Percentage of urban traffic congestion that is caused by the daily struggle to find parking, according to a study by IBM and Streetline Inc.: 30

Average time drivers have spent in pursuit of a coveted spot: 20 minutes

In a yearlong study, vehicle emissions resulting from drivers looking for parking in a 15-block district in Los Angeles: 730 tons of carbon dioxide

Source: IBM.

Percentage of organizations that indicated poor frontline leadership resulted in turnover of leaders themselves or their team members, according to a survey conducted by Development Dimensions International (DDI) in conjunction with HR.com and the Institute for Human Resources: 59

Percentage of respondents who reported a loss of productivity: 65

Percentage who reported loss of team member engagement: 69

Source: DDI.

Percentage of Americans who said they have made purchases they can't afford in order to be perceived as having a certain lifestyle, according to a Country Financial Security Index survey: 10

Percentage of 18- to 29-year-olds who stretch their paychecks because they feel pressure to keep up appearances: 20

Source: Country Financial.

Year that San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge opened and was hailed as a technological marvel, as it continues to be, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1937

Estimated number of other bridges in the U.S., forming a vital part of the nation's highway system: 604,000

Of these, percentage that are considered deficient and obsolete to cope with modern traffic: 25

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Percentage of all households with children under the age of 18 that include mothers who are either the sole or primary source of income for the family, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau: 40

In 1960, percentage of mothers who were either the sole or primary source of income for the family: 11

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

Percentage of middle-class Americans who have been outside the middle class in their own lifetime, according to a poll by The Allstate Corporation and National Journal: 51

Percentage of Americans who believe that being middle class today means keeping up with expenses and holding a steady job while not falling behind or taking on too much debt: 54

Source: Allstate Insurance Co.

Percentage of singles who would not date someone with considerable credit card debt (more than $5,000), according to a survey by Match.com: 65

Percentage of singles who would not date a virgin (33 percent of men and 51 percent of women): 42

Percentage of women who are not likely to date someone shorter than themselves: 71

Source: Match.com.

Percentage of consumers who consider people who use coupons to be "savvy" vs. "cheap": 59 percent vs. 9 percent

Percentage who would consider using a coupon on a date and wouldn't try to hide it: 71

Source: RetailMeNot.com.

Percentage of newlyweds who say the bride and groom must be the first to post a picture of their wedding to a social media site, according to a survey by David's Bridal: 52

Percentage of brides who will update their Facebook status to "married" or update their new name within a day of walking down the aisle: 59

Source: David's Bridal Inc.

Percentage of parents who are concerned that children are suffering negative health consequences from spending too much time on electronic devices instead of physical activities, according to a Mason-Dixon survey conducted on behalf of the Water Quality and Health Council: 93

Percentage who said electronics, such as video games, smartphones and tablets, interfere with traditional family activities: 86

Source: Mason-Dixon Polling.

Idle Thought

"Only mediocrity can be trusted to be always at its best. Genius must always have lapses proportionate to its triumphs." -- Max Beerbohm

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

Year that Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a patent for the use of copper rivet fasteners on denim trousers -- and thus blue jeans were officially born, according to Cotton Inc.: 1873

Average number of pairs of blue jeans owned by the average U.S. consumer: 7

Source: Cotton Inc.

Percentage of 2013 graduates who stated that what they want is financial stability over other considerations, including an on-demand lifestyle (16 percent), freedom (12 percent) and travel experiences (5 percent), according to a survey conducted by Zipcar: 68

Percentage of college seniors who graduated in 2011 who had student loan debt -- with an average of $26,600 per borrower: 66

Source: Zipcar.

Percentage of executives who said clothing choices affect an employee's chances of earning a promotion, according to a survey from OfficeTeam: 80

In 2007, percentage of executives who tied professional wear to advancement prospects: 93

Among those 2007 respondents, percentage who said clothing significantly affects a person's chances of moving up the ladder, versus just 8 percent who feel this way today: 33

Source: OfficeTeam.

Average number of technology products used by Americans, according to a study by Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange: 2.3

Percentage of respondents who use mobile phones: 82

Percentage who use laptops: 66

Source: Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange.

Percentage of respondents who are planning a leisure trip this summer, according to the results of the 2013 summer travel survey by TripAdvisor: 86

Ranks of ocean, city, countryside, National Park and lake on the list of the five most popular summer destination categories this year: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C., on the list of the most popular U.S. destinations for summer travel: 1, 2, 3

Source: TripAdvisor.

Percentage of shoppers who are more sensitive to price this year than they were in 2012, according to a Parago survey: 75

Percentage of those who feel their purchasing power has decreased: 42

Before shopping, percentage of consumers who now look for deals, rebates and the best prices compared to 69 percent in 2012: 80

Source: Parago.

Percentage of all speaking characters in 2012 films who were female, according to a study by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism: 28

When they are on screen, percentage of women in 2012 who were shown with at least some exposed skin: 31

Percentage of female teen characters who were shown in sexy attire in 2012, compared with 39.9 percent of women between the ages of 21 and 39: 57

Source: Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Percentage of adults in their 40s and 50s who have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a grown child (age 18 or older), according to a Pew Research Center survey: 47

Percentage of middle-aged adults who are providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child: 15

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

Percentage of those in a relationship who would "cheat" on their spouse/partner/significant other by streaming a TV program they had agreed to watch together before their partner had a chance to watch it, according to a survey conducted on behalf of Netflix2: 51

Percentage of U.S. adults (28 million) who confessed they had already cheated: 12

Source: Harris Interactive.

Percentage of employees who believe that businesses are not doing enough to instill in their culture a sense of purpose aimed at making a positive impact on all stakeholders, according to the annual Deloitte Core Beliefs & Culture survey: 68

Percentage of the respondents who said their organization had a strong sense of purpose who were likely to say their company had performed well financially over the last year: 90

Source: Deloitte LLP.

Idle Thought

"Everyone, in some small, sacred sanctuary of the self, is nuts." -- Leo Rosten (1908-1997), author

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

Percentage of working Americans who do not receive any type of paid vacation leave in their current positions, according to a survey by Kelton: 23

Percentage of respondents who say they can't even go one month of their daily routine before feeling like they need a vacation: 20

Percentage of working Americans who say they want or feel they need more allotted vacation days on top of the days already provided by their employer and, on average, would like an additional 17 paid vacation days: 90

Source: Kelton Research.

Percentage of consumers who say they are/were more worried about what to buy their mom for Mother's Day than what to buy their dad for Father's Day, according to a RetailMeNot Shoppers Trend Report: 67

Percentage of consumers who have forgotten to wish their mom a Happy Mother's Day in the past, let alone get them a gift: 16

Source: RetailMeNot.com.

When considering job candidates' qualifications beyond traditional accounting skills, percentage of CFOs who said they value general business knowledge most, according to an Accountemps survey: 33

Percentage of respondents who look for expertise in information technology: 25

Ranks of communication skills (14 percent), leadership abilities (13 percent) and customer-service orientation (13 percent) on the list of the most valued skills: 2, 3 (tie)

Source: Accountemps.

Estimated number of people in the U.S. who are of Asian heritage, approaching 6 percent of the total population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 18.2 million

Estimated number of people of Asian heritage who live in California, the largest number within this group: 5.8 million

Percentage of the total population of Hawaii who are of Asian descent: 57

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Average number of hours per week that women spend doing housework today, compared to the 25.7 hours spent weekly by their mothers in 1965, according to the American Time Use Survey of 2011 from the United States Department of Labor: 13.3

Source: United States Department of Labor.

Percentage of American adults who have delayed or will delay dental care due to the uncertain U.S. economy and their lingering fears about their current financial situation, according to a survey conducted by ORC International and commissioned by Aspen Dental: 36

Percentage of those who indicated that they knew that delaying dental care would cost them more in the long run: 80

Source: Aspen Dental.

Percentage of women who said that when they were pregnant with their first child, they expected their partner to buy them a gift on Mother's Day, according to a survey by Eric Mower & Associates: 60

Percentage of dads who disagreed: 60

Source: Eric Mower & Associates.

Percentage of do-it-yourselfers (DIYers) who report doing either the same amount or more of their own auto repairs and maintenance this year versus one year ago, according to the 2013 DIY Report from AutoMD.com: 90

Of those who reported that their financial situation has actually improved year over year, percentage who still choose to do their own repairs: 79

Percentage of DIYers who report 100,000 miles or more on their primary vehicle: 64

Source: AutoMD.com.

Despite the challenges facing them, percentage of small business owners who feel that their business is performing at expected levels so far in 2013, according to a survey from TD Bank: 60

Ranks of growing their business (51 percent), the economic environment (45 percent) and cash flow (34 percent) on the list of the top three challenges they face: 1, 2, 3

Source: TD Bank.

When it comes to daily routines for fashion and beauty, percentage of women ages 18 to 34 who spend time choosing their clothes, according to a John Frieda-commissioned report: 28

When a special occasion is on the calendar, percentage of women who said they spend significant time on their hair, with 49 percent spending more than 30 minutes: 61

Ranks of wedding (72 percent), job interview (68 percent) and a first date (37 percent) on the list of the top three events where hair matters most: 1, 2, 3

Source: Wal-Mart.

Idle Thought

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." -- Albert Schweitzer

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