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Microwaves in U.S. households

In 1978, only eight percent of U.S. households had microwave ovens. As of 2006 over 80 percent have them.

Reference: U.S.

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What is the amount of electricity generated from various sources?

In 2002, the following amount of electricity, in gigawatt-hours, was generated from the following sources of fuel:
  • Coal: 1,925,792 GWh
  • Nuclear: 779,461 GWh
  • Gas: 695,226 GWh
  • Hydro: 255,077 GWh
  • Fuel oil: 91,629 GWh
  • Biomass: 71,534 GWh
  • Other (geothermal, non-wood waste, wind and solar): 22,737 GWh


Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Facts about the electric utility industry

Since the first power plant (thomas edison's power plant) lit up 800 light bulbs in 1882, the electric utility industry has grown to generate over 2.5 million gigawatt-hours annually, the equivalent of lighting 4.8 billion 60-watt light bulbs for a year

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Natural gas usage in the U.S.

Natural gas provides 24 percent of all the energy used in the United States

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Natural gas usage in the U.S.

About 55 percent of American homes use natural gas for heating.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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First use of gas energy

The first use of gas energy in the United States occurred in 1816, when gaslights illuminated the streets of Baltimore, Maryland.

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Random fact about renewable resources

In 1998, only 7.5 percent of our nation's energy came from renewable resources, even though the amount of renewable energy available was more than 250 times U.S. energy consumption.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Biomass usage in the u.s.

Biomass currently supplies about four percent of the energy produced in the U.S., and could potentially provide almost 20 percent.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Projected U.S. wind energy usage

The U.S. Department of Energy expects wind power to supply at least five percent of the nation's electricity by 2020.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Solar homes in the u.s.

More than 10,000 homes and counting in the United States are powered entirely by solar energy.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Why use silicon to make photovoltaic cells?

Silicon from one ton of sand, used in photovoltaic cells, could produce as much electricity as burning 500,000 tons of coal.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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There is a virus battery!

By manipulating a few genes of a virus, researchers at MIT have been able to get this virus to grow and assemble itself in such a way that it functions as a battery!

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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The 7 wonders of the World

"Since Philon of Byzantium named the original Seven Wonders of the World in 200 B.C., the Western world has relegated them to an awed mental pedestal and then promptly forgot what was on the list.

In those centuries, six vanished.Still with us are the Pyramids at Giza

Earthquakes leveled the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon may never have existed. Crusading Maltese knights purloined blocks from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus to build a fortress.

Other Wonders met more elaborate fates. The Colossus of Rhodes was felled by earthquake, left prone by oracle's decree and hauled off on mules by invading Arab merchants. A disaffected Ephesian burned the Temple of Artemis, after which it was razed by Goths.

Caligula tried to appropriate The Statue of Zeus, and broke it. A Roman successor closed its temple, which later suffered earthquakes, landslides and fire."

Reference: lost

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Ancient crystal skulls

It is claimed that 13 ancient crystal skulls have been found with mysterious properties.

The Mitchell-Hedges family loaned the skull to Hewlett-Packard Laboratories for extensive study in 1970. Art restorer Frank Dorland oversaw the testing at the Santa Clara, California, computer equipment manufacturer, a leading facility for crystal research. The HP examinations yielded some startling results.

Researchers found that the skull had been carved against the natural axis of the crystal. Modern crystal sculptors always take into account the axis, or orientation of the crystal's molecular symmetry, because if they carve "against the grain," the piece is bound to shatter -- even with the use of lasers and other high-tech cutting methods.
To compound the strangeness, HP could find no microscopic scratches on the crystal which would indicate it had been carved with metal instruments. Dorland's best hypothesis for the skull's construction is that it was roughly hewn out with diamonds, and then the detail work was meticulously done with a gentle solution of silicon sand and water. The exhausting job -- assuming it could possibly be done in this way -- would have required man-hours adding up to 300 years to complete.
Note: 5/08, crystal skulls find themselves in the lates Indiana Jones movie!

Reference: http://www.world-mysteries.com/sar_6_1.htm

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Military sonar technology causes beachings

Submarines have been using low and mid-frequency active sonar technology, a deafening soundwave that is dangerous even 300 miles from it's source. Some mid-frequency sonar systems can put out over 235 decibals, which is about as loud as a rocket launch.
Animals for hundreds of miles literally jump out of the ocean to try to avoid the sound. The damaging effects vary, bet are akin to decompression sickness causing internal bleeding and bursting organs including lungs and eardrums. When beached dolphins are reported this sonar technology is rarely mentioned in the news, although the link has been demonstrated.

What can you do? learn more here

(update: court blocks sonar 7/6/06)

Reference: http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/marine/nlfa.asp

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Chemicals cause male frogs to grow ovaries

US farms 1 trillion ears of corn a year, using a chemical called Atrazine that in the concentration of 1 part per billion causes male frogs to grow ovaries! Strangely, a higher dosage reduces the risk. Atrazine is the most widely used weed killer in the United States. It has also been linked to cancer in people.

Reference: http://www.discover.com/issues/feb-03/features/featfrogs/

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Lucia Iman top new music releases

Lucia Iman an incredibly talented singer and pianist, was voted some guy.com's favorite up and coming artist. Check out her music at LuciaIman.com

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Where do computer viruses come from

70 percent of virus writers work under contract for organized crime syndicates.

Reference: Linux World

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Most single-game rushing yards in nfl history

Walter Payton had the flu when he broke the NFL record with 275 rushing yards when Chicago played Minn 11/20/77.

Corey Dillon broke this record in 2000 rushing for 278 yards Cincinnati vs Denver (10-22-2000)

The record was then broken by Jamal Lewis in 2003 (295), and again in 2007 by Adrian Peterson (296) against the San Diego (and LaDainian Tomlinson) amazingly in his rookie season.

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Blue whale massacre crustaceans

The blue whale, the worlds largest animal at 110 feet according to guiness world records eat krill, which are shrimp-like crustaceans only about an inch-and-a-half long.

Pick on somebody your own size? Not whales! An adult whale might slaughter 40 million, or 4-6 tons of these little creatures in one day!!

Amazingly, the krill population persists, but you have to assume this perpetual atrocity affects the krills ability to develop a stable society.

Reference: Animal Planet

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An unusual way to dye an egg

By feeding hens certain dyes they can be made to lay eggs with varicolored yolks.

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Deaths caused by cigarettes and alcohol in America

More than 400,000 Americans die from diseases related to cigarette smoking each year. More than 150,000 Americans die of alcohol abuse each year.

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This fact about Reno Nevada just might just blow your mind

Reno, Nevada is west of Los Angeles, California.

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You'll never guess the top selling album of the 90s

The top selling album of the 90s was "Come on Over" by Shania Twain A sign of the times as musical genres fragmented and mp3s became accessible album sales no longer seems to be a measure of best album.

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Top selling albums in 1980s

The top selling album in the 80s was Dire Straits Brothers In Arms followed by Michael Jackson Bad, and then Thriller, 4th best selling album Queen Greatest Hits

The number one selling album for the year 1980 was Abba Super Trouper, 1981 Adam & The Ants Kings Of The Wild Frontier, 1982 Barbra Streisand Love Songs, 1983 Michael Jackson Thriller, 1984 Lionel Richie Can't Slow Down, 1985 Dire Straits Brothers In Arms, 1986 Madonna True Blue, 1987 Michael Jackson Bad, 1988 Kylie Minogue Kylie, 1989 Jason Donovan Ten Good Reasons.

Reference: http://www.pure80spop.co.uk/bestsellersalbums.htm

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In 1864 Abraham Lincoln could see a serious problem emerging

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country . . . Corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed." Abraham Lincoln, 1864

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Why laughing gas isn't funny any more

It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anaesthetic and analgesic effects, where it is commonly known as laughing gas due to the euphoric effects of inhaling it. It is also used as a means to enable short periods of extreme high performance in automobile internal combustion engines by introducing extra oxygen into the intake charge which in turn allows a greater amount of fuel to be added and converted into energy and thereby greatly increasing the power produced by the engine. Nitrous oxide is present in the atmosphere where it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas.

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Real life game of monopoly

By portraying bogus intelligence as fact and by inventing a relationship between al-qaeda and Saddam Hussein, Cheney, Bush (& Rumsfeld) led the charge into Iraq.

Since then Cheney's company Halliburton has gotten over 10 billion dollars in contracts from the Iraq war despite the fact that audits have shown they have repeatedly stolen and overcharged the US government and even instituted accounting methods designed to make funds disappear...

The Carlyle Group is a privately-owned equity firm organized and run by former members of the Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations. Carlyle could lay claim to only a meager $12 billion in funds in December of 2001. Carlyle's profits skyrocketed after the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Currently, Carlyle manages more than $44 billion in 42 different investment funds. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111406R.shtml

Reference: http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/news/audits.html

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Surprising fact about vodka

10 percent of the Russian government's income comes from the sale of vodka.

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Can you name the four kings in a deck of cards?

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history. Spades - King David; Clubs - Alexander the Great; Hearts - Charlemagne; and Diamonds - Julius Caesar.

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Advice from "Julius Ceasar" still relevant today

[Note: fact is this quote has been declared a fraud by historians]

"Beware the leader who bangs the drum of war in order to whip the citizenary into a patriotic fervour, for patriotism is indeed a double edged sword. It emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed , the leader has no need in seizing the rights of citizenary. Rather, the citizenary, infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Ceaser." - Julius Ceasar

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Can you name the world's biggest octopus?

The Pacific Giant Octopus, the largest octopus in the world, grows from the size of pea to a 150 pound behemoth potentially 30 feet across in only two years, its entire life-span.

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Still Legal to Beat a Woman

In Charleston, West Virginia it is still legal to beat your wife on the steps on the court house.

Reference: D. Duncan, Law Class

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What's the official rock song of Ohio?

Hang On Sloopy is the official rock song of Ohio.

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Why do firehouses have circular stairways?

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

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What is the longest flight caused by a propane explosion?

A railroad tanker car carrying propane traveled over 3,000 feet when it exploded during a train wreck in Illinois, sheering off a steel tower in it's path. It's the longest flight on record for a propane explosion.

Reference: Bizzare News

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ZZ top fact that was true, at least at one time.

The only member of the band ZZ Top without a beard has the last name Beard.

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Fact about the old US ten-dollar bill

There are four cars and eleven light posts on the back of a ten-dollar bill.

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Why was Lynyrd Skynyrd called Lynyrd Skynyrd ?

was the name of the gym teacher of the boys who went on to form that band. He once told them, "You boys ain't never gonna amount to nothin"

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This fact about Australian Rules Football is quite a shocker

Australian Rules Football was originally designed to give cricketers something to play during the off season.

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Some seriously irony and ungrateful animals

Two animal rights protesters were protesting at the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn. Suddenly the pigs, all two thousand of them, escaped through a broken fence and stampeded, trampling the two helpless protesters to death.

Reference: Bizzare News

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A fact that helps put China's population in perspective

China has more English speakers than the United States.

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What did he mean "bye bye miss american pie"

The airplane Buddy Holly died in was the "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)

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The Atom Bomb got all the press

US forces fire bombed japan's wooden cities totally destroying 58 % of Yokohama (the size of Cleveland) 51% of Tokyo (new York) 99% Toyama (Chattanooga) 40% Nagoya (LA) killing 50-90% of the population in 67 Japanese cities BEFORE two nuclear bombs were dropped.

Reference: fog of war

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The anaconda is one big snake, and it does something unusual.

The anaconda, one of the world's largest snakes, gives birth to its young instead of laying eggs.

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What does obstreperous mean?

Obstreperous means resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.... use it against someone, smile, and they'll think it was a compliment.

Reference: http://www.dictionary.com

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The world's most poisonous octopus

The worlds most smallest octopus, the Blue Ring, is also the worlds most poisonous.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-ringed_octopus

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If women make it to 50, they are just getting started.

If a woman reaches her 50th birthday without cancer or heart disease, she can expect to see 92.

Reference: http://www1.evergreeninvestments.com/eicom/pub/newcontent.go?c=Investing%20Essentials::Getting%20Started::Investing%20Facts%20for%20Women&k=900100060

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What does 0.0 celcius represent?

0.0 Celcius, better known as 32 degrees Fahrenheit is the freezing point of water.

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How do you convert celsius to fahrenheight?

To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit multiply the temperature by 1.8 then add 32. To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius subtract 32 from temperature multiply that number by 5 then divide that number by 9. Or just visit this site .

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What measurement do you use for long or deep measurements?

The term "league" is used for measuring long distance over land and is equal to 3 miles. Just to make things confusing a nautical "league" is a different measurement & is equal to 3 nautical miles or 3.452 miles.

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The amount of blood a person must have.

A human can bleed to death in a minute or less. A loss of 1 quart of blood or more will lead to shock or even death.

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What is the most contagious disease?

The most contagious disease is the common cold and the most non-contagious disease is gingivitis.

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A day when heavenly bodies align

On July 1, 2015 Earth, Venus and Jupiter will be ordered on a single line.

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Fun facts about venus

Venus is the second closest planet to the sun between Earth and Mercury. Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

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What is an IPO?

Initial public offering (IPO) — The first time a company sells stock to the public. An IPO is a type of a primary offering, which occurs whenever a company sells new stock, and differs from a secondary offering, which is the public sale of previously issued securities, usually held by insiders. Some people say IPO stands for "Immediate Profit Opportunities." More cynicIt's Probably Overpriced."

Reference: http://moneycentral.hoovers.com/global/msn/index.xhtml?pageid=1954

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What saturation of sulfur dioxide will cause people to cough

Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a suffocating, choking odor. It is toxic to humans and concentrations as low as 8 ppm will produce coughing. Incredibly, in the Odyssey, Homer describes the burning of sulfur (formation of SO2) as a way that homes were 'fumigated'.

Reference: http://mattson.creighton.edu/SO2/SO2_Info.html

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What do yeti & sasquatch, & bigfoot have in common?

Bigfoot, Yeti & Sasquatch refer to the same mysterious man / ape beings which have been reported around the world from the Pacific Northwest in the united states to the Canadian wilderness, to the slopes of the Himalayas, and to the forests of Siberia.

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Another unusual detail about fighting fish

Siamese fighting fish, also known as Betta Splendens, have a special respiratory organ that allows them to breath air directly from the surface.

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What is the worst computer virus ever?

The "Love Hurts" virus hit in spring 2000 and infected affected millions of computers and caused more damage than any other computer virus to date. Users were infected via e-mail, through Internet chat systems, and through other shared file systems. The worm sent copies of itself via Microsoft Outlook's address book entries. The mail included an executable file attachment with the e-mail subject line, "ILOVEYOU." The worm had the ability to overwrite several types of files, including .gif and .jpg files. It modified the Internet Explorer start page and changed Registry keys. It also moved other files and hid MP3 files on affected systems. Visit Symantec's Security Response for instructions on how to remove LoveLetter.

Reference: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,103992-page,1/article.html

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The true source of the Nike "Just Do It" marketing campaign

In 1985 state health department employee Ron Hall won a "choose our slogan" contest for the Oregon Health Department Fitness Club. His winning entry? "Just do it."

Nike and Weiden & Kennedy, also based in Portland Oregon, began using it a couple years later and it is still being used today.

Ron Hall has never been credited or rewarded for his help launching one of the greatest marketing campaigns in history.

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A fairly reliable way to tell the difference between major and minor keys

In a study non-musicians were able to identify minor-key tunes but only once told they sounded "sad."

Most Western music is played in a major key: 97 percent of popular American songs, and 73 percent of classical music is in a major key.

Reference: http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2008/05/nonmusicians_can_identify_mino.php

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How to identify the different large kangaroos?

One way to tell large kangaroos apart is by their noses. A wallaroo's nose has a large black bare patch around it. A red kangaroo has a smaller, boomerang-shaped black bare patch on its nose. The gray kangaroo has bare narrow bands around the nostrils and the rest of the nose is covered in hair.

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What other animals besides cows provide milk used by humans for dairy products?

Sheep,goats,buffalo,horses,donkeys,camels,yaks,water buffalo,reindeer and zebras are also providers of milk.

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4 ways to make use of your urine

Ancient romans used it for tanning hides, pee breaks down gristle. 1) Mix urine & rosemary in your washing machine to make a dark die.

2) Urine is in cosmetics, an ingredient called urea which is an excellent moisturizer.

3) Urine can also be used to make gunpowder!

4) 10 million chinese and many other peoples of the world drink it for it's supposed health benefits.

Reference: Manswers on SpikeTV

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U.S. population, and how many people do you have to poll?

When a poll tells us a candidate for president of the United States is favored by ___% of the population, they tell us it has a "margin of error" of +-__% .

For example, August 6, 2008, CBS poll on the president of the United States put John McCain with 39% of the vote and Barrak Obama 45% of the vote, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The World Fact Book reports U.S. population at over 300 million, 301,139,947 (estimate as of 2007).

How many people do you think you'd have to poll to get within plus or minus 3% or 300,000 of the correct vote?

10 million? 1 million? This particular CBS pre-poll accurately extrapolates the minds of over 300 million people by polling just 906 people, or .00009 % of the population.

We're not so different after all!

Reference: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/06/opinion/polls/main4325670.shtml

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