Percentage of adults who go to a professional to improve their appearance who say that looking their best is important for daily activities (e.g, career, school, volunteering, errands), according to a survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Allergan: 92
Percentage who believe that the way they look contributes to how successful they can be in all aspects of their lives: 84
Percentage who also say that looking fit and healthy, and being on trend with fashion and beauty contributes to their confidence: 86
Source: Ipsos Insight.
Percentage of Americans who cited love as a very important reason to get married, according to a Pew Research survey: 88
Ranks of making a lifelong commitment, companionship and having children on their list of reasons: 2, 3, 4
Ranks of having their relationship recognized in a religious ceremony, financial stability, and legal rights and benefits on the list of important reasons to marry: 5, 6, 7
Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
Percentage of teens who see anxiety and depression, whether they personally suffer from these conditions or not, as major problems among their peers, according to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17: 70
Percentage of teens who say they feel a lot of pressure to get good grades: 61
Percentage who say they feel a lot of pressure to look good: 29
Percentage who say they feel a lot of pressure to fit in socially: 28
Percentage who feel pressured to be involved in extracurricular activities and to be good at sports: 21 each
Source: Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends.
Whether it be to cap off a tough day at the office, trade barbs with friends at a local watering hole or cheer on our favourite teams during big sports matchups, ranks of margarita, martini, old-fashioned, mimosa and Moscow mule on the list of American's favorite cocktails, according to a recent analysis of on-premise cocktail consumption by Nielsen CGA: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Average cost of margaritas in the U.S. -- almost 50 cents more than the average cocktail price of $9: $9.49
Source: Nielsen Insights.
Number of surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures performed in the United States in 2018, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgery's annual plastic surgery statistics report, up a quarter of a million from the previous year: 17.7 million
Of the more than 1.8 million cosmetic surgical procedures performed in 2018, ranks of breast augmentation, liposuction, nose reshaping and eyelid surgery on the list of top procedures: 1, 2, 3, 4
Source: American Society of Plastic Surgery.
On average, number of hours per week blue-collar employees work in the U.S., according to a Harris Poll study commissioned by Express Employment Professionals: 41
Percentage who report that they are paid hourly: 80
Percentage of respondents who say they work mostly indoors: 42
Percentage who say they work mostly outdoors: 23
Source: The Harris Poll.
Percentage of parents who believe that children should be limited to no more than three hours per week of game playing during the school year, according to a YouGov Omnibus research: 61
Percentage who say 4 or more hours is OK during the summer break: 54
Source: YouGov.
Ranks of miscellaneous fine arts, composition and speech, clinical psychology, cosmetology and culinary arts (tie), and visual and performing arts on the list of the five college majors most likely to pay the least, according to a survey Bankrate.com: 1, 2, 3, 4 (tie), 6
Source: Bankrate.com.
Percentage of adults who are most likely to say that if printed materials no longer existed it would make them feel sad, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Canon: 47
Percentage of Americans who say that they prefer reading physical books more than e-books: 76
Percentage who say that they like being able to highlight and mark up physical content: 70
Percentage of students who agree that they prefer doing their school reading and assignments on paper as opposed to online: 76
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.
Out of 26 cities in the Asia/Pacific region, ranks of Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong and Melbourne on the list of "five-star" bleisure destinations, based on a quantitative barometer included in the new Economist Intelligence Unit study for their combination of business and leisure -- or bleisure -- appeal for travelers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Source: Economist Intelligence Unit.
Idle Thought
"Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out -- it's the grain of sand in your shoe." -- Robert Service, writer
(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)