Current Facts 26

Mumps Outbreak
In 2006 largest in the last 20 years. Mainly in mid-west college towns, 85 percent of the infections occcured in 8 states. People 18-24 years old were 4 times as likely to get it. 6,584 people came down with mumps in 2006. Most had been vaccinated, about 4 percent under the age of 30 hadn't. These numbers are still lower than outbreaks in the 1950's and 60's. The vaccine may need improvement.
Science News Magazine, April 12, 2008, v173, n15, p229.

Baby Names
For the 12th year in a row, Emily topped the list of most popular baby girl names last year. Jacob led boys for the 9th year in a row. Other top names for girls (Isabella, Emma, and Ava) and boys (Michael, Ethan, and Joshua), according to the Social Security Administration.
The Week Magazine, May 23, 2008, vol. 8, iss. 362, pg. 14.

Disaster Death Toll ~120,000 (as of 5/27)
1. Myanmar (Due to 5/3 Cyclone Nargis) is 77,738, with 55,917 people missing (Google).
2. Southwest China's Sichuan Province (Due to 3/12 Earthquake) is 67,183 and 23,150 missing (Google).
0. Note: 2,974 people died as an immediate result of the 9/11 attacks (Wiki). Reported US Casualties in Iraq (Since 10/7/01's War on Terrororism) is 4,084 (iCasualties), while Iraq has between 950,000-1,124,000 and Afghanistan has between 1,300-49,600 (Wiki).

War Expressions
The war in Iraq has contributed to new words and meanings. But will they last and evolve like; undermine, fleabag, basket case, flak & gung ho?
Fobbit: combines FOB (Forward Operating Base) with hobbit. Derogatory term for soldiers who stay to close to base and help themselves to three square meals a day.
Hillbilly Armor: a term for the scraps used to bullerproof vehicles.
IEDs: Improvised explosive devices, refer to the homemade bombs created by the terrorists and insurgents.
Mental_Floss, May/June 2008, vol. 7, iss. 3, pg. 16.

Disabled Veterans
Has jumped by 25 percent since 2001 to 2.9 million. With tens of thousands of Iraq war veterans coming home with amputations, brain damage, burns and others. The federal government expects to be spending $59 billion a year to compensate injured vets in 25 years, up from $29 billion this year.-Associated Press.
The Week Magazine, May 23, 2008, vol. 8, iss. 362, pg. 14.

Vanilla Cow Dung
Farmers in Japan have found that applying heat and pressure to cow excrement, Mayu Yamamoto of Tokyo's International Medical Center was able to produce vanilla flavoring. Cow dung is cheaper than vanilla beans. To side-step the issue of "bovine excrement" appearing on the ingredient list in foods, manufacturers are so far only using it in soaps, candles, and shampoos.
Mental_Floss, May/June 2008, vol. 7, iss. 3, pg. 29.

Ghost Marriage
Appeared in Chineese legends 2,000 years age and has been a staple of the culture ever since. The practice of setting up deceased relatives with suitable spouses - dead or alive, to make the deceased happier in the afterlife. Matchmaking waned during China's Cultural Revolution in the late 1960's, but the trend is back on the rise. The shortage of brides has led to murder. According to the Washington Post and the London Times - one undertaker buys women's bodies for more than $2,000 and sells them to prospective "in-laws" for nearly $5,000.
Mental_Floss, May/June 2008, vol. 7, iss. 3, pg. 39.

Life Expectancy Falling
For the first time in almost a century, life expectancy is falling for some Americans. People who live in the nation's poorer countries are dying at an earlier age than they were a few years ago. Wealthier AMericans are live longer due to advances in medicine. The US ranks 41st worldwide in life expectancy, between Bosnia and Albania.
The Week Magazine, May 9, 2008, vol. 8, iss 360, pg. 20.

Crude Costs
Taken from Discover Magazine, Dec 2007, pg. 19.
For 115,400 Btu (the amount of energy in one gallon of gasoline), you'd pay; $2.86 - Gasoline, $14.44 - Solar, $1.66 - Wind, $2.70 - Biofuel (B20), $3.75 - Nuclear, $.91 - Hydropower, $1.69 - Geothermal, $5.37 - Natural Gas.

Unemployment & Health Insurance
Each percentage point rise in the unemployment rate during the economic downturn will increase the number of Americans without health insurance by 1.1 million.-New York Times.
The Week Magazine, May 23, 2008, vol. 8, iss. 362, pg. 32.

Steel Penny Revival
The House of Representatives voted to revive the steel penny which costs 7/10 of a cent each to make, compared with 1.3 cents for each copper penny. Decission pending in Senate.-Boston Globe.
The Week Magazine, May 23, 2008, vol. 8, iss. 362, pg. 32.

Recent & Potential Mergers
Best Buy may buy Netflix.
Ask.com bought Dictionary.com (and includes Thesaurus.com and Reference.com).
CBS Corp. is buying CNet Networks Inc, for $1.8 billion.
Cablevision aquired Newsday for $650 million, and the Sundance Channel for $496 million.
Blockbuster may aquire Circuit City for $1 billion.
Comcast is set to aquire the social network Plaxo.
AOL bought social network Bebo for $850 million.
Carlyle Group has aquired in recent years - Dunkin' Donuts & Hertz..

San Francisco's California Academy of Science
Opening this fall, it contains a natural history museum, planetarium, coral reef (4,000 fish), aquarium, and rainforest (free-flying brids) exhibits. The living roof is tiled with biodegradable trays made of coconut husks, with each tray layered to keep plants from slipping dow slopes. Nine local species will occupy the 2.5 acre roof. It absorbs 98 percent of rainwater, so irrigation is unnecessary. The mounds were designed to maximize air flow to circulate warm air out from interior below and reduces air conditioning demand. Natural lighting reaches 90 percent of exhibition space, minimizing electricity. Walls and skylights are made of high-performance glass which reflects most heat and rooftop solar pannerls supply about 10 percent of the museum's electricity needs.
Popular Science, April 2008, p33.

Biotech Burger
Vitamin Bun: Scientists at the University of California at Davis spliced a gene in wild wheat that controls protein (Zinc and iron content) into domestic wheat, boosting nutrient content by 12 percent.
Bacon: Scientists in the Netherlands have grown minced pork in a dish by adding water, glucose and amino acids to pig stem cells. Artificial ground meat may appear by 2012, and bacon within this decade.
Cheddar: Food engineeers are boosting cheddar flavor by adding a bacteial gene that produces an enzyme that eliminates the bitter taste created during ripening.
Leaner Beef: Several companies are cloning the country's most prized cows to produce leaner tastier cuts of meat. Ranchers will start breeding the clones this spring, and in five years, the offspring will be ready to grill.
High-C Lettuce: By splicing rat genes into lettuce, Virginia Tech students figured out how to turn on the vegitables latent vitamin-c producing ablities. Since rodent-altered lettuce is unappetizing, th team used the data to identify plant DNA that can do the same thing.
Popular Science, April 2008, p37.

Fluxxlab's Revolution Door
Is a concept that puts kinetic energy from a revolving office door to good use—generating power.
Gizmodo Post, 2/8/08.