Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007
Numbers
IMMIGRATION
16
Anticipated processing time, in months, for citizenship applications and residence visas filed by legal U.S. immigrants with Citizenship and Immigration Services after June 1
66%
Percentage increase in fees for the agency's services, as of July 30; critics say the hike has failed in its goal of speeding the process
INTERNET
2010
Year the Internet could slow to a global crawl because of a surge in video overloading its current capacity
$137 billion
Amount that infrastructure investors will have to invest--more than double the amount planned--to keep up with the video demand
URBAN DWELLERS
25
Amount of waste in pounds that the average pigeon produces per year. There are up to 1 million pigeons living in New York City
$1,000
Proposed fine for feeding pigeons in New York City; the practice is outlawed in London's Trafalgar Square, and Venice is looking to stop the sale of birdseed in St. Mark's Square
EXOTIC FOOD
3.3
Weight in pounds of a white truffle found on Nov. 23 near Pisa--the second largest ever; the world's largest, 5.5 lbs, was found in 1954
20
Maximum number of days after discovery that a white truffle should be eaten; the Pisa truffle will be auctioned on Dec. 1 in Macau, eight days after it was found
Sources: New York Times (2); PCWorld; New Yorker; Reuters; Guardian (2)