Statistical Abstract of the US

The Census Bureau released its 2007 Statistical Abstract of the United States. What might that be, you ask? Well, it's a hodgepodge of data that attempts to define Americans by numbers. For instance:

Americans drank more than 23 gallons of bottled water per person in 2004 — about 10 times as much as in 1980. We consumed more than twice as much high fructose corn syrup per person as in 1980 and remained the fattest inhabitants of the planet, although Mexicans, Australians, Greeks, New Zealanders and Britons are not too far behind.
At the same time, Americans spent more of their lives than ever — about eight-and-a-half hours a day — watching television, using computers, listening to the radio, going to the movies or reading.

Get more interesting snippets from this NY Times article.