Ranks of Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts and California on the list of the best states for women, where they can live in good health, get quality care for their kids and have a government that truly understands their priorities, according to a study by iVillage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Ranks of Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, West Virginia and Kentucky on the list of the worst states for women: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Source: iVillage.co.uk.
Percentage of parents who are having money conversations with their kids at least somewhat often, according to the 2012 Parents, Kids and Money Survey from T. Rowe Price: 76
Percentage of parents who say they are not always honest with their kids about money-related items: 77
Percentage of kids who think that their parents do a good job teaching them about money: 92
Ranks of not saving enough (43 percent), spending too much/being in debt (32 percent), started saving too late (29 percent), wrong job/career choice (22 percent) and not setting financial goals (17 percent) on the list of parents' biggest financial regrets: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Source: T. Rowe Price.
Of the 59 percent of the global adult population in a solid attachment -- married or in a domestic partnership -- percentage who say their relationship with their partner or spouse gives them the greatest happiness, according to an Ipsos/Reuters poll: 63
Percentage of those who are married or living with their partners who say having a good sex life provides the greatest happiness: 38
Source: Ipsos Global Public Affairs.
Percentage of Americans who now think it is possible for a typical middle-income family to save for a secure retirement, according to a Country Financial survey: 35
Percentage who will not have to delay their retirement as a result of the economic downturn: 36
Percentage of respondents who either maintained or increased the amount they contribute to their nest egg, a three-point increase from last year: 57
Source: Country Financial.
Percentage of employed millennials (age 18 to 29) who agree that offering access to the latest technology makes employers more attractive than their competition, according to the results of a poll released by Workplace Options: 92
Percentage of Generation X workers (age 30 to 45) who agree: 64
Percentage of baby boomers (age 46 to 65) who say the same: 71
Source: Workplace Options.
Percentage of U.S. online consumers age 16 and older who have liked, followed or subscribed to a company/brand via social networking, according to a study on social media conducted by Revelation Research: 52
Percentage of these who later turn around and dump the companies/brands with which they initially forged a relationship: 33
Rank of the brand coming on too strong, pushed too hard and got clingy with excessive posts, tweets or other communications on the list of the biggest reasons for the breakup: 1
Source: Revelation Research.
Percentage of Americans who would like to avoid getting a root canal, according to a survey by the American Association of Endodontists: 63
Percentage who want to avoid losing a permanent tooth more than getting the flu, paying taxes or speaking in public: 69
Source: American Association of Endodontists.
Ranks of earning more rewards for every dollar spent and large sign-up bonuses on the list of the top reasons credit card holders would be most likely to switch to another rewards credit card, according to the Capital One Rewards Barometer: 1, 2
Percentage of respondents who indicated that eliminating expiration dates on rewards would improve their redemption experience: 40
Source: Capital One Financial Corp.
Percentage of service companies that say high gasoline prices are hurting business, according to a March Angie's List nationwide survey: 71
Percentage of companies that are passing those costs along to customers: 22
Percentage of respondents that said they have seen as much as a 20 percent jump in their fuel costs this year: 50
Source: Angie's List.
Percentage of office employees who have access to paper documents containing their company's confidential information as well as sensitive information of its clients, vendors, customers and employees, according to a Fellowes' Workplace Data Security Report: 81
Percentage of employees who cite their company as having a data security policy on which employees are trained: 62
Percentage of employees who leave sensitive paper documents on top of their desks, leaving their companies vulnerable to a security breach: 25
Source: Fellowes Inc.
Idle Thought
"If only I may grow: firmer, simpler, quieter, warmer." -- Dag Hammarskjold, former Secretary General of the United Nations
(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)