Did You Know...

I am a lover of statistics and facts. The odder the better, but the ones which make you think, now those are the best. Harper's magazine's has some of the greatest statistics in their monthly Index. Use the link at your right to view more, these are but some of them from past issues.

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Number of years the United States could meet its energy needs by burning all its trees: 1
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Number of small businesses that applied for U.S. disaster loans after last fall’s hurricanes: 244,602

Percentage that had been approved as of mid-November: 3

Raise your hand if you are surprised.
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Minutes that NBC and CBS spent covering the Darfur genocide last year: 8

Incredibly sad and depressing. Future generations will look back in shame at the world's disregard and ignorance.
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Number of people whom Coalition forces have imprisoned in Iraq at some point since March 2003: 48,526

Percentage of these who have been convicted of a crime: 1.5
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Number of workplace arrestsmade by U.S. immigration authorities in 1997: 17,554

Number in 2003: 445
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Number of U.S. counties where more than a fifth of "residents" are inmates: 21

Number of these that are in Texas: 10

I'll no longer ponder the phrase, "Don't Mess With Texas"... (I'll have to find something else to fill that empty void)
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Minimum number of registered sex offenders who evacuated during Hurricane Katrina and cannot be accounted for: 2,000
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Alabama state senators co-sponsoring a bill last summer to "protect" public displays of the Ten Commandments: 10

Number of them who could list the Commandments: 1

I'm actually a little surprised at this. More amused then anything else though.
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Percentage change in the average monthly price of oil during the Carter
Administration: +85

Percentage change during the presidency of George W. Bush before Hurricane Katrina hit this fall: +107
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Number of journalists killed in Vietnam during twenty years of war
there: 63

Number killed in Iraq since March 2003: 71

Of course, we weren't as obsessed with the media as we are now. Present company included - Well, I wasn't alive then, but if I were, I think I'd be Gogo dancing.
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Percentage of U.S. women who own vibrators: 46

Now you know I just HAD to add that one...