$1.14T: How much Americans owe in credit card debt, per the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, up 5.8% YoY. Credit card delinquency rates also rose, now affecting 9.1% of credit card balances. Researchers say factors could include those still recovering from the Great Recession and the pandemic, plus inflation and high interest rates.
1.8k hours: How long it took Canadian teacher Robert Tymofichuk to build a hovercraft using parts from a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a 1985 Toyota Celica, and a Volkswagen Jetta. Tymofichuk has been infatuated with hovercrafts since childhood, and even built one back in the ‘80s. His current model can go up to 38 mph on water and ~50 mph on ice — though that would be ill-advised. Mostly, he likes to use it on camping trips with his wife, where they fish and prospect for gold because of course they do.
16 feet: Height of artist Iván Argote’s “Dinosaur,” a giant, realistic sculpture of a pigeon set to loom over NYC’s High Line Plinth this fall. Argote said he feels it could “generate an uncanny feeling of attraction, seduction, and fear” among New Yorkers. Pigeons are a ubiquitous part of NYC — and often hated, despite the fact that it was us humans who domesticated, then forsook them like a bunch of jerks. This pigeon will remain for 18 months as part of a series of public artworks in the space.
$20m: How much Coca-Cola pays per year to be an official Olympic sponsor. The soda brand is the Games’ longest-running sponsor, dating back to 1928. However, health experts want that partnership nixed due to the negative health impacts of consuming sugary drinks. A similar push occurred with tobacco in the ‘80s and, yeah, it sure is weird to think that Marathon was the Olympics’ official cigarette in 1984.
