Percentage of corporate travelers who like to arrive a day early to stay fresh when traveling overseas, according to a survey by Egencia Corporate Travel: 29

Percentage who said flying business or first class keeps them fresh: 12

Percentage who said they take medication to help them sleep: 6

DEFINED DECADE

When asked to pick one word/phrase to define the past decade, percentage of Americans who chose "terror," according to a Zogby Interactive poll: 21

Percentage who said "decline": 15

Percentage who said "loss of personal freedom/civil liberties": 13

FACE THE FACTS

Percentage of the active U.S. Internet universe that is reached by Facebook with an average usage of six hours a month per user, according to Nielsen's 2010 Media Industry Fact Sheet: 56

GLOBAL WARMING

Percentage of the world's carbon dioxide emissions for which the world's richest 500 million people (roughly 7 percent of the world's population) are responsible, according to research by the Worldwatch Institute: 50

Percentage of emissions for which the poorest 3 billion are responsible: 6

OF HELEN KELLER

Year in which Helen Keller, one of the most remarkable of American women, was born, according to the Census Bureau: 1880

Age when she was struck with a major illness that left her deaf and blind: 2

Her age when her family hired Anne Sullivan to try to teach her: 7

In the U.S., percentage chance that somebody has some sort of disability: 20

Percentage of the population who cope with a severe disability: 12

WIFE MATERIAL

Percentage of men who said it is somewhat important for a girlfriend to have "wife potential," but that they wouldn't break up with her if she wasn't, according to an Askmen.com survey: 47

Percentage who said they wouldn't bother pursuing a relationship with a woman who isn't a potential wife: 36

LOOKING AHEAD

Percentage of Americans who describe their outlook for the United States during the next 20 years as "very optimistic" or "optimistic," according to a USA Today/Gallup Poll: 63

IDLE THOUGHT

"Understand this, I mean to arrive at the truth. The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it."

— Agatha Christie

Contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.