I know, it’s enough to shake your faith in humanity, but it’s the cold truth. Singles routinely fudge their height, weight, and age. Frequent online daters can also expect some surprises about income, education, number of children, and even marital status when they come face to face. It seems only natural for people to buff up their images … Read more
Twenty hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute; in turn, users stream 75 billion videos per year. With all those videos, what are your chances of making a dent in the YouTube universe and garnering, say, 1 million views? Slate.com writer Chris Wilson recently addressed just that question, concluding that, “You might have better odds playing the lottery than … Read more
What does it take to write a hit country song? Judging by some of country’s most beloved tunes, it seems one needs to include lyrical references to your Mama ( Mama, He’s Crazy), trains ( I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry), prison ( Folsom Prison Blues), tears ( He Stopped Loving Her Today), and/or alcohol ( Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’). … Read more
1 in 15.54 The odds an astronaut is divorced are 1 in 15.54 (US, 1941 – 2005). Sources & Definitions DEFINITIONS Astronaut includes astronauts, cosmonauts, Yuhangyuan and test pilots CITE THIS ODDS STATEMENT To properly cite Book of Odds please copy and paste the following into any document utilizing this Odds Statement: Odds Statement provided … Read more
An astronaut! SpongeBob Squarepants! The President of the United States! Ask kids what they want to be when they grow up, and you’re likely to get a chorus of colorful—and improbable—responses. A 2007 survey of several hundred children between the ages of 5 and 12 revealed Spider-Man was the number one job choice among kindergartners. … Read more
Around the turn of the twentieth century, the clear soprano voice of performer and porcelain-skinned American beauty Lillian Russell graced New York City stages. Her musical talents gained her fame, and the New York Times boasted the recipes for her “strawberry-and-cream complexion.” This beauty literally bulged from diamond-studded corsets—she was nearly 200 pounds at the height of her career. … Read more
Millions of people are currently scouring want ads and the Internet, looking for new employment opportunities. Some are out of work, some are worried a pink slip is on its way, and some are just plain dissatisfied with the job they have now. The days of getting a job straight out of school and sticking … Read more
1 in 12,990 The odds a household will call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line on the day before Thanksgiving are 1 in 12,990 (US and CA, 11/26/2008). Sources & Definitions SOURCE(S) According to an email from Bridget O’Malley (Butterball. November 2, 2009). CALCULATION(S) BY BOOK OF ODDS BASED ON Current Population Survey, Historical Household Data. U.S. … Read more
Three-course Valentine’s prix fixe dinner for 2: Bisque of Maine Lobster, Duck Confit Cassoulet, Muscat Poached Apricot Tart. The tab: $70 per person—or $100 if you want the optional wine pairings. At these prices, it’s hard to believe there’s a recession on—but then, it’s even harder to woo a girl with a bucket of Popeye’s. Lots of actual … Read more
Thanksgiving brings with it the sweet taste of cranberry sauce, the sound of football fans cheering, and the savory smell of turkey roasting in the oven…or maybe Tofurky®, “America’s Leading Turkey Alternative Since 1995.” The humble turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, has long been synonymous with Thanksgiving and could have even been a national symbol of the United … Read more