Percentage of women who see a glass ceiling in corporate America, according to Treasury and Risk, the leading Summit Business publication and website for CFOs, treasurers, risk managers and senior financial executives: 82

Percentage of men who see a glass ceiling: 41

Source: Summit Business Media.

Percentage of men and women across the U.S. who said it was important to recognize a person by name when doing business, according to a survey conducted by Social Science Research Solutions for Imprint Plus: 96

Percentage of all respondents who stated that it is important to identify a sales person by name: 70

Source: Social Science Research Solutions.

Percentage of all exported tequila, 108 million liters per year, that is purchased in the United States, which now consumes more tequila than Mexico, according to research by Corcoran Associates and CRT Consejo Regulador del Tequila A.C.: 80

Source: CRUZ del Sol Tequila.

Ranks of going to the movies (35 percent), going out for dinner (23 percent), going to a party (17 percent), going for a walk or outdoor adventure (13 percent), or even mini-golf (1 percent) on the list of the most popular first dates, according to a poll conducted by Ipsos Reid: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Percentage who agree that they like to incorporate going to a movie into a date night: 57

Source: Ipsos Reid Public Affairs.

Percentage average salary increase for nurses over the last year, according to UBM Medica's Physician's Practice 2012 Staff Salary Survey: 4

Percentage average salary increase for nurse managers over the last year: 12

Source: UBM Medica U.S.

Percentage of teens who say it would be much easier for them to postpone sex and avoid teen pregnancy if they were able to have more open, honest conversations with their parents, according to a survey from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy: 87

Percentage of young people age 12 to 19 who agree with the statement: "It doesn't matter whether you use birth control or not, when it is your time to get pregnant, it will happen": 42

Source: National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Percentage of Americans who say they are concerned about being able to support themselves financially should they become disabled and unable to work, according to research from the nonprofit LIFE Foundation: 75

Percentage of working Americans who say they would have trouble supporting themselves financially "immediately" following a disability that keeps them out of work: 25

Source: LIFE Foundation.

Percentage of Americans who would rather get a good night's sleep than have sex, according to a national survey by the Better Sleep Council: 61

Percentage of women who agreed: 79

Estimated percentage of Americans who fall asleep somewhere other than their bed at least once a week: 50

Source: Better Sleep Council.

Increase in the percentage share of babies born to unmarried mothers from 1960 to 2008, according to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center for the People and the Press: 800

By 2008, percentage of all babies born in the U.S. who were born to an unwed mother: 40

Percentage of millennials (ages 18 to 30) who see it as a change for the worse, compared to 62 percent of Gen Xers (ages 31 to 46), 67 percent of baby boomers (ages 47 to 65) and 76 percent of the silent generation (over 65), according to a survey conducted in 2011: 52

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

Percentage of consumers who said the great outdoors is their preferred place to cook during the warmer months, according to nationwide poll results released from the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association: 85

Percentage of grill and smoker owners who cook year-round: 62

Source: Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.

Idle Thought

"A man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of life getting his living." -- Henry David Thoreau

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

Percentage of native-born American citizens who failed the civics portion of the U.S. naturalization test, according to a survey from Xavier University's Center for the Study of the American Dream: 33

Pass rate among immigrants applying for citizenship: 97.5

Source: Xavier University's Center for the Study of the American Dream.

Percentage rise in the yearly costs to own and operate a sedan in the U.S., according to the results of AAA's annual Your Driving Costs study: 1.9

Based upon 15,000 miles of annual driving, average cost per mile in 2012, up 1.2 cents from 2011: 59.6 cents

Average cost per year: $8,946

Source: AAA.

Year of America's worst waterborne disaster when the wooden steamboat Sultana's boilers suddenly exploded and the boat burned and sank as it moved up the flooded Mississippi River near Memphis at night, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1865

Number of people who lost their lives: 1,700

Number of people who lost their lives in the Titanic disaster: more than 1,500

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Ranks of "a stronger economy in my country," "better living conditions" and "strengthening family relationship" on the list of the top three important factors for improving personal well-being, general health and quality of life, according to a survey of citizens in 24 countries: 1, 2, 3

Source: Ipsos Global Public Affairs.

Percentage of Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus test-takers who are female, according to L'Oreal: 46

Percentage of AP Computer Science test-takers who are female: 19

Percentage of all professional jobs in the U.S. work force that are held by women: 56

Percentage of IT jobs that are held by women: 25

Source: L'Oreal.

With 82 percent of U.S. consumers affected by the economic downturn, the percentage who are personally involved in a good cause, down from 60 percent in 2010, according to the 2012 Edelman "Goodpurpose" study: 53

Percentage of Americans who believe the responsibility of tackling society's issues falls most heavily on the shoulders of "people like me": 35

Percentage who believe the responsibility should fall on government: 22

Source: Edelman.

Percentage of young women ages 18 to 34 who rate "career" high on their list of life priorities, compared with 59 percent of young men, according to a Pew Research Survey: 66

In 1997, percentage of young women, compared with 58 percent of young men, who felt the same way: 56

Source: Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends.

Percentage of 17- to 25-year-old drivers who agree that smartphone apps are causing young people to be more distracted at the wheel, according to survey findings from Ingenie: 58

Percentage who admitted to answering their phones while driving without a hands-free set: 40

Percentage who said they had sent a text message: 44

Source: Ingenie.

Percentage of airline passengers across 40 countries worldwide who voted the front six rows of the plane as the most popular, according to a poll by flight comparison site Skyscanner: 45

Percentage of passengers who cited a preference for a window seat: 60

Percentage who preferred an aisle seat: 39

Source: Skyscanner.

Percentage less likely that women are than men to make time for physical activities they enjoy, according to a survey from the American Cancer Society: 10

Percentage of women who said they would be more physically active in their free time if it felt less like work and more like play: 40

Percentage of the women who do make time for physical activity they enjoy, who also say they do so because it is good for their mind: 63

Source: American Cancer Society.

Idle Thought

"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play." -- Heraclitus, philosopher

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

Ranks of family and multigenerational travel, river cruises, active or adventure trips, luxury cruises, and celebration travel on the list of the five biggest travel trends emerging for 2012, according to Virtuoso: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Italy, France, South Africa, Australia and England on the list of the five most popular international destinations for travelers in 2012: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Virtuoso.

Ranks of grocery shopping, household chores and cooking on the list of areas where men believe their role has increased over the last five years, according to a survey from Planters: 1, 2, 3

Ranks of exercise, eating home-cooked meals and choosing healthier snacks on the list of areas where men have taken steps to stay healthier over the last five years: 1, 2, 3

Source: Kraft Foods.

Percentage of all Americans who predict they will spend less than four hours total on this year's spring cleaning, according to the Stanley Steemer Spring Cleaning survey conducted by Kelton: 50

Percentage who say they will spend less than one hour or no time at all: 18

Source: Kelton Research.

Year that President Nixon signed a bill into law prohibiting cigarette advertising on the nation's airwaves, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1970

Estimated percentage of Americans who currently smoke: 20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Percentage fall in overall beer consumption in the U.S. last year, according to the Beverage Information Group's Handbook Advance 2012: 1.5

Percentage growth in spirits: 2.6

Source: Beverage Information Group.

When asked what one item they can't live without during travel, percentage of respondents who said a good book or e-reader is a must-have, according to a survey conducted for HomeAway: 24

Percentage who said they need the comfort of their favorite pillow: 18

Source: Home Away.

Ranks of Boston ($194), New York ($172), Philadelphia ($154), Washington, D.C. ($145) and New Orleans ($117) on the list of the most expensive cities for travelers to secure the cheapest available double room located in or very close to the city's center or its main attractions, according to CheapHotels.org: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Orlando ($33), Las Vegas ($36), Anaheim ($45), Myrtle Beach ($51) and Atlanta ($52) on the list of the least expensive cities: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Cheaphotels.org.

Percentage of professionals who said their employers viewed international experience as important or very important, according to research commissioned by global specialist recruiter Hydrogen Group and conducted by ESCP: 72

Percentage of 2012 respondents who would at least consider relocating overseas, are currently considering it or have already relocated, recognizing international experience as a key factor in career success: 94

Source: Hydrogen Group.

Percentage of women in America who have used intimacy enhancement products, according to research conducted by Masque Sexual Flavors: 44

Percentage of these women who were in a committed relationship: 78

Source: Masque Sexual Flavors.

Percentage of respondents who report that they always proactively take steps to green their home or lifestyle, such as recycling, driving energy-efficient vehicles, weatherizing their home, using eco-friendly products, etc., according to an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of RetailMeNot.com: 25

Percentage of respondents who say that they are more inclined to buy a product if it is environmentally friendly: 46

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs RS.

Idle Thought

"If what you are getting online is for free, you are not the customer, you are the product." -- Jonathan Zittrain, professor of Internet law

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