Figuratively Speaking

BY JOHN MACINTYRE Special To Florida Weekly

Percentage of U.S. adults who say American food is what they are most likely to choose if they had the choice to go out to a restaurant and eat one type of food, according to the findings of a Harris Poll: 28

Percentage who say that they would most likely choose Italian: 22

Percentage who would choose Mexican: 17 Percentage who would opt for Chinese: 16

Source: Harris Interactive

Percentage of employers who report that "presenteeism" (showing up to work sick) is a problem in their organizations, according to a study by CCH: 38

Percentage of sick employees who show up to work that employers say are suffering from short-term illnesses such as cold and flu, which can be easily spread: 87

Percentage of employers who say they foster a culture that discourages employees from coming to work sick: 34

Source: CCH

Percentage of Americans who have at least one digital lifestyle product on their wish lists leading up to the Christmas season, according to a national survey by Solutions Research Group: 76

Ranks of a flat-screen high-definition TV (35 percent), laptop (20 percent) and a digital camera (17 percent) in the top 10 of wish list items: 1, 2, 3

Source: Solutions Research Group

Percentage of CEOs, presidents and other inside directors who say that their pay is too high or somewhat high relative to their performance, according to a survey conducted by the National Association of Corporate Directors: 67.4

Percentage of outside directors who say the same: 81.1

Percentage of top CEOs, presidents and other inside directors who say that they are underpaid: 2.2

Source: Association of Corporate Directors

Estimated value of the security management industry -- homeland security, corporate security, cyber security, etc., according to Jeffrey Fowler, professor and security management

program manager at American Military University, part of the American Public University

System: $100 billion Starting salary range: $50,000 to $70,000

Source: American Military University.

Ranks of Wyoming, South Dakota and Nevada on the list of the most "business friendly" states, according to the Tax Foundation's 2008 State Business Tax Climate Index: 1, 2, 3

Ranks of Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York and California on the list of the "least friendly" states to do business in: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Tax Foundation

Idle Thought

"I find that principles have no real force except when one is well-fed."

- Mark Twain, author and humorist