You’re reading Significant Digits, a daily digest of the numbers tucked inside the news. For even more facts, figures and discussion, check out our live FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast in New York City on March 20.
2 times as often
Philadelphia has become the first major U.S. city to ban cashless stores, which have become a mini-retail fad in recent years. Stores say it saves them time; the city says it locks out poorer residents. The poorest Americans are nearly twice as likely to use cash as the richest ones. [Wall Street Journal]
48 percent of cities
Marijuana has become legal in more places, but sports leagues haven’t done much to change their drug policies. Except the NHL. Hockey players are essentially no longer being punished for positive tests of THC, perhaps because 48 percent of NHL cities now have laws allowing recreational marijuana. [ESPN]
29 percent of top recruits
You and I were never going to make it to the NBA. But one would think top high school recruits had a good shot. Yet only 29 percent of top-100 high school recruits between 1998 and 2013 were drafted in the NBA, and fewer still went on to have halfway decent careers in the league. I guess survival of the fittest still applies to the fittest. [The Pudding]
170 people charged
As we wait for special counsel Robert Mueller to bring his investigation to a close — at least that’s what the rumors keep telling us is coming — this is a good moment to put Mueller’s probe in context. My colleagues looked at all the special or independent counsel investigations since Watergate began, which have charged 170 people with crimes. Mueller’s probe has been responsible for 34 of those charges. [FiveThirtyEight]
1 fewer Democratic candidate
For a while there it seemed like no Democrat would pass up the opportunity to run for president. But on Thursday, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown announced that he would not run for the Democratic nomination in 2020. He’s not alone — several other people have said recently that they’re eschewing a campaign. My FiveThirtyEight politics colleagues discussed what that says about the field. [FiveThirtyEight]
47 months
Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign manager, was sentenced to 47 months in prison by a U.S. district court judge on Thursday. Manafort still has another sentencing hearing, in which he could receive an additional 10 years of prison time. [The Washington Post]
From ABC News:
News headlines today: Mar. 8, 2019
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