In the News

short few here..

Two MIT students, spending only $148.00 invented a camera system that can take pictures of the earth from almost 18 miles above. Using a Styrofoam beer cooler, a Canon A470 compact camera and a helium balloon. The camera was set to take photos every 5 seconds. The keep the system "warm" they used hand warmers and a GPS cell phone to track where it landed.

Every year, about 8.8 million children under the age of 5 die of pneumonia, diarrhea and other diseases worldwide, with 40% of the deaths occurring in Nigeria, Congo and India. - Associated Press

When Henry Hudson discovered Manhattan 400 years ago the island was hilly forests, wetlands, meadows and had more plant species that Yosemite had today. The human population was about 600 Native Americans. The New York Times.

Harvard University's endowment fell by 27.3%, or about $10 Billion dollars, in its latest financial year, to just $26 Billion. - The Boston Globe

In 2009 about 47% of all U.S. Households, or 71 million, will owe NO federal income tax. Most of the households that pay no taxes earn less than $30,000 per year. CNNmoney.com

Cash for clunkers - U.S. auto sales fell 23% in September. GM's sales slipped 45% while Chrysler's were down 42%. The Wall Street Journal

The top 10 U.S. airlines collected $670 million in checked baggage fees in the second quarter of 2009, a 276% increase from the prior year. - Business Week

Sales of "regular cell phones" fell 10% in this years second quarter, but smart phones pick up the slack, increasing sales by 15%. The Economist