In the News.....

New York City is on track to have less than 500 homicides this year. The lowest since police began to keep track in 1963. - New York Times. (this was for 2007)

Out of the 2.12 million recreational parachute jumps in the US last year on 21 ended in death. In 2005 it was 27. - Wall St. Journal.

Louisiana is now the 3rd largest movie production center in the US behind California and New York. - Marketwatch.com

The Tucson Citizen Daily newspaper raised its newspaper price from 35 cents to $1.50 for its Thanksgiving edition of the paper. The increase "reflects the value of the giant sized advertising load" - Tucson Citizen

The Motion Picture Association of America has teamed with some Boy Scout Troops to offer merit badges to kids that respect copy write laws. - Forbes

There are only about 130 known pictures of President Abraham Lincoln. As recent as November 2007 two more have been found.

When King Juan Carlos of Spain told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to "Shut up" during a recent summit, it became the most popular ring tone down load. A bout 500,000 people down loaded it in the first week.

Hubris, a restaurant in New York that introduced a gold laced $25,000 dessert as a publicity stunt was closed down by health inspectors. The kitchen was infested with live mice, flies, and cockroaches.

The surnames Garcia and Rodriguez have cracked the list of the 10 most common names in the nation according to the US Census Bureau - New York Times

Most dangerous city in the US? - Detroit, followed by St. Louis, Flint MI, Oakland, CA and Camden, NJ - Miami Herald

Nearly 4,700 soldiers deserted this year - a 42% increase over a year - Associated Press.

U.S Mobile phone users received an estimated 1.1 million spam text messages in 2007, up 38% since 2006 - Business week.

Canada's Royal Ontario Museum was looking for a rare skeleton of the 80 foot long Barosaurus. They found one, it was in storage at the museum since 1962.

A couple from Ontario Canada won $13,000 in the lottery, then the next day won 18.5 Million. The couple who live on a farm and "hate to fly" will stay where they are.

Housewives in America are now hosting "taser" parties to promote ownership of the crime fighting device.

The decline of smokers of in America has stalled. For 3 years running the the % of Americans who smoke has remained about 20.8%. Until 2004 it fell every year for 40 years. - Washington Post

One on four of the nations homeless is a veteran of the military. On any given night 196,000 veterans are sleeping on the street or homeless shelters. - Philadelphia Inquirer.

Of the 2 million soldiers sent from the US to fight in Europe on World War I, only one remains alive, Frank Buckles who is 106. - New York Times.

Progressive Auto insurance added a collision benefit for pets. Progressive will pay up to $500 if a customers pet is hurt or killed in an accident - Associated Press.

A State Liquor official in Utah is calling for restaurants that serve alcohol to cover up the bottles because some may be offended by the sight of alcohol.