Due to soaring gas prices, Americans drove 1.4 billion fewer highway miles this April than they did in April 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Since the beginning of the year, motorists have logged 20 billion fewer miles than they did last year at this time.
CNN.com
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Network TV news coverage of the war in Iraq has been scaled way back this year. Almost halfway into 2008, the three network evening newscasts have devoted 181 minutes to Iraq, compared with 1,157 minutes for all of 2007.
The New York Times
The world’s population will reach 7 billion in 2012, just 13 years after hitting 6 billion, according to a new Census Bureau projection. By comparison, it took thousands of years of human history before the population hit 1 billion in 1800, and it took 130 years to reach the
2 billion mark.
Associated Press
For the first time, the U.S. Mint has rejected a proposed design for its commemorative quarters collection. The Mint nixed the District of Columbia’s plan to print “Taxation Without Representation” on its quarter, due out in 2009. The District does not have a vote in Congress.
The American Scholar
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Critics' choice: Outstanding new Japanese restaurantsFeature An all-women sushi team, a 15-seat listening bar, and more
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Why do Dana White and Donald Trump keep pushing for a White House UFC match?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The president and the sports mogul each have their own reasons for wanting a White House spectacle
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'Quiet vacationing': a secret revolt against workplace cultureThe explainer You can be in two places at once
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Smartphone collisions, and morefeature Fifty-three percent of all adult mobile-phone owners have been banged into because someone was peering at their smartphone.
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Partisan commencement speeches?, and more
feature No Republican or conservative has been invited to make the commencement speech this year at any of the 50 top U.S. liberal arts colleges.
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Food stamp benefits soar, and more
feature The government spent $74.6 billion on food stamp benefits last year, up from $30.4 billion in 2007.
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Prime-time TV gets racier, and more
feature The networks’ new trick is to show fully naked characters with their breasts, buttocks, and/or genitals pixelated.
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A warm start to the year, and more
feature The U.S. just experienced the warmest start to a year since records began, in 1895.
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Potter films rake in billions, and more
feature The Harry Potter movie series has earned $6.37 billion at the box office over the past decade.
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Jersey Shore captures 8.45 million, and more
feature The season premiere of MTV’s Jersey Shore was viewed by 8.45 million people, more than the average audiences of network news broadcasts on ABC and CBS.
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Wal-Mart's jump in midnight sales, and more
feature Wal-Mart says its stores see a jump in midnight sales on the first of each month, when cash-strapped shoppers receive their monthly government benefits.