Current Facts 3

Entering Wave of Extinctions
Nearly a third of the world’s amphibians are on the verge of extinction, according to a new global census. Of the 5,743 known species of toads, frogs, salamanders, newts, and wormlike caecilians, 1,856, or 32.5 percent, are in danger of extinction, says the Global Amphibian Assessment, a joint effort by 500 researchers in 60 countries. Since 1980, 122 amphibian species have already disappeared, some apparently wiped out by illnesses fostered by warming temperatures, others poisoned by pesticides. The extinctions may signal trouble ahead for the rest of us, Simon Stuart of the GAA tells Agence France-Presse. “Since most amphibians depend on fresh water and feel the effects of pollution before many other forms of life, including humans, their rapid decline tells us that one of the earth’s most critical life-support systems is breaking down.”
The Week, Nov. 5, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 181, pp. 24

Job Hurt
The number of employers offering paid sick leave fell to 76 percent last year from 82 percent in 2002. The number of employers providing emergency backup child care for employees with sick family members dropped to 9 percent this year, down from 14 percent in 2001.—USA TodayTaken from “The Week,” November 26, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 184, pp. 38.

Soldiers Again
The government has ordered 4,000 former soldiers back to active duty in the last few months, but more than half have refused to go. About 1,800 re-quested exemptions, 733 simply failed to report for refresher training.
“The Week,” November 26, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 184, pp. 6.

Solders with Symptoms
One out of six soldiers returning home from Iraq is suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome or major depression, an Army survey has found. “I’m taking enough drugs to sedate an elephant, and I still wake dreaming about it,” said former Army sergeant Matt laBranche, one of those now in treatment, “I wish I had just died over there.”—Los Angeles Times.
“The Week,” November 26, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 184, pp. 18.

Death Row Drop
Death sentences in the US have fallen to a 27-year low. In 2003, 144 people were sentenced to death, half the yearly average between 1994 and 2000.
"The Week,” November 26, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 184, pp. 6.

Safety Recall Decline
The number of recalls ordered by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission fell by 35 percent between 2001 and 2003. Analysts attribute the drop not to a decline in the number of unsafe products but to a reduced government effort to spot them—Consumer Reports.
Taken from “The Week,” November 26, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 184, pp. 38.

Baby Boom Bust
The world’s population of adults over 60 will exceed the number of children ages 4 and younger in 2005.—Wired
Taken from “The Week,” November 19, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 183, pp. 40

Mental Illness Prison
Some 250,000 Americans with mental illness live in prisons, making the latter the nation’s primary supplier of mental health services—New York Times Magazine
Taken from “The Week,” November 12, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 182, pp. 42
TV Set in Distress
“An Oregon man’s flat screen television set inexplicably began emitting an international distress signal. The signal was picked up by a satellite and routed to Langley Air Force base in Virginia, and the man opened his door to find police, the Civil Air Patrol, and a search-and-rescue team.”
The Week October 29, 2004 Vol. 4, Iss. 180, pp. 6

Giraffe of the Sea
A fossilized sea reptile skeleton found in southern China has solved the mystery of how some ancient reptiles used their astonishingly long necks. The 230-million-year-old skeleton of the Dinocephalosaurus Orientalis (terrible headed lizard from the Orient) includes a neck that is nearly twice the length of its body. The head was so tiny when fish first saw it, Michael LaBarbera of the University of Chicago tells Discovery.com, they believed it belonged to a small, harmless creature. “But by the time the fish was able to see Dinocephalosaurus’ body,” LaBarbera says, “it would have already become lunch.” The creature also had the ability to swallow the waves created by its strike, preventing fish from darting away. “This strange, long neck,” says Dr. Oliver Rieppel of Chicago’s Field Museum, “allowed an almost perfect strike at prey.”
"The Week" October 15, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 178, pp. 22Current

Value of the American Dollar (10.11.04)
The U.S. dollar settled near its lows against the yen and euro on Monday after suffering sharp losses on weaker-than expected job growth figures that raised questions about the need for further U.S. rate rises this year.U.S. employers hired 96,000 more workers in September, below expectations for a rise of 148,000. The last payrolls report before the U.S. presidential election and heightened speculation of a Chinese currency revaluation saw the dollar post its biggest one-day loss against the yen in more than a year.The dollar steadied around 109.50 yen on Monday, its lowest in nearly a month, after it fell over 1.5 percent on Friday. The euro traded around $1.2400, little changed from its New York close and around half a cent below seven-month highs. Having held a rough $1.1950 to $1.2450 range since June, gains for the euro through $1.2450 were expected to be hard.

Vaccine Shortage
The British government suspended a drug maker that was supposed to provide half of the US Suppl of flu vaccine this winter. The US will likely now have about 50 million of the 100 million doses ordered for this flu season. Health officials urged Americans not to rush to get vaccinated, so those most at risk-adults 65 or older and infants from 6 months to 23 months-could get their shots first.
(taken from "The Week" October 15, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 178, pp. 6)

Salvation Army Banned from Target
Salvation Army bell ringers are no longer allowed at one major retailer this Christmas. Target stores have banned the charity from soliciting in front of their stores…Target stores are the second largest money earner for the bell ringers, after Walmart. But earlier this year they released this statement, "If we continue to allow the Salvation Army to solicit then it opens the door to other groups that wish to solicit our guests."

Spyware Legislation
The House voted 415-0 to pass "the second bill in three days that would outlaw 'spyware,' irritating software that quietly monitors the activities of Internet users," AP reports. "It would add penalties of up to five years in prison for people convicted of installing such programs without a computer user's permission."
(taken from October 9, 2004 Doonsbury Daily Briefing)

CBS FCC Fine
"The $550,000 fine the FCC imposed on CBS for Janet Jackson's Super Bowl breast exposure, the largest penalty ever for a violation of federal decency laws, could be paid with one Survivor commercial or 7.5 seconds of Super Bowl advertising time."-Chicago Tribune
"The Week," October 8, 2004, Vol. 4, Iss. 177, pp. 40