Figuratively Speaking

Percentage of U.S. adults who report that they typically pay for part of their vacation ahead of time, then use a combination of cash/credit/debit for expenses incurred during the trip, according to a survey done for RetailMeNot.com: 40

Percentage who tend to pay for their vacation in full before they depart, including setting aside money to use while on vacation: 32

Percentage of respondents who say that they usually pay for their vacation using credit, and then pay it off during and/or following the trip: 28

Source: RetailMeNot.com.

Estimated number of wieners eaten by Americans on National Hot Dog Day (also known as Independence Day), according to a survey conducted by Toluna Omnibus: 150 million

If all were conventional hot dogs, estimated fat content of the wieners: 2.4 trillion grams

Estimated sodium content: 82.5 trillion milligrams

Source: Applegate.

Median annual household income in Asian-American homes headed by adults age 18 or older, according to research by the Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends: $66,000

Median annual household income in the homes of the general population headed by adults age 18 or older: $49,800

Percentage of Asian-Americans who say they are satisfied with life: 82

Percentage of the general public who say the same: 75

Source: Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends.

Percentage of people who don't go to bed until they have checked to see if their friends have posted any new updates on the social networks they share, according to a survey by Ipsos Marketing: 21

Just in case those friends had any thoughts or activities to report during the night, percentage of people who say they check their friends' social networking updates within the first hour after they wake up each day: 17

Source: Marketing Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange.

In 2009, percentage of undergraduate computing and information sciences degrees that were awarded to women, according to research by L'Oreal: 18

In 1985, percentage of these degrees earned by women: 37

Source: L'Oreal.

When exposed to a common cold virus, percentage less likely that parents were to develop a cold than non-parents, according to research led by Carnegie Mellon University's Sheldon Cohen and Rodlescia S. Sneed: 52

Percentage less likely that parents with one or two children were to get sick: 48

Percentage less likely that parents with three or more children were to get sick: 61

Source: Carnegie Mellon University.

Year that heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, an African-American, met former champ Jim Jeffries, known as "the great white hope," in a bout in Reno, Nev., according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1910

Round that Jeffries, badly outclassed, conceded the fight, which sparked race riots in 50 cities in 25 states: 15

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Ranks of fit, style, price, comfort and fiber content on the list of the most important wedding gown features for today's brides, according to the Cotton Inc. Lifestyle Monitor Survey: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Over the last three years, percentage decline in the desire for a traditional wedding, giving way to destination, unique and "green" or eco-friendly weddings: 30

Source: Cotton Inc.

In 2011, total worldwide ad spending, according to Nielsen Research: $488 billion

Over the next decade, estimated consumer worldwide ad spending: $450 trillion

Source: Nielsen Media Research.

Percentage of Brits who experience some form of motoring mishap when traveling abroad and say it's finally time for the UK's driving laws to fall in line with Europe, according to Confused.com: 66

Percentage of road trips from Britain to Europe that end in a crash or bump: 20

Source: Confused.com.

Idle Thought

"Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Percentage of U.S. working adults who continue working when they have left the office -- for an average of seven extra hours each week -- almost another full day of work, or 365 extra hours every year, according to a survey sponsored by Good Technology: 80

Percentage of workers who do it simply to stay organized: 60

Source: Good Technology.

Percentage of Americans who would support a gas tax increase of 10 cents per gallon to improve road maintenance, according to the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium: 58

Percentage who would support this increase if revenues were to be used more generally to maintain and improve the transportation system: 20

Source: Mineta National Transit Research Consortium.

Percentage of millennials (18- to 29-year-olds) who say being a good parent is "one of the most important things" in life, according to a Pew Research survey: 52

Percentage who say the same about having a successful marriage (a 22-point gap in the way millennials value parenthood over marriage): 30

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

Ranks of telecommunications services ($16.5 billion), banking ($10.5 billion) and the insurance sector ($5.3 billion) on the list of the top spenders on outsourcing, according to an Information Services Group report: 1, 2, 3

Estimated percentage of all spending on outsourcing by Forbes Global 2000 companies that is accounted for by telecommunications and banking firms: 33

Source: Information Services Group.

Percentage of employers who would consider an application from an overqualified worker who is 50 plus years old, according to a nationwide survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder and PrimeCB.com: 75

Percentage of those employers who said they hire mature candidates because they bring a wealth of knowledge to an organization and can mentor others: 59

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Estimated number of U.S. consumers who will use online coupons and codes during 2012, according to an analysis done by eMarketer: 88.2 million

Ranks of toilet paper, laundry detergent, coffee and butter on the list of the most searched for consumable goods: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: ShopAtHome.com.

Ranks of "emotional dissatisfaction" or "sexual dissatisfaction" on the list of reasons both men and women cheat, according to a survey of counseling professionals from YourTango.com: 1, 2

Percentage of these experts who say men are "hardwired" to "spread their seed": 8

Percentage of respondents who agree that technology is a catalyst for cheating: 50

Source: YourTango.com.

Percentage of U.S. adults who feel that cookouts are a great opportunity to spend meaningful quality time with family and friends -- whether on a weeknight or at a holiday cookout, according to an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Ore-Ida: 81

Percentage who say that they typically host family and/or friends when cooking out: 67

Percentage who would like to spend more meaningful quality time with family and friends when cooking out on the grill: 72

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of employed Americans who reported an increase in work-life benefits and professional development opportunities in their current job compared to their first full-time job, according to a national survey through Public Policy Polling and commissioned by Workplace Options: 43

Percentage who said work-life benefits available through their employer have increased in the past five years, despite the faltering economy: 28

Source: Workplace Options.

Percentage of dog owners who believe that mealtime is a perfect opportunity to show their dog how much they love him or her, according to the Chef Michael's survey conducted by Kelton: 84

Source: Nestle/Purina.

Idle Thought

"Seek not to follow in the footsteps of men of old; seek what they sought." -- Matsuo Basho, poet (1644-1694)

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Rank of Tampa, Fla., on the list of the vainest cities in the United States, according to the July-August issue of Men's Health, determined by each city's percentage of Botox users, folks who go for dye jobs, people who will spend anything to look younger, sales of at-home hair dyes, teeth whiteners and shapewear, per-capita numbers of cosmetic procedures, cosmetic dentists, plastic surgeons and tanning salons: 1

Ranks of Plano, Texas, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Dallas on the list: 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Des Moines, Iowa; Lincoln, Neb.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Fargo, N.D.; and Kansas City, Mo., on the list of the least vain cities: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Men's Health Network.

Percentage of the Mexican public who believe that Mexicans who move to the U.S. have a better life there, according to the Pew Global Attitudes Project: 53

Though many believe life is better for those who emigrate to the U.S., percentage of Mexicans who say they would not move to the U.S., even if they had the means and opportunity to do so: 61

Source: Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends.

Percentage of newlyweds who believe the most serious conflict in their first year of marriage is money, according to a survey by the Association of Bridal Consultants: 67

Source: Association of Bridal Consultants.

Percentage of ice cream companies that indicated vanilla is the most popular flavor among their consumers, according to the findings from a survey of International Ice Cream Association member companies: 92

Source: International Dairy Foods Association.

Ranks of "changes in one's own physical health," "changes in spouse/partner's health" and "changes in income" on the list of the top three challenges people face upon retirement, according to the third annual "RBC Myths and Realities" poll of retired baby boomers conducted by Ipsos Reid: 1, 2, 3

Source: Ipsos Reid Public Affairs.

Percentage of employers who view turnover of key talent as very costly to their organization, according to a study by WorldatWork, Hay Group and Dow Scott, Ph.D., professor of human resources at Loyola University Chicago: 83

Ranks of better pay, lack of promotional opportunities, perception that pay is unfair, and dissatisfaction with job and work responsibilities on the list of reasons that key talent quits: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Worldatwork.

Percentage of Americans who have more emergency savings than credit card debt, according to a poll for Bankrate.com: 54

Percentage of Americans who report a lower level of financial security now versus one year ago: 27

Source: Bankrate Inc.

Percentage of pilots, train operators, and bus, taxi and limo drivers (as well as 8 percent of truck drivers and 7 percent of non-transportation workers) who can be classified as "sleepy" and should seek professional help to identify underlying conditions, according to a study by the National Sleep Foundation: 11

Percentage of all Americans who say they are likely to fall asleep at an inappropriate time and place, such as during a meeting or while driving: 10

Source: National Sleep Foundation.

Year that five men were arrested trying to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., an incident that would spur investigations that ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon on Aug. 8, 1974: 1972

Among those at least age 8 at the time, percentage who say they remember where they were when they first heard the news that Nixon had resigned, according to the Pew Research Center for People and the Press: 71

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

Year that young Lake City, Minn., resident Ralph Samuelson strapped on some slightly bent pine boards and was towed by a boat with an early outboard motor to the amazement of onlookers on the shores of Lake Pepin, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1922

Number of years that Lake City has held its annual Water Ski Days event to celebrate the birthday of water skiing: 41

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Idle Thought

"Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher." -- Japanese proverb

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)