Percentage of meeting agendas that are appropriately prepared, according to Proudfoot's Consulting Business Review findings: 41

Percentage where there is clear communication and preparation before the meeting: 49

Percentage that are attended punctually and with appropriate attendance: 39

WORK WOES

Percentage of hiring managers at traditional hourly employment standbys such as retailers and restaurants who say they do not intend to take on any new seasonal workers in 2008, a consequence of the uncertain economy, according to a survey conducted by www.snagajob.com: 49

Percentage of hiring managers surveyed who agreed with the statement that "today's youth do not have the same work ethic as previous generations have had": 56

Percentage of hiring managers who say the most important thing they look for in an applicant is a positive attitude and an eagerness to want the job: 39

TOO WIRED?

Percentage of employees who describe their wireless device as a necessity: 38

Percentage of survey respondents who admit to putting their wireless device down only when they are sleeping: 25

Percentage of respondents who admit to being 100 percent offline when not in the office (down from 8 percent last year): 5

THE DADDY TRACK

Percentage of fathers who would sacrifice an exciting job for more time with their children, according to a survey conducted by Spike TV's "State of Men 2008" in partnership with national research firm Penn, Schoen & Berland: 73

Percentage of fathers today who are also at least "somewhat willing" to be stay-at-home dads — a 13-point increase from 2004: 73

Percentage of men who indicated that what defines a man most is being a good husband and father: 80

THE WEALTH TAX

Percentage of adults in the U.S. who believe that the government should tax the wealthy more, according to a Financial Times/Harris Poll: 62

Percentage of adults in France (the lowest percentage in the countries polled) who agree: 51

Percentage of adults in the U.K. who agree: 56

Percentage of adults in Japan (the highest percentage in the countries polled) who agree: 77

MOBILITY EXPENSES

Average number of vehicles per household in the U.S. in both 2001 and 2008, according to U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration and Transportation Energy Consumption Surveys: 1.9

Average gallons of gas consumed per household in 2001: 573

Average number in 2008: 597

Average price per gallon in 2001 (allowing for adjustment in today's dollar value), according to Oil Price Information Service in cooperation with Wright Express, distributed by AAA: $1.78

Average price per gallon today: $3.99

IT PAYS TO KNOW

Percentage of respondents who do not know that you have to pay both the interest on your entire balance as well as a late fee when making a late credit card payment, according to a survey by the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Literacy: 69

Percentage of respondents who cannot identify the percentage that service fees typically take out of a $20 ATM withdrawal: 97

Percentage of respondents who knew you can withdraw money from a Roth IRA for education expenses, your first home purchase and retirement spending: 16

HOME WORRIES

Percentage of Americans who would lose their houses or apartments if hit by an unexpected short-term job loss, according to a survey conducted by Zogby International: 22

Percentage who know someone who has gone through or is being forced to sell their home because of a foreclosure: 30

If forced to sell their homes today, percentage who say they would buy another home rather than rent: 50

REMODEL IT

Percentage of Americans who plan to tackle home improvement projects in the next few months, most of them spending more than $1,000, according to an Ace Hardware survey: 25

Percentage who are engaging their family for time and money-saving help: 49

Percentage who are asking their friends: 46

CONSULT ME

Percentage of chief financial officers who said they view consulting as an attractive segue into retirement, according to a survey developed by Robert Half International: 75

Percentage of CFOs who identified being able to remain in the workforce but working fewer hours as one of the greatest benefits of consulting: 47

IDLE THOUGHT

"It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way."

— Rollo May, psychologist

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