President Barack Obama retains high approval ratings

Americans who believe the country is better off with the Democrats controlling Congress: 49%

Americans who currently believe President Obama is doing enough to cooperate with Republicans: 62%

Americans who approve of President Obama’s job performance: 64%

Americans who feel the country is headed in the right direction: 48%

Soot from fires in third world countries is the second largest contributor to climate change

Excessive release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere was recently estimated to account for: 40% of climate change

Release of soot from fires in third world countries is estimated to account for: 18% of climate change

Release of soot from fires in third world countries estimated to cause: 50% of the warming in Arctic regions

U.S. mortgage enterprise Freddie Mac reveals steep losses

Freddie Mac’s annual losses for 2008: $50.1 billion

Amount of additional financial aid Freddie Mac plans on requesting from the government: $31 billion

Portion of all U.S. mortgages underwritten by Freddie Mac and fellow company Fannie Mae: more than 50%

Amount of federal aid received last year: $13.8 billion

–Compiled by State of Mind Contributor Tom Hammel