"This isn't just an epigram -- life is much more successfully looked at from a single window, after all." - Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby

As we've recently been reminded, 2.3 million votes were cast in the Florida and Michigan primaries, and the Clinton campaign wants those votes translated into seated delegates. The number, repeated, rang a bell--where had I recently heard 2.3 million before?

I set out to find out.

What happens if we look at life through one number? What does 2.3 million tell us about the security of our information, the security of our homes, and the way we deal with hyperactive children and law-breaking adults, voting, sewage, and viral responses to the genocide Olympics?

* As of last week, 2.3 million homes are vacant.

* As of last month, 2.3 million Americans are in prison.

* As of last year, 2.3 million financial statements were stolen by a worker at a financial processing company.

* As of last November, Bill O'Reilly had 2.3 million viewers.

* At about the same time, the Red Crescent reported that the displaced Iraq population reached 2.3 million.

* In the California primary, 2.3 million adults voted by mail early, and may have given the victory to Clinton, extending the race several months.

* Apple sold 2.3 million Macs last quarter, surprising analysts. It also sold 2.3 million iphones in the previous quarter.

* A poker player who won more than $2.3 million recently credited ADD and narcolepsy drugs for improving his card playing.

* In Richmond, California, only 2.3 million gallons of sewage was spilled into the Bay in the first two months of 2008, not the previously reported higher amount.

* As of 2005, over 2.3 million children (10 percent) have used a prescription stimulant like Aderall or Ritalin without a prescription.

* Republicans who list their occupation as "CEO" have given 2.3 million to the Presidential race, less than half of the same occupations' donations to the Democrats.

* On YouTube, you can watch Vortx3x get 2.3 million points on the game SSX. 239 people have commented on the video, in different languages, along the lines of "u suck dude u just got that many points because ukept going back up the run on rails! balls."

* 2.3 million Chinese MSN users have started using the symbol of the heart followed by China. The "Red Heart China" campaign is intended to show patriotism and support for the Olympics.

* As of today, 2.3 million people are now playing Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox live.

"Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone ... just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."--Nick Carraway's Father, The Great Gatsby

Comments (47)

1. "* As of today, 2.3 million people are now playing Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox live."

   See this is the one that pisses me off....

   when do we get the PC version!?!!?!?

   Posted by Mask at 05/09/2008 @ 12:24pm

2. http://tinyurl.com/24gvaz

   http://tinyurl.com/6g7g3o

   In holding with the theme these are two different pieces about the perspective and understanding of just how much money we are spending right now.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/09/2008 @ 12:47pm

3. How much are we spending on social programs per day?

   Posted by JOMAMMA at 05/09/2008 @ 1:19pm

4. 23 skidoo! Here are 2 more:

   In 2005, the US military had 1.38 million personnel on active duty, along with several hundred thousand each in the Reserves and the National Guard for a total of 2.3 million troops. [Wikipedia]

   2.3 million Americans have Bipolar Affective Disorder. (http://cureresearch.com/b/bipolar/prevalence.htm)

   Let's just hope it's not the same ones!

   Posted by mikecope at 05/09/2008 @ 1:25pm

5. 1) Why is everything currently in italics?

   2) Am I misreading, or does the blog post actually say that CEOs are giving more to Democrats than to Republicans?

   Posted by Thrawn at 05/09/2008 @ 2:18pm

6. Posted by JOMAMMA at 05/9/2008

   I have broken this down many times Jom but I will do it again. I don't know what YOU define as social programs but I will pull the ones out that I think would be considered social programs. Welfare, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid . I don't include education because I don't consider that to be a social program. Then I will pull out spending on ALL military expenses including government debt to pay for these wars. Here we go:

   1.3 trillion dollars on social programs in 2007

   1.4 trillion dollars on all military related expenditures in 2007

   The military budget includes, Veterans Affairs, Debt, some of the science and technology budget, some of the energy budget.

   It does not include black budget operations that do not get reported. So this is actually generous to you.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/09/2008 @ 2:24pm

7. Can someone turn off the italics? It's blurring my vision...

   Posted by ACook at 05/09/2008 @ 2:27pm

8. Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/9/2008

   Wait C3, some parts of Education are more social in that respect, such as free school lunches.

   Posted by ACook at 05/09/2008 @ 2:35pm

9. Posted by ACook at 05/9/2008

   Ok I will add to it a portion of the education budget which would probably push it to about 1.4 trillion since the total education budget is much smaller than most other portions of the department budgets.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/09/2008 @ 2:55pm

10. I would think that was a generous addition too because I don't think free lunches comprise 10 billion dollars of the education budget.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/09/2008 @ 2:56pm

11. Actually wait that was wayyy too generous. If it comprised 10 billion dollars of the little under 90 billion dollars. If I add 10 billion of that to social budget it's still only 1.31 trilliong not 1.4 trillion. Find me another 100 billion dollars of social expenditures and it will be equal with the military budget.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/09/2008 @ 3:03pm

12. </i>

    that should do it.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:09pm

13. damn.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:09pm

14. WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of product: Maytag® and Jenn-Air® brand dishwashers

    Units: About 2.3 million

    Manufacturer: Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa

    Hazard: Liquid rinse-aid can leak from its dispenser and come into contact with the dishwasher's internal wiring which can short-circuit and ignite, posing a fire hazard.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:13pm

15. Rain brings sewage into San Francisco Bay Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Printable Version Email This Article

    Correction: Incorrect numbers on a State Water Resources Control Board database exaggerated the extent of sewage overflows in Richmond, causing an error in this story about sewage spills into the bay. The actual numbers in Richmond so far this year are 22 sewage spills totaling 2.3 million gallons,

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:14pm

16. Russia has 2.3 million alcoholics

    Luke Harding

    RUSSIANS' CONSUMPTION of alcohol has tripled since the fall of the Soviet Union, with the average person now knocking back the equivalent of 34 litres of vodka a year, new figures show

    ~~~~~~~~~

    well, at least the enemy's messed up, too.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:15pm

17. 2.3 million

    The number of black veterans. Additionally, 1.1 million veterans are Hispanic; 276,000 are Asian; 185,000 are American Indian or Alaska native; and 25,000 are native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander. (The numbers for blacks, Asians, American Indians and Alaska natives and native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders cover only those reporting a single race.)

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:18pm

18. VA estimates that about 9 percent of the 2.3 million Vietnam veterans still alive have Type 2 diabetes. The illness is characterized by high blood sugar levels caused by the body's inability to process the hormone insulin. Approximately 16 percent of veterans currently receiving care in VA medical facilities have been diagnosed with diabetes.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:19pm

19. The soundtrack to Disney's "High School Musical 2" this week moved past SonyBMG's "Daughtry" to become the year's top-seller with 2.3 million copies sold, SoundScan reported.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:21pm

20. Statistics by Country for Epilepsy Prevalance of Epilepsy: 2.3 million Americans (CDC)

    Prevalance Rate for Epilepsy: approx 1 in 118 or 0.85% or 2.3 million people in USA [about data]

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:21pm

21. Alright! A bigger box! I know a couple of Russians and they drink vodka like water. Good people too.

    Posted by k330k at 05/09/2008 @ 3:21pm

22. Welcome To Blast4Traffic.com™

    Email 70 MILLION Targeted - Opt-In Prospects Every Month! That's 2.3 MILLION Every Day!

    Increase Web Traffic & Sales Overnight! ONE CLICK BULK MAILING FROM OUR SERVERS!

    In Full Compliance with US and International Laws

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:22pm

23. Kennedy is one of the estimated 2.3 million teens who pop into a tanning parlor at least once a year, helping make indoor tanning what an industry trade group says is a $5 billion-a-year business. While many go only in the spring to get ready for the prom, more and more are seeking year-round "bronzitude," according to dermatologists, who are alarmed by the risks of so much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. A survey of nearly 1,300 teenagers in Boston and Minneapolis--St. Paul, Minn., conducted in 2000 by researchers at Harvard and the University of Minnesota, found that 42% of girls had tried indoor tanning.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:23pm

24. John McCain is 2.3 million years old.

    Posted by k330k at 05/09/2008 @ 3:23pm

25. Water We Waiting For? Orange County opens recycled-water plant Posted at 2:57 PM on 25 Jan 2008 A sewage reclamation plant officially opened today in Orange County, Calif., and will, sure enough, reclaim treated effluent and turn it into drinking water. Recognizing that its growing population -- currently 2.3 million -- is likely to outpace its supply of fresh water, O.C. is relying on the facility to turn 70 million gallons of water from disgusting to drinkable every day. Officials hope that the plant could eventually churn out up to 130 million gallons per day of water sans bacteria, viruses, carcinogens, hormones, chemicals, heavy metals, fertilizers, pesticides, and pharmaceutical remnants. The reclamation process uses less energy than transporting water to the country from elsewhere in the state. "All of Southern California should be doing these projects," says Connor Everts of green group Southern California Watershed Alliance. "They represent an efficient use of local resources. They are cost-effective and one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do."

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:24pm

26. 2.3 million frosty posts on one thread!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:24pm

27. I know they want to be darker but at the expense of their life-span? I can't see it. Wait. I can't talk either 'cause I smoke cigarettes. Well that takes care of that. Carry on kids.

    Posted by k330k at 05/09/2008 @ 3:25pm

28. I love the additions--thanks frosty zoom, mikecope and others.

    z

    Posted by zephyrteachout at 05/09/2008 @ 3:29pm

29. hey zephyrteachout

    please insert [ </i> ]

    at the end of your original post.

    cu drag,

    frosty.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:34pm

30. 2.3 Million lines of code left to de-bug, before the "new and improved 'Nation' website" is up and running!

    (Okay, the newer BIGGER comments box is good!)

    Posted by Mask at 05/09/2008 @ 3:35pm

31. 2.3 million Number of single fathers, up from 400,000 in 1970. Currently, among single parents living with their children, 18 percent are men.

    ~~~~~~~~

    2006 disclaimer

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:36pm

32. STATISTICS: NEARLY 2.3 MILLION HINDUS ESTIMATED IN AMERICA Hinduism Today estimates that there are more than 2,290,000 Hindus in the United States. The editors decided to use the percentage of Hindus in India - 81% of the population - and apply that against the total number of Asian Indians in America. Here's an excerpt from the Jan/Feb/March issue of the magazine:

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:36pm

33. Bush's $2m mushy peas By Paul Stokes and Sally Pook November 23, 2003 The Sun-Herald

    It was billed as a quiet pub lunch in the English countryside: a chance for President George Bush to mix with ordinary folk, sample traditional fish and chips and enjoy a kitchen-table chat at the constituency home of his friend and ally, Tony Blair.

    The political fiction was always going to be hard to maintain, but even by the standards of the President of the United States of America - and a Texan at that - Friday's visit to Sedgefield was quite a performance.

    Two jumbo jets, two liveried presidential helicopters, four more US Navy helicopters, a motorcade of limousines, 200 US secret service agents and 1300 English police were required to unite Mr Bush safely with his fish and mushy peas. Total cost? £1 million ($2.3 million).

    Not all heads of state choose to travel in such style.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    top that one, teachout!

    ;=]

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:38pm

34. BTS Survey Finds 2.3 Million Americans Dispose of Motor Oil Improperly

    Contact BTS 27-02 Roger Lotz 202-366-2246 Tuesday, November 5, 2002 (or maybe 2008)

    -- One out of 20 people who change their own motor oil -- or 2.3 million people -- use disposal methods that could harm the environment, according to a survey by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:40pm

35. Bird Brains

    While 2.3 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder, the National Institute of Mental Health is studying how pigeons think By E. Fuller Torrey, M.D.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:40pm

36. Statistics on Weddings in the United States

    By Sound Vision staff writer

    • 2.3 million couples wed every year in the US. That breaks down to nearly 6,200 weddings a day

    • the average age of a bride in the US is 25.3

    • average age of a groom is 26.9

    • average number of guests invited to a wedding is 178

    • one-third of those getting married each year have been married before

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:41pm

37. funny thing is,

    these are

    all

    the

    same

    2.3 million people.

    what a life!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 3:42pm

38. $2.3 million equals 9.96 •• MINUTES •• in iraq.

    http://democrats.senate.gov/journal/entry.cfm?id=293817#=rss

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 4:13pm

39. I would think that was a generous addition too because I don't think free lunches comprise 10 billion dollars of the education budget.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/9/2008

    Not even a functional comparison. Federal expenditures are the smallest component of education funding, followed by state, then local.

    Posted by Sliver at 05/09/2008 @ 7:14pm

40. Federal expenditures are the smallest component of education funding, followed by state, then local.----Posted by Sliver at 05/9/2008

    Wait a minute...I thought we were "wasting billions on education and not seeing any results for it, except fattening up school bureaucrats and the NEA union thugs!"!?!??!?

    Posted by Mask at 05/09/2008 @ 7:41pm

41. Posted by Sliver at 05/9/2008

    I am not comparing anything. Look at ACooks comment to see what I was refering to.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/09/2008 @ 8:36pm

42. 2.3 million.....

    The number of articles KVH shoves upon us by her husband, Cohen, that generate no web letters or response of any kind..

    Could be that all 2.3 million of his articles are never read by any one.

    Posted by JOMAMMA at 05/9/2008

    Posted by JOMAMMA at 05/10/2008 @ 09:29am

43. Frosty, no more Timmy's for you!

    Posted by yutsano at 05/10/2008 @ 2:26pm

44. I'm lazy.

    When the night comes back telling a story, I'm lazy: beautiful sounds of a primitive faith appear in my mind, and even that arrow describes, in a moment, the slippery darkness of a tender caprice, there, where a light fades away......

    Francesco Sinibaldi

    Posted by Sinibaldi at 05/10/2008 @ 3:16pm

45. 2.3 million milligrams of caffeine.......

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/10/2008 @ 3:17pm

46. Some more:

    US Muslim population: 2.3 million

    US Hindu population: 2.3 million

    The insurance industry had about 2.3 million wage and salary jobs in 2006.

    2.3 million Americans experience homelessness at some point each year, including nearly 1 million children.

    2.3 American women have diabetic retinopathy.

    Posted by mikecope at 05/11/2008 @ 1:58pm

47. Is that all insurances or health insurance specifically Mike? If it's just health A) I had NO IDEA it was that big and B) it provides a stat Mask and I have been hunting for for quite some time.

    Posted by yutsano at 05/12/2008 @ 01:57am