Rank of the U.S. among the world's most competitive economies, according to a survey conducted by the IMD business school that ranked 55 global economies according to 331 criteria that measure how each creates and maintains conditions favorable to business: 1

Number of years in a row the U.S. has ranked No. 1: 15

Ranks of Singapore, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Luxembourg: 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: IMD.

Percentage by which gas mileage is lowered by aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) on the highway, according to the Department of Energy: 33

Percentage by which it is lowered by aggressive driving around town: 5

For each 5 mph driven above 60 mph, estimated additional cost per gallon of gas: $0.20

Source: Governors Highway Safety Association.

Percentage of married women who maintain a "honey-do" list, according to a survey sponsored by Mighty Putty: 94

Percentage of women who were likely to have between one and nine tasks on their list: 71

Percentage of those tasks that remain unfinished for weeks, months or even years: 78

Source: Nature's Pillows.

Estimated amount of money given by U.S. religious congregations of all denominations to the developing world in 2006 for relief and development in poor countries (figure excludes support for evangelism), according to the 2008 Index of Global Philanthropy, which is published annually by the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Prosperity: $8.8 billion

Official U.S. government aid in 2006: $23.5 billion

Source: Hudson Institute.

Percentage of the Silent Generation (born 1925 to 1945) who report that all of their childhood family vacations included some interaction with nature, according to a study by Vollmer Public Relations for Travelocity: 25

Percentage of families traveling with kids today who say the same: 15

Percentage of time that today's families with children spend at amusement parks: 13

Percentage of time that the Silent Generation visited amusement parks: 6

Source: Vollmer Public Relations.

Percentage of financial executives from oil and gas companies who think that the price per barrel of crude oil will drop below $100 by the end of the year, according to the KPMG survey: 55

Percentage who think that the price will close between $101 and $110: 21

Percentage who think between $111 and $120: 15

Source: KPMG LLP.

Percentage of adults across the U.S. who enjoy grilling food outside, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 33

Decade when outdoor grilling became popular and when charcoal briquettes were first sold by Henry Ford, made from scrap wood left over from the body framing of his Model T's: 1920s

Number of pounds of beef that each American consumes every year: 62

Number of pounds of poultry: 74

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Percentage of employees who say that they left their jobs to seek new challenges or opportunities that were lacking with their previous employers, according to a study by Right Management: 30

Percentage of respondents who reported leaving employers because of ineffective leadership: 25

Percentage who cited poor relationships with their managers: 22

Average percentage increase of an employee's salary that it costs to replace an employee (this includes recruitment, training, severance, lost productivity and lost opportunities): 300

Source: Right Management.

Percentage of all U.S. heads of household who have never used e-mail, according to National Technology Scan, a forthcoming study from Parks Associates: 21

Percentage who have never used a computer to create a document: 30

Source: Parks Associates.

Percentage of employers that "offshored" jobs that said offshoring has already enabled them to create new, better jobs of different types in the United States, according to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com: 28

Among employers who offshore, percentage who say less than 5 percent of their jobs will be sent overseas: 44

Percentage who say more than 10 percent of their jobs will be offshored: 39

Percentage of employees whose jobs were displaced by offshoring who say that they were let go by their employer: 71

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Idle Thought

"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking." -- George Patton

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

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

Percentage of buying power lost by seniors since the beginning of the decade, according to a study released by The Senior Citizens League: 51

Since 2000, percentage increase in the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) benefits: 24

Monthly amount received by a senior with the average Social Security benefit in 2008: $1,013.50

Percentage of beneficiaries who rely on it for 90 percent or more of their total income: 33

Source: The Senior Citizens League.

Ranks of Miami, Boston, New York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., as the least courteous cities with the worst road rage, according to the third annual "In the Driver's Seat Road Rage Survey," commissioned by AutoVantage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Pittsburgh, Portland, Ore., Seattle, Minneapolis and Cleveland as the most courteous cities with the least road rage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Number of consecutive years that Miami has taken the crown as road rage capital of America: 3

Source: AutoVantage.

Percentage of Americans who say the top scenario that would most negatively impact their financial future is having their savings stolen because of fraud/theft, according to a survey from ING and conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs: 77

Percentage who say the second scenario that would most negatively impact their family's financial future is their death or the death of their spouse or partner: 67

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of high school seniors who expect to have at least one internship during their college career, emphasizing a strong work ethic among this group, according to a Monster.com survey of graduating students: 87

Percentage of surveyed students who plan to attend an in-state school: 81

Source: Monster.com.

Percentage of U.S. corporate executives who say they see evidence of a recession in their life, according to a survey conducted by Gray Hair Management: 92.4

Percentage of American executives who say the primary recession evidence they see is that their investment and savings portfolios have taken a big hit: 24.6

Percentage who say the primary evidence is the rise in gas and food prices: 21.2

Source: Gray Hair Management.

Ranks of Florida (62 percent), California (56 percent) and New York (51 percent) on the list of the most-visited states, according to Greyhound's "Hit the Road" survey: 1, 2, 3

Percentage of Americans who have been to Alaska, the least visited state in the country: 13

Source: Kelton Research.

Average amount that Americans spend each year on cut flowers, according to the Flower Council of Holland: $31

Average amount spent each year by the Swiss: $112

Whereas countries such as Switzerland, Norway and the Netherlands use flowers as decorations throughout their homes, percentage of flowers sold in America that are gifts, according to a Rabobank report: 75

Source: Rabobank Food and Agribusiness Research.

Percentage of Americans who say that celebrity involvement in political campaigns is a bad thing, according to the results of a nationwide Harris poll: 47

Percentage who say it is a good thing: 29

Source: Harris Interactive.

Estimated number of teeth that are saved each year by the root canal procedure, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 42 million

Estimated annual cost for dental services: $93 billion

Average amount spent by Americans annually on dental care: $292

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Estimated weight of household hazardous waste produced by the average American home every year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: 20 pounds

Cumulative weight over one year: 1.6 million tons

Percentage of mothers who believe that some rashes on their children's skin are reactions to chemicals in the products they use, according to a national Shaklee Corp. poll: 35

Source: Shaklee Corp.

Idle Thought

"Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about." -- Oscar Wilde

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

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

Percentage of Americans who say it is "very or somewhat important" for them to be wealthy, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends project: 57

Percentage who say it is not important at all: 10

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

Percentage of American workers who say talking about television at work increases office camaraderie, according to a Spherion survey: 40

According to women, ranks of "American Idol" (36 percent) and "Dancing With the Stars" (21 percent) as the two most discussed TV programs at work: 1, 2

According to men, ranks of "American Idol" (36 percent) and "Lost" (15 percent) as the two most discussed TV programs at work: 1, 2

Source: Spherion.

Percentage of Web users in the U.S. and the U.K. who say they use just one password for all their online accounts, according to a survey conducted by Accenture: 49

Percentage of Americans who say they don't write down their passwords: 49

Source: Accenture.

Percentage of employers who say personal characteristics are the most important factor when assessing college graduates for potential employment, according to a survey conducted by Monster: 43

Percentage of prospective graduates who expect to receive two or more job offers upon graduation: 73

Source: MonsterTRAK.

Percentage of advertising and marketing executives who said "acclimating to a firm's corporate culture" is the greatest challenge for professionals starting a new job, according to a survey by the Creative Group: 42

Percentage who cited "learning new business protocols" as the greatest challenge: 30

Percentage who said "adapting to a new manager's style": 11

Source: Robert Half International.

Percentage of U.S. workers who say women are treated differently than men in the workplace, according to a study conducted by Adecco: 59

Percentage who say women are treated worse than men: 42

Percentage who say women are treated better: 17

Source: Adecco.

Percentage of Americans who are awake by 7 a.m., ready for work and out the door in an hour or less, according to a survey conducted by Braun Research for Panera Bread: 80

Percentage who eat breakfast every day: 61

Percentage who say they would opt for a good breakfast over 15 minutes of extra sleep: 75

Source: Panera Bread.

Percentage of all employed executives who report they are satisfied with their current jobs, according to a survey by ExecuNet: 60

Ranks of "boredom" and "a lack of advancement" as the sources of discontent among employed executives who are not satisfied with their current jobs: 1, 2

Of executives who are not satisfied, the percentage who pointed toward compensation as the reason they're looking to leave their current company: 12

Source: ExecuNet.

Rank of the Commercial Bank of China among the world's largest banks in terms of market capitalization at the end of 2007, according to a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group: 1

Number of Chinese banks among the world's top four banks in terms of market capitalization at the end of 2007: 3

Source: Boston Consulting Group.

Annual projected salary for a stay-at-home mother, based on the time spent performing the 10 most popular "mom job" functions -- housekeeper, day care center teacher, cook, laundry machine operator, computer operator, psychologist, facilities manager, van driver, chief executive officer and janitor -- according to Salary.com's 2008 determination: $116,805

Annual projected salary for a working mom: $68,405

Source: Salary.com.

Idle Thought

"I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves." -- Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher

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

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