Watershed Election Boasts Historic Firsts for Blacks, Women, Youth and Cash

First, most, longest. Election 2008 has redefined American politics in a rainbow of historic records that are likely to resonate across the cultural landscape for decades to come.

The historic campaign -- nearly two years long -- was marked by breakthroughs in race, gender, age, fundraising and use of technology.

The primaries were the most contested, the debates the most contentious and the cost the highest -- nearly $1 billion by today's Election Day. In earlier primaries, voter turnout soared and, in the case of the Democrats, broke all records.

By day's end, an all-time high of 136 to 140 million Americans are expected to have voted. And in the growing trend of early voting in 32 states, almost one- third of those had cast early ballots before Election Day.

Facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and fighting two foreign wars, 9 million Americans registered to vote for the first time with an excitement not witnessed in generations.

Marked by both passion and polarization, the race drew legions of African Americans, youth and disaffected independents who had historically not played such a large role in determining the victors.

"We won't know for years to come, but the potential is that 2008 is a realigning election, measured not only in voter registration rolls but in how we see ourselves," said Richard Norton Smith, presidential scholar at George Washington University.

Can New President End Polarization?

"And if a new president can foster and begin to break down that 50-50 mutually suspicious, if not hostile, climate that we have grown up with in this country in the last couple of presidencies, we can become an even larger and less polarized country, defined less by our differences and more by our common needs," he said.

As polls for this 56th election close, either the first African American or the first female will be elected to the presidency or the vice presidency, top offices that have been held by white men since the inauguration of George Washington in 1789.

Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama and Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin landed spots on the tickets of the major parties after two decades of increased numbers of women and minorities entering the political arena.

Many of these relative newcomers to politics helped Obama raise an eye-popping $659 million, more than double the fundraising of both John Kerry and George W. Bush in 2004.

This election marks the first time since 1928 that no president or vice president was on the ballot at any stage of the campaign. Both McCain and Obama would also be the first sitting U.S. senator elected since John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1960 and only the second in history (Warren Harding, who died in office, was the first).

2008 Historic Presidential Campaign

Each was also the first to have been born outside the continental U.S. -- McCain in the Panama Canal Zone and Obama in Hawaii. Each candidate will be the first from their respective home states, Arizona and Hawaii.

At 72, McCain would be the oldest first-term president and only the second to be divorced, following Ronald Reagan, as well as the first to have served in the Vietnam War. Palin, his vice president, would be the first major-party candidate from Alaska.

If Obama, 47, wins, it will be because he unified a broad coalition of minorities, youth, independents and so-called "Obamacans or Baracafella" -- moderate Republicans. His running mate, Joe Biden, would be the first Roman Catholic vice president.

For the first time in a half century, voters may also tip the balance in Congress to the Democrats in what may be the largest gain since the era of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

"We're all fixated on the obvious firsts, like race and gender, but the ending is as important as the beginning," said Smith. "We are looking at the end of 40 years of conservative dominance in American politics, which began with Richard Nixon in 1968 and was strengthened by Ronald Reagan."

Obama has a narrow lead in the opinion polls in traditional red states like Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, which have not voted blue since Dixie-crats moved away from the party after the Civil Rights Act in 1964. That political shift was solidified in 1984 when Ronald Reagan carried the Old South.

LBJ's South Could Return

An Obama victory could signal the end of that era, one which President Lyndon B. Johnson invoked when he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed segregation. According to historians, Johnson put down his pen and told an aide, "We have lost the South for a generation."

"That generation is over," civil rights activist Rev. Sharpton told ABCNews.com. "Whites and blacks have fought to change that. But we've seen a progression of black mayors and winners in statewide races. It's an idea whose time has come and will vindicate us if we use it for substantive change."

Still, Obama was also offered Secret Service protection earlier than any other previous candidate, which some say underscores the racism that still exists in America.

The Constitution was amended in 1870 to allow blacks to vote, but it wasn't until the Civil Rights Voting Act of 1965 that they gained full access to the ballot. The first minor party black presidential candidate was the late New York Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm in 1972, followed in 1984 and 1988 by civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson, who sought but failed to obtain the Democratic nomination. Today, the Congress has 42 African Americans and two states have black governors.

Progress for Minority Groups

Today, African Americans make up 13 percent of the U.S. population, just behind Hispanics at nearly 15 percent.

Sharpton, who ran his own unsuccessful campaign for president in 2004, said Obama's being named to a major ticket is a watershed event.

"If Obama wins, it will be the first time I can honestly look every child in the eye and say, 'you can grow up to be the president of the United States,'" he said. "It fulfills part of Martin Luther King's dream to be judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin."

But 2008 is a watershed for more than African American politics.

Women, who gained the right to vote even later than blacks, in 1920, shattered "18 million cracks" in the glass ceiling with the hard-fought candidacy of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. Her campaign came on the heels of Nancy Pelosi becoming the first female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007.

As the first Republican woman on the presidential ticket, Palin's nomination came two decades after that of former New York Democrat Geraldine Ferraro, who ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 1984.

'Hillary Made Progress for All of Us'

"Everything has changed because of Hillary's success, particularly in the end where she was so persistent and strong -- she moved women across the country," said Marie Wilson, founder of The White Project, which is dedicated to advancing women in leadership roles. "She made progress for all of us."

Not only did Palin and Clinton serve as role models for aspiring young women, but so did the newscasters, according to Wilson. Ratings and interest were strong for both news and comedy shows led by females.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow saw her election show double in ratings in just one month; both CNN's Campbell Brown and CBS's Katie Couric got high marks for their combative interviews.

"We are seeing women as experts," Wilson told ABCNews.com. "Women are being looked to as decision makers."

Even Palin's self-described "pitbull in lipstick" image inspired, according to Wilson. "Women are motivated by her confidence."

Not only women, but youth have been electrified by the 2008 race. An estimated 6.5 million new voters under the age of 30 participated in the primaries, according to the Center for Information and Research on Learning and Engagement.

Obama has turned to social networking tools like Facebook and text messaging to engage new voters. McCain has appealed directly to youth on MTV and used YouTube for political advertising.

Interest has intensified as record numbers of viewers, both young and old, have pushed up ratings for comedy shows like "Saturday Night Live" to watch spoofs of both candidates and their running mates.

Youth and Technology

Technology, especially cell phones, has also helped fuel the youth vote. "It's provided a way to reach people at a speed and depth that is unprecedented," said Sujatha Jahagirdar, director for Student PIRG's New Voters Project.

"The excitement is palpable," she told ABCNews.com. In 16 out of 17 states where PIRG did exit polls in the primaries, youth turnout had doubled since 2000.

"The level of participation that we've seen is unprecedented and born out by the numbers," she said. "The reason was the competitive primary, and it was on both sides of the aisle. Civic engagement is a post-9/11 phenomenon -- the realization that politics matters to their lives."

'Pay Attention to Young People'

"The lesson that comes out of the election is when you pay attention to young people, they pay attention to you," said Jahagirdar.

Political observers say these new demographics, combined with a dissatisfaction with the Bush White House may change the face of American politics for yet another generation.

"People are fed up with the status quo -- they are not happy with the economy or the war," said Smith. "They are fed up with the way politics works or doesn't work."

Still, like the swing of the pendulum in presidential elections past, the changes wrought by this powerhouse election may shift the political culture -- but not necessarily forever.

"There is no such thing as a permanent coalition, a permanent majority or a permanent anything," said Smith. "But that is not to minimize the magnitude of what's transpiring. This is not insignificant simply because it can't last forever."

SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES

Corporate America's supercharged performers

1. Arena Resources

Rank:
1 (Previous rank: 3)
CEO:
Phillip W. Terry
Address:
6555 South Lewis Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74136

Eight-year-old oil and gas producer has grown by buying properties in New Mexico and Texas.

2. T-3 Energy Services

Rank:
2 (Previous rank: N.A.)
CEO:
Gus D. Halas
Address:
7135 Ardmore
Houston, TX 77054

Oilfield equipment maker fills orders from the Middle East to Russia.

3. Allis-Chalmers Energy

Rank:
3 (Previous rank: 62)
CEO:
Munawar H. Hidayatallah
Address:
5075 Westheimer
Suite 890
Houston, TX 77056

Oil and gas services firm has been on an acquisition binge over the past six years.

4. Bucyrus International

Rank:
4 (Previous rank: N.A.)
CEO:
Timothy W. Sullivan
Address:
1100 Milwaukee Avenue
PO Box 500
South Milwaukee, WI 53172

Wisconsin-based manufacturer specializes in equipment for mining coal and copper.

5. DXP Enterprises

Rank:
5 (Previous rank: N.A.)
CEO:
David R. Little
Address:
7272 Pinemont
Houston, TX 77040

This 100-year-old company supplies pumps and more to industries including oil and gas.

6. National Oilwell Varco

Rank:
6 (Previous rank: 2
CEO:
Merrill A. Miller Jr.
Address:
7909 Parkwood Circle Drive
Houston, TX 77036-6565

Houston-based oil and gas services outfit makes products under 115 brand names.

7. Sigma Designs

Rank:
7 (Previous rank: N.A.)
CEO:
Trinh Q. Tran
Address:
1778 McCarthy Blvd
Milpitas, CA 95035

Makes chips that power new media toys like Blu-ray DVD players and high-definition TVs.

8. Atwood Oceanics

Rank:
8 (Previous rank: 53)
CEO:
John R. Irwin
Address:
15835 Park Ten Place Drive
Houston, TX 77084

Offshore driller's eight rigs sit in waters all over the world; No. 9 is being built in Texas.

9. Intuitive Surgical

Rank:
9 (Previous rank: 4)
CEO:
Lonnie M. Smith
Address:
1266 Kifer Road
Sunnyvale, CA 94086

California firm makes and services surgical robots that allow for less invasive procedures.

10. Freeport-McMoRan

Rank:
10 (Previous rank: 19)
CEO:
Richard C. Adkerson
Address:
One North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004-4414

World's largest publicly traded copper producer has soared with commodities prices. >>>>

What's the most affluent city in the USA?

(a) San Jose

(b) San Francisco

(c) Honolulu

(d) Plano, Texas

The answer is Plano — and that surprises even the mayor of this 260,000-person Dallas suburb.

"I'd never heard that before," Plano Mayor Pat Evans says. "But it's good to know."

The Census Bureau released its annual report on income and poverty Tuesday. The results offer an interesting — and often unexpected — portrait of who's rich and who's poor in the USA.

Plano was the report's star among cities with populations of 250,000 or more. It had the highest income and lowest poverty rate.

Plano's median household income in 2007 was $84,492, up 10% from 2006. Placing a distant second: San Jose, with a median income of $76,963.

CENSUS: Uninsured total shrank, incomes rose in 2007

EXPERTS: Economy may stall push for health care

Plano is the home to corporate headquarters for Frito-Lay, JCPenney and other companies. Billionaire Ross Perot founded computer giant EDS and Perot Systems, both still based in Plano.

The city is north of Dallas at the end of a light-rail line. Gymnast Nastia Liukin, Olympic gold medalist in Beijing, trains there.

Despite its affluence, the median home price is about $225,000, Evans says. By contrast, San Jose's median home price is $744,000.

"We've got the lowest taxes and highest level of services in North Texas," the mayor says.

The poorest city in the nation was Detroit, with a median household income of $28,097. It fell to the bottom spot this year, replacing Cleveland.

The Census Bureau report also showed:

•States. Maryland remained the top state in income, and Mississippi remained the poorest.

Energy states Alaska and Wyoming had the biggest income gains. Four states lost ground: Michigan, Kentucky, New Mexico and South Dakota.

•Congressional districts. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who represents suburbs outside Washington, has the most affluent constituents. Their median household income was $103,664.

Rep. José Serrano, D-N.Y., who represents Harlem and the Bronx in New York City, has the district with the poorest residents. Median household income was $23,291.

•Regions. Income grew in the South and Midwest. It fell in the Northeast and did not change in the West.

Dennis Cauchon

An ultra-lightweight plane built from carbon fiber and powered using paper-thin solar panels has broken the world record for longest-lasting unmanned flight, its manufacturer claimed Sunday. QinetiQ Group PLC said its propeller-driven "Zephyr" aircraft flew for 83 hours and 37 minutes, more than doubling the official world record set by Northrop Grumman's "Global Hawk" in 2001.

The flight also went longer than a previous excursion by the Zephyr, which Qinetiq claims clocked up 54 hours of continuous flight last year.

However both the Zephyr's reported flight times are likely to remain unofficial because they did not meet criteria laid down by the world's air sports federation, the body responsible for measuring and verifying air and space records, QinetiQ spokesman Douglas Millard said.

"We were concentrating more on the flight than the record," he said.

No one at the Lausanne, Switzerland-based federation could immediately be reached for comment.

The 66 pound- (30 kilogram-) plane was launched by hand on July 28 in the Arizona desert in the United States and flown by autopilot and via satellite to an altitude of more 60,000 feet (18,000 meters), QinetiQ said.

Drawing on the power of the sun during the day, the plane stayed aloft at night using rechargeable lithium-sulphur batteries. Its more than three-day flight began on July 28 and was witnessed by U.S. and British defense officials, the company said.

QinetiQ said the Zephyr, which is funded by a host of U.S. and British military agencies, had potential in the fields of reconnaissance and communications.

RAPHAEL G. SATTER

Harvard tops this year's list of America's Best Colleges from U.S. News & World Report. It's the first time since 1996 that the Cambridge, Mass., university is alone at the top of the National Universities category. Princeton and Yale come in second and third, respectively, while Amherst College and Williams College share the No. 1 spot on the Liberal Arts Colleges list.

This year, Harvard managed to beat perennial No. 1 Princeton by one 10th of a point in the reputation survey the magazine sends out to college administrators across the country, in addition to making slight improvements in some of the other statistical measures. Harvard, which has a nearly $35 billion endowment, made big news last December when it announced that it would increase the financial packages it offers to students from families that earn $180,000 or less. The move was a dramatic leap beyond the $60,000 threshold that other highly selective universities had been using to determine which students were eligible for the most generous assistance packages. In another PR boost for the nation's oldest university, last school year was also Harvard's first under the guidance of President Drew Gilpin Faust. Her predecessor, Lawrence Summers, left after making controversial remarks about women in the science disciplines.

The reputation survey that U.S. News sends to top college officials at each school counts for 25 percent of a college's ranking. The other 75 percent is based on quantitative data that assesses a college's performance in areas such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, financial resources, student selectivity, and alumni giving. Each year, the formula is reassessed to stay on top of recent developments in higher education. For example, just as Harvard and dozens of other colleges recently have made adjustments to become more accessible to families of lesser financial means, U.S. News has incorporated data about the proportion of low-income students a school enrolls into its ranking measurements.

These periodic methodology adjustments make flat year-to-year comparisons of a school's U.S. News ranking somewhat misleading. Nevertheless, alumni always tend to take note of which schools have gained an edge on their academic rivals. For example, in the National Universities list this year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finished in fourth place, besting its West Coast rival, the California Institute of Technology, which landed in sixth place. Last year, Caltech held the edge with a fifth place ranking while MIT placed seventh. Part of the difference: MIT improved its faculty resources statistics slightly, while Caltech dipped there a little. (As in Olympic swimming, slightly better performance makes a big difference in results at this level of rankings.)

Over on the Liberal Arts Colleges list, this year the United States Military Academy was ranked 14th, besting its rival, the United States Naval Academy, which held the 22nd slot. Last year, Navy had the edge, finishing 20th while Army was 22nd.

1. Harvard University
Location
Cambridge, MA
2007 Total Enrollment
19,257
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$36,173
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Semester

2. Princeton University
Location
Princeton, NJ
2007 Total Enrollment
7,334
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$34,290
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Semester

3. Yale University
Location
New Haven, CT
2007 Total Enrollment
11,454
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$35,300
Application Deadline
12/31
Academic Calendar
Semester

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Location
Cambridge, MA
2007 Total Enrollment
10,220
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$36,390
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
4-1-4

4. Stanford University
Location
Stanford, CA
2007 Total Enrollment
19,782
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$36,030
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Quarter

6. University of Pennsylvania
Location
Philadelphia, PA
2007 Total Enrollment
18,916
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,526
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Semester

6. California Institute of Technology
Location
Pasadena, CA
2007 Total Enrollment
2,133
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$34,437
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Quarter

8. Columbia University
Location
New York, NY
2007 Total Enrollment
22,655
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$39,326
Application Deadline
1/2
Academic Calendar
Semester

8. Duke University
Location
Durham, NC
2007 Total Enrollment
13,598
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,525
Application Deadline
1/2
Academic Calendar
Semester

8. University of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
2007 Total Enrollment
12,336
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,632
Application Deadline
1/2
Academic Calendar
Quarter

11. Dartmouth College
Location
Hanover, NH
2007 Total Enrollment
5,849
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$36,915
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Quarter

12. Northwestern University
Location
Evanston, IL
2007 Total Enrollment
18,028
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,125
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Quarter

12. Washington University
Location
St. Louis, MO
2007 Total Enrollment
13,382
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,248
Application Deadline
1/15
Academic Calendar
Semester

14. Cornell University
Location
Ithaca, NY
2007 Total Enrollment
19,800
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$36,504
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Semester

15. Johns Hopkins University
Location
Baltimore, MD
2007 Total Enrollment
19,737
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,700
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Semester

16. Brown University
Location
Providence, RI
2007 Total Enrollment
8,167
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,718
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Semester

17. Rice University
Location
Houston, TX
2007 Total Enrollment
5,243
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$28,996
Application Deadline
1/2
Academic Calendar
Semester

18. Emory University
Location
Atlanta, GA
2007 Total Enrollment
12,570
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$36,336
Application Deadline
1/15
Academic Calendar
Semester

18. University of Notre Dame
Location
Notre Dame, IN
2007 Total Enrollment
11,733
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$36,847
Application Deadline
12/31
Academic Calendar
Semester

18. Vanderbilt University
Location
Nashville, TN
2007 Total Enrollment
11,847
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$37,005
Application Deadline
1/3
Academic Calendar
Semester

21. University of California at Berkeley
Location
Berkeley, CA
2007 Total Enrollment
34,953
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
In-state: $8,932
Out-of-state: $29,540
Application Deadline
11/30
Academic Calendar
Semester

22. Carnegie Mellon University
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
2007 Total Enrollment
10,493
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$38,844
Application Deadline
1/1
Academic Calendar
Semester

23. Georgetown University
Location
Washington, D.C.
2007 Total Enrollment
14,826
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
$38,122
Application Deadline
1/10
Academic Calendar
Semester

23. University of Virginia
Location
Charlottesville, VA
2007 Total Enrollment
24,257
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
In-state: $9,300
Out-of-state: $26,900
Application Deadline
1/2
Academic Calendar
Semester

25. University of California
at Los Angeles
Location
Los Angeles, CA
2007 Total Enrollment
38,896
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees
In-state: $7,034
Out-of-state: $26,102
Application Deadline
11/30
Academic Calendar
Quarter

Kenneth Terrell

With a fortune estimated at 35 billion dollars, Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the world's richest royal sovereign, and oil-rich Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi is far back at No. 2, Forbes magazine reported Thursday.

King Bhumibol, 80 and, at 62 years on the throne the world's longest-serving head of state, pushed to the top of the richest royals list by virtue a greater transparency surrounding his fortune, Forbes said.

It said that the Crown Property Bureau, which manages most of his family's wealth, "granted unprecedented access this year, revealing vast landholdings, including 3,493 acres in Bangkok."

Forbes called it a good year for monarchies, investment-wise. "As a group, the world's 15 richest royals have increased their total wealth to 131 billion dollars, up from 95 billion last year," Forbes said on its website.

With oil prices soaring, the monarchs of the petro-kingdoms of the Middle East and Asia dominate the list.

Sheik Khalifa, 60, the current president of the United Arab Emirates, was estimated to be worth 23 billion dollars, on the back of Abu Dhabi's huge petroleum reserves.

In third was the sovereign of the world's biggest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, 84, who inherited the Al-Saud family throne in 2005, came in with a fortune of 21 billion dollars.

The previous king of kings, wealth-wise, 62 year old Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of tiny, oil-endowed Brunei on the Southeast Asia island of Borneo, fell to fourth place with 20 billion dollars.

"The sultan, who inherited the riches of an unbroken 600-year-old Muslim dynasty, has had to cut back on his country's oil production because of depleting reserves," Forbes explained of his dwindling fortune.

Fifth was Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, 58, of another Emirate, Dubai, with a net worth of 18 billion dollars.

One of two Europeans on the list, Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein, 63, ranked six on the list with 5 billion dollars in wealth. However the bank that is a key source of his family's wealth, LGT, is under investigation by the United States for helping wealthy people evade taxes.

Qatar's Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, 56, came in at seventh, worth two billion dollar; eighth was King Mohammed VI of Morocco, 46, his 1.5 billion dollar fortune based on phosphate mining, agriculture and other investments.

Number nine was Prince Albert II of Monaco, 50, his diverse fortune in the southern European principality put at 1.4 billion dollars.

Tenth on the list was Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, 67, worth 1.1 billion dollars.

Rounding out the top 15 were: The Aga Khan Prince Karim Al Hussein, 71 (1.0 billion); Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, 82, 650 million dollars; Kuwait's Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 79, 500 million dollars; Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands, 70, 300 million dollars; and King Mswati III of Swaziland, 40, with 200 million dollars.

Forbes noted that because many of the royals inherited their wealth, share it with extended families, and often control it "in trust for their nation or territory," none of those on its list would qualify for the magazine's famous annual world billionaires ranking.

"Because of technical and idiosyncratic oddities in the exact relationship between individual and state wealth, these estimates are perforce a blend of art and science," it added. >>>>

Bounce, bounce, bounce ... for 24 hours.

That was what eight boys in Michigan did this week in an effort to set a world record.

The boys began the attempt Friday morning at the Bounce-a-Lot entertainment center southwest of Detroit in Flat Rock. They bounced two at a time in shifts in an inflatable castle.

Ten-year-old Mason Brott says the bouncing wasn't as tough as he thought it would be.

Guinness World Records must still authenticate the record, a process that could take months. The boys, ages 8 to 11, decided to try to beat the bouncing record of 19 hours and 24 minutes, set nearly two years ago. >>>>

Census Bureau says New Orleans is the fastest-growing large city in the nation, recovering from being wiped out by Hurricane Katrina.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- After being pummeled by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans is showing signs of recovery - ranking as the fastest-growing large city in the nation, according to a government report released Thursday.

The Census Bureau said New Orleans' population rose 13.8%, to 239,124, in the year ended July 1, 2007. That was a faster growth rate than any other city with a population of 100,000 or more.

The figures can be taken with a grain of salt. Over the first seven years of this decade, "The Big Easy" experienced both the largest rate of loss and largest numerical decline, due primarily to the storm that devastated the city nearly three years ago.

The government said the city's population fell 50.7% since 2000, when it stood at 484,674.

The Census Bureau said the second fastest growing city in the nation was Victorville, Calif., whose population climbed 9.5% to 107,221. Located in Southern California, Victorville's population passed the 100,000 mark for the first time in 2007.

Big states dominate. California and Texas dominate the fastest growing cities, both in the recent annual data and in the data from 2000 through 2007.

California and Texas each placed five cities on the list of the 25 fastest-growing cities between 2006 and 2007, as well as on the list of the 25 biggest numerical gainers for the period.

Three cities in the Lone Star State made the fastest-growing top 10 list for the most recent year: McKinney, which was 3rd; Killeen, which was 6th; and Denton, which ranked 10th.

Other cities on the most recent list of the fastest growing cities were North Las Vegas, Nev., ranked 4th; Cary, N.C., ranked 5th; Port St. Lucie, Fla., ranked 7th; Gilbert, Ariz., ranked 8th; and Clarksville, Tenn., ranked 9th.

For the period from 2000 through 2007, McKinney, Texas, was the nation's fastest-growing city, its population more than doubling to 115,620.

Eight of the top 25 fastest-growing cities for the period from 2000 through 2007 were in California: Victorville, Elk Grove, Irvine, Roseville, Rancho Cucamonga, Moreno Valley, Bakersfield and Fontana.

By the numbers. While smaller Sun Belt cities top the fastest-growing list, the Census Bureau's top 10 list of numerical gainers was populated by larger cities.

In terms of sheer numbers, Houston led the nation's cities in numerical increase during the period. Houston added 38,932 residents in the year ended July 1, 2007 to reach 2.2 million.

Four of the top ten cities that showed the greatest numerical increases for the year were in Texas. In addition to Houston, San Antonio came in 3rd, Fort Worth was 4th and Austin was 8th.

Other cities in the top 10 of greatest numerical increases were Phoenix, which ranked 2nd, New Orleans, which was 5th, New York, which was 6th, Atlanta, 7th on the list, and two North Carolina cities, Charlotte in 9th place and Raleigh in 10th.

New York City was the largest numerical gainer between 2000 and 2007, adding 265,873 residents over the period. Houston added 233,876 people since the start of the millennium, in second place behind New York City.

Big Apple is still the biggest. The Big Apple continues to be the most populous city in the nation, with 8.3 million residents, according to the Census Bureau.

Los Angeles ranked second with 3.8 million residents. With 2.8 million, Chicago was third, followed by Houston and Phoenix, which each had 1.6 million.

Catherine Clifford

Cool off with these sensational scoops

Whether you’re craving a scoop of burnt-caramel ice cream from Cincinnati-based Graeter’s, a go-to favorite of celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Sarah Jessica Parker, or devouring a scoop of Southern black-bottom pie ice cream at Toscanini’s in Cambridge, Mass., nothing screams summer more than the sweet, decadent taste of ice cream.

Legends abound when it comes to this favorite dessert’s origins. Some historians credit the Chinese for creating the first ice creams circa 3000 B.C.; Marco Polo, they say, then brought the recipe back to Europe. Long before the onslaught of commercial manufacturers, ice cream was a luxury item made in small batches by a labor-intensive process. The dessert was fashionable among the royal courts of Europe and once served by Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

In Pictures: America's Best Ice Cream

Today, a growing number of makers have returned to producing ice cream the old-fashioned way: by hand and using fresh, local ingredients. “People are moving away from the ‘bigger is better’ approach and enjoying more respectful quantities of premium brands, rather than jumbo scoops,” says pastry chef David Lebovitz, who trained at the world-renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley and authored "The Perfect Scoop," touted as the ultimate guide to ice cream. Lebovitz says he’s seen “an explosion of handcrafted ice cream and gelato places opening up that use fresh, pure ingredients.”

With its temperate climate and abundance of farm-fresh dairy and produce, it’s no wonder California has the market cornered on some of the best ice creams in the country. Bi-Rite in San Francisco serves small-batch ice creams in flavors like salted caramel and honey lavender, with honey that comes from hives less than a mile away from the store. Cones are made with organic ingredients and seasonal desserts like the springtime sundae, made with crème fraiche ice cream, strawberries and sugar cookies, are impossible to resist.

In Santa Barbara, Calif., family-run McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams uses fresh cream from local dairies. “Our family has been making and selling our super premium ice creams — 17 percent milkfat, 15 percent air content, all-natural — for 60 years here in Santa Barbara,” says Jimmy Young, McConnell’s president. Cocoas come from Guittard Chocolate Company in San Francisco, sugar from Hawaii, pure vanillas from Paso Robles. Several of McConnell’s flavors, including Brazilian coffee, pumpkin, macadamia nut and vanilla bean, among others, are available by the pint, so you can devour your favorite flavor at home.

Indeed, homes are where most ice creams in America are being consumed. Marti Pupillo, assistant director of communications with the International Dairy Foods Association, says that “more than 90 percent of American households buy ice cream,” and “manufacturers closely monitor and react to changes in consumer preferences.”

“Consumer interest in health and wellness is driving many of the ice cream innovations you see on the market today,” notes Pupillo. “Companies now offer a variety of products that fall into the ‘better for you’ category. Low-fat, reduced-fat and no-fat ice creams continue to grow in popularity, especially with the introduction of new ‘churned’ formulations that taste like traditional ice cream but have less fat and fewer calories.”

Calories aside, when it comes to creating an unforgettable ice cream, the quality of ingredients is what matters most, according to Lebovitz. “It’s one of the few things where the less you add, the better. I mean, in the old days, the best ice cream was heavy cream, peaches and sugar all churned up by hand. Purity is another thing. An intense, bittersweet chocolate or unctuous butter pecan ice cream is wonderful and doesn’t need much embellishment.”

For purity, nobody does it better than organic ice cream entrepreneur Sue Sebion, who runs Sibby’s Organic Zone Ice Cream Parlor in Viroqua, Wis. Made on her family’s homestead farm with organic milk from local sources, it’s not hard to see why Sibby’s has become synonymous with good, old-fashioned wholesomeness. This is ice cream at its best: pure, simple and made with love.

Graeter’s, another Midwest treasure, has been churning out the sweet stuff since 1870. The company uses a labor-intensive process that involves making the ice cream just two gallons at a time in a chilled, spinning French pot. Liquid chocolate is then poured in to create mammoth chocolate chips, one of Graeter’s trademarks. Flavors like tangerine cream and strawberry chip are available seasonally, with traditional ice creams such as butter pecan and mint chocolate chip served year-round.

In addition to the resurgence of handmade ice creams, many gelato parlors have cropped up across the country, prompting many consumers to wonder what the difference is between the two desserts. Pâtisserie chef Rachel Khoo, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu, says “the difference lies in the percentage of fats and the production process.” Like ice cream, gelato is made with milk and sugar, but has less air than ice cream, making the flavor more intense. Gelato is also made with whole, non-homogenized cow’s milk rather than milk solids, and therefore contains less butterfat than traditional American ice creams. Because the milk is not homogenized, gelato melts faster than ice cream. “In a nutshell, gelato is a more flavorsome, less caloric and slightly more sophisticated version of ice cream,” Khoo says.

On the East Coast, it’s easy to stroll past Ciao Bella, the tiny gelato store in New York City’s fashionable Nolita neighborhood—but the line of patrons devouring scoops on the sidewalk should tip you off. With flavors like key lime to graham cracker swirl, there’s no better way to cool down on a hot summer afternoon in the city. Ciao Bella’s gelatos have become so popular they are now distributed by the pint to specialty food stores throughout the country. Although a trip directly to the source is always worthwhile.

Capogiro Gelato, Philadelphia, Pa.

Intensity and purity of flavor are what makes this Philadelphia treasure rise above the competition. The lime with cilantro gelato is prepared with tart limes and paired with cilantro from Lansdale, Pa.; the Thai coconut milk is delicately yet noticeably perfumed with coconut rum; and the dulce de leche is made with Argentinean-inspired caramel swirled into fior di latte gelato, made with milk from an Amish family's herd of grass-fed cows.

Glacier Ice Cream, Boulder, Colo.

Ice creams at Glacier, originally established in Boulder, Colo., are mixed by hand and a new flavor is introduced every few weeks. In addition to ice cream, Glacier makes gelato, sorbet, and offers a range of milkshakes, sundaes and smoothies. The most popular flavors include coffee caramel crunch, Death by Chocolate, and pralines and cream. Shanghai-based Barony Hotels & Resorts Worldwide plans to franchise the local shop throughout China, according to Mark Mallen, Glacier's owner.

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, Brooklyn, N.Y.

New Yorkers walk the Brooklyn Bridge just to order an ice cream cone from this charmed Brooklyn establishment located in the Fulton Ferry fireboat house, right on the waterfront. Owned by ice cream maker Mark Thompson, the classic flavors (vanilla, chocolate, vanilla chocolate chunk) are made with natural ingredients and without eggs, making for a particularly light ice cream. If the weather's warm, expect to wait in a long line to get your scoop.

Tèo, Austin, Texas

Texas may not be the first place you'd expect to find Italian-inspired gelato, but Tèo's has brought la dolce vita all the way to Austin, one mouthwatering bite at a time. The chocolate gelato boasts an incomprehensible intensity of flavor, while the peanut butter and Nutella gelato provide decadent homages to America and Europe, respectively. This is gelato at its best, and the espresso at Tèo's is equally awesome.

Bi-Rite Creamery, San Francisco, Calif.

Many of the best ice creams in the U.S. are made in small batches. At San Francisco's charming Bi-Rite Creamery, what's available varies according to the season—but often includes innovative flavors like salted caramel, chocolate soy, honey lavender and roasted banana. Bi-Rite uses compostable cups and spoons, local organic fruits and honey from hives less than a mile away from the shop. Opt for an organic cone or try one of the seasonal sundaes.

McConnell's Fine Ice Creams, Santa Barbara, Calif.

The unbeatable ice creams made at this family-run parlor operating just off State Street in Santa Barbara, Calif., since 1949 are super premium. The ice creams are made with 17 percent milk fat, 15 percent air content and all-natural ingredients. McConnell's offers all the traditional flavors and then some, including seasonal favorites like coconut pineapple, peach, pumpkin and egg nog. The Peppermint Stick flavor is tantalizingly pink and outrageously refreshing. Many flavors are available by the pint.

Margie's Candies, Chicago, Ill.

Half candy shop, half ice cream parlor, Margie's Candies has been operating in Chicago since 1921. One taste of the all-natural ice creams made at the store and you'll understand why Margie's has been a local favorite for more than 80 years. It's rumored that Al Capone was a repeat customer, and the Beatles stopped by for sundaes during their 1965 concert at Chicago's Comiskey Park. In addition to homemade ice creams and candies, Margie's serves up thick milkshakes, root beer floats, and "the world's largest sundae," made with a staggering half-gallon of ice cream.

Toscanini's Ice Cream, Cambridge, Mass.

Close to MIT and Harvard, Toscanini's has been a Cambridge institution since it opened in 1981. Toscanini's serves traditional ice creams as well as exotic flavors such as saffron, rum raisin, mango and Southern black-bottom pie. For a lighter experience, try the savory springtime sorbet made from cucumbers during the warmer seasons. Toscanini's also offers a weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

Graeter's, Cincinnati, Ohio

It doesn't get more all-American than Graeter's. The Cincinnati-based ice cream company has been around since 1870 and is a favorite of Oprah Winfrey and Sarah Jessica Parker. Graeter's ice cream is made two gallons at a time in chilled, spinning French pots. Liquid chocolate is then poured into the ice cream to create giant chocolate chips that will have you ice-screaming for another scoop.

Ciao Bella Gelato, New York, N.Y.

The ridiculously delicious gelato from this tiny store in New York's trendy Nolita neighborhood comes in a wide range of flavors like ginger, lemon curd, key lime with graham cracker swirl and hazelnut biscotti. Ciao Bella also offers sorbet for those seeking a less sinful experience, as well as seasonal flavors like cherry with soft chocolate chunk gelato and pineapple tangerine rum sorbet. Ciao Bella's gelatos are also offered by the pints and can found in specialty stores across the U.S.

Jennifer Murphy

Recently, I was invited to the first Wagyu auction of the Lone Mountain Cattle Company in New Mexico. I jumped at the chance to find out the truth behind those golden steaks stampeding menus across America. Six ounces cost $70 at Wolfgang Puck's Cut steakhouse in Beverly Hills and 12 ounces go for $102 at New York's Craft restaurant.

The invitation came from my cousin Bob Estrin, the owner of Lone Mountain, who's been in the cattle industry for decades. Three years ago, Bob took an expensive gamble when he began raising "Kobe-style" cows to sell for breeding. The Western Livestock Journal called his decision, "an absolute leap of faith." This auction was a moment of truth. Bob would find out if the Wagyu were worth it, and so would I -- by talking directly to the cowboys, observing the sale, and conducting my own taste test.

High Steaks 101
Wagyu (Wag-yoo) are a breed of cattle valued for their high-quality meat. Kobe are Wagyu that are raised in the Hyōgo Prefecture (region) of Japan from the Tajima-ushi strain of Wagyu. 

Why are Wagyu so special?
As the owner of one of the first ranches to sell Wagyu in the U.S., Bob faces a wall of doubts and questions from potential buyers. Like us, they want to know how a steak could possibly be worth so much. Here's what he tells them:

-Wagyu are particularly delicious because their meat is more finely marbled with fat than any other breed. The marbling of a cut of meat is ranked by the USDA on a seven-point scale and is the main indicator of how good a cut is. Wagyu typically rate at the top of those charts. Bob notes, "the biggest mistake cooks make when preparing Wagyu is to cook it beyond the point of medium-rare. When that happens, the marbling disappears and the meat becomes tough."

 -A Texas A & M University study found that of any breed, Wagyu have the most monounsaturated fat (good for cholesterol) and omega-3s (great for your immune system, skin, and just about everything else). In other words, Wagyu steaks are richer AND healthier than ordinary Angus steaks!

-The cows from the three largest Wagyu suppliers in America are Natural-Fed. That means their feed does not contain hormones, growth implants, nor antibiotics.

Snob Alert :
Cows must be at least 50% Wagyu to be sold as Wagyu, according to the USDA and American Wagyu Association requirements. So, most Wagyu sold in high-end restaurants and food markets come from steers that are a cross of Wagyu and Angus.

100% Wagyu steaks come only from Japan or Australia and price even higher: Wolfgang Puck's Cut restaurant serves 6 oz. for $120, which is $50 more than its regular Wagyu steak. At Craft steakhouse, 100% Wagyu is sold by the ounce for $30. Bradley Ogden's in Las Vegas pushes it to $39 per ounce.

Is it true that Kobe are regularly treated to massages and beer? 
As I mentioned above, the taste of Kobe is due to the intricate way in which the fat is marbled in the beef. This is a genetic trait rather than a result of diet or treatment. Still, some small Japanese farms include massage and beer in their cow's regimen, but it's hard to get a straight answer as to why...

Beer: The few small farms in Japan that feed their cows beer or sake, probably do so to nourish the cows and induce hunger during the humid season when the cows are less interested in eating and/or to help the cows maintain a healthy amount of microbes in their large stomach.

Massages: One frequent explanation is that farms in Japan can be so small that the cows' muscles need to be massaged, so they don't cramp up. Another theory is that people may have thought farmers were massaging their cows when they were actually brushing them. (Some farmers brush their cow's hair because they believe it positively affects the meat.)

Is the steak industry buying it?
When Lone Mountain's auction ended and the auctioneer was done talking that fast crazy talk, Lone Mountain had sold all their full-blood Wagyu for an average of $10,000 each, $4,500 more than the last Wagyu that was sold in America. Their prize bull -- Yojimbo #634S -- sold for $35,000.

Was it worth it? Bob, Lone Mountain's owner, had a smile that said, yes. The Western Livestock Journal wrote that the Lone Mountain Wagyu were "extremely well received ... ommercial producers are starting to see the niche marketing advantages to this limited pool of genetics."

My Taste Test
The Wagyu rib-eye I ate at Albuquerque's Great American Land & Cattle Company restaurant was every bit as tender as promised. The taste was similar to a high quality dry-aged New York steak, but a bit sweeter. Its richness felt dangerously indulgent, as if the steak was actually cooked in butter a la Ruth's Chris, but knowing about the omega-3s made me feel less guilty.

Wagyu burgers run upwards from about $14. In a publicity stunt last month, Burger King in London launched a limited edition Wagyu burger for $190. The one I tried was cooked simply on a grill, right outside on the ranch. It was more tender than the majority of Angus burgers I've had, but truthfully, you can save money and create a similar experience with careful preparation and the right blend of non-Wagyu cuts.

My advice: If you're a person who spends time thinking about the texture of your food and you have some extra cash, Wagyu is a worthwhile super-special-occasion experience. If you cannot afford it, well, you're not alone, but here's something to consider...

Mail-Order Wagyu
Live large for a little less. You can mail-order Wagyu from several companies. This link takes you to Snake River Farms, where many top restaurants buy their Wagyu steaks. The prices might still be a shock, but you'll avoid restaurant costs such as drinks, tips, and additonal dishes.

Sarah Fuss