Rank of Tampa, Fla., on the list of the vainest cities in the United States, according to the July-August issue of Men's Health, determined by each city's percentage of Botox users, folks who go for dye jobs, people who will spend anything to look younger, sales of at-home hair dyes, teeth whiteners and shapewear, per-capita numbers of cosmetic procedures, cosmetic dentists, plastic surgeons and tanning salons: 1
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Ranks of Plano, Texas, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Dallas on the list: 2, 3, 4, 5
Ranks of Des Moines, Iowa; Lincoln, Neb.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Fargo, N.D.; and Kansas City, Mo., on the list of the least vain cities: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Source: Men's Health Network.
Percentage of the Mexican public who believe that Mexicans who move to the U.S. have a better life there, according to the Pew Global Attitudes Project: 53
Though many believe life is better for those who emigrate to the U.S., percentage of Mexicans who say they would not move to the U.S., even if they had the means and opportunity to do so: 61
Source: Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends.
Percentage of newlyweds who believe the most serious conflict in their first year of marriage is money, according to a survey by the Association of Bridal Consultants: 67
Source: Association of Bridal Consultants.
Percentage of ice cream companies that indicated vanilla is the most popular flavor among their consumers, according to the findings from a survey of International Ice Cream Association member companies: 92
Source: International Dairy Foods Association.
Ranks of "changes in one's own physical health," "changes in spouse/partner's health" and "changes in income" on the list of the top three challenges people face upon retirement, according to the third annual "RBC Myths and Realities" poll of retired baby boomers conducted by Ipsos Reid: 1, 2, 3
Source: Ipsos Reid Public Affairs.
Percentage of employers who view turnover of key talent as very costly to their organization, according to a study by WorldatWork, Hay Group and Dow Scott, Ph.D., professor of human resources at Loyola University Chicago: 83
Ranks of better pay, lack of promotional opportunities, perception that pay is unfair, and dissatisfaction with job and work responsibilities on the list of reasons that key talent quits: 1, 2, 3, 4
Source: Worldatwork.
Percentage of Americans who have more emergency savings than credit card debt, according to a poll for Bankrate.com: 54
Percentage of Americans who report a lower level of financial security now versus one year ago: 27
Source: Bankrate Inc.
Percentage of pilots, train operators, and bus, taxi and limo drivers (as well as 8 percent of truck drivers and 7 percent of non-transportation workers) who can be classified as "sleepy" and should seek professional help to identify underlying conditions, according to a study by the National Sleep Foundation: 11
Percentage of all Americans who say they are likely to fall asleep at an inappropriate time and place, such as during a meeting or while driving: 10
Source: National Sleep Foundation.
Year that five men were arrested trying to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., an incident that would spur investigations that ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon on Aug. 8, 1974: 1972
Among those at least age 8 at the time, percentage who say they remember where they were when they first heard the news that Nixon had resigned, according to the Pew Research Center for People and the Press: 71
Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
Year that young Lake City, Minn., resident Ralph Samuelson strapped on some slightly bent pine boards and was towed by a boat with an early outboard motor to the amazement of onlookers on the shores of Lake Pepin, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1922
Number of years that Lake City has held its annual Water Ski Days event to celebrate the birthday of water skiing: 41
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Idle Thought
"Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher." -- Japanese proverb
(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)