Said Tayeb Jawad has been Afghanistan's ambassador to the United States since 2003. After being educated in Afghanistan and Germany, Jawad settled in the United States in 1986, earning a master's degree in business administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He returned to Afghanistan four months after Sept. 11, 2001, to assist in the rebuilding of that nation following the U.S. invasion that toppled the Taliban dictatorship. He worked in a variety of ... [full story]

New rules to further protect consumers from high-cost loans Governor Ted Kulongoski and the Oregon Department of Consumer & Business Services (DCBS) recently announced new rules that will close potential loopholes in the payday lending legislation the governor signed in April. “Last April, the Legislature and I worked to enact important legislation to protect hard working Oregonians from predatory lending practices,” said Governor Ted Kulongoski. “These new rules will help us ensure that we carry out ... [full story]

Only a few years ago, the trend in NASCAR was to hire young, inexperienced drivers for Nextel Cup teams. Now, that trend has been reversed. Two vacancies on the Cup circuit are being filled by veterans who have even been out of the sport for a year or longer. Sometime soon, Robert Yates is expected to announce 50-year-old Ricky Rudd as the driver for the high-profile 88 car (which may change its number to 28) ... [full story]

Hollywood could have used George W. Bush. He'd be perfect for those barroom scenes of the Old West - as the cautious card player who never could decide whether to hold 'em or fold 'em. You didn't have to be anti-Bush to wonder at the president's reaction to this Iraq Study Group. Here's a guy wallowing in what his father once would have called "deep doo-doo." Most of the Iraq war's early supporters have run ... [full story]

The New Year marks the beginning of new goals, opportunities and exciting adventures.  For some, it is a time of reflection on past experiences, accomplishments and failures.  For most, the New Year is a time to determine and undertake new improvements and to set new financial goals.  Setting financial resolutions and keeping them are two different issues.  It's easy to know what you want and to get excited about your New Year's aspirations.  The hard ... [full story]

The double life of one of Bush's key links to the conservative Christian evangelical right  About a week before Karl Rove and Team Bush received its November Surprise, Pastor Ted Haggard got one of his own. As voters in Colorado were preparing to vote on ballot initiatives banning gay marriage, Mike Jones, a former gay escort, came forward and claimed that he had a three-year sexual relationship with Haggard, the founder and senior leader of ... [full story]

Some girl in second grade sharing really ticked me off when she called my Tonka truck a "tinkle toy." I sputtered for a snappy comeback but was too stunned by her hatchet to my heart. That was just a mean-spirited thing to say. It was jealousy, I decided, because I wouldn't let her hold the truck. It was a red Ford pickup, early '60s fleet-style body and white cab. I can still see its chrome grille and ... [full story]

Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a clean-cut young man who allegedly assaulted an Alfalfa woman during a robbery attempt, striking her in the head with a weapon and leaving her on the floor of her shop/garage with serious injuries.  The assailant is believed to have stolen the victim’s vehicle to flee the scene, said authorities. Deputies found 53-year old Alice Barbara Tye with a severe head injury about 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27, ... [full story]

Oregon State University President Ed Ray will join OSU student leaders and alumni in a community service project during their trip to El Paso for the 2006 Brut Sun Bowl. Volunteers will assist with a playground clean-up project at the Child Crisis Center in El Paso and will organize a special Oregon State tailgate for the kids. The El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau collaborated with the OSU Alumni Association to make this project happen. ... [full story]

ODS Will Share Space with Western Title & Escrow Company The ODS Companies (ODS) recently announced that it has secured property in Bend to develop a new multi-use office building. ODS signed a Memorandum of Understanding in mid-December with joint venture partners Gerding/Edlen Development Company and Western Title & Escrow Company to purchase the property from owners George Slape and Al Owen. The site, an undeveloped parcel of land located in the Old Mill District ... [full story]