In fact

People born in December are most likely to submit a claim for motor insurance.
^{Insurance Daily, 24th September 2008}

Of the top ten cities in the EU for car thefts, seven are in Italy (including the top five of Caserta, Catania, Napoli,
Torino and Roma) and three are in Britain (Manchester, Nottingham, Hull).
^{Eurostat Urban Audit, Issue 28}

Evelyn Waugh attempted to drown himself at sea in 1925, but turned back after a jellyfish stung him.
^{A book of ages, by Eric Hanson}

Barack Obama's 4th October rally in Anchorage, Alaska had four times as many attendees as Sarah Palin's rally at the same time in the same city.
^{KTUU.com, 4th October 2008}

More Britons are familiar with the theme tune to EastEnders than with "God Save the Queen."
^{The Sun, 26th September 2008}

British men with the same surname have a 24 per cent chance of sharing a common ancestor through that name. The odds increase to nearly 50 per cent if the surname is rare.
^{UPI, 9th October 2008}

Suicides in New York in the month after the 1929 crash were lower than normal. Only eight people jumped off buildings there between the crash and the end of 1929, just two of which were on Wall Street.
^{BBC News, 5th October 2008}

Last September, Aston Martin sold 150 cars in Britain. This September, it sold three.
^{Financial Times, 10th October 2008}

The fashion industry, worth £40bn, is the second-largest employer in Britain after financial services.
^{Evening standard, 17th September 2008}

Ladders are dropped on Los Angeles freeways more than any other item.
^{Traffic, by Tom Vanderbilt}

Since 1929, Republicans and Democrats have each controlled the presidency for nearly 40 years. As of 10th October 2008, a $10,000 investment in the S&P stock market index would have grown to $11,733 if invested under Republican presidents only, or $51,211 if Herbert Hoover's presidency during the depression is excluded. Invested under Democratic presidents only, it would have grown to $300,671.
^{New York Times, 14th October 2008}

In 2006, 56 per cent of school-leavers in industrialised countries went on to university, up from 37 per cent in 1995.
^OECD

Since 1970, global bike production has nearly quadrupled, while car production has doubled.
^{economist.com, 22nd September 2008}

Dogs now outnumber children aged 10 and under in Japan—there were 13.1m dogs in 2006.
^{ABC News, 28th August 2007}

56 per cent of donations to this year's presidential campaigns from professional sports players and executives have gone to John McCain, and 44 per cent to Obama.
^ESPN

There is a George W Bush Avenue in Tbilisi, and another one in Albania.
^{Financial Times, 8th September 2008}

The national anthem adopted by Russia under Yeltsin had no words.
^Wikipedia

On the day that Congress rejected the Paulson plan and the Dow dropped 7 per cent, the only stock in the S&P 500 that rose was Campbell's soup.
^{Economist.com, 30th Sep 2008}

Aerosmith have made more money in royalties from the video game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith than from any of their albums.
^{1up.com, 18th September 2008}