less stress and less of a brainpower drain than those who go it alone, results of a study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) nutrition scientists and their ARS-funded colleagues suggest."

Microbes in Manure Can Minimize Potential Pharmaceutical Pollution

Microbes in Manure Can Minimize Potential Pharmaceutical Pollution: "Bacteria are usually viewed as "the enemy" and targeted with potent antibiotics to curb their ability to cause infection. But according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, microbes--including several types of bacteria--can be a farmer's ally when it comes to reducing the risk that antibiotic-containing manure may pose to the environment."