Posted on: Sunday, February 15, 2009
Happiness worth career sacrifices
By John MacIntyre
Percentage of American men and women who say a successful relationship with a significant other is more important than a successful career in order to achieve a happy life, according to a SnagAJob Valentine's Day survey: 75
Percentage who say that they have either sacrificed their own career for the benefit of a significant other's or would be willing to do so: 66
CLARITY SKILLS
When the International Association of Administrative Professionals asked its members what makes a good boss, the percentage who said that being a good communicator is essential in a manager: 37
When asked how a boss could foster better office communications, percentage who said that being clear when assigning tasks: 30
DREAMLAND
Percentage of voters who said they believed in the American Dream immediately after the presidential election, according to Zogby interactive polls: 67
By the second week of January, percentage who said they believed in the American Dream: 56
1 PERCENT SOLUTION
Estimated percentage increase in the U.S. market share of world international travel that it would take to add $15 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the U.S. Travel Association: 1
As a result of the 1 percent increase, number of new jobs created: 153,000
Amount of new federal tax revenue included in the $15 billion: $1.3 billion
KING OF BEER ADS
Ranks of Budweiser horse circus (interest score 77.02), Budweiser horse fetch (74.61), Coca-Cola nature (72.53), Bridgestone potato head (71.73) and Budweiser horse coming to America (71.48) on the list of top Super Bowl commercials, according to HCD Research and mediacurves.com: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
ALPHA TENDENCIES
Percentage of alpha females — defined as "articulate, outspoken super-consumers who have a lot to say about marketing, life and the universe" — who agree that "making do with less across the board" is now more of a priority, according to the 2009 Ginger's Alpha Panel Survey: 62
Percentage of alpha females who plan to have fewer nice dinners out: 65
Though alphas still plan to shop, percentage who are now "buying on sale": 60
$4OK THREADS
Number of years that clothier Eton has been in business (started in the small village of Ganghester, Sweden), according to Katrin Tijburg, North America brand manager: 81
Price of the world's most expensive shirt, the Eton Diamond Shirt, woven from the finest Egyptian cotton and detailed with natural-colored diamond studs: $40,000
IDLE THOUGHT
"Let us enrich ourselves with our mutual differences."
— Paul Valery, poet and philosopher
Contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.
