Odds and Ends

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who held 11 state dinners, famously served King George VI and Queen Elizabeth hot dogs and beer at a 1939 state dinner.


Ostriches weigh around 320 pounds, can run 40 miles per hour, and have eyeballs larger than their brains. [NYT 11/14/21]


During his six years as governor of West Virginia, Senator Manchin developed a three-part test which he took with him to Washington: Are the proposed programs paid for? Do they have bipartisan support? And do they solve a specific problem for his constituents? [Axios AM 11/26/21]


About Twitter

Twitter is:

  • 37% Mostly GOOD for American Democracy
  • 38% Mostly BAD for American Democracy
  • 24% Has no impact on American Democracy

Twitter users say there are a variety of reasons they use Twitter.

  • 74% – Entertainment
  • 64% – A way to stay informed
  • 53% – Lets them see different points of view
  • 50% – Keeping connected to other people
  • 39% – A way to express opinions

How often would you say you visit Twitter?

  • 38% – Every day
  • 29% – At least once a week but not every day
  • 18% – A few times a month
  • 15% – Less often

How many accounts do you follow on Twitter?

  • 23% – Less than 20
  • 29% – 20-99
  • 32% – 100 – 499
  • 9% – 500 – 999
  • 5% – 1,000 – 4,999
  • 1% – More than 5,000

How much inaccurate or misleading information do you come across when using Twitter?

  • 33% – A lot
  • 57% – A little
  • 8% – None

Have you ever posted something on Twitter that you later regretted sharing?

  • 21% – Yes, I have done this
  • 78% – No, I have not done this

[Pew Research Center American Trends Panel 5/31/21]