Weather Can Affect College Admissions

As if students applying to college and graduate school didn’t have enough to worry about—what with grades, test scores, activities, interviews, and essays—it turns out the weather can also affect admissions decisions, specifically when there’s an interview involved. A recent study from Canada showed that medical school applicants who interviewed on rainy days scored lower than those … Read more

The odds a person 5 or older in Colorado speaks Yiddish at home are 1 in 26,960 (CO, US, 2008).

1 in 26,960 The odds a person 5 or older in Colorado speaks Yiddish at home are 1 in 26,960 (CO, US, 2008). SOURCE(S) American Community Survey, 2008 [Internet]. U.S. Census Bureau; Available from: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Special/acsftp.html CITE THIS ODDS STATEMENT To properly cite Book of Odds please copy and paste the following into any document utilizing … Read more

The Most Popular Baby Names Over Time

In 1920, hemlines were short, whiskey illegal, and girls were named Mary. Or, at least 1 in 17.52. Other names that year, almost as fashionable, were Dorothy (1 in 33.95), Margaret (1 in 44.42) and even Ruth (1 in 47.65). But by 1950, when booze was legal again, but hemlines down, Mary dropped to second place … Read more

Open Carry: US Gun Laws Loosen Up

The first gun ever “fired” at a US movie audience was in 1903, in a 10-minute silent film called The Great Train Robbery. In the film’s final shot, a robber points his revolver directly at the audience and fires twice. Many audience members shrieked or jumped for cover. It was a watershed moment in US history: … Read more

C-Sections: The Ultimate in Planned Parenthood

It’s a staple of movies and television sitcoms. Think Charlotte in Sex and the City. A hugely pregnant woman is going about her life—say enjoying a meal in a fancy restaurant, or taking a Yoga for Mommies class, or strolling the produce aisle looking for mangoes—when suddenly she clutches her belly, looks down at her feet, … Read more

Alzheimer’s: Would You Want to Know Your Risk?

Alzheimer’s disease is the downside—and looming threat—of rapidly improving longevity. Not surprisingly, aging is the single greatest risk factor for developing the disease. For the 65 and older population of the United States, the odds of having Alzheimer’s are 1 in 6.86. For those 85 and older in the US, the odds jump to 1 in 1.57 (63.7%). … Read more

The odds a person will be diagnosed with leprosy in a year

1 in 2,930,000 The odds a person will be diagnosed with leprosy in a year are 1 in 2,930,000 (US, 2007). Sources & Definitions SOURCE(S) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [Summary of notifiable diseases—United States, 2007]. Published July 9, 2009 for MMWR 2007;56(No. 53):[inclusive page numbers]. CALCULATION(S) BY BOOK OF ODDS BASED ON Population … Read more