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January 29

New York Times—On May 31, 2009, Dr. George Tiller, an abortion doctor, was shot and killed while serving as an usher during church services in Wichita, Kansas. His killer, Scott Roeder, was found guilty of first degree murder today after the jury deliberated for less than 40 minutes. Roeder now faces the possibly of a life sentence.

Click here for the full story: Jury Reaches Guilty Verdict in Murder of Abortion Doctor

• The odds a pregnancy will result in an abortion are 1 in 4.88.
• The odds a person will be murdered in a year are 1 in 17,580.
• The odds a person in Wichita, Kansas will be murdered in a year are 1 in 12,090.

USA Today—John Edwards’s wife, Elizabeth Edwards, announced she and her husband have separated. Recently John Edwards admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock with the mistress he maintained during his campaign for president in 2007 and 2008.

Click here for the full story: Elizabeth Edwards splits from John

• The odds a person 40 - 64 is separated are 1 in 37.43.
• The odds a female 50 or older will be diagnosed with breast cancer in a year are 1 in 295.5.
• The odds an ever-married or cohabiting man has cheated during the relationship are 1 in 4.76.

January 28

New York Times—American author J.D. Salinger passed away at his home in New Hampshire where he has lived a reclusive life for over 50 years. He will be remembered for his famous works such as The Catcher in the Rye and “Franny and Zooey.” Salinger was 91 years old.

Click here for the full story: J. D. Salinger, Literary Recluse, Dies at 91

• The odds a person is 91 or older are 1 in 209.
• The odds an employed person 16 or older is a writer or author are 1 in 3,061.
• The odds a death will occur in January are 1 in 10.89.

USA Today—Analysis of data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reveals that 20% (1 in 5) of the United States’ nursing homes received poor ratings for overall quality. Although this means that 3,140 of the 15,700 nursing homes in the US are rated one star, government officials say that even these facilities still meet the minimum standards.

Click here for the full story: Analysis: Poor ratings persist for 1 in 5 U.S. nursing homes

• The odds a person 65 or older lives in a nursing home are 1 in 27.56.
• The odds a person 85 or older lives in a nursing home are 1 in 3.87.
• The odds a person 65 or older has Medicare are 1 in 1.07.

CNN—New images released by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation show Tonya Hobbs and her estranged husband together at a grocery store hours before Tonya was slain. Tonya’s 7-year-old daughter is missing and considered in extreme danger. Husband Lester Hobbs is wanted as a person of interest in both matters and is being searched for by authorities.

Click here for the full story: Store security photo shows wanted man with slaying victim

• The odds the victim of a solved murder was the wife of the murderer are 1 in 13.71.
• The odds a person lives in Oklahoma are 1 in 83.62.
• The odds a person in Oklahoma will be murdered in a year are 1 in 17,180.

January 27

CNN—Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to unveil the company’s newest tech gadget to the world today in San Francisco at 1 p.m. ET. Little is known about the device but rumors have circulated it will be a tablet computer designed for, among other things, reading, gaming, and surfing the Web.

Click here for the full story: Tablet Day dawns for Apple

• The odds an adult will read a book in a year are 1 in 2.56.
• The odds a person 18 - 29 uses the Internet regularly are 1 in 1.2.
• The odds an internet user 29 - 40 uses the Internet to get news are 1 in 1.32.

USA Today—Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Green are teaming up with state wildlife officials to study an alarming new trend: people killing animals just for fun. These “thrill killing” poachers have been reported to run down deer with their cars and beat raccoons to death with clubs.

Click here for the full story: ‘Thrill killing’ poachers pose threat to wildlife

• The odds a person will go hunting in a year are 1 in 18.32.
• The odds a person will go fishing or hunting in a year are 1 in 6.76.
• The odds an employed person 16 or older in Wisconsin is an animal scientist are 1 in 13,880.

January 26

USA Today—Data released today show the teen pregnancy rate rose for the first time this decade, increasing 3% from 2005 to 2006, the latest year for which data is available. The study, conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, also shows an increase in abortion rates.

Click here for the full story: Teen pregnancy, abortion rates rise

• The odds the pregnancy of a teenage girl 15 - 17 will result in an abortion are 1 in 3.67.
• The odds the pregnancy of a teenage girl 15 - 17 will result in a live birth are 1 in 1.99.
• The odds the pregnancy of a girl younger than 15 will result in an abortion are 1 in 2.33.
• The odds a teenage girl 15 - 19 does not have children are 1 in 1.07.

CNN—U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood unveiled new federal guidelines that prohibit commercial truck and bus drivers from texting while driving. In a statement released today, the U.S. Department of Transportation said the ban will take effect immediately and violators will be subject to penalties of up to $2,750.

Click here for the full story: New rule for truck, bus drivers: No texting

• The odds a person 16 or older agrees that text messaging or emailing while driving is a serious safety threat are 1 in 1.02.
• The odds a driver will send a text message while driving at least once in a month are 1 in 4.76.
• The odds an adult who owns a cell phone uses it for text messaging are 1 in 2.86.

Click here for a related story: Texting Makes Driving 23 Times More Dangerous

January 25

CNN—Rescue crews have recovered 23 bodies, but found no survivors, from Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409, which crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Lebanon early Monday morning. The flight, which was traveling from Beirut to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, had 90 people on board, including the wife of the French ambassador to Lebanon. The Boeing 737-800 disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff.

Click here for the full story: Bodies found from Ethiopian Airlines crash

• The odds an airplane passenger will be involved in a plane crash in a year are 1 in 10,790,000.
• The odds an adult is afraid of flying are 1 in 5.56.
• The odds an Internet user 18 or older with a fear of flying believes a contributor to the onset or intensification of symptoms is seeing crashes in the media are 1 in 1.43.
• The odds an Internet user 18 or older with a fear of flying has moderate or strong symptoms when taking off are 1 in 1.11.

Click here for a related story: A Scary Year for Those Who Fear Flying

USA Today—The New Orleans Saints will head to the Super Bowl in Miami after beating the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime to win the NFC Championship. The Vikings dominated almost every statistical category, but allowed five turnovers, including two interceptions thrown by Brett Favre. Garrett Hartley, the Saints’ 23-year-old kicker, hit the 40-yard winning field goal in overtime.

Click here for the full story: Saints outlast Vikings in OT, will face Colts in Super Bowl

• The odds an NFL quarterback will pass for at least 300 yards during a game are 1 in 8.16.
• The odds an NFL field goal attempt from 40 to 49 yards will be successful are 1 in 1.4.
• The odds an adult will plan to watch the Super Bowl are 1 in 1.56.
• The odds a Super Bowl was won by the Indianapolis Colts are 1 in 21.5.

Click here for a related story: Field Goals Under Game-Winning Pressure

January 22

New York Times—In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned two important precedents about corporations and campaign finance saying that “the government has no business regulating political speech.” While President Obama worries it might “drown out the voices of everyday Americans,” the high court ruled that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in elections.

Click here for the full story: Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit

• The odds a US Senator voted for Anthony Kennedy for confirmation to the Supreme Court are 1 in 1.
• The odds a US Senator voted for John Paul Stevens for confirmation to the Supreme Court are 1 in 1.
• The odds a US Senator voted for Antonin Scalia for confirmation to the Supreme Court are 1 in 1.
• The odds a US Senator voted for Sonia Sotomayor for confirmation to the Supreme Court are 1 in 1.46.

Click here for a related story: New Supreme Court Session Changes the Justice Equation

CNN—A massive barrage of thunder storms in California has many evacuated residents wondering when they will be able to return home. The storms began on Monday and have drenched the southern part of the state with over 12 inches of rain in a week. Acting governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency as flooding and mudslides threaten the region.

Click here for the full story: Evacuated Californians wait to go home as storms rage on

• The odds a person will be killed by a mudslide in a year are 1 in 94,670,000.
• The odds a federally declared disaster is a mudslide or landslide are 1 in 32.47.
• The odds a person will be injured by a flash flood in a year are 1 in 613,600.
• The odds a person will be killed by a flash flood in a year are 1 in 4,573,000.

Click here for a related story: The Deadliest Weather of the Decade, State by State

January 21

CNN—John Edwards, the former US Senator from North Carolina and 2008 Democratic Presidential candidate, has finally admitted that the daughter of his alleged mistress, Rielle Hunter, is indeed his. Quinn Rielle, who was born in October of 2008, has apparently been receiving financial support from Edwards.

Click here for the full story: John Edwards admits he fathered child with mistress

• The odds an ever-married or cohabiting man has cheated during the relationship are 1 in 4.76.
• The odds a woman has ever been publicly humiliated by a partner or spouse are 1 in 4.55.

January 20

New York Times—A suspect accused of killing 8 people, shooting at police officers, and bringing down a police helicopter has turned himself in, according to Virginia State Police. The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Christopher Speight, led police on an overnight manhunt after apparently murdering his wife, son, and 6 others.

Click here for the full story: Suspect Surrenders in Virginia Killing of 8 People

• The odds a person in Virginia will be murdered in a year are 1 in 21,110.
• The odds a reported murder will result in an arrest are 1 in 1.57.
• The odds the victim of a solved murder was the wife of the murderer are 1 in 13.71.

Click here for a related story: Murder and Marriage

USA Today—Tanning beds, which are currently classified as Class I medical devices (the same level as a Band-Aid ®), are under tougher scrutiny as the FDA debates its warning labels. This follows the World Health Organization’s decision last summer to add tanning beds to its list of “definitive cancer-causers.”

Click Here For the Full Story: FDA debates tougher cancer warning on tanning beds

• The odds a person will die of skin cancer are 1 in 357.1.
• The odds a person will be diagnosed with skin cancer in a year are 1 in 5,102.
• The predicted odds a person diagnosed with skin cancer in 2004 will survive at least 10 years are 1 in 1.11.

January 14

USA Today—While many think that being a parent might be the most stressful thing ever, new research published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine finds that parents with kids have lower blood pressure than those without. Perhaps even more surprising, it turns out that women (mothers) “were driving the effect.”

Click here for the full story: Kids good for your health? Parents have lower blood pressure

• The odds a woman 20 or older has hypertension are 1 in 2.98.
• The odds a person will die from hypertension in a year are 1 in 5,359.
• The odds a person 35 or older has hypertension are 1 in 1.92.

Click here for a related story: The Very High Odds of Hypertension

New York Times—After the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti on Tuesday, thousands of Americans are sending help in the form of financial support raised via text messaging. According to the popular social networking site Twitter, over $2 million has been raised thus far.

Click here for the full story: $2 Million in Donations for Haiti, via Text Message

• The odds an adult who owns a cell phone uses it for text messaging are 1 in 2.86.
• The odds an adult uses Twitter to send messages are 1 in 33.33.
• The odds a dollar of a private contribution will be donated to an international affairs organization are 1 in 26.32.

Click here for a related story: Earthquakes Everywhere

Click here for a related story: Creative Giving

January 13

New York Times—After a short stint as the host of the long-standing “Tonight Show,” Conan O’Brien rejects NBC’s attempts to push the show back and will likely leave the studio. In a letter publically published, O’Brien said he “would not agree to what he considered a demotion for the institution of ‘The Tonight Show…’”

Click here for the full story: O’Brien Rejects NBC Shift: He’s Set to Say Good Night

• The odds an adult watches TV within an hour of going to bed at least a few nights a week are 1 in 1.15.
• The odds a household has a TV are 1 in 1.01.
• The odds an adult is a night person are 1 in 2.44.
• The odds an employed person 16 or older is a radio or television announcer are 1 in 3,625.

Click here for a related story: At Bedtime For Grownups, TV Trounces Sex

New York Times—Scott Roeder, the man accused of killing a nationally known physician who performs abortions, is attempting to claim he should be charged with manslaughter because “he was trying to save lives.” Despite the prosecutor’s attempt to block this, Judge Warren Wilbert of the Sedgwick County District Court in Kansas is allowing the defense to pursue this strategy.

Click here for the full story: Manslaughter Defense Remains Open Issue in Doctor’s Killing

• The odds a person in Wichita, Kansas will be murdered in a year are 1 in 12,090.
• The odds a pregnancy will result in an abortion are 1 in 4.88.
• The odds a female victim of nonfatal partner violence was raped are 1 in 13.89.

January 12

Reuters—Tackling a threat to public health, New York City has joined the National Salt Reduction Initiative in an effort to reduce the amount of salt in restaurant and packaged food by 25% in the next 5 years. Cardiovascular disease is the nation’s number one cause of death and sodium intake is known to increase the risk for hypertension and CVD.

Click here for the full story: New York City leads drive to cut U.S. salt intake

• The odds a person in New York will die from cardiovascular disease in a year are 1 in 336.
• The odds a person in New York will die from a stroke in a year are 1 in 3,058.
• The odds a person in New York will die from coronary heart disease in a year are 1 in 512.
• The odds a person 35 or older has had a heart attack are 1 in 10.72.
• The odds a person 35 or older has hypertension are 1 in 1.92.

Click here for a related story: Mississippi: Capital of Cardiovascular Disease

Click here for a related story: The Very High Odds of Hypertension

CNN—New Jersey has become the 14th state in the country to approve marijuana for medicinal use, pending the signature of the governor. Assemblyman Reed Gusciora believes this is the “strictest” of all medical marijuana bills currently in existence.

Click here for the full story: New Jersey legislature approves medical marijuana bill

• The odds a person 35 or older will use marijuana in a month are 1 in 32.26.
• The odds a person 12 or older will use marijuana in a month are 1 in 16.39.
• The odds an adult is cannabis dependent are 1 in 312.5.
• The odds a person will ever be diagnosed with cancer are 1 in 2.44.

January 8

Washington Post—John Michael Farren, 57, a former top attorney in the Bush administration has been charged with attempting to kill his wife on Wednesday night in their home. Mary Farren, 43, was reportedly attacked with a metal flashlight and knife two days after she filed for divorce.

Click here for the full story: Former Bush administration lawyer charged with attempted murder

• The odds a female 12 or older will be the victim of a violent crime committed by an intimate partner in a year are 1 in 234.2.
• The odds a female victim of nonfatal partner violence was attacked with a blunt object are 1 in 15.67.
• The odds a female victim of nonfatal partner violence was attacked with a knife are 1 in 40.
• The odds a female victim of nonfatal partner violence was attacked in her home are 1 in 1.6.
• The odds a married female 15-44 will have her first marriage end within 15 years are 1 in 2.33.
• The odds a man has intermittent explosive disorder are 1 in 20.83.

American Journal of Preventative Medicine—A newly-published study by researchers from Columbia University and The City College of New York found “obesity has become an equal, if not greater, contributor to the burden of disease and shortening of healthy life in comparison to smoking,” due to the rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity coupled with gradually declining smoking rates.

Click here for the full news release (PDF): Obesity Now Poses As Great a Threat to Quality of Life As Smoking

• The odds an adult is obese are 1 in 3.91.
• The odds an adult smokes are 1 in 4.81.

For additional information, see our article New Year’s Resolutions—Quitting Smoking and Losing Weight

January 6

New York Times—Tsutomu Yamaguchi, the only official survivor of both atomic bombs dropped on Japan in World War II, died of stomach cancer Monday in Nagasaki, Japan. He was 93 years old.

Click here for the full story: Survivor of 2 Atomic Bombs Dies at 93

• The odds a person physically present in Hiroshima survived the atomic bombing as of November 1945 are 1 in 1.6.
• The odds a person physically present in Nagasaki survived the atomic bombing as of November 1945 are 1 in 2.63.

Click here for a related story: Atomic Odds: Surviving Two Nuclear Blasts

USA Today—An extended period of cold weather in the Eastern part of the United States has resulted in overcrowding of homeless shelters and a rising concern about the fate of people left on the street.

Click here for the full story: Cold Snap ‘Horrifying’ for Homeless

• The odds a person will be homeless in a night are 1 in 449.6.
• The odds a person will be chronically homeless in a month are 1 in 2,406.
• The odds a homeless person will be unsheltered in a night are 1 in 2.39.
• The odds a homeless person is part of a homeless family are 1 in 2.67.
• The odds a person will stay in a shelter or transitional housing in a year are 1 in 187.4.
• The odds a person will be killed by natural cold in a year are 1 in 6,910,000.
• The odds a person will be killed by natural cold in a year are 1 in 11,110,000.

USA Today—The number of people visiting the museums of the Smithsonian Institution soared to more than 30 million in 2009. It is the first time since 9/11 that the museum attendance has reached this level.

Click here for the full story: Smithsonian Reports 20% Jump in Museum Visitors

• The odds a tourist in the US will visit Washington, D.C. are 1 in 63.17.
• The odds an adult overseas traveler to the US will visit Washington, D.C. are 1 in 20.
• The odds a person 16 or older will go to a nature museum or center in a year are 1 in 1.75.
• The odds an adult will go to a museum in a year are 1 in 8.22.
• The odds an adult will go to a museum at least once a week are 1 in 638.6.