TOPIC: Median household income, in 2000 dollars
2000: $42,148
2008: $41,719*
CHANGE: -1%
TOPIC: Federal budget
2000: $236 billion surplus
2008: $407 billion deficit
CHANGE: -272.5%
TOPIC: Defense spending, in 2000 dollars
2000: $304 billion
2008: $545 billion
CHANGE: +79.3%
TOPIC: Dow Jones industrial average, weekly closes
2000: Oct. 6, 2000: 10,596.54
2008: Friday: 10,325.88
CHANGE: 2.6%
TOPIC: Average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline
2000: $1.498 (Oct. 2)
2008: $3.644 (Sept. 29)
CHANGE: 143.3%
TOPIC: Cost of a barrel of crude oil
2000: $1.498 (Oct. 2)
2008: $3.644 (Sept. 29)
CHANGE: 143.3%
TOPIC: Cost of a barrel of crude oil
2000: $30.86 (Oct. 6)
2008: $93.88 (Oct. 3)
CHANGE: 204.2%
TOPIC: Sales of the Ford F-Series, the top-selling motor vehicle
2000: 876,716
2008: 359,971 (through August)
CHANGE: N/A
TOPIC: Average tuition and fees at public, four-year universities, in 2000 dollars
2000: $3,508 (2000-01)
2008: $5,136 (2007-08)
CHANGE: +46.4%
TOPIC: Location of Osama bin Laden
2000: Afghanistan
2008: Possibly in northwest Pakistan
CHANGE: In hiding
TOPIC: U.S. population
2000: 282.2 million
2008: 301.6 million (July 2007)
CHANGE: +6.9%
TOPIC: Top-grossing movie
2000: “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” ($260 million)
2008: “The Dark Knight” ($517.8 million)
CHANGE: 99.2%
TOPIC: U.S. Senate
2000: 2000: 55 Rep., 45 Dem.
2008: 49 Rep., 49 Dem., 2 ind.
TOPIC: U.S. House of Representatives
2000: 2000: 223 Rep., 211 Dem. , 1 ind.
2008: 202 Rep., 233 Dem.
TOPIC: George Bush (2000 photo and 2008 photo)
*Based on 2007 figure of $50,233 converted to 2000 dollars.
SOURCES: Bloomberg, College Board, Energy Information Administration, IMDB, White House Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Census Bureau, Tribune archives, AP photos
