Dashboard

WASHINGTON

First baby boomer files for Social Security

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.

The Sands Casino Hotel is demolished

SAO PAULO

Kimi Raikkonen wins Formula One championship

PARIS

Sarkozy and wife Cecilia separate

KARACHI

Suicide bombs that targeted Bhutto kill at least 140

WASHINGTON

Comedian Colbert launches bid for President

EXPLAINER

Musharraf in the Middle: The Pressures on Pakistan's President

1. SUPREME COURT

He tried to sack the Chief Justice in March. The court has yet to rule if he can run the country and the army.

2. PRESIDENT BUSH

Bush wants Musharraf to remain in power as well as crack down on Islamists. Both may not be possible.

3. BENAZIR BHUTTO

Back from exile to run for Prime Minister. Her anticipated victory would diminish Musharraf's power.

4. RED MOSQUE

This militant masjid has been goading Musharraf into armed conflict on the streets of Islamabad.

5. THE TALIBAN

They have long found safe haven in Pakistan. The Afghans and Americans want Musharraf to end that.

6. AL-QAEDA

They want Musharraf dead. Osama bin Laden declared jihad against the leader in a video this September.

LEXICON

trickle up

DEFINITION tri-kul up n. The redistribution of wealth from low-income Americans to those who are already rich.

CONTEXT The latest federal income-tax data reveal that the income share earned by the wealthiest 1% of the population--those who make at least $364,657--is at an all-time high. The one-percenters earned more than 21% of the entire country's income in 2005.

USAGE The phrase was coined to mock the economic inequality that some say started with Ronald Reagan's "trickle down" theory. But this is, at best, an imprecise analogy, because money isn't flowing from poor people's pockets straight to the rich: the pie is getting bigger for everyone. From 2000 to 2005, pretax income for the bottom half grew 15.5%. The rich just got a larger cut of overall growth (a 19% gain for the richest 1%). Perhaps better, then, to call it the big-slice theory.

VIRAL VIDEO

Sex and Censors in Vietnam

Looks like America's celebrity-sex-tape phenomenon has arrived in conservative Vietnam. A racy clip starring the 19-year-old female star of Vang Anh's Diaries--a hit show among younger viewers--was posted anonymously on YouTube.

NO BIG DEAL, RIGHT? Actually, Vietnam Television was so incensed that it dropped the entire series within days, and star Hoang Thuy Linh tearfully apologized to her fans. Naturally, the Web clip continues to circulate.

CRIME NOTE

Italy's Fellas Make Good

There's no such thing as the Mob, huh? Try telling that to small-business organization Confesercenti, which released a report alleging that the Mafia is Italy's "largest firm." "Mafia Inc," composed of Sicily's Cosa Nostra, Naples' Camorra, Calabria's 'Ndrangheta and Puglia's Sacra Corona Unita, brings in more revenue than the country's largest legal business--its government-owned energy company.

DIVERSIFICATION The report claims the Mafia has its fingers in everything; for example, it runs 2,500 illegal bakeries in Naples, makes fake olive oil and finances the illegal fishing of endangered tuna.

FITNESS AND WELL-BEING

Good News on Student Health

Schools have provided a healthier environment for students since 2000, says a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nutrition and physical activity have improved, but the report notes that changes still need to be made, since many schools continue to sell junk food and sugary soda.

FRIES VS. VEGGIES About 19% of schools offered French fries in 2006, compared with 40% in 2000. Vegetable sales increased in the past six years: 51% of schools offered them in 2000, compared with 71% in 2006.

JUNK-FOOD BANS Junk food in vending machines was prohibited by just 4% of school districts in 2000, a number that jumped to nearly 30% in 2006. In 2000, 1% of districts banned junk food during school parties. In 2006 almost 12% prohibited it.

PHYS-ED CLASS The percentage of districts that required elementary schools to teach physical education increased from 83% in 2000 to 93% in 2006. Fewer schools are allowed to punish kids with push-ups, which associates exercise with pain.

RECESS In 2000, 46% of elementary schools were required to provide students with recess, compared with 57% in 2006. Still, 32% of elementary schools don't offer daily recess, and the percentage that offer intramural sports hasn't gone up since 2000.