Opinion: Majority tells lies to protect others

Percentage of men who admitted they had also lied to cover their behinds: 29

Percentage of women who admitted they had lied to cover their behinds: 26

Percentage of men who would lie to secure a promotion: 6

Percentage of women who would lie to secure a promotion: 4

Percentage of Americans who said getting out of or paying down debt was their top New Year’s resolution, according to a survey by Cambridge Consumer Credit Index: 25

Percentage who said getting a more secure or better job: 14

Percentage of Fortune 1000 CEOs who said they were close to their mothers, according to a survey by Jericho Communications for author Eric Yaverbaum: 79

Percentage who said they were close to their fathers: 38

Percentage who said their childhood idol was their mothers: 37

Percentage who said their fathers: 18

Number of employed Americans who had alcohol- or drug-use disorders in 2003, according to the latest survey data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: 15.7 million

Cost of lost productivity in American businesses due to alcohol: $134 billion

Percentage of that cost that is a result of alcohol-related illness: 65.3

Percentage increase in “paid search” online ad spending in 2004 versus 2003, according to emarketer: 55 (to $3.93 billion)

Percentage increase in “nonsearch” online ad spending in 2004 versus 2003: 15 (to $5.43 billion)

Percentage of the world’s population accounted for by China, according to Global Insight: 23.2

Percentage accounted for by the United States: 5.2

Percentage of the world’s mobile phone users accounted for by China: 20

Percentage of the world’s smokers in China: 35

Percentage of all finished steel in China: 27

Rank of Atlanta, Chicago and London as the cities with airports moving the most passengers in the last 12 months, according to Airports Council International; 1, 2, 3

Rank of Memphis, Hong Kong and Tokyo as the cities with the airports moving the most cargo in the last 12 months; 1, 2, 3

Percentage of U.S. Internet users who have given their unwanted gifts to others (“regifted”), according to a survey conducted for eBay: 64

Percentage who have sold unwanted gifts over the Internet: 20

Percentage of respondents to a Vault.com survey who said that when quitting their jobs they would submit their resignations in person: 70

Percentage who would send it in a letter: 25.5

Percentage who would e-mail it: 3.5

Value of the U.S. home improvement product market in 2004, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute: $271.4 billion

Percentage of homeowners that do a home project in their first year of ownership: 52

Amount people spend improving their home in the first year of ownership: $4,900

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.