Is the National Zoo’s panda pregnant?
Ah, one of Washingtonians’ favorite annual pastimes has begun. The short answer is we’ll know in about six weeks. The longer answer is that the National Zoo’s female panda, Mei Xiang, has entered her secondary hormone phase, which means that she is 40 to 50 days away from giving birth to a cub or the end of a pseudopregnancy. The panda has had five pseudoprenancies since 2007, but she did give birth to Tai Shan, her only cub, in 2005, to much fanfare. Zoo officials say Mei Xiang has shown some changes in her behavior recently, including nest-building and dragging bamboo shoots into her den.
How much do wealthy people pay in taxes?
Households that earn more than $1 million a year pay 20 percent of all federal taxes, although they make up about 0.3 percent of all taxpayers, according to the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan group that studies tax policy. That includes income, payroll and estate taxes. On the other end of the scale, 46 percent of households do not pay any federal income taxes, although they pay payroll and excise taxes. Households making $50,000 to $75,000 pay 9 percent of federal taxes and comprise 12 percent of taxpayers, according to the center.
Why can’t you use electronics on airplanes?
The Federal Aviation Administration currently prohibits portable electronic devices at altitudes below 10,000 feet because officials are concerned they will interfere with the radio frequencies used by pilots. However, the FAA announced Monday that it will create a work group to study the issue for the next six months — although cellphone use will not be considered. The agency also will be taking public comments for the next 60 days.
