Posted on: Sunday, May 4, 2008
Done in by e-mail, Net browsing evidence
Compiled by John MacIntyre
Percentage of the nation's top divorce attorneys who say they have seen an increase in the number of cases using electronic data as evidence during the past five years, according to a survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers: 88
Percentage who cited e-mail as the main source and most commonly used form of technological evidence: 82
Percentage who reported an increase in the frequency of Internet browser histories being used as evidence in divorce cases during the past five years: 79
LITTLE HELP WITH HELLO
Percentage of executives in the U.S. and Canada who feel they would benefit from an international etiquette course (that is when and whether one should shake hands, give a kiss on the cheek or bow when greeting an overseas colleague), according to the results of a survey by OfficeTeam: 62
YOU MAKE WHAT?!!?!
Percentage of American executives who say they are at least somewhat concerned about their CEO's compensation, according to a survey conducted by Korn/Ferry International: 34
Percentage who said the same in 2007: 21
Percentage who said their CEO compensation matched their organization's performance: 42
HAPPIER WITH AGE
Percentage of all Americans who are very happy, according to a Harris Poll: 35
Percentage of people who describe themselves as "very religious" who consider themselves as very happy: 45
Percentage of people who describe themselves as "not religious" who consider themselves as very happy: 28
Percentage of people in the 18 to 24 age bracket who are very happy according to the survey: 29
Percentage of people age 65 and older who are very happy: 47
COSTS OF OBESITY
Percentage of the U.S. population that is considered to be clinically obese (a body mass index greater than 30), according to IBISWorld: 34
Annual estimated direct health costs attributable to obesity: $75 billion
Estimated annual expenditure on weight-loss products and services, including medical procedures and pharmaceuticals: $44 billion to $55 billion
Percentage of that spending garnered by weight-loss centers: 6 to 12
HERE'S TO MOM
Year that Congress designated the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1914
Percentage of women age 40 to 44 who are mothers: 81
In 1976, percentage of women in that age group who were mothers: 90
FAMILY, MEDICAL LEAVE
Percentage of U.S. employees who say they know someone who has taken Family and Medical Leave Act leave, according to a survey conducted by Tell It Now and ComPsych Corp.: 77
Percentage of U.S. employees who say a colleague's reason for FMLA leave was "questionable": 6
NO SYMPATHY FOR SOME
Percentage of Americans who oppose the federal government taking steps to help prevent major Wall Street investment companies from failing, according to a Gallup Poll: 60
Percentage of Americans who support having the federal government take steps to help prevent people from losing their homes because they can't pay their mortgages: 56
LOW ON OIL
Of 16 major nations surveyed around the world (including the U.S.), number of countries where majorities think that oil is running out and that governments should make a major effort to find new sources of energy, according to a www.WorldPublicOpinion.org poll: 15
Ranks of South Korea (97 percent), France (91 percent), Britain (85 percent), Mexico (83 percent) and China (80 percent) as the countries where the largest majorities endorse this view: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Percentage of the U.S. population that endorses this view: 76
RISING VALUE OF SOY
Value of the soy food and beverage market in 2007, according to a report from Packaged Facts: $2 billion
Percentage rise from 2006: 7
IDLE THOUGHT
"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval."
— Mark Twain
Contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.
