Figuratively speaking

Number of credit card offers mailed to U.S. households in 2004, according to Synovate's Mail Monitor: 5.2 billion

Number mailed in 2005, the highest on record: 6.057 billion

Amount that equals for every man, woman and child in the U.S.: 20

Source: Synovate. Contact Jennifer Chhatlani at 312-526-4359 or jennifer.chhatlani@synovate.com.

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Percentage of Americans who make less than $30,000 a year who say their most important financial concern is a first-tier problem, meaning a problem concerning their day-to-day basic survival needs, according to a Gallup poll: 52

Percentage of Americans who make between $30,000 to $74,999 a year who say their most important financial concern is a first-tier problem: 39

Source: The Gallup Organization. Contact Eric Nielsen at 202-715-3030 or eric_nielsen@gallup.com.

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Number of times greater the odds were for an employee in the technology sector to lose his or her job to a merger or acquisition last year compared to 2004, according to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas: 8

Percentage of the job cuts announced for the technology sector in 2005 that were claimed by mergers or acquisitions: 26

Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Contact James Pedderson at 312-332-5790 or jamespedderson@challengergray.com.

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Percentage of Americans who say married people having an affair is morally wrong behavior, according to the Pew Research Center: 88

Percentage who say people not reporting all income on their taxes is morally wrong behavior: 79

Percentage who say drinking alcohol excessively is morally wrong behavior: 61

Source: Pew Research Center for People and the Press. Contact Peyton Craighill at 202-419-4350 or pcraighill@pewresearch.org.

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Percentage of corporate managers in China who say creativity or innovation is the most respected leadership quality, according to a survey by Development Dimensions Inc.: 16

Percentage of corporate managers in the United States who say creativity or innovation is the most respected leadership quality: 4