Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Among the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) many tools to collect outstanding taxes is its ability to use the property of a taxpayer as security for an outstanding tax debt. IRS exercises this power when it files a federal tax lien against the property of a taxpayer. As part of its tax collection activities, IRS reported filing more than 548,000 tax liens against taxpayer property in fiscal year 2003. Since a lien encumbers taxpayer property, IRS's ability to file a lien is a powerful tool in enforcing the tax laws. With this power, however, comes the responsibility to ensure that liens are released timely once taxpayers satisfy their tax debt. The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) addresses timeliness by requiring IRS to release liens within 30 days of the tax debt's satisfaction. If IRS fails to timely release federal tax liens, taxpayers can suffer undue hardship and burden. Because federal tax liens appear on commercial credit reports, (1) businesses may be unable to obtain necessary credit because lenders may assume they are bad credit risks, (2) individuals may miss an opportunity to buy a home or an automobile because they …

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Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Whether section 1305.003(14) of the Texas Occupations Code exempts from state licensing requirements all persons performing electrical work for a private industrial business, even if a person is not an employee of the private industrial business (RQ-0233-GA)

Following a brief summary of recent developments regarding the implementation and re-evaluation of the 1997 standards, this report provides a broad overview of the standard-setting process, followed by a description of revisions to earlier standards, legal challenges to the 1997 standard, and particulate matter health effects research. EPA’s ongoing progress in reviewing the 1997 standard is then summarized. Other activities that potentially impact the implementation and review of the particulate matter standards, such as other air quality regulations and proposed legislation, are also discussed in this report.

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We describe a general computational spectroscopic framework for interpreting observed spectra. The framework compares synthetic spectra with measured spectra, then optimizes the agreement using the Dakota toolkit to minimize a merit function that incorporates established spectroscopic techniques. We generate synthetic spectra using the self-consistent nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium atomic kinetics and radiative transfer code Cretin, relativistic atomic structure and cross section data from Hullac, and detailed spectral line shapes from Totalb. We test the capabilities of both our synthetic spectra model and general spectroscopic framework by analyzing a K-shell argon spectrum from a Z-pinch dynamic hohlraum inertial confinement fusion capsule implosion experiment. The framework obtains close agreement between an experimental spectrum measured by a time integrated focusing spectrometer and the optimal synthetic spectrum. The synthetic spectra show that considering the spatial extent of the capsule and including the effects of optically thick resonance lines significantly affects the interpretation of measured spectra.

Dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) pose a significant threat to soil and groundwater at Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Evidence suggests that subsurface wettability variations are present at many of these sites as a result of spatical and temporal variations in aqueous phase chemistry, contaminant aging, mineralogy and organic matter. The presence of such heterogeneity may significantly influence DNAPL migration and entrapment in the saturated zone.

Nanoporous metals have recently attracted considerable interest fueled by potential sensor and actuator applications. One of the key issues in this context is the synthesis of high yield strength materials. Nanoporous Au (np-Au) has been suggested as a candidate due to its monolithic character. The material can be synthesized by dealloying Ag-Au alloys, and exhibits an open sponge-like morphology of interconnecting Au ligaments with a typical pore size distribution on the nanometer length scale. Unfortunately, very little is known about the mechanical properties of np-Au besides a length-scale dependent ductile-brittle transition. A key question in this context is: what causes the macroscopic brittleness of np-Au? Is the normal dislocation-mediated plastic deformation suppressed in nanoscale Au ligaments, or is the brittleness a consequence of the macroscopic morphology? Here, we report on the fracture behavior of nanoporous Au studied by scanning electron microscopy. Specifically, we demonstrate the microscopic ductility of nanometer-sized Au ligaments. The observed fracture behavior seems to be general for nanoporous metals, and can be understood in terms of simple fuse networks.

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effect of coal combustion flue gas desulfurization (FGD) waste from a coal combustion electric power facility on element uptake by maize (Zea mays L.). Unweathered FGD was applied to an Orangeburg Series (Typic Paleudult) soil with an initial soil pH salt of 4.90. The FGD was added at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 per cent by weight. The test plant, maize, was harvested after 6 weeks of growth. Within 56 days of the FGD application, all rates of FGD significantly increased pH in the soil and the soil leachate above 6.0. The elemental concentration of the maize tissues indicated a characteristic elevation of B, Se, Mo, and As. However, no visual symptoms of toxicity of B or other elements in plants were observed. Increasing level of FGD caused a steady decline in dry weight, with the highest treatment producing plants which had approximately half the biomass of the control plants. Due to elevated concentrations of B and other elements and due to adverse yield effects measured on plants, unweathered FGD would not be a suitable amendment for 6-week old maize on this soil.

Interim plutonium storage for up to 10 years in the K-reactor building is currently being planned at Savannah River Site (SRS). SAFKEG package could be used to store Pu metal and oxide (PuO2) in the K-reactor complex with other packagings like 9975. The SAFKEG is designed for carrying Type-B materials across the DOE complex and meets the 10CFR71 requirements. Thermal analyses were performed to ensure that the temperatures of the SAFKEG components will not exceed their temperature limits under the K-reactor storage conditions. Thermal analyses of the SAFKEG packaging with three content configurations using BNFL 3013 outer container (Rocky Flats, SRS bagless transfer cans, and BNFL inner containers) were performed for storage of PuO2 and plutonium metal

The growing need for covariance information to accompany the evaluated cross section data libraries utilized in contemporary nuclear applications is spurring the development of new methods to provide this information. Many of the current general purpose libraries of evaluated nuclear data used in applications are derived either almost entirely from nuclear model calculations or from nuclear model calculations benchmarked by available experimental data. Consequently, a consistent method for generating covariance information under these circumstances is required. This report discusses a new approach to producing covariance matrices for cross sections calculated using nuclear models. The present method involves establishing uncertainty information for the underlying parameters of nuclear models used in the calculations and then propagating these uncertainties through to the derived cross sections and related nuclear quantities by means of a Monte Carlo technique rather than the more conventional matrix error propagation approach used in some alternative methods. The formalism to be used in such analyses is discussed in this report along with various issues and caveats that need to be considered in order to proceed with a practical implementation of the methodology.

Correlations in the hadron distributions produced in relativistic Au+Au collisions are studied in the discrete wavelet expansion method. The analysis is performed in the space of pseudorapidity (|{eta}| {le} 1) and azimuth (full 2{pi}) in bins of transverse momentum (p{sub t}) from 0.14 {le} p{sub t} {le} 2.1 GeV/c. In peripheral Au+Au collisions a correlation structure ascribed to minijet fragmentation is observed. It evolves with collision centrality and p{sub t} in a way not seen before which suggests strong dissipation of minijet fragmentation in the longitudinally-expanding medium.

Laser-produced plasmas at subcritical densities have proven to be efficient sources for x-ray production. In this context, they obtain new results from experiments performed in Kr and Xe gas-filled targets that were irradiated by the high-power OMEGA (Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester) laser. Nearly 40% of the laser energy was converted into x-rays in the L-shell-photon-energy range ({ge} 1.6 keV) by a Kr-filled target. The conversion efficiency measurements were correlated with time-resolved plasma-temperature measurements done by means of a Thomson-scattering diagnostic. The measured range of temperatures, between 2-3.5 keV, is in good agreement with LASNEX radiation-hydrodynamics simulations. X-ray-cooling rates and charge-state distributions were computed using detailed atomic data from the HULLAC suite of codes. X-ray yields predicted by the cooling-rate calculations are compared to measured spectra, and good agreement is found for predictions made with highly-detailed atomic models. They find that x-ray conversion efficiency in Kr-filled targets is a strong function of temperature, and has an optimum density near 10-15% of the laser's critical density.

Daily newspaper from Baytown, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Funeral program for Pauline Moss, born June 4, 1914 and died January 6, 2005. The funeral was held January 10, 2005 at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by Reverend Glenn P. Taylor. Funeral arrangements were made through Sunset Funeral Home and she was buried in Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum in San Antonio, Texas.

Fotografía de un caimán en el zoológico de Tyler, sumergido en su mayor parte en un charco de agua con la cabeza visible. El agua es parduzca y algunas ramas sin hojas ocultan parcialmente al caimán de la vista.

During summer 2004 we studied the reliability of the OBO Bettermann peak current sensor (PCS) monitoring system - (1) credit card-type cards with magnetic strips and (2) a card reader. Three methods were used to generate current for testing the PCS system: (1) a Keytek current generator (2) a capacitor discharge, and (3) rocket triggered lightning. The data obtained from the cards were compared with oscilloscope measurements of the generated currents. Additionally, we tested for nearby natural and nearby rocket triggered lightning by placing cards on an airport runway lighting system lightning-protection counterpoise, on power line grounds, and on the lightning-protection system of an explosive storage igloo at Camp Blanding Army National Guard Base. In all experiments exposed cards were read multiple times to test the consistency of the measurement. Each card read zero before each experiment. The Keytek current generator produced a maximum peak current of 5 kA which was unrecorded by the PCS system despite the OBO Bettermann claim that currents larger than 3 kA could be recorded. Three cards were exposed to triggered lightning current and gave proper results (the PCS card measurement deviated less than +- 2 kA from the peak current value measured by research …

This report covers significant legislative and oversight activities of the 108th Congress that concern domestic law enforcement aspects of federal anti-drug policy. It also includes an overview of significant executive branch actions and other current developments of likely interest to the congressional audience that follows this issue.

This document and the accompanying manuscript summarize the technical accomplishments of our one-year LDRD-ER effort. Hydrogen storage and hydrogen fuel cells are important components of the 2003 Hydrogen Fuel Initiative focused on the reduction of America's dependence on oil. To compete with oil as an energy source, however, one must be able to transport and utilize hydrogen at or above the target set by DOE (6 wt.% H{sub 2}) for the transportation sector. Other than liquid hydrogen, current technology falls well short of this DOE target. As a result, a variety of materials have recently been investigated to address this issue. Carbon nanostructures have received significant attention as hydrogen storage materials due to their low molecular weight, tunable microporosity and high specific surface areas. For example, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) achieved 5 to 10 wt.% H{sub 2} storage using metal-doped carbon nanotubes. That study showed that the intimate mix of metal nanoparticles with graphitic carbon resulted in the unanticipated hydrogen adsorption at near ambient conditions. The focus of our LDRD effort was the investigation of metal-doped carbon aerogels (MDCAs) as hydrogen storage materials. In addition to their low mass densities, continuous porosities and high surface areas, these materials …

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All but the most trivial software packages are generally constructed from multiple source files with many steps being required to generate lexer and parser source files, compile the numerous source files, assemble libraries from object files, and link object files and libraries to form the binary executable application. During the development process, the construction process may be repeated many times as source code is modified requiring the application to be rebuilt. To address this problem the original make tool was developed. However this tool was developed when applications were rather simple with a limited number of source files in single directories. Few header files outside of the standard system header files were used. The graph formed by the file-to-file dependencies was generally simple with little cross branching and limited depth. The increased complexity of modern software systems has made the traditional make tool less capable of managing the problem. Good software development practices have led to more and more source files arranged in directory hierarchies. Modular development of the software has resulted in the proliferation of developer implemented header files and libraries that are part of the application. Code reuse and object oriented design has made the problem even worse …

The report discusses the FY 2001 Grants, FY 2002 Grants, FY 2003 Grants and FY 2004 Grants. It also points out the distribution of Fire Grants and Program Evaluation.

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Wetlands, in a wide variety of forms, are found throughout the country. The various values of these areas have been increasingly recognized in recent years, but the remaining acreage has been disappearing rapidly. When European settlers first arrived, total wetland acreage was more than 220 million acres in the lower 48 states, according to estimates by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. By 1980, total wetland acreage was estimated to be 104 million acres. Losses continue, although the rate of loss hasslowed considerably during the past decade. Recent losses have been concentrated in the lower Mississippi River Valley, the upper Midwest, and the Southeast.