The $26,364 threshold, and more
In 2010, half of all U.S. workers earned less than $26,364.
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.
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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
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What are the different types of nuclear weapons?
The Explainer Speculation mounts that post-war taboo on nuclear weapons could soon be shattered by use of 'battlefield' missiles
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Floral afternoon teas to enjoy during the Chelsea Flower Show
The Week Recommends These are the prettiest spots in the city to savour a traditional treat
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How to plan a trip along the Mississippi River
The Week Recommends See this vital waterway from the Great River Road
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Very rich and very poor in California, and more
feature California is home to 111 billionaires, yet it also suffers the highest poverty rate in the country.
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Arctic cold kills tree insects, and more
feature This winter’s arctic temperatures have had at least one beneficial impact: They’ve killed ash borers, gypsy moths, and other tree-eating insects.
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Congress's poor record, and more
feature The 113th Congress is on course to pass less legislation than any Congress in history.
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Gender differences in employment, and more
feature
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A first for West Point, and more
feature For the first time, two male graduates of West Point were married at the military academy’s chapel.
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A God given land?, and more
feature More white evangelical Protestants than U.S Jews believe that Israel was “given to the Jewish people by God.”
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Jailing the mentally ill, and more
feature American prisons have replaced state mental hospitals as a place to warehouse the mentally ill.
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Treating Internet addiction, and more
feature Treating Internet addiction; Freshman virgins at Harvard; A salary handicap for lefties; Prices for vintage automobiles soar; Gun permits for blind people