For those with short attention spans, here are some accumulated bits of information from a variety of reliable sources:
Training for politicians: Micro-organisms have been shown to evolve to do less work when other organisms will do their work for them.
Lock ’em up and throw away the key: Between 2000 to 2010, crime rates dropped 17 percent in states whose prison populations grew by at least 10 percent. In states whose prison population shrank, crime decreased 21 percent.
Where the money is: In the last 25 years, the net worth of Americans over 65 years has increased 42 percent. For those under 35, it has decreased 68 percent.
Depends on where you sit: Some 30 percent of Mormons believe there is discrimination in America against blacks – but 46 percent of them believe there is discrimination against themselves.
Who makes the decisions: Half of the 62 million bucks raised for presidential super PACs so far this year has come from only 22 givers.
Time to trade? The average car on the American road is 10.8 years old.
Cause and effect: Impotent men are likelier to suffer migraines.
To see one’s self: If a physician weighs less than a patient, 93 percent of the docs diagnose the patient with obesity
Selective breeding faster: In nature, natural selection of mammals requires 24 million generations to evolve from mouse size to elephant size. Mitt Romney evolves weekly.
Something in the water? Since 2006, sex crimes in the U.S. Army have increased 97 percent.
Jurassic Park? Russian scientists cultivated a 31,800-year-old plant using seeds from a fossilized squirrel burrow.
Mental fatigue: Deciding what to eat during the course of a typical day requires 227 discrete mental choices.
Tough to get, easy to lose: It’s been reported that 86 percent of NFL players experience financial distress within five years of retirement.
Motel 6 anyone? There are 22 states where adultery is a criminal offense.
Potential cruise line captains: When forced to choose, rats consider rescuing trapped mates about equally with receiving chocolate treats.
Future football fans? Babies as young as 6 months enjoy seeing puppets punished.
One way to balance the budget: Six million people in the U.S. are under correctional supervision – more than were in Stalin’s gulags.
Relative approval: Some 48 percent of Americans approve of Obama’s job performance. In the same rating, God achieved 52 percent.
Before the drug war: A team of researchers uncovered clay pipes near Shakespeare’s residence that contained traces of cocaine.
Big bucks: Since the Bush recession, 90 percent of U.S. income growth has gone to corporate profits.
Who worries: In July, 94 percent of millionaires said they were “concerned about global unrest.”
Oh, them coeds: Some 43 percent of American college grades are “A.”
Where ex-Gov. McKernan earns his millions: Only 10 percent of college students attend “for-profit” colleges – but 25 percent of government financial aid goes to those schools.
How about sex performance? Some 75 percent of college students believe that alcohol improves their ability to tell jokes.
Chopsticks, anyone? Some 46 percent of Americans believe that China has passed or will soon pass America as the world’s leading super power. And, measured by GNP, experts say they are correct.
Heaven awaits: Numbers show 67 percent of Americans say they would vote for a well-qualified homosexual for president, but only 49 percent would vote for a well-qualified atheist.
Spring in Canada: In Ontario last year, a spike in pregnancy among teenagers was blamed on college spring break.
Armadillos included? It seems 100 percent of the people in the world could live in Texas if the population lived at the same density as in New York City.
How about musical ability? Ireland is the only country to report a preference for red-haired sperm donors.
Fitness-shmitness: Some 75 percent of Americans aged 17-24 are ineligible to join the military because of (in order of importance) obesity, drug or alcohol problems, low aptitude.
Free trade: An Americus, Ga., company makes 2,100,000 chopsticks a day for use in China.
Seems logical: On TV ads, fast-talking disclaimers were found to increase consumer wariness.
The sunshine state: Records show 89 percent of all oxycodone sold to doctors was sold in Florida.
Rodney Quinn, a former Maine secretary of state, lives in Westbrook. He can be reached at rquinn@maine.rr.com.
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