Number of people worldwide with more than $1 million in investable assets in 2006, according to a study conducted by Merrill Lynch and Cap Gemini: 9.5 million

Total value of their assets in 2006: $37.2 trillion

Ranks of Russia, China, India, Singapore, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates among the countries experiencing the largest growth in their wealthy population: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

PET PEOPLE

Number of U.S. households that own some type of pet, according to the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association: 71.1 million

Number of dogs owned by households in the United States: 73.9 million

Number of cats: 90.5 million

Number of fish (fresh and saltwater): 148.6 million

FENCED IN

Percentage of retailers who say their company has been a victim of organized retail crime, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation: 79

Percentage of retailers who say they have identified or recovered stolen merchandise from fencers: 61

Percentage of retailers who say they have identified or recovered stolen merchandise from online fencing operations: 71

PREMIUM PRICES

Percentage of U.S. companies that had a health insurance premium increase in 2007, according to a study conducted by Compdata Surveys: 68

Percentage of U.S. companies that had a health insurance premium increase in 2006: 72.4

BIG AND TALL

Percentage of all U.S. women's/girls' clothing sales in 2006 that were accounted for by plus-size sales, according to a report from market research publisher Packaged Facts: 40

Percentage of all U.S. men's and boys' clothing sales in 2006 that were accounted for by big and tall sizes: 50

COOL SHADES

Rank of sunglasses (56 percent), sunscreen (34 percent), umbrella (14 percent), Gore-Tex (7 percent) as the weather-related invention Americans say has the most impact on their daily lives, according to a Weather Channel survey: 1, 2, 3, 4

MIXED PRIORITIES

Percentage of business decision makers who indicated that customer service leads all categories for technology investment in the months ahead, according to a study conducted by Harris Interactive: 54

Percentage of decision makers who said an upgrade of current infrastructure was most important: 47

WORKING FATHERS

Percentage of working dads who say they'd leave their jobs if their spouse or partner made enough money to support the family, according to a CareerBuilder.com survey: 37

If given the choice, percentage who would take a pay cut to spend more time with their kids: 38

Percentage who have missed a significant event in their child's life because of work at least once in the past year: 48

GENERATION GAPS

Percentage of Generation-Y entrepreneurs who say they started their business right out of school, according to a survey conducted by American Express: 27

Percentage of baby-boomer entrepreneurs who said the same: 9

Percentage of Generation-Y entrepreneurs who say that their parents' experiences were influential: 55

Percentage of boomer entrepreneurs who said the same: 44

IDLE THOUGHT

"There is wisdom in turning as often as possible from the familiar to the unfamiliar: It keeps the mind nimble, it kills prejudice and it fosters humor."

— George Santayana, philosopher

Reach John MacIntyre at john macintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.