Hello!
Final Friday, I requested you to reply some questions so I may get to know you higher. I promised I’d share the outcomes, so: right here we go!
Q1: How previous are you?
This one wasn’t all that attention-grabbing — about 25% are within the 35-44 vary, and the same quantity are within the 65+ vary. Only a few — solely about 2.5% — are below 24. Everybody else was fairly evenly distributed.
Q2: What number of books do you learn a 12 months (roughly), excluding textbooks and the like?
I’m going to share the pie chart on this one as a result of, properly, let’s simply say Now I Know readers are under no circumstances in sync with the remainder of the world. In accordance with the Washington Submit, “Of 1,500 People surveyed, a less-than-ideal 46 % completed zero books final 12 months [2023] and 5 % learn only one. [ . . . ] Studying 5 books put you within the high 33 %, whereas studying 10 books put you within the high 21 %. These of us who learn greater than 50 books are the true one-percenters: individuals who learn extra books than 99 % of their fellow People.”
Our outcomes? We learn a LOT.
That’s astounding.
Q3: Do you frequently play any of those minigames?
This query was damaged at first — I forgot so as to add an “Different/None” alternative. And I don’t actually like how Google Kinds shows the information, so I’m going to listing off the preferred as a substitute of sharing the picture.
- Wordle: 46.7%
- Crosswords: 37.5%
- Connections (NY Instances): 35.3%
- Within the low 20% vary: Strands and the Mini Crossword within the NY Instances, Sudoku
Nothing else cracked 10%, with variant sudokus at 7.4%. For what it’s value, my minigames weight loss program proper now’s Stands, the LinkedIn trio (however Queens is the one really good one), and variant sudokus. Key phrase (Washington Submit) is a whole lot of enjoyable however I can’t keep in mind to play it; Connections was enjoyable for some time however I’m over it.
This autumn: Have you ever ever seen a reindeer in actual life?
51.7% have, 48.3% haven’t. This shocked me. Right here’s a map of reindeer and caribou habitats, through Wikipedia.
I assume folks have been counting zoos? Or…. I do not know what? I’ve by no means seen a real-life reindeer myself, though if there was one at a zoo, I wouldn’t have remembered. I don’t take into consideration reindeer lots.
Q5: What number of instances per week do you learn Now I Know? Please don’t lie, it doesn’t assist me should you do.
Nearly all of you learn not less than just a few instances per week — 94.4%. The overwhelming majority of you — 71.2% — learn daily. Thanks!
Q6: The place do you reside?
This one requires some rationalization, however it’s enjoyable. Let’s begin with the pie graph — and be aware the reply selections.
About two-thirds of you might be in the US and 80%+ are in North America. That’s the non-fun a part of this query.
The enjoyable half comes subsequent.
Q7: Are you aware why I picked these seven international locations?
84.6% didn’t. 15.4% have been in on the joke.
In case you’re within the 84.6%, watch the above, from the Nineteen Nineties cartoon Animaniacs. It’s good. (Find it irresistible? There’s a U.S. state capitals music, too.)
Q8: How lengthy have you ever been subscribed to Now I Know?
- Years: 91%
- Months: 6.8%
- Weeks: 1.3%
- Days: 0.9%
This didn’t shock me — longtime readers usually tend to take the survey than others. Glad to know so a lot of you may have made Now I Know a behavior, although! 😀
Q9: Would you fairly battle 100 duck-sized horses or 1 horse-sized duck?
A slight majority of you — 55.7% — selected the 100 mini horses. A physics professor disagrees. (Which may be behind a paywall. Sorry.) The essential level: the skeletal system of a duck isn’t designed to assist a duck the scale of a horse — it positively couldn’t fly and won’t even have the ability to stroll. Per the creator, “I believe this duck would simply sit there quacking – however actually loud quacks. I may simply toss some rocks at it till I used to be declared the winner.”
Q10: In case you’re about to storm a citadel, what weapon would you depend on probably the most?
I ought to have requested should you obtained the joke right here. The query is concerning the fabulous film, The Princess Bride. Let me clarify.
No, there’s an excessive amount of. Let me sum up, by the use of a film clip:
The alternatives I gave you, and the outcomes:
- A chocolate-covered capsule and a principally lifeless pirate: 36.4% This might have been my alternative.
- A protracted, black cloak supposed to be lit on fireplace: 33.1%
- A wheelbarrow: 30.5%
Have enjoyable storming the citadel!
Q11: How usually do you learn the lengthy reads on the Friday emails?
This was type of all over. Glad most of you spend a while on the longreads part, although — it takes me extra time than I normally anticipate it too!
Q12: When was the final time you had your blood stress checked?
I added this query as a result of just a few years in the past, my dentist began checking his sufferers’ blood stress throughout their semi-annual cleanings. I requested why and he stated that folks don’t test it usually sufficient, it’s straightforward sufficient for him to do (he already had the gear), so why not?
That caught in my head so I figured I’d ask you all should you have been checking it usually sufficient — it’s straightforward sufficient for me to ask! — and the excellent news is that you just do. Greater than 90% have gotten it checked not less than as soon as this 12 months — that’s nice! In accordance with the Mayo Clinic, everybody over the age of 40 ought to have it checked not less than yearly.
Q13: When a skeleton sits down, does it have a lap?
80% sure, 20% no. This wasn’t as controversial as I had hoped.
Q14: Lots of readers instructed I take into account including different options. Which, if any, are you in favor of?
Nothing stood out — aside from a punctuation mistake on my half. One of many selections is “A podcast (not more likely to be trustworthy)” which, as just a few of you identified, is both a telling admission on my half or it’s lacking a comma after the phrase “possible”. “Now I Made This Up” would be a enjoyable podcast, although!
Q15: In case you’re not already financially supporting Now I Know, why not?
First off, thanks to the 18.1% who already are! I admire your assist. Right here’s the remainder of the information — and I’ll toss an ask in afterward.
Lots of you — a mixed 67.9% — appeared open to supporting this undertaking with a few bucks a month, however don’t see the worth. So, my humble request: What may I give to supporters that will change your thoughts? Simply reply to this e-mail along with your concepts — thanks!
(And if you wish to toss in these couple of {dollars} anyway, click on right here. Thanks!)
Q16: What’s one of the simplest ways to reheat leftover pizza?
I believe I’m required to share the pie chart for this one, proper? As a result of it’s about pizza?
I gained’t argue with consuming it chilly — chilly pizza is nice. However if you wish to heat it up, the most effective outcomes I’ve gotten — and it isn’t shut! — is the “on the range, in a pan” technique. The underside stays crispy and the cheese melts properly. Plus, there’s the aspect of management: you may simply take it off the range when it’s performed to your liking. In case you’re a “put it within the oven” individual, give the range technique a attempt. And should you’re the “microwave it” individual, properly, I admire the impatience issue, however I’d simply eat it chilly.
Q17: Star ___
Oy.
I like Star Wars and, I admit, I favored Starlight Specific once I noticed it as a child. Starry Evening is sweet, in fact. Star Search was a predecessor to all the actuality TV competitors exhibits, and people aren’t my cup of tea, and neither was Star Search.
Star Trek, although, is my go-to. Lots of you might be lacking out! Barely 1 / 4 of you may have it as your primary, and the remainder of you gained’t get that joke.
Q18: Which quartet is the most effective?
If I needed to rank these 4 foursomes, that is how I’d rank them! In order that’s fairly nice. My follow-up query ought to have been: “Which is the most effective character in every of the 4” however doing that as a multiple-choice chart would have been a large number. My responses would have most likely been:
- Golden Women: Too near name. Rose, Dorothy, perhaps Sofia. (Sorry, Blanche)
- Ghostbusters: Venkman, clearly.
- TMNT: I’ve at all times favored Michaelangelo.
- Implausible 4: All of them type of stink, as superheroes go. The Silver Surfer is a nasty man (principally) however he was at all times my favourite of their a part of the universe. I assume, push come to shove, I’d go together with the Invisible Lady, however I’d take Blanche first.
Q19: I’m contemplating giving a “shout out” on Fridays to anybody who has referred a brand new reader to Now I Know within the week or so prior. Would that make you extra inclined to suggest Now I Know to a good friend?
The overwhelming majority of you — 82.3% — stated “Not likely.” Glad I requested earlier than doing it!
Thanks for taking the survey!
Monday: The Quickest Human-Created Object is a … What?: The issue with nuclear bomb exams is that you just may lose a manhole cowl.
Tuesday: There Is No “Eye” in “Artwork”: The truth that this was a safety guard… what a large number.
Wednesday: The Nice Minnesota Goose Scandal of 2017: I wasn’t proud of how this story was popping out whereas writing it, and on the finish, hit Ship partly as a result of I had nothing else written. So I used to be pleasantly shocked when a bunch of you wrote in to inform me that is certainly one of your current favorites.
Thursday: Why Barns are Purple: It helps them not disintegrate!
Right here are some things you could wish to try over the weekend:
1) “Previous books may be loaded with poison. Some collectors love the fun.” (Washington Submit, 8 minutes, July 2024). This can be a reward hyperlink — it‘ll get you round their paywall. The subhead: “The Poison Guide Mission examines vintage books for heavy metallic pigments — together with mercury, lead and arsenic — generally utilized in Victorian bookbinding.”
2) “They Referred to as It ‘Improper’ to Have Ladies within the Olympics. However She Persevered.” (New York Instances, 11 minutes, July 2024). The Paris Video games opens tonight — I assumed this may be a well timed share. It’s the story of Alice Milliat, who, within the Nineteen Twenties, tried to get feminine athletes into the Video games — and seeing no avenue to take action, began her personal. Just like the above, this can be a reward hyperlink and will get you previous the paywall.
3) “The Unusual Saga of The Gods Should Be Loopy” (Slate, July 2024). The subhead: “The racist Nineteen Eighties comedy broke box-office data worldwide—then promptly disappeared. The story behind it’s revealing.”
Have an ideal weekend!
Dan
