In 1999, what activity did 3.5% of Americans engage in?

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Clarification of Question by mza-ga on 22 Oct 2002 09:51 PDT

I appreciate there is obviously more than one answer to this question;
a list of likely answers would be appreciated.

Thanks for an interesting and challenging question!  

After sifting through the information, I've provided you with over a
dozen likely candidates.  First, in the spirit of good humor, let me
offer you my Top 5 list...

Top Five Activities 3.5% of Americans Participated in During 1999
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 5:  Having Cancer
     http://www.gmabrands.com/news/docs/Testimony.cfm?DocID=432

 4:  Quitting Smoking
     http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/americansmokeout.htm

 3:  Having Serious Mental Illness
     http://www.nmha.org/newsroom/system/news.vw.cfm?do=vw&rid=175

 2:  Having Osteoporosis
     http://www.beloitdailynews.com/1299/1hel3.htm

And, the number one Activity 3.5% of Americans Participated in During
1999....

1:  WATCHED "THE SOPRANOS" 
    http://www.ew.com/ew/daily/0,2514,1329,sopranosisoffair.html


Ok, with that out of the way, here are the results of my research:

First, we look strictly for reports that specifically claimed 3.5% of
Americans.  That is, they already "did the math" to get to 3.5%.

According to the US Department of Transportation, 3.5% more Americans
took public transportation in 1999.
Excerpt:  "Public transportation ridership grew 3.5 percent from 1999
to 2000 to reach the highest level in more than 40 years. A total of
9.4 billion rides were taken on the nation's trains and buses last
year (American Public Transportation Association)."
     http://www.bts.gov/FOTD/archive0105.html

3.5% of Americans participated in the millionaires club...  According
to this article in the journal The Scientist, copyright 1999, "More
than 3.5 percent of Americans are millionaires..."
     http://www.the-scientist.com/yr1999/mar/opin_990301.html

According to the Department of Labor, 3.5% of American high school
graduates were participating in unemployment.
     http://www.dol.gov/ocianews/september-2000/labor_day_2000_fun_facts.htm

3.5% fewer Americans applied to Washington State University
     http://www.washington.edu/alumni/columns/june99/applications.html

According to a report commissioned by the Center for International
Policy and entitled "The Impact on the US Economy of Lifting
Restrictions on Travel to Cuba," 3.5% of Americans visited the
Caribbean (that's 10.12 million!).
     http://www.ciponline.org/cuba/main/cuba.final.pdf  (see page 10
paragraph 2)

The Associated Press reported in June of 1999 on a US Labor Department
report showing "American workers increased their productivity in the
first three months of this year at an annual rate of 3.5 percent."
     http://www.savannahmorningnews.com/exchange/archives/weekof060699/stories/060899/PULeconomy.html
     http://www.apo-tokyo.org/productivity/012_prod.htm

Now, if we look at the population numbers, "3.5% of Americans" is
about 10.12 million Americans.  So, studies showing "nearly" or "over"
ten million Americans participating in something are also saying that
about 3.5% of Americans are participating in that thing...

According to the Testimony of Gary Kushner (Grocery Manufacturers of
America, Inc.) before the Senate Agriculture Committee dated October
1999, "10 million Americans have cancer"
     http://www.gmabrands.com/news/docs/Testimony.cfm?DocID=432

In 1999, ten million Americans reportedly participated in the Great
American Smokeout!
     http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/americansmokeout.htm

Entertainment Weekly reported on April 8th, 2999, that 10 million
Americans watched HBO's "The Soprano's" in 1999, and were going
through withdrawal after the season finale aired.
     http://www.ew.com/ew/daily/0,2514,1329,sopranosisoffair.html

This report, published in December 1999 by the National Mental Health
Association says "Serious mental illnesses affect more than 10 million
Americans..."
    http://www.nmha.org/newsroom/system/news.vw.cfm?do=vw&rid=175

In this article published in the Sunday Times on May 30, 1999, "10
million Americans have osteoporosis..."
     http://www.suntimes.co.za/1999/05/30/news/news04.htm
     http://www.beloitdailynews.com/1299/1hel3.htm

In this archived article on the Job site Monster.com, it's reported
that experts estimated over 10 million Americans were telecommuting...
(hey, I was one of them!)
     http://midcareer.monster.com/careernews/1999/1227/

According to this Healthy Alliance article, an estimated 10 million
Americans have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  This article was
published in January 2000, just as the year 1999 ended.
     http://www.health-alliance.com/contentarchive/January00/women.html


Thanks again for the question, and I hope this helps!  

-Boingo


Search strategies included:
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%2B1999+%2210+million+americans%22
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%2B1999+%223.5%2B%25+of+americans%22
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%2B1999+%223.5+percent+of+americans%22
://www.google.com/search?q=%2B1999+%223.5+percent%22+of+americans
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%2B1999+%223.5+percent%22+of+americans

Wow!  An unexpectedly rapid, precise, thorough and informative
response.  Highly recommended! Thank you, boingo!

mza,

Be sure to share your $31,000 with Boingo!

http://www.funtrivia.com/cgi-bin/qncorner.cgi?type=answers&qnid=23234

I would if I had $31,000 - someone's been exaggerating!  Besides, I
haven't won yet...!