oddities

Figuratively Speaking for November 15, 2019

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | November 15th, 2019

Percentage of male business travelers who have been hungover during a meeting or presentation while on a business trip, compared to 14% of female business travelers, according to a "La Quinta Means Business" survey: 28

Percentage of business travelers who say they've missed a special event, such as birthdays or holidays, due to business travel: 81

Source: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

Percentage of consumers who decided to return nondefective electronics early on, citing frustration and/or confusion during product unpackaging, installation and first use, according to the results of a study on consumer return behavior for nondefective electronics products by TechSee: 65

Percentage of consumers who agreed that they would return a product if they found it difficult to install: 54

Percentage who said they would also return it if they found it difficult to operate, suggesting customer support is a critical component in lowering no-fault-found returns: 70

Source: TechSee.

When asked why people choose not to cook more, percentage of respondents who said the biggest factor was not having enough time, according to the Cooking at Home Report by June: 45

While 35% of respondents had a set dinnertime growing up, percentage who have a set dinnertime now: 22

Source: June.

Percentage of parents who give a regular allowance, according to a study by RoosterMoney: 73

Average amount given for birthdays: $42

The most entrepreneurial age -- as they are the most likely to sell their own toys and clothes to boost income: 11

Average amount made per sale: $32

Source: RoosterMoney.

Percentage of people in a relationship who don't know core financial facts about their partner, according to a survey from Policygenius: 16

Overall, percentage of people who manage money separately from their partner: 22

Percentage who don't know their partner's credit score: 50

Percentage who have a secret credit card: 12

Percentage who have a secret checking account: 13

Source: Policygenius.

Percentage of Americans who say the reason for not planning to go into physical stores on Black Friday 2019 is that the stores are too busy, according to a survey by Genesys: 37

Percentage who say the price reductions are not worth the inconvenience: 25

Percentage of American men who are more interested in brick-and-mortar shopping, vs. 33% of women: 45

Source: Genesys.

Percentage more likely that women are than men to say they hide their phone to avoid using it during a meal (39 percent to 24 percent), according to survey commissioned by OpenTable: 15

Source: OpenTable Inc.

Ranks of a nice meal out, clothes and electronics on the list of purchases that consumers feel most guilty about, according to a survey conducted on behalf of Slickdeals: 1, 2, 3

Percentage of Americans who feel guilty when purchasing health products: 16

Percentage who reported feeling a pang of guilt when they buy alcoholic drinks: 33

Source: Slickdeals.

Of the 67% of parents who say they practice mindfulness with their children at home, percentage who say it's been beneficial, according to a survey ClassDojo conducted in the U.S., U.K. and Australia: 96

Ranks of improved handling of emotions, increased calm, happier and greater focus on the list of specific benefits gained by teaching mindfulness in school: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: ClassDojo.

Percentage of older adults who would prefer to live in their current home, according to research from Home Instead Inc.: 68

Percentage who have thought about age-friendly modifications: 64

Percentage of older adults who have taken time to consider the age-friendly features they will want in a new home: 85

Source: Home Instead Senior Care.

Idle Thought

"I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars." -- Walt Whitman, poet

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

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for November 08, 2019

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | November 8th, 2019

Percentage of workers who say there are at least one or two people on their team who appear busy, but still fail to get the important jobs done, according to a study by VitalSmarts: 85

Percentage who say at least half of their team does this: 10

Percentage who say their manager does this: 40

Percentage of workers who say they have teammates who spend too much time on the wrong priorities: 91

Source: VitalSmarts.

Percentage of Americans who say the idea of being your own boss excites them most about owning a small business, according to a UPS Store survey: 57

Percentage who believe artificial intelligence, such as autonomous machines and 24/7 automated customer support, will be helpful for small businesses competing in the future: 64

Source: UPS Store.

Percentage of final-year medical residents who said they owe $150,000 or more in student loans, according to a report by Merritt, Hawkins and Associates: 51

Percentage of U.S. medical school graduates who owe $200,000 or more in student loans: 48

Source: Merritt, Hawkins and Associates.

Average amount of cash that an increasingly generous tooth fairy leaves per visit, according to the results from the latest Kids' Allowance Report by Rooster Money: $4.90

Latest average weekly allowance: $8.44

Source: RoosterMoney.

Estimated value of the pet industry, according to a study by Bigeye: $75 billion

Percentage of pet owners who say their pet influenced where they live: 34

Percentage who haven't used cannabidiol products on their pets who would consider trying it: 42

Percentage of owners who consider pets members of their families: 95

Source: Bigeye.

Percentage of employees who report they are not happy with their current salaries, according to a study commissioned by Spherion: 42

Percentage who say flexibility at work and other work-life balance programs and perks have decreased in the last year: 62

Percentage who feel their companies have put in more effort to retain them this year: 19

Percentage of employers who report being more worried this year about the talent shortage, citing finding qualified/skilled workers and turnover/retention as top concerns: 71

Source: Spherion.

Despite safety concerns, percentage of U.S. credit or debit card holders who say they have saved their card number online or in mobile apps, according to a study from Bankrate.com: 64

Percentage of respondents who think saving payment information on a website is somewhat safe (while 31% believe it's not very safe, and 17% think it's not safe at all): 44

Percentage of U.S. adults who signed up for a free trial who were later charged against their will: 59

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of consumers who say they did not receive at least one package they ordered online in the past six months, according to a report from Clutch: 51

Among those who did not receive a package, percentage who say the package was stolen: 16

Source: Clutch.

Percentage of consumers who say they intend to go into physical stores on Black Friday this year, according to a survey by Genesys: 39

Of the 61% of U.S. consumers who do not plan to go into physical stores this year on Black Friday, percentage who say they simply "never" go: 33

Percentage who claim they used to go shopping on Black Friday but have stopped: 28

Source: Genesys.

Percentage of employees with co-workers who report that civility at work provides tangible upsides: 78

Percentage who report better work morale as a result: 40

Percentage who report increased loyalty to their employer: 40

Percentage who report better quality of work: 36

Source: Weber Shandwick.

Today, number of cancer survivors living in the U.S. -- a number that continues to grow -- according to the National Cancer Institute : 16.9 million

Percentage of Americans who believe that one day, a cancer diagnosis would no longer be something to fear, according to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America: 65

Percentage who feel that cancer is becoming a more treatable disease: 70

Source: APCO Worldwide.

Idle Thought

"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do." -- Bob Dylan, singer-songwriter

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

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for November 01, 2019

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | November 1st, 2019

Number of Americans who say their finances have reached "horror show" status, including 34% of millennials and 16% of baby boomers, according to a survey by WalletHub: 78 million

Number who are fearful of a recession: 177 million

Percentage who agree that politicians prey on people's financial fears: 90

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of professionals who admitted they go to work sick at least sometimes, according to an Accountemps survey: 90

Of those, percentage who always show up while ill: 33

Percentage of those who report to the office with cold or flu symptoms who said they have too much work to do: 54

Percentage who don't want to use a sick day: 40

Source: Accountemps/Robert Half Management Resources.

Percentage of Americans who say they think about their physical well-being often or very often, compared to 57% who say the same about their mental health, according to a survey from Ipsos Public Affairs: 76

Percentage who believe that mental health is as important as physical health: 88

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Cost of the average out-of-network ATM withdrawal, up 33% over the last decade, according to the latest Bankrate.com study: $4.72

Current average overdraft fee, just shy of the record of $33.38, set in 2017: $33.36

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of time employees spend in inefficient meetings and dealing with email, according to a survey by Double Gemini: 50

Source: Double Gemini.

Percentage of Americans who prefer their coffee with add-ins instead of drinking it black, according to a survey from Reddi-wip: 79

Percentage who find making coffee therapeutic: 73

Source: Conagra Brands.

Percentage of singles who have admitted to ghosting someone they were casually dating (the term referring to ending a relationship or potential interest by stopping all communication with the person), according to a survey by Dating.com: 75

Percentage of singles who have reported being a victim of ghosting: 92

Source: Dating.com.

Percentage of Americans who have a favorite room in their home who say it's where they go to unwind and de-stress by themselves, according to a survey from Ally Home: 74

Percentage who say it is where they can put all their favorite things: 35

Source: Ally Financial.

When asked which trade-offs they are willing to make to pay for one season of college football activities/items, percentage of fans who would cut back on eating out once a week, according to a SunTrust survey: 48

Estimated amount the average fan will spend on tickets during the season: $411

Amount spent on parking during the season: $383

Amount spent on hotels during the season: $3,020

Source: SunTrust Banks Inc.

Date that President Gerald R. Ford signed a law that returned the annual observance of Veterans Day, a day to honor all veterans of all wars, to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978: Sept. 20, 1975

Source: Military.com.

Idle Thought

"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life." -- Immanuel Kant

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

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