May News Factoids

Arctic ice in September 2007 was 23 percent less than the previous record low. == AP News

Super Tuesday voting on February 5th added up to 8.3 million Republicans who voted in those states vs. 14.6 Democrats.

For every 10,000 manuscripts submitted for children's books, only three are published. == Home Testing Institute

The two-term Clinton administration added 521 species to the federal Endangered Species List; Bush 41 added 231 species in one term; the Bush 43 administration has added only 59 species to the list in its seven years. == Time Magazine

Chrysler Corp. has a new program to shut down small dealerships across America. Each existing dealership now must pay half a million dollars UP FRONT for the privilege of remaining an official Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep etc. dealer for the next five years. Family dealerships in small towns are charged the same as dealers in urban markets, no negotiation or options.

WAR WITH IRAQ & IRAN:
U.S. troops are paying $3.50 a gallon for gas or deisel in Baghdad.

"2007 was the deadliest year for U.S. troops in Iraq." == Scott Ritter

ENERGY:
Ten years ago, kerosene heating oil in Vermont was 75 cents a gallon; today the price is $4.50 a gallon. Figuring on a typical 200-gallon tank, a refill went from $150 for the winter season to $900 for the season.

Five years ago, oil was $26 per barrel; oil went above $117 per barrel on 21 April 2008.

ECONOMICS:
The price of rice has doubled worldwide in the last four months.
== AP Radio News
The price of wheat flour has tripled in two years. == AP Radio News

If you make $28,000 a year, then you are in the top 50% of taxpayers; $55,000 puts you in the top 25%; and $92,000 puts you in the top 10%, the so-called 'super-rich'. {data from 2007} — Said another way, 90% of American taxpayers make below $95,000 per year.

U.S. home prices plunged by a record 8.4 percent in November 2007, marking two years of slowing returns.

"Construction spending fell again in February as home building tumbled for a record 24th straight month."
== U.S. Commerce Department, on 31 March 2008

Housing sales dropped in March to the lowest level in 16 years, and the bottom has not yet been reached. == AP Radio News

"Combined market value of independent, publicly-traded U.S. newspaper publishers has fallen by 42 percent in the past three years." == Eric Alterman (in The Nation, February 2008)

U.S. job cuts in December were greater than jobs created (while 150,000 net jobs are needed to keep even with the monthly population increase). == AP Radio News

BLOCKING TELEMARKETERS: Cell phone numbers were released this week to the telemarketing industry, and it will now be open season on all cell phone users – AND you will be charged for the call.

The solution is to call the National DO NOT CALL Registry [est. October 2003] at 1-888-382-1222 from your cell phone; it takes about a minute.

Telemarketers must obey these new Registry list restrictions starting on June First.

You can list all the phone numbers at your household or business concern online at http://www.DoNotCall.gov