Opinion: Golfers see weaknesses in play, not finances

Percentage of golfers who know which areas of their savings and investment strategy need similar treatment: 45

Percentage of golfers who know the score of their latest round of golf: 85

Percentage of golfers who know the current value of their portfolio: 52

Hot properties

Rank of Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz., Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C. and S.C., Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C., Las Vegas, Nev., and Indianapolis as the hottest U.S. cities for entrepreneurs, according to the National Policy Research Council: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Wining

Percentage of wine consumers who are “traditionalists” (they need to feel that their wine is made by a well-known winery that’s been around for a long time), according to the results of Project Genome: 16

Percentage who are “enthusiasts” (they are passionate about the entire wine experience – from researching what to buy to sharing it with friends and family): 12

Percentage who are “image seekers” (they need to feel sophisticated and fun, adventurous and trendy): 20

Percentage who are “satisfied sippers” (they want a sensible choice they can feel comfortable serving to family and friends): 14

Percentage who are “overwhelmed” (they want good shelf description and/or recommendation by retail and wait staff): 23

Unions vs. corporations

Percentage of adults who negatively rate the job being done by labor unions, according to the results of a Harris Interactive poll: 68

Percentage of adults who negatively rate the job being done by corporate America: 61

Math minus meaning

Percentage of American sixth-eighth graders who would rather do any one of the following: clean their rooms, eat their vegetables, take out the garbage and go to the dentist, than sit down with their math homework, according to a study by KRC Research for Raytheon: 84

Percentage of middle school students surveyed who say math would be more interesting to them if they were shown how people in music, sports and video games use math in their jobs: 81

Personal issues

Percentage of employers who allow employees to address personal or family issues on company time, according to a recent survey by WorldatWork, the Alliance for Work-Life Progress and the Regional Research Institute for Human Services at Portland State University: 56

Percentage who say support for employees needing work time for personal issues is highly dependent on the individual supervisors: 40

5-year plan

Percentage of baby boomers purchasing a luxury home through Coldwell Banker who told their sales associate they plan to spend fewer than five years in their current home, according to The Coldwell Banker Baby Boomer Real Estate Survey: 52

Percentage of these luxury homes that cost approximately $1 million: 88

Rank of main floor master suite, three-car garage and one-floor home as the amenities in which baby boomers were most interested: 1, 2 and 3

Hold the phone

Percentage above cost the average U.S. consumer now pays for communication services, according to new analysis by Frost & Sullivan U.S. Communications Services Overview: 3.6

Estimated number of customers that wireline services could lose by the year 2010: 100 million

Number of wireline carriers that have been sold due to the decline of that industry: 2 (AT&T, MCI)

Online shopping

Percentage of U.S. consumers who enjoy holiday shopping online because it eliminates the hassle of driving and of crowds, among other reasons, according to a survey by PriceGrabber.com: 36

Percentage who say it’s because they can shop 24 hours a day: 33

Percentage who say it’s to find the low prices: 19

John MacIntyre is an author and former city magazine editor. His Figuratively Speaking column, launched in 1989, is published in more than 40 newspapers and magazines.

[[In-content Ad]]