Monday, Dec. 19, 2005

Numbers

26 Tropical storms named in the Atlantic in 2005, breaking the previous record, set in 1933, of 21 such storms

14 Hurricanes in the Atlantic in 2005, besting 1969's record of 12

3.3 million Pakistanis left homeless by the Oct. 8 quake that claimed some 80,000 lives

80% Estimated percent of the 1.8 million people displaced by the Dec. 26 tsunami who a year later still lack permanent housing

490,290 Prescriptions filled in the U.S. in the past four months for flu-fighting Tamiflu, more than triple the number during the same period last year

50% Increase in U.S. sales of Frank's sauerkraut since South Korean researchers reported this year that pickled cabbage--which is also used in kimchi--helps ward off bird flu

$3.06 Average retail price per gal. of gas in the U.S. in September, a record high

90-c- Drop in average price per gal. by December

12% Drop in U.S. CD sales this year, to 544 million units, compared with 2004

15 Average legal downloads per iPod in the U.S. in 2005, down from 25 last year, suggesting a rise in illegal downloads

Sources: AP (3); New York Times; Verispan LLC; Minnesota Public Radio; International Herald Tribune (2); Reuters; Bloomberg