Numbers in the news

23

Golden years? Not quite! A U.S. Census Bureau report issued this week reveals that 23 percent of Americans ages 65 to 74 are either working or looking for a job.

Many are stuck with lowpaying jobs they need to keep to meet basic living expenses.

73

The same report found that 73 percent of men in their 20s have never been married. That's up from a figure of 64 percent at the start of the decade.

Figures for women in the same age group are 62 percent never married, compared with 53 percent in 2000.

23

President George W. Bush's job performance ratings have hit an all-time low in Pennsylvania; only 23 percent of respondents believe he is doing an excellent or good job as president.

Gov. Ed Rendell's job performance ratings remain similar to his June performance; 47 percent rate it as excellent or good. U.S. Sen Arlen Specter enjoys higher job performance ratings than Sen. Bob Casey (51 percent and 42 percent excellent or good rating, respectively).

The state legislature continues to be viewed negatively. Only 26 percent say the legislature is doing an excellent or a good job.

32

Former New York Mayor Rudy Guliani is the preferred presidential candidate among Pennsylvania Republicans, favored by 32 percent, according to a poll conducted by Franklin and Marshall College.

Guliani is followed by "undecided," at 23 percent, then John McCain (19), Mitt Romney (12) and Fred Thompson (11).

38

That same poll finds that 38 percent of Pennsylvania Democrats favor Hillary Clinton. She is followed by Barack Obama, at 21 percent.

Both Clinton and Obama lead every Republican candidate in head-to-head match-ups.

7.5M

Much of the money taken in by the Pa. Game Commission in license sales must, by law, be used for habitat improvement work on state game lands.

Based on the sale of hunting licenses in 2005-06, the agency was required to spend $5.72 million on habitat work, but ended up spending $7.5 million. Work included the planting of grain, grasses and legumes to benefit wildlife, clearing of vegetation to provide nesting and escape cover, wetland restoration work, tree pruning and nest boxes.

There were 2,558 acres treated with herbicide to remove ferns, striped maple, spicebush and beech brush hampering the establishment of more beneficial tree species.

Contractors erected eightfoot high wire fences around 584 acres of recently harvested habitat areas to protect the susceptible new growth from excessive browsing by deer.

13

Thirteen more states are considering bills banning teens from using electronic equipment while driving. Fourteen already have similar laws in place. Most of the laws ban 16- and 17-year-olds from using any electronic device while driving: cell phones, text messaging devices, laptop computers, pagers, walkietalkies and handheld computers, even those with "hands-free" features.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 16-year-old drivers have a crash rate three times higher than that of 17- year-olds, five times greater than 18-year-olds and almost 10 times greater than drivers ages 30-59.

435M

Fantasy football is a national craze. It costs American companies about $435 million in lost productivity, as employees check results, manage their teams, propose trades and conduct research on company time.

An estimated 13 million Americans play fantasy football. For those unfamiliar with the game, it involves using the statistics of real National Football Players for weekly competition. These players are acquired by fantasy football owners at the beginning of the NFLseason and most leagues allow them to be traded or replaced.

Stars such as Peyton Manning and LaDanian Tomlinson are considered fantasy football "studs" because they consistently amass healthy statistics, so they are especially coveted during the player selection process.

Most fantasy football leagues play for money, although there are those that are for entertainment only.

11,000

Mt. Jewett Charter School Coalition has received more than $11,000 in donations, as indicated by a thermometer on the side of a building on Main Street (Route 6). The coalition has a fund-raising goal of $15,000 are part of its plan to open a charter school in Mt. Jewett for the next school year.