In 2018, amount that Amazon paid in federal income taxes on profits of over $11 billion, according to the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy: 0

Percentage slash in the federal corporate tax as a result of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (35 percent to 21 percent): 14

Source: ITEP.

Grade level proficiency at which the average American reads, according to the National Adult Literacy Survey: 8

Number of the largest credit card providers that were analyzed in Visible Thread's report: 50

Percentage of the "terms and conditions" of these credit cards that require a college education to be understood: 90

Out of 50 sets of terms, number that is regarded as easier to read than "Moby Dick": 1

Source: VisibleThread.

Percentage of American adults who would rather wait all day at the DMV to renew their license than file their taxes, according to the survey by Toluna on behalf of TaxSlayer: 24

Percentage who would go without caffeine for a month: 24

Percentage of respondents who would take a road trip with their in-laws and no radio: 20

Percentage who would get a root canal instead of filing their taxes: 16

Source: TaxSlayer.

In 2018, national average cost of a wedding, according to findings from The Knot's 2018 Real Weddings study: $33,931.

Average cost of libations per wedding: $2,564

Average catering cost per guest: $70

Average wedding gown cost: $1,631

Average number of guests: 136

Source: The Knot.

Average monetary payout by the tooth fairy per tooth, according to the Original Tooth Fairy Poll sponsored by Delta Dental: $3.70

In homes that the Tooth Fairy visits, percentage of parents who say they give their child at least $5.00 or more: 37

Average payout for a first tooth ($1.26 above the average for subsequent teeth lost): $4.96

Source: Delta Dental.

Percentage of global shoppers who are using smartphones to research products while in a store, according to the 2019 Global Shopping Trends survey: 86

Percentage who browse online before going into a store to make a purchase: 93

Source: iVend Retail.

Amount lost by U.S. non-grocery retailers in revenues due to markdowns in 2018, equivalent to 12 percent of their total sales, according to the results of a U.S. retailer survey by Celect: $300 billion

Percentage of unplanned markdown costs that are caused by inventory misjudgments, including overbuying, buying the wrong type of product or misallocating inventory: 53

Source: Celect.

Percentage of all organic consumers who say they're open to any kind of organic product, according to a survey by Earthbound Farm: 48

Percentage of people with kids at home who are likely to buy organic (vs. 41 percent of respondents without kids): 52

Source: Earthbound Farm.

Ranks of a garage, a master bedroom with a suite and a main-floor bathroom on the list of features homebuyers want most, according to a poll conducted by Zolo Realty: 1, 2, 3

Percentage of respondents who said they preferred a three-bedroom home: 38

Percentage who wanted two bathrooms in the home: 57

Source: Zolo Realty.

Percentage of hiring managers who plan to increase their use of staffing firms over the next five years, according to research from CareerBuilder, Inavero and the American Staffing Association: 54

Ranks of candidates with the right skills, time to hire and budget on the list of the top pain points in the recruitment process as cited by hiring managers: 1, 2, 3

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Idle Thought

"The most part of all princes have more delight in warlike manners and feats of chivalry than in the good feats of peace." -- Sir Thomas More

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

Percentage of Americans who admit to taking more hot showers during the winter months, according to a survey conducted for CeraVe: 50

Percentage who realize that the hot showers they are taking can contribute to itchy skin: 25

Percentage of Americans who say they are likely to see a dermatologist during the winter: 64

Source: CeraVe.

Estimated number of square miles -- 5 times the size of New York City, and more than a million acres -- that was added to the total area owned by America's top 100 landowners in 2018, according to The 2019 Land Report 100 sponsored by LandLeader.com: 2,000

Ranks of cable industry pioneers John Malone (2.2 million acres) and Ted Turner (2 million acres) on the list of the nation's largest landowners: 1, 2

Rank of Jeff Bezos, who uses his 420,000-acre Texas ranch to launch and land rockets: 28

Source: The Land Report.

Percentage of Americans who say they have friendships that last longer than their romantic relationships, according to a survey Fort Mason Games: 62

Percentage of respondents who say they have friends they think will be friends for life: 86

Percentage who say trustworthiness is a top friendship trait: 51

Percentage who say their busy lifestyles are the biggest obstacle to friendship: 35

Source: Fort Mason Games.

Percentage of CFOs who are at least moderately concerned about the risks they might face in the next 12 months, according to insurance company Euler Hermes' "Risky Business" Survey: 75

Percentage who say that they don't feel fully prepared to handle the current risk landscape: 58

Percentage who consider a nonpayment event a threat to their businesses: 70

Source: Euler Hermes Americas.

Percentage of employees who attribute recognition in the workplace to the creation and maintenance of a stronger, more positive and engaged company culture, according to Snappy Gifts national Employee Happiness Survey: 95

Percentage of employees who feel undervalued: 33

Estimated average cost of losing a good hire: $30,000

Source: Snappy.

Percentage of adult respondents who report living with some type of back or neck pain, according to a survey conducted by Brightday: 90

Percentage who think it's "normal" for them to feel that way, even when it's preventing them from doing housework, enjoying/having sex and playing with their kids: 70

Ranks of "working at a desk," "lifting heavy objects" and "my weight" on the list of reasons cited for their back/neck pain: 1, 2, 3

Source: Brightday.

Percentage of people who agreed there should be more laws and/or regulations put in place to protect credit card holders, according to a report from CompareCards: 79

Percentage who said there should be a cap on the interest rates financial institutions can charge on a credit card: 88

Source: CompareCards.

Although digital devices play an ever-increasing role in our everyday lives, percentage of Americans who still hand write every day, according to a survey by Pilot Corporation of America: 80

Percentage of respondents who stated that writing things down helps them better retain information: 90

Source: Pilot Corporation of America.

Percentage of Americans who would consider divorcing their spouse over lying about money, according to a GOBankingRates.com survey: 27

Percentage who said that divorce would not be an option if they found out their partner was carrying a financial secret: 73

Amount of hidden debt women would tolerate before considering divorce: $15,490

Amount men would tolerate: $14,414

Source: GoBankingRates.com.

Percentage of professionals who tried to negotiate a higher salary with their last employment offer, according to a survey by Robert Half: 55

Percentage of male employees who tried to negotiate pay, versus 45 percent of women: 68

Percentage of professionals aged 18 to 34 who asked for higher compensation, compared to those ages 35 to 54 (55 percent) and 55 and older (38 percent): 65

Source: Robert Half Management Resources.

Idle Thought

"And when all the wars are over, a butterfly will still be beautiful." -- Ruskin Bond, "Scenes from a Writer's Life"

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

Percentage of Americans who eat pizza, according to a survey by Caulipower: 98

Number of Americans who admit they would choose pizza to be their last meal on Earth: 33 million

Source: Caulipower.

Ranks of being kept on hold, rude service and automated phone menus on the list of the top frustrations with telephone customer service, according to a survey by Clutch: 1, 2, 3

Percentage of people who ranked an "efficient resolution to my issue" as the trait they value most when calling a business: 79

Source: Clutch.

Percentage of retirees who agree that their retirement has turned out to be just as good or better than expected, according to a study by T. Rowe Price: 84

Percentage who agree that they are enjoying retirement more than their primary working years: 80

Percentage of current workers who believe they will live as well or better in retirement: 39

Source: T. Rowe Price.

On a scale of 1 to 100, ranks of family members, friends, co-workers, going solo and their partners on the list of people men had the most fun spending time with, according to a survey by OC and C Strategy Consultants: 1, 2, 3, 4 (tie)

Ranks of family members, friends, their partners, co-workers and going solo on the women's list of their favorite people to hang out with: 1, 2, 3, 4 (tie)

Source: OC and C Strategy Consultants.

Rank of Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, on the list of the most expensive ski resorts in the United States, according to a research report conducted by Cheaphotels.org: 1

In Deer Valley, average amount guests spend per night for the least expensive double room -- by far the highest rate among all destinations considered: $543

Ranks of Beaver Creek (Colorado) $416, Alta (Utah) $413 and Vail (Colorado) on the list: 2, 3, 4

Source: Cheaphotels.org.

While people may not always listen to a parent or friend's dating advice, percentage of people who would not even consider dating someone who did not like their dog, according to a survey for the online dog-walking app Wag!: 50

Percentage who would say that their dog is an excellent judge of character: 70

Percentage of those who had dated someone despite their dog's negative feelings toward that person who would "never make that mistake again": 23

Source: Wag!

Percentage of American adults who say online reviews are extremely or very important in helping them decide which products and services to buy, according to a survey conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of Ally: 49

In the past year, percentage of adults who have actually used online reviews to help them choose a bank or financial services provider: 23

Source: Ally Financial.

Percentage of credit card holders who say that their primary card has lasted them longer than their most recent romantic relationship, according to a report from CompareCards.com: 41

Percentage of cardholders who said they never plan to change their primary credit card: 26

Source: CompareCards.

Percentage of all employees who say that "seeing well at work" is important to them, according to a Transitions Optical survey: 98

Percentage of employees who are bothered by vision-related symptoms at work -- ranging from eye fatigue and headaches to dry eyes and blurred vision: 80

Percentage who say they are less productive than they could be: 40

Source: Transitions Optical.

Percentage of people surveyed by the GO Group LLC, who said they were planning to travel this upcoming spring: 20

Percentage of those who said they are headed somewhere warm and sunny: 27

Percentage who are headed to the mountains for skiing and other snowy winter fun: 7

Percentage who said they are headed somewhere outside the U.S.: 20

Source: GO Group LLC.

Idle Thought

"So if we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we feel guilty or fear retribution." -- J.M. Coetzee, author of "Disgrace"

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