When is the government going to release information about extra terrestrials?
Asked by Joshua on Facebook.
According to NASA, no branch of the United States government is currently involved with or responsible for investigations into the possibility of intelligent alien life on other planets.NASA has been investigating the possibility that the planet Mars was once the home to very simple life, such as microbes. The SETI project, which searches for evidence of transmissions from intelligent life in outer space, was a part of NASA until 1993 but is now private.
NASA’s Kepler mission is looking for planets that are similar to Earth, which would mean that they could possibly support life.
Learn about previous government efforts to search for extraterrestrial life and UFOs.
how can i avoid sweepstakes scams?
Asked by an anonymous Tumblr user.
A recent research poll showed that more than half of all American adults entered sweepstakes within the past year - most of which were legitimate and law-abiding. However, con artists try to capitalize on the popularity of these offers by disguising their illegal schemes.
The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of complaints each year from consumers about gifts, sweepstakes, and prize promotions. You can protect yourself by recognizing the differences between legitimate sweepstakes and fraudulent ones:
- Prizes in legitimate contests are awarded solely by chance. Contestants don’t have to pay a fee or buy something to enter or increase their odds of winning.
- In fraudulent schemes, “winners” almost always have to pay to enter a contest or collect their “prize,” if they get a prize at all. Requiring a fee to enter is illegal.
Fraudulent sweepstakes promotions often show up through telemarketer calls, e-mails, or in the mail. You can reduce your chance of receiving these notifications by registering for the National Do Not Call Registry and by having your name removed from direct mail and e-mail marketing lists.
Learn your rights under the law when it comes to sweepstakes and find more ways to protect yourself.
What is the threshold income requirement to file taxes?
Asked by iwasjustsayin on Tumblr.
The answer depends on your age and filing status — whether you are single, a head of household or married.
Table 1 from IRS Publication 501 (PDF) can help you determine if you need to file a 2012 tax return.
Sometimes it makes sense to file even if you don’t have to, and these questions can help you decide.
Where on the internet can I find the SS death index?
Asked by an anonymous Tumblr user.
The Social Security Administration Death Master File is a record of deaths reported to the Administration.
The Death Master File is not available online from the Social Security Administration. You can purchase it from the National Technical Information Service.
Other websites offer the Death Master File, but these are not endorsed by the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration cannot confirm if these websites are either accurate or current.
Learn more about how to access the Death Master File.
What are the symptoms of colon cancer?
Asked by an anonymous Tumblr user.
Symptoms can include blood in the stool, narrower stools, a change in bowel habits and general stomach discomfort. However, you may not have symptoms at first, so screening is important. Everyone who is 50 or older should be screened for colorectal cancer.
Learn more about colorectal cancer.
