What's special about this number?

Some good, bad and ugly ... of 50 facts...

1 – The speed of light is generally rounded down to 186,000 miles per second. In exact terms it is 299,792,458 m/s (equal to 186,287.49 miles per second).

2 – It takes 8 minutes 17 seconds for light to travel from the Sun’s surface to the Earth.

3 – 10 percent of all human beings ever born are alive at this very moment.

4 – The Earth spins at 1,000 mph but it travels through space at an incredible 67,000 mph.

5 – Every year, over one million earthquakes shake the Earth.

7 – Every second around 100 lightning bolts strike the Earth.

8 – Every year lightning kills 1000 people.

14 – Female black widow spiders eat their males after mating.

23 – The thermometer was invented in 1607 by Galileo.

24 – Alfred Nobel invented dynamite in 1866.

26 – The tallest tree ever was an Australian eucalyptus – In 1872 it was measured at 435 feet tall.

32 – Giraffes often sleep for only 20 minutes in any 24 hours. They may sleep up to 2 hours (in spurts – not all at once), but this is rare. They never lie down.

37 – A quarter of the world’s plants are threatened with extinction by the year 2010.

38 - The average Japanese women can expect to live to be 84

39 - During the Roman Empire, life expectancy was just 22 years; 1500 years later, it reached 33 - now, Japense have the highest life expectancy that is predicted to increase. In Central and South Africa, though, US Census Bureau predicts a drop in life expectancy in 51 countries ... primarly because of the HIV/Aids pandemic.

40 -China has 44 million missing women. For every 100 baby girls born in China in 2000, there were 116.8 baby boys. In China and India, sex-selective abortions are illegal but still common. China's 'one child' policy has meant that many births go unreported; these unregistered children won't be able to, for example, go to school or receive state-funded healthcare.

41 - Brazil has more Avon ladies than members of its armed services. One in five of the world's people live on less than a $1/day. Through the 1990s, there was a 7% improvement in poverty.

42 - Tiger Woods is the world's highest paid sportman. He earns $78 million a year -- or $148 every minute. 71 of that 78 million comes from sponsorships.

44 - More people can identify the golden arches of McDonalds than the Christian cross. Survey of 7,000 people in six countries (including the US) showed that the Shell oil logo, the Mercedes badge and the five Olympic rings were recognized far more widely than the Christain cross. In Britain, less than 20% said they were influenced by religion; churches complain consumerism is replacing faith. In America, 92% believe in God and 33% attend a place of worship at least once a week.

45 - In Kenya, bribery payments make up a third of the average household budget. A request for 'kitu kidogo' (something small) is common in Kenya; Kenyans say its hard to get anything without bribery. Corruption further hurts poor countries because it deters foreign investment.

Hopefully there's one of the above that someone will be interested in knowing...Alli and others & Kenya?

That's a lot of bad news. :( there needs to be a list of 50 people who can address some of these issues...

Comments? I don't expect (m) any...

I WAS ANXIOUS TO POST MY 50TH BLOG !

Now I can rest happily for a while until I blog about relatives staying two weeks with us when they go back to Montreal in five days...YIPPEE!