Rank of health care (32 percent), technology (32 percent), service (12 percent), agriculture (11 percent), retail (2 percent) and automobile (1 percent) on the list of industries that respondents considered as "best positioned to weather the current economic downturn": 1 (tie), 3, 4, 5, 6
When respondents were asked which nation was most likely to produce "the next Bill Gates," percentage who said the U.S.: 29
Percentage who said India: 28
Percentage who said China: 15
Percentage who said Japan: 11
Source: Zogby International.
Year one of the most notorious criminals in U.S. history -- John Dillinger -- was killed in a shootout with FBI agents outside the Biograph movie theater in Chicago, according to the Census Bureau: 1934
Estimated number of robberies that occur annually across the U.S., including an average of 28 bank robberies every day: 450,000
Average amount netted in a bank robbery today: $4,300
Source: Census Bureau.
Rank of first child, meeting partner, wedding day, buying first house and passing driving test on the list of happiest events for women, according to research by Smile the Internet bank from The Co-operative Bank: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Rank of first child, meeting partner, wedding day, passing driving test and sports team victory on the list of happiest events for men: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Source: Co-operative Bank.
On a typical day, percentage of the adults in the United States who take a nap, according to a Pew Research Center Social and Demographic Trends survey: 34
Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
Percentage of employers who said that attainment of sales goals by millennials (people born between 1978 and 2000) was just as good or better than by non-millennials, according to a study by Sibson Consulting: 92
Percentage of millennials who thought their sales performance was as good or better than the others: 79
Rank of ambition, lack of advancement opportunities and no loyalty as the reasons most often cited by employers with regard to why millenials leave: 1, 2, 3
Source: Sibson Consulting.
Percentage of retail investors who said they do their own extensive research before they buy a stock, according to a survey conducted by online broker Zecco: 51
Percentage by which news and television reports surpassed brokers as a source of information about particular companies: 58
Source: Zecco.
Percentage of male online daters who said they Googled their blind date before going out with them, according to a survey by Avalanche: 45
Percentage of women who said the same: 42
Percentage of men who admitted having lied in their online dating profile: 42.1
Percentage of women who said the same: 31.3
Source: date.com.
Percentage of Americans who feel that there should not be a tax placed on foods higher in fat, according to a study conducted by HCD Research: 68
Percentage who feel that the rise in medical costs has been moderately or highly impacted by the increase in obesity and obesity-related conditions: 76
Source: HCD Research Inc.
Percentage of fliers who will pay up to 10 percent over ticket cost to get five additional inches of legroom, according to a survey by TripAdvisor: 42
Rank of a TV at the seat, movies and power ports on the list of the most valued in-flight entertainment features: 1, 2, 3
Source: TripAdvisor.
Rank of Florida (34 percent), California (30 percent), Arizona and Hawaii (tied at 16 percent) on the list of states that reign as the dream destination for American leisure travelers: 1, 2, 3
Source: Ypartnership Public Relations.
Idle Thought
"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the same sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart." -- H.L. Mencken, writer, editor and critic
(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)