THESE NUMBERS ARE IN THE NEWS

43

Attention, Congress and the Internal Revenue Service: simplify things already!

Some 43 percent of taxpayers this year will use a professional consulting service. Another 12 percent will turn to a friend or relative.

When less than half of us are able to do our own taxes, the message should be clear.

1

Exercise equipment now tops the list in U.S. sporting goods sales. Consumers spent $5.22 billion on it in 2007.

Outdoor gear spending was second, at $3.71 billion, followed closely by golf at $3.66 billion.

Athletic team gear has risen to fourth place - when's the last time you saw a gang of kids playing a pickup game of baseball?

Fifth was fishing tackle. Down the list at eighth was ski equipment, followed by billiards and tennis ($419 million).

There was an increase of 4.4 percent in women taking up the sport of archery in 2007. More women are also playing paintball and fishing.

1,127

The number of people receiving medical assistance has risen in Cameron County. About 15 percent, or 951 people, received benefits in 2003. Today that number has hit 20.5 percent, or 1,127.

In the state, 12.5 percent received benefits in 2003. That number is up to 15.3 percent.

Medical assistance is available for various reasons, including people who are 65 years or older, blind and disabled; families with children under 21 who receive temporary assistance for needy families; people who are 59 to 64 years old with a temporary disability, limited income or who have special circumstances; people undergoing drug and alcohol treatment; domestic violence victims; people caring for a child or disabled person or having special medical assistance conditions.

Participants do provide copay in most cases, although there are exceptions for pregnant women, people under age 18 and those in long-term care facilities.

3,518

Adults and teens will spend nearly five months (3,518 hours) this year watching television, surfing the Internet, reading newspapers and listening to personal music devices. The average person will spend 65 days (24 hours each) in front of the TV.

47

Nearly half (47 percent) of college freshmen enrolled last year had earned an average grade of A in high school, compared to 20 percent in 1970.

The majority (79 percent) of freshmen in 1970 had an important personal objective of "developing a meaningful philosophy of life." By 2005, the majority of freshmen (75 percent) said their primary objective was "being very well off financially."

4M

There are more than 4 million U.S. millionaires. About 600,000 of them live in California.

98

More than 98 percent of footwear purchased in the United States was imported.