U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for January 17

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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MONDAY, JANUARY 17: KID INVENTORS' DAY

Profile America -- Monday, January 17th.  What do earmuffs, water skis, and popsicles have in common?  The answer is they were all invented by youngsters.  Each year, young people come up with a half-million gadgets and games -- that's why this is Kid Inventors' Day.  The day was chosen to honor one of the nation's first inventors, Benjamin Franklin, who invented the first swim fins at age 12.  The ingenuity of young people is being celebrated at events all across the nation, many of them showcasing the ideas of kid inventors.  Each year, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office grants about 185,000 patents -- 85 percent for inventions.  About 13 percent are granted to individuals, the rest to U.S. and foreign corporations.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.  

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 89

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 754

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau