The $26,364 threshold, and more

The $26,364 threshold

Half of all U.S. workers earned less than $26,364 in 2010—the lowest median wage since 1999, adjusted for inflation.The Washington Post

The nation's richest urban area

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With six-figure salaries received by lobbyists, lawyers, and federal employees leading the way, Washington, D.C., has overtaken Silicon Valley as the wealthiest metropolitan area in the country. A typical household in the nation’s capital earned $84,523 last year.

Bloomberg.com

A new habitat for Bengal tigers?

Because of a flourishing trade in exotic animals, there are an estimated 5,000 privately owned Bengal tigers in the U.S. There are only 3,600 Bengal tigers left in the wild.

CSMonitor.com

Drug production in Mexico soars

As Mexico’s government fights a bloody war against drug cartels, it has diverted resources away from eradicating and seizing marijuana and poppy farms. As a result, the amount of marijuana grown in Mexico has doubled, while heroin production has boomed from 8 metric tons in 2005 to 50 in 2009.

The Washington Post

Marriage rates for black women

Seven out of 10 black women are not married.

The Economist

Qaddafi's billions

Muammar al-Qaddafi hid $200 billion in bank accounts, real estate, and investments around the world, Libyan officials estimated after searching his records. That’s about $30,000 for every Libyan citizen, many of whom live in abject poverty.

McClatchy