There's justice, and then there's poetic justice. Whether or not you blame Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for the current woes of our financial system, it's good to know that he's not immune from the plummeting housing market. Not at all. The Fed chief has a four-bedroom townhouse in Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Hill area that he bought in May 2004 -- near the peak of the real estate market. He paid $839,000.
After enjoying a brief run-up in market value to over $1 million, the recession happened (and a little something with interest rates, remember that, Ben?) and now, according to estimates, the house is worth only... $840,000. Homes in Bernanke's neighborhood seem to have peaked in value in 2005, and have since fallen -- though only a few percentage points this year, down to a median of $545,000 from $550,000 in third quarter 2007.
In the world of superheroes, Superman may be have the most other-worldly power, but it's Spider-Man who twinges the heart-strings. Perhaps it's his familiarity -- weren't you, too, that nerd in high school? -- or perhaps it's his tragedy, what with his unknowing part in his uncle's death. Either way, two of the most expensive comic books ever sold at auction are 
Salt, possibly the world's most essential mineral, is unusual in that it can be collected in two ways; by mining or by boiling sea water to pare it down to its salty essence. Due to the labor-intensive process of collecting it, and the interesting flavors imbued by the life of the sea itself, sea salt is typically prized above rock salt.
We have all been waiting eagerly to see what projects J.K. Rowling will embark upon in the post-Harry Potter days. 
