Percentage of the information in their driving environment that drivers who use cell phones have a tendency to "look at" but not "see," a form of inattention blindness that results in drivers having difficulty monitoring their surroundings, seeking and identifying potential hazards, and/or responding to unexpected situations, according to The National Safety Council: 50

At any time, percentage of all drivers who are using cell phones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 11

According to NSC estimates, percentage of motor vehicle crashes that involve cell phone use at the time of the crash: 25

Source: National Safety Council.

Percentage of people who believe it is possible for themselves and their families to achieve the American Dream, according to a Zogby interactive survey: 57

Percentage who believed they could achieve the American Dream immediately following the November election: 67

When asked the same question in July 2001, less than two months before the Sept. 11 attacks, percentage who said they could achieve the American Dream: 76

Source: Zogby International.

Annual loss to the U.S. economy through piracy and counterfeiting, according to the study, "The True Cost of Copyright Piracy to the U.S. Economy" by The Institute for Policy Innovation: $58 billion

Cost in jobs for U.S. workers: 373,375

Source: Institute for Policy Innovation.

Percentage of Americans who believe the U.S. is the No. 1 military power in the world today, according to a Gallup Poll: 64

Percentage who believe that the U.S. will be No. 1 militarily in 20 years: 36

Source: Gallup.

Percentage of CFOs who said they plan to promote top performers as the economy improves in order to retain employees, according to a survey by Accountemps: 50

Percentage who also plan to raise salaries: 48

Percentage who will do nothing: 24

Source: Accountemps.

In 1911, number of young women who died in one of the most horrifying fires in U.S. history at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, with many trapped behind a fire escape door locked in violation of the law: 146

Today, estimated number of fire departments around the nation that are on duty to help avoid such tragedies: 30,000

Estimated number of people who staff these stations today: 1.1 million

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Percentage of organizations with strong learning cultures that report high employee productivity, according to a Bersin and Associates study: 96

Percentage that report high customer satisfaction: 94

Source: Bersin and Associates.

Percentage of Americans who say that buying a used car is what they will do once their current car stops running, according to a survey conducted for CarMax: 30

Percentage who said that they purchased a car in the past year despite the recession: 18

Percentage who say that they are ready for a new car, but will buy a used car to be smart: 7

Source: CarMax Inc.

Percentage of women 45 and older who say they feel sluggish at least once a week during the winter, according to a survey fielded by Kellogg Co. and Braun Research: 61

Percentage who attribute this to unhealthy eating, especially during the winter months, which are often marked by heavier comfort foods and less frequent exercise: 66

Percentage who attribute it to less frequent exercise: 77

Source: Braun Research.

Estimated amount of money that Africa lost in illicit financial outflows from 1970 through 2008, according to a report released from Global Financial Integrity: $854 billion

Ratio of illicit financial outflows from the entire region compared to official development assistance going into the region: 2 to 1

Source: Global Financial Integrity.

Idle Thought

"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." -- Stephen King, author

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

Number of business flights taken by America's business leaders this past year, according to a Business Elite survey released today by Ipsos MediaCT: 5.5 million

Percentage of American business leader fliers who traveled first class or business class: 47

Source: Ipsos Media.

Despite an improved overall outlook, percentage of CFOs who rate U.S. economic growth as their No. 1 concern, according to findings of the CFO Outlook Survey conducted by Financial Executives International and Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business: 38

Percentage of CFOs who cite consumer spending/demand as their top concern: 26

Percentage who are concerned about competition: 25

Source: Financial Executives International and Baruch College.

Percentage of senior executives who say their customers highly appreciate what their company does for them, according to NFI Research: 80

Percentage of managers who say their customers highly appreciate what their company does for them: 65

Source: NFI Research.

Percentage of Americans in 2008 who lived in a family household that contained at least two adult generations or a grandparent and at least one other generation, according to a report based on the Pew Research Center's analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data as well as their public opinion surveys: 16 (an estimated 49 million people)

In 1980, percentage who lived in such a household: 12 (an estimated 28 million people)

Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Since the recession began in December 2007, estimated number of jobs that the U.S. economy has lost, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: 8.4 million

Percentage rise in unemployment: 200

Percentage drop in job openings: 33

Percentage drop in hiring: 19

Number of times longer that people are spending on the unemployment rolls: 3.5

Source: Sirota Survey Intelligence.

Percentage increase in single-track download sales of music in 2009, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry digital music report: 10

Percentage increase in the download of digital albums: 20

Source: International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

Percentage of renters who have had a romantic relationship with a roommate or a neighbor living in the same apartment community, according to a national Apartments.com survey: 32

Percentage who have made those relationships last anywhere from a few months to more than a year: 21

Ranks of the pool and the laundry room on the list of the most popular spots for making sparks fly: 1, 2

Source: Apartments.com.

Despite workforce reductions, percentage of "trendsetter" CEOs who believe their companies's current workforce is well aligned to business objectives that must be met over the next 12 to 24 months, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' Private Company Trendsetter Barometer survey: 61

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Estimated loss by the United States in total travel-related spending caused by the decline in overseas travel since 2000, according to a report by the U.S. Travel Association in conjunction with Oxford Economic: $509 billion

Cost in jobs -- direct and indirect -- in all regions of the country: 441,000

Number of lost visitors, each of whom on average spend well over $4,000: 6.83 million

Source: U.S. Travel Association.

Percentage of the fastest-growing American companies that reported using at least one social media tool, according to a Center for Marketing Research study: 91

Source: Wake Forest University.

Idle Thought

"Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority." -- Thomas Henry Huxley

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

Percentage of men who said that if they were filthy rich they would buy a sports car, according to an Askmen.com survey: 51

Percentage who said they would buy a luxury sedan: 25

Percentage who would buy an SUV: 11

Source: AskMen.com.

Percentage of people being asked to take on new challenges that stretch them who are more excited to go to work, according to Development Dimensions International's Pulse of the Workforce survey: 24

Percentage of workers who have no desire to assume a leadership role: 62

Source: Development Dimensions International.

Percentage of Americans who believe in the "evil eye" or that certain people can cast curses or spells that cause bad things to happen to someone, according to Pew Research: 16

Percentage of Americans who say they have felt in touch with someone who has already died: 29

Percentage who say they have seen or been in the presence of ghosts: 18

Source: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

Percentage of Americans who said they would tell family about having invasive cosmetic surgery, according to a survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery: 52

Source: American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

Percentage of Americans who say they are now more careful about remembering to bring their coupons to the store, according to an NCH Marketing Services consumer survey: 30

Percentage who state that they would maintain this new habit: 74

Percentage of respondents who also said they are now clipping more coupons than in the past: 25

Source: Valassis.

Percentage of younger workers aged 18 to 29 who see a workplace romance as having positive effects, with the top positive effect being achievement of higher social or professional status at work, according to a poll of working Americans commissioned by Workplace Options: 51

Percentage of older workers who argue that there are no positive effects from entering into a workplace relationship: 79

Source: Workplace Options.

While the government certainly does count unemployment benefits as taxable income, percentage of tax filers who believe that people do not owe taxes on income from unemployment benefits, according to new a study conducted on behalf of H&R Block: 30

Percentage of filers who believe that those collecting unemployment owe taxes based on the full amount, down slightly from 37 percent in the spring: 32

Percentage of filers who understand correctly that taxes are owed on unemployment benefits only after a certain amount: 27

Percentage of filers who do not believe it is possible to deduct a loss in the balance of a 401(k) plan from their taxes: 61

Percentage who believe incorrectly that they can claim this deduction, while 22 percent are unsure: 17

Source: H&R Block.

Percentage of consumers who believe the economy will continue to be volatile with no clear pattern of improvement, according to the results from a survey by AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co. that polled consumers and economists on numerous topics: 24

Percentage of economists who, when asked the same question, agreed: 12

Source: AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co.

Percentage of men who enjoy preparing meals, according to allrecipes.com: 82

Percentage of women who say they enjoy preparing meals: 75

When asked their preferred dinner ingredient, rank of steak on the list of favorites for men: 1

Rank of pasta on the list of favorites for women: 1

Source: Allrecipes.com.

Year that the first helicopter for commercial use was licensed -- just seven months after the end of World War II, the Bell Model 47B was operated by the New York Journal for news coverage and to deliver photographs, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1946

Estimated number of helicopters that are in the general aviation fleet today -- up 25 percent since 2000: 9,600

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Percentage of Americans who think fewer pink slips being handed out and more people finding work will be the strongest indicators for economic recovery, according to a survey sponsored by ING Direct USA: 58

Percentage of Americans who believe that people taking vacations away from home will prove that the U.S. economy is improving: 25

Percentage who believe that people dining out more will be an indicator of an improving U.S. economy: 20

Source: ING U.S. Financial Services.

Idle Thought

"In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual." -- Galileo Galilei

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