oddities

Figuratively Speaking for May 17, 2019

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | May 17th, 2019

Number of U.S. adults who won't be taking a summer vacation this year because they simply can't afford one, according to a Bankrate.com report: 39 million

Of those, percentage who say paying down debt is the biggest factor standing between them and being able to afford to take a trip: 22

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of job seekers who have received two or more offers simultaneously when applying for jobs, according to a survey by Robert Half Finance and Accounting: 59

Percentage of professionals who reported making their decision in two or fewer days: 58

Ranks of salary, benefits, advancement potential, commute, and position's responsibilities or challenges on the list of the top five reasons job seekers accepted one offer over another: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Robert Half Finance and Accounting.

Percentage of people who don't realize that credit card companies can charge foreign fees while you're traveling abroad, according to a WalletHub survey: 40

Percentage who don't understand that foreign fees can apply while you're dealing with overseas merchants from the U.S.: 80

Percentage of people who consider foreign fees to be unfair: 81

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of women who prefer to get to the airport at least two hours in advance of departure time for a domestic flight -- compared to 39% of men -- according to a survey conducted by the GO Group LLC: 47

Percentage of men who found 90 minutes to be the ideal time to arrive before departure, with 42% of women agreeing: 47

For international travel, the "ideal" amount of time to arrive prior to departure, as selected by 50% of men and 52% of women: 2 hours

Source: The GO Group LLC.

While 84 percent of blue-collar workers say they can make ends meet, percentage of all workers who say it is difficult to make ends meet, according to a study conducted by The Harris Poll and commissioned by Express Employment Professionals: 48

Percentage of workers who say they are worried about saving enough for their retirement: 73

Percentage who agree that it's "more likely that Martians will land on Earth than I'll collect Social Security": 53

Source: The Harris Poll.

Percentage of American travelers who book their vacation based on its "insta-worthiness" (destinations beautiful enough to post on Instagram), ranking third behind Spanish (55%) and Italian (58%) travelers among those who do so, according to a survey by eDreams: 52

By contrast, percentage of British holidaymakers who care about their chosen destination's social media impact: 14

Source: eDreams.

Percentage of Americans who said they prefer soft taco shells, according to a survey by Ortega: 53

Percentage of Americans (roughly 6.5 million) who have never eaten a taco before: 2

Source: Ortega.

Percentage of sports fans who said they buy food and beverages while at sporting events but have had it with long concession wait times and are willing to pay for more modern conveniences and experiences, according to a global study from Oracle Food and Beverage: 94

Average spend per game: $42

Percentage who said they would spend even more if they didn't have to wait in lines: 58

Source: Oracle.

Percentage of people who agree that CEOs should take the lead on global societal and systemic change, rather than waiting for government to impose it, according to the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer: 76

Percentage trust in government: 47

Percentage trust in business: 56

Percentage trust in "my employer": 75

Source: Edelman.

Percentage of IT decision-makers who believe that they are not extremely well prepared to react to a serious data breach, according to 1E research commissioned in partnership with Vanson Bourne: 77

Percentage who have experienced a serious security breach in the last two years -- with 31% percent experiencing more than one: 60

Source: 1E.

Idle Thought

"It is better to prevent crimes than to punish them." -- Cesare Beccaria, philosopher and politician

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

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for May 10, 2019

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | May 10th, 2019

Estimated amount that Americans spent on silicone gel breast implants and injectables in 2018, according to data from The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: $2 billion-plus

Number of breast augmentation procedures that were performed in 2018 by plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery: 329,914

Source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Percentage of Americans who say they feel guilty about spending money, according to a survey, conducted on behalf of Slickdeals: 51

Of those who admitted to feeling guilty when spending money, percentage who said they do not feel remorse buying something at retail price: 5

Average amount that Americans feel guilty about spending each week: $89

Amount this represents over 60 years: $277,680 Source: Slickdeals.

Percentage of business travelers who think it would be harder to go without high-speed Wi-Fi than clean underwear on a business trip, according to a La Quinta Means Business survey: 64

Percentage who unpack their suitcases and put things in the closet or dresser: 40

Source: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

Percentage of high school seniors headed to college who are concerned about their ability to pay for it and who try to approach preparation responsibly, according to research by Ascent Funding: 92

Percentage who are doing so by taking the lead on filling out admission applications themselves: 84

Percentage who are serving as the final decision-maker on selecting a college: 80

Source: Ascent Funding.

Percentage of Americans ages 18 to 54 who have three or more mother figures in their lives, according to a survey conducted by Edible Arrangements: 44

Of the "other mother" figures, ranks of friends, grandmothers and mothers-in-law on the list of the top "other mother" figures they look to the most: 1, 2(tie)

Source: Edible Arrangements.

Percentage of consumers who have returned a non-defective item in the last 12 months, according to the results of a study on consumer return behavior for non-defective electronics products by TechSee: 41

Estimated amount of revenue lost annually for brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers that is contributed to by this behavior: $17 billion

Source: TechSee.

Percentage of Americans who think the weather is growing increasingly severe, according to a study fielded by the Weather Company, in partnership with Morning Consult: 74

Estimated percentage of Americans who have experienced severe weather that damaged their homes or made them evacuate: 40

Source: The Weather Company, an IBM Business.

Percentage of global employees whose concentration levels, productivity and creativity is negatively affected by noise, according to a workplace study by Interface: 69

Across the U.S., U.K. and Australia, percentage of employees who indicate their company does nothing to address noise: 44

Ranks of conversations among employees, phone conversations, phones ringing and the sound of people walking around on the list of the top distractions cited across the globe: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Interface.

Percentage of American adults who agree that having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the American Psychological Association: 87

Percentage who said they believe that people with mental health disorders can get better: 86

Source: American Psychological Association.

Percentage of employers surveyed who agree that companies will need to customize payment options to remain competitive in the war for talent, according to a study released by the ADP Research Institute: 78

Percentage of employees who say off-cycle pay options, such as the ability to choose pay frequency, would make a difference when considering a job offer: 62

Source: ADP.

Idle Thought

"You can't learn in school what the world is going to do next year." -- Henry Ford

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

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for May 03, 2019

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | May 3rd, 2019

Estimated value of the unused items inside American households today, according to a "Recommerce" survey by OfferUp: $1 trillion

Percentage of Americans who say they have filled a closet with extra stuff they're not using: 62

Percentage who say unused stuff "takes up space in my garage": 41

Source: OfferUp.

Projected Mother's Day spending this year, up from $23.1 billion in 2018, according to a survey released by the National Retail Federation: $25 billion

Percentage of U.S. adults who are expected to celebrate in honor of their mothers and other women in their lives: 84

Average spend per person, compared with $180 in 2018: $196

Source: NRF.

Percentage of American parents with adult children who say supporting their grown kids has jeopardized their retirement savings, according to a new Bankrate report: 50

Percentage who indicate it has had a significant impact: 17

The most common age range that a parent-funded lifestyle is expected to end: 19 to 23

Source: Bankrate.com.

When business travelers were asked about how they unwind on a work trip, percentage who said they prefer to end the day by winding down in their hotel room, according to a survey released by Cambria Hotels: 65

Percentage who agree a nightcap is anything that serves as a relaxing way to end the day: 70

Source: Cambria Hotels.

When asked about poultry, percentage of American shoppers who failed to identify chicken as a high-protein source, according to research by Nielsen: 58

Percentage who overestimated the protein content of peanut butter, which contains only 8 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons: 78

Number of grams of protein in 5.3 ounces of Greek yogurt: 12

To compare, number of grams of protein in a 4-ounce chicken breast: 25

Source: Nielsen Analytics.

Percentage of parents who underestimate the risks of spring sunshine, according to a study by parent magazine Kinderzeit.org: 96

Percentage who overestimate the length of time their child can spend in the sun safely: 80

Percentage of all children who have already suffered a mild to severe sunburn this spring: 31

Source: Kinderzeit.org.

Ranks of Dodger Stadium, with projected sales of 2.1 million hot dogs, and Wrigley Field, with sales of 2.1 million hot dogs, on the list of ballfields where the most hot dogs will be sold, according to a survey by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council: 1, 2

Length of the "Boomstick" at the Minnesota Twins' Target Field -- a beast of a dog smothered in chili, nacho cheese, grilled onions and jalapenos: 2 feet

Source: National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.

Percentage of managers who say that the use of digital communications to handle work conflicts, instead of discussing the situation in person or over the phone, is a negative effect, according to a survey by Randstad: 56

Percentage of managers who say technology encourages immediate action over strategic thinking: 79

Source: Randstad.

Percentage of Americans who rank a Mother's Day meal as the No. 1 occasion when people should avoid checking their phones, according to survey commissioned by OpenTable: 73

Percentage of adults who say sharing a meal together is the most meaningful Mother's Day gift, followed by thoughtful conversation: 33

Source: OpenTable Inc.

Percentage of people who say money is the most difficult thing to save, followed by 17% who say free time, according to a survey conducted by the American Association of Endodontists: 56

Source: American Association of Endodontists.

Idle Thought

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." -- Mark Twain

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

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