Thursday, Jul. 12, 2007
Numbers
FINANCES
$15 trillion
Estimated assets held by Americans 65 and older, the most in history for that age group
30%
Percentage of Americans 65 and older who say they don't have enough money to meet their basic living expenses
WEATHER
116DEGF
Temperature in Las Vegas on July 5, tying the record set on that date in 1985
30
Number of U.S. states facing a drought as of July 5
AERODYNAMICS
50%
Proportion of the primary structure of Boeing's new Dreamliner aircraft, unveiled on July 9, that is made of carbon fiber and other composites instead of aluminum. The new materials reduce the weight of the plane
20%
Percentage by which the design of the Dreamliner will reduce fuel usage compared with similarly sized planes. Claims for the jet's main rival, the much larger Airbus A380, also include an environmental edge: by ferrying more passengers, it can reduce congestion and emissions in the skies
REAL ESTATE
$165 million
Asking price for a Beverly Hills, Calif., mansion that once belonged to publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. It is believed to be the most expensive U.S. residential listing ever
$120,000
Approximate price Hearst laid down to buy the mansion in 1947. The 6.5-acre estate now boasts three pools, 29 bedrooms, a movie theater and a disco
Sources: Boston Globe; Pew Research Center for the People and the Press; New York Times; CNN; Advertiser (2); AP; Unique Homes magazine; AP