This is my final blog about formerly common things that you may not be able to find anymore!
That is right, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has spread across the U.S. and Europe lately and is wiping out the honey bees. Between 50 and 90% of the colonies of many beekeepers has been wiped out. Some are blaming CCD on climate change, some blame it on a virus, and even others think it may have something to do with beekeeping practices. I guess until the real cause is known, the honeybee will remain in danger.
Printed Newspapers, magazines, and Television News
Okay, I will admit that I like online news better – you can find what you want when you want it and ignore the other stuff. But, if printed newspapers and magazines go away, I will miss them terribly! Newspapers with large circulation are seeing their numbers fall. The New York Times is down 3.9% in the latest poll taken. In 2007 alone, the total revenue for all newspapers in the U.S. fell about $6 billion from 2000.
Analog TV
No doubt you have seen the commercials that say if you don’t have satellite or cable TV, your set won’t pick anything up after early next year. The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that approximately 15% of the population still has rabbit ears or large TV antennas to get local stations. Those people will have to get a new converter box once everything goes digital on February 17, 2009 via federal law.
The Family Farm
You probably already know family farms have been on the decline for a while now. The USDA estimates that in 1950, the U.S. had about 5.2 million farms. That number has dwindled to 2.1 million in 2003. The 2007 census information isn’t ready yet, but I doubt it will show an increase.