Only Positive Statistic Of Year Announced

WASHINGTON—Amid a growing list of domestic and international concerns such as skyrocketing fuel prices, the slumping dollar, massive recalls of tainted food, the housing market collapse, and an increase in obesity, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals delivered the country’s only positive statistic Tuesday when officials announced that cases of feline leukemia had stabilized. “In this current climate, we were all waiting for some good news,” said Brad Gambrell, 37, an unemployed census worker. “With more infants perishing during childbirth, fewer citizens covered by health insurance, and air quality steadily worsening, it’s a huge relief that the number of cats dying from this horrible disease is staying the same.” Additional data showed that, upon hearing the news, hundreds of Americans who were being evicted from their homes or learning that they had colon cancer briefly experienced a glimmer of hope—a once-common sensation that has declined by 250 percent since 2002.