Statistics are Cool - Wednesday's Vitals:

• In a June 6-8 (2005) poll, 37% of Americans told Gallup they believe in haunted houses, while 46% say they don't, and 16% aren't sure.
  [And even more interesting - The tendency to believe in some paranormal occurrences varies by ideology -- political conservatives appear significantly more skeptical than either moderates or liberals. Twenty-eight percent of conservatives believe in haunted houses versus 42% of moderates and 42% of liberals. Similar patterns emerge with respect to ghosts -- 25% of conservatives believe in ghosts, compared with 35% of moderates and 42% of liberals. Age could partly explain the ideological differences -- younger adults tend to identify more as liberals than older adults do, and younger adults are more likely to believe.]
  Source: The Gallup Organization
  
  
• How much confidence do you have that NASA, the U.S. space agency, will be able to prevent accidents like [the space shuttle Columbia] from happening in the future -- a great deal of confidence, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?
  (June 24-26, 2005)
  Great Deal: 20%
  Fair Amount: 56%
  Not Very Much: 18%
  None at All: 5%
  No Opinion: 1%
  Source: The Gallup Organization
  
  How Timely: Shuttle's Liftoff Canceled by Fuel Sensor Problem
  
  
• As you may know, there are websites known as "blogs" or "web logs," where people sometimes post their thoughts. How familiar are you with "blogs" -- very familiar, somewhat familiar, not too familiar, or not at all familiar?
  (Feb 25-27, 2005)
  Very Familiar: 7%
  Somewhat Familiar: 19%
  Not too Familiar: 18%
  Not at all Familiar: 56%
  No Opinion: *
  Source: The Gallup Organization
  

• The Most Profound Daily Stat:
  You use more calories eating celery than there are in the celery itself.
  Source: Funny Facts
  

If any reader spent Tuesday night as that pesky fly on my wall, please don't reveal my true feelings about the science and study of Statistics. So close to receiving my Masters, except one teeny-tiny requirement: Statistics. Almost every night, I chip away at another chapter, complete the quiz, and then do a dance--really, I do dance. While my friends sip cocktails and catch up on life and work, I sit in my kitchen (in close proximity to the wine rack - a very important fact), diligently learning how to take a population and produce a set of statistics, based on habits and facts belonging to that population. I also praise the wonder that is my scientific calculator - my partner in crime. As much as I hate blowing two hours every night on this class, I am finding myself smitten with all of the interesting and random Stats available online.
Yes, I will get out more often, recycled air is clearly making me insane.