In the Congo
“Mrs. Clinton, we’ve all heard about the Chinese contracts in this country,” a student said. “The interference is from the World Bank against this contract. What does Mr. Clinton think through the mouth of Mrs. Clinton?” Later, her aides released the transcript of the question, as it had been translated to English from French, and further inspection of the audio recording of the event indicated that the translation was fine; the student had indeed said “Mr. Clinton.” After the event, the student apologized to Mrs. Clinton, saying he had indeed meant to ask what Mr. Obama thought. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/world/africa/13clinton.html?hp

Although Congress grants itself a couple of months off each year, it guarantees ordinary Americans no vacation whatever. The European Union mandates at least four weeks off with pay, a fact cited in support of the Paid Vacation Act of 2009, a modest attempt to guarantee many U.S. workers at least a one-week vacation. Its sponsor, Representative Alan Grayson, a Democrat from Florida, says he believes that a wise vacation policy can increase productivity, stimulate the economy and improve employee health. http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/too-much-vacation-for-congress/?apage=2

The library books nobody wants to borrow
A website revealing the worst books on library shelves has become a surprise hit.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/aug/12/library-books

Famous and infamous tales of the construction of Fallingwater, Part 3
http://info.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek09/0814/0814d_fallingwater.cfm
Thanks, Paul.

America’s Fastest-Growing Companies: Lists & Rankings, Online Database: 2009 Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 Released August 13th, 2009
From the Inc. 500 (28th Annual) News Release/Summary (.doc) Inc. magazine today announced its 28th annual Inc. 500, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Topping this year’s list is Northern Capital Insurance, a Miami-based firm that is helping to revolutionize Florida’s ailing insurance industry. The company boasted $95 million in revenue in 2008 and an impressive three-year growth rate of 19,812 percent. The 2009 Inc. 500, reported aggregate revenue of $18.4 billion—up significantly from last year’s $13.7 billion—and a median three-year growth rate of 880.5 percent. The largest company on the list, flat-panel-TV maker Vizio, broke the $2 billion revenue mark. Complete results of the Inc. 500, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found on Inc.com.
Here’s the News Release/Summary for the 2009 Inc. 5000 (3rd Annual) (.doc)

The Enoch Pratt Free Library system has reported that 1.7 million visitors walked through its doors in fiscal 2009. That’s a 32 percent increase compared with the prior year. The public library system’s fiscal year runs July-to-July. The system operates 22 neighborhood library branches, including the central location downtown, in Baltimore.
In addition, the library saw a 19 percent increase in program attendance for adults, teens and children; and a 2.4 percent increase in the number of books checked out in 2009.
The system’s Web site also experienced a 9 percent bounce in number of visits.

Michigan Facts and Trivia
In 1817 the University of Michigan was the first university established by any of the states. Originally named Cathelepistemian and located in Detroit the name was changed in 1821. The university moved to Ann Arbor in 1841.
Sault Ste. Marie was founded by Father Jacques Marquette in 1668. It is the third oldest remaining settlement in the United States.
The Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit manufactured the first air-conditioned car in 1939.
Michigan State University was founded in 1855 as the nation's first land-grant university and served as the prototype for 69 land-grant institutions later established under the Morrill Act of 1862. It was the first institution of higher learning in the nation to teach scientific agriculture.
The Mackinac Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. Connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, it spans 5 miles over the Straits of Mackinac, which is where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. The Mighty Mac took 3 years to complete and was opened to traffic in 1957. http://www.50states.com/facts/michigan.htm

Find 50 facts about each of the 50 states:
http://www.50states.com/facts/

On August 18, 1227 Genghis Khan died, leaving behind an empire that stretched from the east coast of China across to Russia and down to the Aral Sea. The empire continued to grow after his death, and by 1280, it covered 12 million square miles, about two-thirds of the "known world" at the time. He was brutal, but once he had established control, he left people with a surprising amount of freedom—he made sure they had access to food; he established governments, often with local officials; he allowed women to speak in public and express opinions; and he allowed religious freedom, never trying to convert people. And although he himself was illiterate, he helped establish the first written Mongolian language.
On August 18, 1587 the first child was born of English parents in what is now America: Virginia Dare. She was born on Roanoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina, just a few days after settlers from England had arrived to establish the Roanoke Colony, the first English colony in the New World. By1590, the colonists had vanished. No one ever discovered what happened to little Virginia Dare and the rest of the colonists—they never reappeared. To this day, Roanoke Colony is referred to as "The Lost Colony."
On August 18, 1920 the 19th Amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote. Seventy-two years earlier, at the Seneca Falls Convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott had called for the rights of women, and begun the cause of women's suffrage. The Writer’s Almanac