Posted on: Sunday, November 18, 2007
America saving time, money, energy
Compiled by John MacIntyre
Year that daylight saving time was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin, according to Basex's TechWatch Special Report: 1784
Estimated cumulative economic benefit of daylight saving time through the year 2020, according to the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy: $4.4 billion
THEY STILL CALL
Percentage of Americans who have registered their telephone numbers for the Do-Not-Call Registry, according to a Harris poll: 72
Of those who have registered, percentage who report that they currently receive no telemarketing calls: 18
MOTIVATING FACTOR
Percentage of sales employees who are engaged in their work, according to a survey conducted by Sibson Consulting: 57
Comparing sales employees with nonsales employees, percentage who are committed to their company: 68 vs. 62
Percentage who are motivated by compensation: 82 vs. 62
STIMULATING VIEWS
Rank of Chicago among the most caffeinated cities in the United States, based on per capita consumption of coffee, tea, chocolate, sodas, energy drinks and caffeine pills, according to a survey conducted by Prince Market Research: 1
Ranks of Seattle and Chicago among U.S. cities whose denizens are most likely to tell you that caffeine is good for you: 1, 2
Ranks of Los Angeles and Riverside/San Bernardino, Calif., among the U.S. cities whose denizens are most likely to tell you that caffeine is bad for you: 1, 2
CREDIBILITY GAP
Percentage of journalists who say that they rely on the Internet to help get their job done, according to the 2007 Arketi Web Watch Survey: 100
When asked how journalists use the Internet, percentage who say finding news sources: 93
Percentage of journalists who say that international organizations offer credible online information: 89
Percentage who say that government agencies offer credible online information: 85
Percentage who say that politicians offer credible online information: 35
INDUSTRIAL AGE
Net loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs in the past decade, according to the Cato Institute: 3.3 million
Net gain of U.S. jobs in sectors where the average wage is higher than in manufacturing: 11.6 million
Percentage of the world's added manufacturing value accounted for by U.S. factories: 20
Percentage accounted for by Chinese factories: 8
TAKING INITIATIVE
When CFOs were asked what initiatives their company was most likely to pursue in the next two years, percentage who cited technology upgrade, according to a survey by Robert Half Management Resources: 30
Percentage who said business process improvement: 19
I HEART S.F.
Rank of San Francisco among the top 10 U.S. cities in Condé Nast Traveler magazine's annual readers' choice awards: 1
Number of years in the past 18 that San Francisco has held the No. 1 spot: 17 (Santa Fe was No. 1 in 1992.)
MOTORHEADS
Number of hours that Americans spend tuning up and maintaining their vehicles each year, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Dodge Caliber SRT4: 18 billion
Percentage of men who say the garage is their favorite place to spend time at home: 17
PETS WELCOME
Number of U.S. hotels that allowed pets in 2002, according to a study conducted by "Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook": 11,327
Number of U.S. hotels that allowed pets in 2006: 13,890
Percentage increase in the number of U.S. hotels that allow pets since 2002: 23
IDLE THOUGHT
"The most futile thing in this world is any attempt, perhaps, at exact definition of character. All individuals are a bundle of contradictions — none more so than the most capable."
— Theodore Dreiser, author
Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.
