58.4% of Americans have called in sick to get a day off.--
Are You Normal?, by Bernice Kanner, (quoted in Leadership)
Tourism contributes nearly $3.5 billion to Israel's Gross National Product. That figure is expected
to more than double by the year 2000. 28,000 Canadians visited Israel from Jan.-Apr. of 1995.--
Israel Government Tourism Office
Sales of sporting equipment, shoes and clothing in 1995 is estimated to be $32.1 billion.--
The Marketing to Kids Report, (quoted in Youthworker Update)
Extremes in cold and heat, as well as lightning and flooding are weather hazards that kill an
average of 150 Canadians annually. In addition, about 37,000 Canadians are injured and 500 die
every year in road accidents in which the weather (reduced visibility in fog, blowing snow, or icy
roads) is the major factor.--
Environment Canada
A survey of Fortune 1000 firms found that 58% of their executives keep their desks orderly.
However, among the companies whose executives kept their desks tidy, the average one-year
change in stock value was down one point whereas companies that had messy execs had an
average change of up 3.5 points.--
Marriage Partnership
"SnackWell's", a line of reduced-fat cookies and crackers, now outsells America's favourite
cookie, the Oreo.--
Old Farmer's Almanac (Canadian Edition)
Among student credit card holders, 55% pay off their debt monthly and 39% maintain a balance.
In the adult segment, 66% of cardholders revolve debt.--
Denver Post, quoted in Youthworker Update
The golden arches of McDonald's is more recognizable than the Christian cross, concludes a
recent survey of 7,000 people in six countries. The Olympic games logo--five linked rings--was
the most recognizable one, identified by 92% of the participants. The logos of Shell and
McDonald's were both recognized by 88% of the respondents; the cross, 54%.--
EPNS
Men are 5 times more likely to be struck by lightning than women. The odds of being struck by
lightning in any year are 1 in 2.5 million; odds of winning a major lottery jackpot are about 1 in 15
million. Lightning hits a commercial aircraft once in every 5,000 to 10,000 hours of flying time on
average. At any given moment, some 2,000 thunderstorms are booming around the Earth.--
Environment Canada
The Earth's 8 warmest years since 1881 have been: 1981, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,
and 1994; 1994 was the third warmest ever recorded. Scientists have discovered that Wednesday
is the warmest day of the week. There are twice as many fatal heart attacks in winter as in
summer. Admissions to psychiatric wards and mental health centres increase on humid days.--
Environment Canada
The Old Town portion of Lunenburg, N.S. has been officially designated as a World Heritage Site
by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World
Heritage Committee. It was accepted as "an outstanding example of planned European colonial
settlement in North America in terms both of its conception and its remarkable level of
conservation."--
Canadian Heritage