fay2zpast

Superman, taking flight, and more of today’s news by the numbers

livewirepast — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:17:17 +0000

1,185,000 — Number of dollars in a single donation given to a hospice group in Hoke County. The group normally operates on less than $50,000 a year.
1,000,000 — Number of dollars successfully bid Monday for a mint-condition copy of the “Holy Grail” of comic books — the very first Superman comic, published in 1938.
19,800 — Number of airline passengers that could look to fly from Fayetteville to Washington, D.C., each year in the wake of BRAC changes, according to a consultant.
3,080 — Number of people who flew from Fayetteville to one of three DC-area airports over the past 12 months.
65 and 35 — Number of years, respectively, that the CIAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments have been held. The women’s tourney starts today and the men’s tomorrow.
20 — Number of years in prison that a Roseboro doctor was sentenced to after being convicted of selling prescriptions.
11 — Number of schools in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, including Fayetteville State University.
5 — Number of people allegedly run down in 2004 by Abdullah El-Amin Shareef, who is currently on trial at the Cumberland County Courthouse.
2 — Number of early college high schools that Cumberland County may have in place by 2011-12.
1 of 10 — Where Fayetteville is on a list of “Cities for Real Estate Steals,” compiled by U.S. News and World Report. The others are: Cincinnati, Ohio; Fort Worth/Arlington, Texas; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Medford, Oregon; Memphis, Tennessee; Mobile, Alabama; Phoenix, Arizona; Salinas, California; and Washington, D.C.

–cp

Uh oh, eh? And more of today’s news by the numbers

livewirepast — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:37:23 +0000

100,000,000 – Number of dollars Toyota figured it saved by negotiating a limited “equipment recall” of floor mats in 2007 with U.S. consumer safety regulators.
5,400 — Number of new U.S. troops that have arrived in Afghanistan so far following the president’s order that 30,000 more be sent.
5,000 — Approximate number of children in difficult legal and emotional situations who have passed through a special children’s room at the Cumberland County courthouse over the past 11 years.
30 — Number of people participating in the YMCA’s weight-loss program called “Lose to Win.”
27 — Number of Afghan civilians said to have been killed in a NATO airstrike Sunday — the third instance of civilian casualties there in a week.
24+ — Number of break-ins in a neighborhood off South Reilly Road in a recent 33-day period.
6 — Number of colors on a pair of sneakers being held by a Fayetteville high school student who says her exuberant style stems in part from the fact that color makes her happy.
5 — Number of goals scored by the U.S. men’s hockey team in its game Sunday night against the heavily favored team field by the hockey-mad host country.
3 — Number of goals scored by the Canadian men’s hockey team in that game. Uh oh, eh? Goalie Martin Brodeur is in a Devil of a spot.
2 — Number of acts that will now play on Saturday night of the Dogwood Festival. Who’s going to open for the Gin Blossoms?

–cp

Art, flakes, machine guns and more: Today’s news, by the numbers

livewirepast — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:32:42 +0000

270 – Number of additional jobs that defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton expects to bring to Fayetteville in the next two years.
100 — Number of Salvador Dali watercolors on display at the Fayetteville Museum of Art for the next 16 days. The watercolors by the famed surrealist illustrate Dante’s Divine Comedy.
90 — Percent chance that snow will blanket the area by tomorrow morning.
25 — Amount, in dollars, charged people by a congressional candidate — if they wanted to fire a submachine gun during his campaign event in Fayetteville yesterday. The event was at a shooting range.
18 — Date this month on which the Sister Sledge concert will be held. It was postponed due to heavy snow in the Northeast.
4 — Number of years Cumberland County resident Ellie Felton had to use bottled water because of contaminated groundwater in her well. That’ll end — happily — today.
2 — Number of stents inserted yesterday into a blocked coronary artery in former President Clinton. The artery was cleared and he was released from the hospital today.
0 — Number of Kennedys that will be serving in Congress, for the first time in 64 years, when Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy steps down at the end of his term.

–cp

Snow, Survivor, Psy Ops and more: Today’s news, by the numbers

livewirepast — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:08:33 +0000

9,000,000 — Amount, in dollars, of a possible budget shortfall for Cumberland County government next year.
79 & 55 — Record-setting amounts, in inches, of snow that’s fallen in Baltimore and in Washington, D.C., this winter — so far. More snow may be on the way. See also: 4 (below).
40 — Approximate number of Psy Ops soldiers sent from Fort Bragg to Haiti to help in communications with the people there.
20 — Number of years since Nelson Mandela was freed. 1990 pic below.
12 — Number of teams in the ACC conference.
11 — Position of the UNC men’s basketball team in the ACC conference standings after its loss last night to Duke (No. 1 in the conference). No. 12 — State — lost, too. Who can lose less when the ACC’s rottenest teams meet this weekend? Pix below.
8 — Time tonight that “Survivor” comes on TV. The new season of the reality show includes two contestants with Fayetteville ties.
4 — Number of days that the federal government has been closed due to snowfall — so far. See also: 79 & 55 (above).
1 — Number of batches of potentially weapons-grade uranium that Iran says it has now made — and it plans to make more.
.7 — Percentage that Fayetteville area home values declined in the 4th quarter of 2009 — possibly a sign of bleak things to come, according to a Web site that tracks home values.

–cp

Picture this, super-sized

livewirepast — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:26:39 +0000

Super Bowl XLIV m*a*s*h’ed the 27-year-old record for the most people watching a TV program. Until last night, the record had been held by the 1983 finale of the TV comedy-drama series M*A*S*H.

About 106.5 million people watched the Saints beat the Colts in SB 44, compared to the 106 million who watched the M*A*S*H eppy. The Saints show drew a smaller percentage of the total U.S. population but more overall viewers.

Below, a handful of viewers, both here and afar — really afar.

This Sopranos-esque guy is watching at a bar in Bangkok.

These guys are watching in Iraq.

These guys were watching, well, you can possibly tell, in Indianapolis.

This guy was watching, or maybe just waiting, in New Orleans.

These guys were watching — and doing it – right there in person.

–cp

Who dat singing the Song of the Day? Plus: some non-musical numbers

livewirepast — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:31:34 +0000

If you want to be in that number… here are some other numbers you should know:

43: Age of the New Orleans Saints franchise (founded as an expansion team in 1967).
20: Number of seasons Saints played before they had a winning record.
12: Number of seasons Saints played before they had a .500 record.
13: Number of games the Saints won in a row in 2009, a record.
7: Number of seasons the Saints have made the playoffs (1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2006, 2009)
4 1/2: Number of years since Hurricane Katrina.
4: Age of the phrase “Who Dat Nation.”
2: Number of playoff wins Saints had before this year (one in 2000 and one in 2006).
1: Saints are de one today — No. 1, after winning their first Super Bowl — and New Orleans celebrates.

–cp

A “potentially epic” storm has begun in D.C.

livewirepast — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:44:44 +0000

Snow is falling on Washington and it may not stop ’til it’s left at least 2 feet on the ground. Or more. Ai yi yi.

NOAA’s administrator said the storm may rival a 1922 blizzard that dropped 28! inches! on Washington, D.C., and the National Weather Service says it could hit 30 inches. The NOAA administrator is the one who called this storm “potentially epic.” Well, it’d sure be a heckuva lotta snow. I do like snow but for now? I’ll just take rain, thanks.

The hardest-hit areas are expected to be a broad region with DC at its center and spreading through eastern West Virginia, northern and central Virginia, most of Maryland, Delaware and the southern parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey,

Below is what a DC TV station‘s radar map was showing at 3:14 p.m.

–cp

Jenny Sanford’s new book — and you thought the luv guv couldn’t look worse than he already does

livewirepast — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:09:18 +0000

But much as with John Edwards, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s history keeps on yielding tidbits that raise the eyebrows and boggle the mind. Surely, the well will eventually run dry on both men.

Not yet, though.

While Edwards’ one-time mistress fights in court for the return of a videotape that’s said to show her and him in an exceedingly compromising situation, the wife that Sanford dissed and cheated on is about to get a long lounge in the media sun — and, I’d bet, on the best-seller lists. ‘Cuz her book on their life together is out and let’s just say Luv Guv has been a piece of work practically from the start, at least according to “Staying True.”

Examples:

He insisted they cut the fidelity part out of their marriage vows!

He drew a picture of half of a bike for her birthday present one year, then drew a picture of the bike’s other half for her Christmas present. Then, months later, he gave her a $25 used bike!

He said he didn’t need to go to Lamaze class when she was pregnant with their son because… wait for it… because he had helped cows give birth and so he knew everything he needed to!

And there is apparently much more. Jenny Sanford, who has filed for divorce, will be on 20/20 tonight with Barbara Walters.

–cp

What’s “good” about a 9.7 pct unemployment rate and more news by the numbers

livewirepast — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:24:17 +0000

The national unemployment rate was a whopping and depressing 9.7 pct in January. But: That was down from 10 pct in December. But again: The journey to economic recovery remains exceedingly slow and on a very bumpy and possibly long road.

Meanwhile, some numbers from stories in today’s Fayetteville Observer:

Uncountable — The ever-changing but always too large number of bed bugs at the Salvation Army’s shelter downtown.
75,000 — Number of dollars raised for charity in a unique challenge issued to members of Haymount United Methodist Church.
600 — Number of gun locks given away Thursday by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
14 — Number of years Larry Shaw will have served in the N.C. Senate when he leaves that office at the end of this term.
5 — Number of conference losses — in a total of 7 conference games — now racked up by the UNC Tar Heel basketball team. Note: Dook — I mean, Duke — won last night. Again. Sigh.
3 and 8 — Times of tomorrow’s Crown Coliseum shows of Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Big Happy Family.” (featured in the Observer’s Weekender)
2 — Number of Fort Bragg paratroopers killed by a bomb in Afghanistan Tuesday.
2 — Number of people who have filed a civil-rights suit against former N.C. Sen. Tony Rand in connection with the security-equipment manufacturer which he chairs.

–cp

Debt, DNA, pickle juice, football — today’s news by the numbers

livewirepast — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:49:17 +0000

From some of the stories in today’s Fayetteville Observer:

6,000,000,000 – Approximate dollar amount of North Carolina state government’s outstanding debt. (Page 2B)
68,000 — Dollar amount saved yearly by a local manufacturing plant because it’s using pickle juice in its waste-treatment plant.
411 — Aka info, and Sammy Batten has compiled lots of it on college football signing day.
214 — Number of pages in South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford’s memoir, “Staying True,” which is to be released Friday. She tells her view of life with luv guv Mark Sanford — and why she’ll soon be split from him. (Page 4B)
20 — Number of people working for local road-building business.
18 — Number of local schools whose schedules may change next year to cut the system’s transportation costs.
6 — Number of weeks it takes for a “rush” analysis of DNA for a criminal case, such as the sexual assaults in the area that may be linked.
4 — Number of recipes given for turning leftovers into great dishes.
0 — What a Columbus County woman had to pay for her groceries after being left inside a Food Lion when employees locked and closed it for the night.

–cp