Robert's US Government Info Blog

Some 2.4 million Americans were diagnosed with tobacco-related cancer from 1999 to 2004, according to a massive new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Almost half of those diagnosed suffered from lung and bronchial cancer, according to the CDC report.

The report, Surveillance for Cancers Associated with Tobacco Use --- United States, 1999—2004, represents the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted, covering all types of tobacco-related cancers for more than 90 percent of the U.S. population.

"The data in this report provides additional, strong evidence of the serious harm related to tobacco," said Sherri Stewart, Ph.D., lead author of the study in a press release. "We've long known tobacco was associated with lung and laryngeal cancer, but this study gives us even greater clarity. The rates for these two cancers were highest in areas with the highest prevalence of tobacco use."

Those areas, according to the CDC, are mainly in the South, with Kentucky showing the highest rate of lung caner in both men and women. Kentucky also reported the highest percentage of smokers in the nation at 28.6 percent. The lowest smoking rates were found in the Western states of Utah (10.4%), California (18.5%) and Montana (18.5%).

Also See:
List of Organs Damaged by Smoking Expanded
Smoking Deaths Cost U.S. $92 Billion a Year (2005)

The entire U.S. population of red fire ants, which is... well, the only number bigger than the national debt, came from just nine to 20 very prolific queens in Mobile, Alabama, according to researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

A well-deserved member of the World Conservation Union's top 100 worst invasive alien species, the red fire ant is believed by USDA researchers to have first come to the U.S. from its native South America on board trading boats in mid-1930s. The painful pest now calls more than 320 million acres in several southern states and Puerto Rico home.

Besides their aggressive nature of swarming and delivering painfully dangerous stings to people and animals, fire ants build massive mounds and tunnels that cause millions of dollars in damage to plants, farm buildings and equipment every year.

Biological, or non-chemical control of the red fire ant continues to be a major area of research for the Agricultural Research Service.

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You know the breathtaking, unspoiled Andes Mountains of South America? Well take them in while you can folks, because the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) says the Andes may contain vast undiscovered deposits of copper, molybdenum, gold and silver.

USGS estimates the Andes could hold as much as 750 million metric tons of copper, 20 million tons of molybdenum, 13,000 tons of gold and 250,000 tons of silver. So grab your picks and shovels or hydraulic mining systems and come on down.

While USGS notes that not all of this mineral booty is likely to be found and mined, the Andes copper deposits alone represent about 2.5 times the total undiscovered copper thought to be left in the United States. Copper is one of the most in-demand minerals in the U.S. today. And gold and silver, well, they’re gold and silver, dude!

Still trying to sell Americans on the idea of toting around a pocket full of $1 coins, the U.S. Mint will try even harder in four cities over the coming few months. Residents in Austin, Texas; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; and Charlotte, North Carolina will be courted with special events at local attractions, as well as full-blown media blitzes intended to make them aware of the benefits of regularly using the $1 coin.

"When each of us spends the $1 Coin, we make a difference for our country, because the $1 Coin is durable and using it saves the Nation money," said Mint Director Ed Moy in a press release. "We hope our pilot cities lead the change!"

According to the GAO, a circulating coin lasts about 30 years, compared to 17 months for a paper dollar. GAO has estimated that replacing all paper $1 bills with dollar coins would save taxpayers $522.2 million per year.

The $1 coin the mint will be pushing it its blitz is the Presidential $1 Coin series, the replacement for the Sacagawea Dollar. The mint stopped striking the Sacagawea Dollar in 2002, when supply far exceeded demand for the coin.

Also See:
Mint to Offer First Coin with Readable Braille
Court Confirms US Paper Money Must Help Blind

Looks like the stimulation of the tax rebates has ended, as the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that personal income in the U.S. fell by $89.9 billion, or 0.7 percent, in July.

The all-too brief positive impact of the Bush economic stimulus package tax rebates could be seen by personal income increases of $7.4 billion, or 0.1 percent, in June and $218.0 billion, or 1.8 percent, in May, the months when most people were getting their tax rebates.

Tax rebate payments sent out over the spring and summer totaled $1.9 billion in April, $48.1 billion in May, $27.9 billion in June and $13.7 billion in July. By the time all the rebates have been sent out, payments will total $106.7 billion.

Also See:
Economy Spurs Bankruptcy Surge
The Big Squeeze - Income Inequality in America (US Economy)

On Aug. 28, the Department of Transportation (DOT) cited its anti-drunk driving TV ads and tougher law enforcement for a big reduction in the number of DUI-related traffic deaths during 2007. But wait, isn't this the same Department of Transportation that on Aug. 13, reported that high gas prices had resulted in Americans driving 53.2 billion fewer miles since Nov. 2007? So, either the DOT's ads worked, or there were fewer DUI deaths because there were simply fewer cars on the road. Guess with statistics, you can have it both ways.

In a related story, acting chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board called the nation's college presidents suggestion that the legal drinking age be lowered to 18 from 21, a really bad idea that "would be a national tragedy to turn back the clock and jeopardize the lives of more teens."

Also See:
Stopped Driving? It Could Cost You
Anti-driving Trend Continues, Could Grow
The End of Oil?

In 2005, the government enacted a law intended to make it more difficult for individuals to wipe out their debts by filing for bankruptcy. It worked, at least for a while, as bankruptcy filings dropped by over 70 percent. Now, driven by a less than stimulated economy, it seems that bankruptcy has come roaring back, as 967,831 bankruptcy cases were filed over the last 12 months, compared to only 751,056 over the same period last year, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

In the first 12 months following the enactment of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA), the number of bankruptcies fell from an all-time record 2,078,415 to just 617,660.

Also See:
Bankruptcy Filings Plunge after New Law (2007)
Is "Recession" Over? - Second Quarter Growth Up 3.3% (US Economy)

From the 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm, the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, our nation's emergency responders learned hard lessons, many of them taught by failure. Foremost among those lessons is the undeniable fact that whenever emergency responders from many local, state and federal jurisdictions show up to help, as they are now for Hurricane Gustav, everybody absolutely must be working from the same game plan. That game plan is called the National Incident Management System, or NIMS and, unlike many things in government, it's comprehensive, it's logical and it really works. [Learn more...]

Also See:
FEMA Prepares as Gustav Aims at New Orleans
Bush Okays Hurricane Gustav Emergency Aid
New Orleans Looks to Levees as Gustav Approaches

The newly-repaired levees that failed New Orleans three years ago during Katrina absolutely must stand up to Hurricane Gustav. Sitting below sea level, the levee system is all that protects the city from storm flooding. Indeed, had the levees -- built, maintained by the U.S. Corps of Engineers -- not failed three years ago, New Orleans would have suffered far less damages and loss of life due to Katrina.

A levee is an earthen embankment, floodwall, or structure along a water course intended to reduce flood risk by preventing the passage of water to protected land.

In June 2006, the Corps of Engineers admitted that they alone were responsible for design flaws that led to the failure of the New Orleans levee system, and immediately began an all-out repair effort including a successful recruiting effort to station more of its manpower directly in New Orleans.

The Corps of Engineers is responsible for the design and maintenance of about 2,000 levees nationwide. Thousands of other levees are built and maintained by state and local governments, and private landowners.

Three years and billions of dollars after Katrina, the Corps says that while the levees are not fully prepared for a major hurricane, New Orleans now has the best flood control system in the city's history. New Orleans hopes so. We all hope so.

Also See:
Bush Okays Hurricane Gustav Emergency Aid
FEMA Prepares as Gustav Aims at New Orleans
Corps of Engineers Repairing New Orleans Levee System
US Corps Takes Blame for New Orleans Levee Failures

With Hurricane Gustav just leaving Cuba, and already a category 3 storm, President Bush wasted no time in clearing both Louisiana and Texas to receive federal emergency aid. The action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide residents of the states with any equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.

On Thursday, FEMA announced that the agency had already positioned meals, water, generators and other emergency survival equipment in the Gulf Coast region, ready to be deployed as needed.

With the most probable track of Gustav still brining the storm on shore near New Orleans on Sept. 2, Bloomberg.com reported that Louisiana officials had already prepared to activate state evacuation plans for its southern parishes. Mandatory evacuations could begin as early as Sunday morning, according to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who said that busses had already been assembled and that Amtrak had volunteered to assist.

Clearly, federal and state officials are doing everything they can to prevent a repeat of the tragically failed emergency response to Hurricane Katrina that nearly wiped out New Orleans and killed over 1,800 people just three years ago.

• Louisiana Gustav Emergency Information
  
• Texas Gustav Emergency Information

Also See: FEMA Prepares as Gustav Aims at New Orleans