Rank of Friday night on the list of the most popular nights for Americans to take out their dinner, according to a survey by Turning Leaf: 1

Percentage of respondents who said they have passed off takeout food as something they have made from scratch: 34

When asked where they prefer to eat takeout, percentage of Americans who said cozying up on the living room couch: 50

Percentage who enjoyed sitting down at the dining room table: 50

Think you're the only one who sneaks a bite of food before bringing it home? Percentage of Americans who also let the temptation of a pre-meal bite get the best of them: 61

Source: Turning Leaf.

Percentage of swimmers who think it's acceptable to urinate in the ocean if no other swimmers are near, according to a survey by TripAdvisor: 53

Percentage of respondents who think there should be designated child-free areas: 63

Percentage who think it's unacceptable for a young child to go in the ocean au naturel: 61

Percentage of travelers who think it's unacceptable to ask a stranger to help apply suntan lotion: 77

Source: TripAdvisor.

Percentage of presumably human adults surveyed in 22 countries who say they believe that alien beings have come down to Earth and walk amongst us in our communities disguised as "us," according to a Reuters News poll conducted by Ipsos: 20

Ranks of India (45 percent) and China (42 percent) on the list of countries with citizens most likely to believe that the disguised visitors are walking close by: 1, 2

Source: Ipsos Reid.

Of those Americans who have experienced an unemployment spell of at least six months, percentage who report that the recession has caused major changes in their lives, according to a Pew Research Center survey: 44

Percentage of those unemployed over six months who say joblessness has strained family relations, compared with 39 percent of those who were out of work for less than three months: 46

Percentage of long-term unemployed who say they have lost contact with close friends: 43

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

Percentage of workers who report that since the economic downturn, they have been packing a lunch more often to eat healthier or help save money, according to a CareerBuilder survey: 47

Among workers who smoke, percentage who said they are more likely to quit smoking given today's economic conditions: 44

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Percentage of Americans, not yet retired, who believe they will get no Social Security benefits when they retire, reflecting more pessimism than at any time since Gallup began asking this question in 1989: 60

Percentage of retired Americans who believe their existing Social Security benefits will eventually be cut: 56

Percentage of retirees who said Social Security is a major source of income, more than any other source tested: 54

Source: Gallup.

Percentage of Americans who feel that smoking should not be allowed within 20 feet of a doorway, according to the results from the annual Social Climate Survey of Tobacco Control, funded by Legacy: 67.3

Percentage who feel that beaches should be smoke-free: 43

Percentage who favor smoking bans in parks: 36

Source: Legacy.

Number of single moms living with children under 18 years old, according to BIGresearch: 10 million

Number of single dads living with children under 18 years old: 2.3 million

Source: BIGresearch.

Percentage of adults who have less confidence in Apple products due to iPhone 4 reception problems, according to a survey by Zogby: 40

Percentage of adults who believe electronics products are becoming more reliable: 32

Percentage who say they are less reliable: 22

Source: Zogby International.

Percentage of mothers who consider themselves "fun" moms, according to the survey of moms conducted by Rayovac: 84

Percentage of these fun moms who believe that having more energy would empower their families to have even more fun this summer: 60

To keep kids occupied in the car while taking a summer road trip, percentage of moms who sing songs with their families: 60

To give the vocal cords a rest, percentage who also have their children watch movies on a portable DVD player: 50

Source: Rayovac.

Idle Thought

"A man should live with his superiors as he does with his fire: not too near, lest he burn; nor too far off, lest he freeze." -- Diogenes, philosopher

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

Percentage of small companies -- one of the major drivers for economic recovery and job growth -- that plan to add new employees in the months of July through December, according to a CareerBuilder survey: 32

Percentage that will hire part-time: 11

Percentage that will hire contractors or temporary workers: 6

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Percentage of adults surveyed in 22 countries (representing 75 percent of the world's GDP) who, if a family member became ill, would find it difficult to get quality, affordable health care services for them, according to a Reuters News poll conducted by Ipsos: 52

Source: Ipsos Insight.

Percentage of men who find tattoos on women to be a turnoff, according to an Ask Jeeves survey: 47

Percentage of women who feel the same way about men with tattoos: 38

Number of Americans who have at least one tattoo: 45 million

Percentage of individuals with tattoos who eventually grow dissatisfied and want them removed: 50

Source: Syneron Inc.

Ranks of Italy, Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, France and Greece on the list of destinations Americans would choose as the one place they would like to visit if money were no object, according to a Harris poll: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Source: Harris Interactive.

Percentage of CFOs who said the security of remaining actively employed was the No. 1 reason they'd consider consulting, according to a Robert Half Management Resources survey: 26

Percentage who said that flexible schedules were their reason for considering consulting: 21

Percentage who cited the variety and challenge of consulting work as their reason: 20

Source: Robert Half International.

Percentage of likely voters who say extending unemployment benefits and business tax breaks justify increasing the deficit, according to a Zogby Interactive survey: 48

Percentage who say federal spending on jobs is more important than the deficit: 53

Source: Zogby International.

When given a choice between new roads funded by an increased gas tax or by tolls, or no new roads at all, percentage of Americans who prefer tolls, according to an America THINKS survey from HNTB Corp.: 41

Percentage who said "no new roads at all": 41

Percentage who were in favor of increased gas taxes: 18

Source: HNTB Corp.

Percentage of older Americans (55 and older) who believe that their social life and friendships would suffer the most from a hearing loss, according to a public opinion survey commissioned by HearUSA: 44

Percentage of all Americans who believe that their social life and friendships would suffer most from a hearing loss: 29

Source: HearUSA.

Percentage of singles who voted South Beach in Miami, Fla., as the best place to meet eligible bachelors and bachelorettes, according to a survey from Match.com in partnership with Southwest Airlines: 43

Percentage of Match.com's single users who list travel as an interest: 80

With summer travel in full swing, percentage of Match.com's single users who said if given two weeks off, they would vacation at the beach: 40

Source: Match.com.

Percentage of adults with access to the Internet who have bypassed their bank's online bill payment service and go directly to the biller's website instead, according to Mintel Comperemedia: 45

Percentage of online banking customers who have never paid a bill online at all: 22

Percentage of all checking direct-mail offers that include a mention of online banking: 40

Source: Mintel Comperemedia.

Idle Thought

"An economist's guess is liable to be as good as anybody else's." -- Will Rogers

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

Percentage of elementary school students who will start school with a new laptop, according to a PriceGrabber report: 15

Percentage who will have computer accessories: 13

Percentage who will receive a new cell phone or smartphone: 10

Source: PriceGrabber.com.

Globally, the percentage of consumers who go online to visit a social network or blog (an increase of 24 percent over last year), according to Nielsen Research: 75

Estimated number of minutes the world now spends on social networks and blog sites per month -- 22 percent of their time online: 110 billion

Source: Nielsen Media Research.

Percentage of Americans who are familiar with Twitter and know that it is an online information-sharing service, according to The Pew Research Center's latest News IQ Quiz: 85

Percentage of Americans who know that the government's bailout of banks and financial institutions was enacted under the Bush administration: 34

Percentage who are able to identify John Roberts as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court: 28

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

Percentage of adults surveyed in 23 countries who don't agree with the statement that "a woman's place is in the home," according to a Reuters News poll: 74

Ranks of Argentina, France, Mexico and Sweden on the list of countries with citizens most likely to disagree that "a woman's place is in the home": 1, 2, 3, 4

Ranks of India, Turkey, Japan and China on the list of countries where inhabitants are most likely to agree that "a woman's place is in the home": 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Reuters.

Percentage of managers who indicated that support staff play a role in helping their firms to reduce spending, according to a study developed for the International Association of Administrative Professionals: 50

Percentage of supervisors who said they have turned to administrative personnel for help with technology: 32

Percentage of support professionals who said their employers do not provide leadership training to administrative staff: 51

Percentage who said they would find these courses valuable if available: 96

Source: OfficeTeam.

Median income level of the elderly population (the midpoint -- 50 percent above and 50 percent below) in 1974, according to a study by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI): $13,264 (all figures quoted are in constant 2009 dollars)

Average income of the elderly in 1974: $18,750

Median income of the elderly in 2008: $18,001

Source: EBRI.

Ranks of Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning on the list of America's favorite sports stars, according to a Harris poll: 1 (tie), 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Danica Patrick and Mia Hamm on the list of America's favorite female sports stars: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Harris Interactive.

When asked how much of the $800 billion economic stimulus package was used to create jobs by rebuilding and improving highways, roads and bridges, percentage of voters who incorrectly guessed 25 percent, according to a poll for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers: 20

Percentage of voters who think worse of the stimulus package when they learn that only 3 percent of its funding was dedicated to rebuilding highways, roads and bridges: 53

Source: Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

Percentage of homeowners who say they don't regret buying their home, according to a poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International: 90

Among homeowners who regret having bought their homes, percentage who said they feel woeful because they are unable to sell and move on: 31

Percentage of respondents who said it was because they couldn't afford the monthly mortgage payments: 22

Source: Bankrate Inc.

Percentage of Americans who plan to vacation 100 miles or more away from home during 2010, according to the results of a consumer survey commissioned by the U.S. Tour Operators Association: 60

Of those, percentage who said they would travel in the offseason or "shoulder" -- period between the peak season and offseason -- to save money: 45

Source: United States Tour Operators Association.

Idle Thought

"Like cars in amusement parks, our direction is often determined through collisions." -- Yahia Lababidi

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