Percentage of affluent men (incomes of $150,000 or higher) who classify themselves as happy and successful, according to a Best Life magazine and Platinum Card from American Express survey: 10

Percentage of successful and happy men who feel more successful than the people they grew up with: 66

Percentage of men who point to fulfilling personal relationships as one of the top factors of success: 84

Percentage of men who believe that personal accomplishment, such as having a happy family or being able to retire early, is a more significant cue of success than having a lot of power (16 percent), owning a large home (15 percent), having an impressive job title (8 percent) or spending a lot of money (4 percent): 64

Source: Kaplowpr.com.

In a survey of more than 130 countries, ranks of Denmark, New Zealand and Canada as the countries that report the highest level of well-being, according to a Gallup Poll: 1 (tie), 3

Rank of the U.S. behind Venezuela and Australia (tied for 4th): 6

Number of countries in mainland Asia or Africa that make the top 10: 0

Source: Gallup Inc.

Estimated number of trendy and hyper-brand-aware teens (ages 12 to 17) in the U.S. -- representing a total yearly income of $80 billion -- who are prime targets for plastic (debit, credit and gift cards), according to a report from Packaged Facts: 24.8 million

Percentage of teens ages 12 to 17 who have a savings account: 47.4

Percentage who have a checking account: 11.6

Percentage who have an ATM card: 15

Percentage who have a credit card in their own name: 3.5

Source: Packaged Facts.

Percentage of Chinese consumers who say fashion is less important than value and comfort, according to a survey conducted by BIGresearch: 70.9

Percentage of Americans who say the same: 37.3

Source: BIGresearch.

Year that International Women's Day (March 8) was first observed, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1909

Number of females in the U.S. as of Oct. 1, 2007: 153.6 million

Median annual earnings of women 16 or older who worked year-round, full-time, in 2006: $32,649

For every $1 earned by men, amount earned by women: 77 cents

Median earnings of women working in computer and mathematical jobs, the highest for women among the 22 major occupational groups: $61,081

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Ranks of Johnny Depp, Will Smith, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Denzel Washington on the list of top money-making stars of 2007, according to the Quigley Publishing Co.'s 76th annual poll: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Quigley Publishing Co.

Estimated corporate research and development spending on clean energy technologies in 2006, according to Worldwatch Institute in State of the World 2008: $9.1 billion

Total estimated investment in renewable energy in 2006: $52 billion

Percentage rise from 2005: 33

Source: WorldWatch Institute.

Percentage of Americans who say they feel less secure about their financial situation compared to last year, according to the results of a Harris Poll: 38

Percentage who believe the economy will get worse in the coming year: 45

Percentage who believe the economy will improve in the coming year: 15

Source: Harris Interactive.

Percentage of U.S. senior executives who said baby boomer retirements will be the trend that most significantly alters the workforce in the next decade, according to a survey by Robert Half International: 47

Percentage who cited global business interactions as the trend that most significantly alters the workforce in the next decade: 31

Percentage who said outsourcing: 11

Source: Robert Half International.

Percentage of tour operators who say that adventure travel is on the rise, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Tour Operators Association: 66

Percentage of operators who said that independent arrangements -- where a tour operator custom designs separate elements into an individual package -- scored the greatest gain: 80

Source: Kundell Communications.

Idle Thought

"How can we expect another to keep our secret if we have been unable to keep it ourselves." -- Francois de La Rochefoucauld, writer

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

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

SUPER SUNDAY by John MacIntyre

A TRADITION BEGINS

Although the Super Bowl seems like it is as ancient an American tradition as Thanksgiving turkey (it is, after all, the second-largest U.S. food consumption day, following Thanksgiving), the first Super Bowl wasn't played until 1967.

ALL IN A NAME

NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted to call the game "The Big One," but AFL founder and Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt had jokingly referred to the proposed interleague championship as the "Super Bowl," a thought he had after seeing his kids playing with a toy called a Super Ball. That ball is now on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

TICKETS

Number of tickets that went unsold at the first Super Bowl: 30,000

Number of Super Bowls since that time that have not sold out: 0

Average face value ticket price for Super Bowl I: $6 to $12

Average face value ticket price for the Super Bowl in 2008: $600 to $700

Amount one ticket broker was offering for six seats in Shaquille O'neal's suite at the Super Bowl in Miami last year: $112,500

PRESIDENT WHO?

Number of people who voted in the last U.S. election: 121 million

Number who voted for the current president: 61 million

Number of Americans who watched the last Super Bowl: 144 million

Number of people worldwide who watched the last Super Bowl: 800 million

THEY SAID IT

"The Super Bowl is Americana at its most kitsch and fun." -- Sting

MEDIA FRENZY

Number of accredited news organizations covering the Super Bowl: 130

Number of languages in which the Super Bowl will be broadcast: 32

Number of accredited media members covering the first Super Bowl: 338

Number of accredited media credentials expected to be issued for this year's Super Bowl: 4,000

TAKE FIVE

Five Championships Won:

San Francisco 49ers: 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995

Dallas Cowboys: 1972, 1978, 1993, 1994, 1996

Pittsburgh Steelers: 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 2006

THEY SAID IT

"I predict one of these two teams will win the Super Bowl." -- Gilbert Gottfried

DID YOU KNOW ...

Only six teams have yet to appear in the Super Bowl: Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints. The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, have had eight Super Bowl appearances.

30 SECONDS

Cost of a 30-second televison spot on Super Bowl I in 1967: $42,500

Cost in 1987: $600,000

Cost in 2008: $2.7 million

1984

"1984" the television commercial (not the George Orwell novel) was launched in the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII by Apple Inc. Directed by Ridley Scott, fresh from the making of "Blade Runner," the commercial was played only once. The commercial shows the heroine running through an Orwellian world to throw a sledgehammer at a TV image of Big Brother -- an implied representation of IBM.

THE DRAW

Percentage of consumers who say the game itself is still the biggest draw, according to Big Research: 34

Percentage who say commercials are the most important part of the Super Bowl: 15

THEY SAID IT

"The Super Bowl is like a movie, and the quarterback is the leading man." -- Leigh Steinberg

WASN'T THAT A PARTY

Number of Super Bowl watchers who watch with at least one other person, according to Hallmark: 95

Average number of people attending a Super Bowl party: 18

Rank of New Year's Eve and the Super Bowl as the most popular party dates throughout the year: 1, 2

'TIL DEATH DO US PART

Percentage of men who say they would have to be on their deathbed or in a coma to miss the Super Bowl, according to a survey by eBay: 14

Percentage of men surveyed who say they would skip the birth of their firstborn child in order to watch the Super Bowl: 66

Percentage who say nothing would make them miss the Super Bowl: 10

A HOLIDAY

Amount that American employers lost during the week leading up to last year's Super Bowl because workers are distracted by the big game's hype, according to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.: $780 million

Amount that employers lost in unproductive wages on the Monday following the Super Bowl as workers discussed the game, the commercials and the half-time show: $156 million

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

Yearly cost of unnecessary work interruptions to the U.S. economy, according to a study conducted by Basex: $650 billion

Source: Basex Inc.

When asked how much money it takes to be rich, percentage of affluent households who said $5 million, according to the research by Millionaire Corner, a newly launched Web site powered by Spectrem Group: 45

Percentage who said $25 million: 25

Percentage who said $1 million is enough to be rich: 22

Source: Spectrem Group.

Percentage of employed Americans who said they will look for a new job in 2008, according to a survey, commissioned by SnagAJob.com: 26

Percentage of hourly workers who said they plan on job hunting: 31

Percentage of Americans ages 18 to 34 who say they will be looking for a new job: 40

Source: SnagAJob.com.

Ranks of empathy and trustworthiness among the best predictors of overall effective leadership, according to a study of 1,405 leaders in 47 organizations conducted by BlessingWhite: 1, 2

Ranks of business aptitude, responsibility and clarity among the attributes successful business leaders were most likely to have: 1, 2, 3

Source: BlessingWhite.

Percentage of executives who said they turn first to spouses or significant others for advice when evaluating a potential job change, according to a poll developed by Accountemps: 46

Percentage who said they would consult their mentor first: 41

Source: Accountemps.

Ranks of North Carolina, Alabama, South Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee on the list of top Southern destinations for migrating Americans, according to the findings of United Van Lines' 31st annual "migration" study: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Wyoming and Arizona on the list of top Western destinations for migrating Americans: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Rank of Michigan as the top outbound state: 1

Source: United Van Lines.

Population of the U.S. on Jan. 1, 2008, according to a study conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau: 303,146,284

Number of seconds between each new birth: 8

Number of seconds between each death: 11

Number of seconds between each new migrant: 30

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Ranks of "Wicked" (the Broadway musical and theatrical tour), Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: "Best of Both Worlds Tour," The Police, Kenny Chesney and the New England Patriots on the list of top "most requested events" in 2007, according to Ticketmaster: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of the New England Patriots, the Chicago Bears, WWE World Wrestling Entertainment and the New York Yankees on the list of the most requested sporting events: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Ticketmaster.

Rank of the U.S. among 19 industrialized countries in terms of its effectiveness in the prevention of preventable deaths, according to a study conducted by the Commonwealth Fund: 19

Percentage decline in preventable deaths in all countries except the U.S. between 1997 and 2003: 16

Percentage decline in the U.S. in that same period: 4

Source: The Commonwealth Fund.

Due to convenience and a clearer understanding of usage terms, expected percentage increase in sales of gift cards by 2012, according to a report from market-research publisher Packaged Facts: 5

Estimated amount of money this represents: $14 billion

Estimated percentage of consumers purchasing gift cards in the last 12 months who anticipate spending more on gift cards during the next 12 months: 35

Source: Market Research.

Idle Thought

"A politician is a man who thinks of the next election; while the statesman thinks of the next generation." -- James Freeman Clarke, preacher and author

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

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600