The Study

 A Tale by Curt G. Jimenez

The Weiss Mountains run parallel and to the west of the town of Löewen, Germany. In the town, there is a residential street called Berg Strasse, in which this study was conducted in 2001.

·       The houses built facing the east on Berg Strasse receive 56% more sunlight than the houses built facing the west.

·       48% of residents living in the western-facing homes are more likely to own a cat, while 39% of those living in the eastern-facing homes are more likely to own a dog.

·       One out of eight residents living in the houses facing the Weiss Mountains has forgotten about food being prepared on the stovetop while staring out the window at their eastern-facing neighbors.

·       One out of ten words found in the journals of those that live facing the west is “doubt.”

·       It is 39% more likely that an adolescent will continue his or her education at the university level if he or she resides in an eastern-facing home.

·       25% of those facing the west feel, at some point during the day, that they cannot breathe or that they are not able to contribute to a conversation.

·       An individual facing the east is 45% more likely to vacuum his or her floors once a week, compared to an individual living in a western-facing home, who considers vacuuming 14% more often, but accomplishes the task 2% of the time, or once every 3 months.

·       63% of those living in homes facing the west have locked themselves in the darkest room of their homes, weeping uncontrollably, feeling helpless, or that the walls have been caving in around them.

·       86% of those living in homes facing the west find it difficult to swallow, or that when they do, those nearby can hear them.

·       Three out of five homes facing the east have a kitchen drawer filled with balloons, birthday candles, and blank greeting cards. 

·       Two out of five homes facing the west have more than three chipped dinner plates.

·       Four out of five women living in homes facing the east have gathered flowers from their yards and placed them in a green, clear, or white vase. 

·       Three out of five men residing in homes facing the west cannot knot their ties without a mirror. Four out of five have holes in six pairs of black socks. Eight out of ten wake up in the middle of the night without sensation in their feet.

·       It is 48% more likely that someone living in an eastern-facing home will read something that makes him or her smile later in the day than someone living in a western-facing home.

·       Three out of four people living in western-facing homes have itchy ears. Two out of five are double-jointed, but are unaware of their double-jointedness.

·       39% of the people in homes facing the east enjoy climbing trees. 72% enjoy taking walks. 46% know all the lyrics to at least three songs. 40% talk to themselves, and 20% talk to themselves without realizing

·       One out of three individuals residing in homes facing the east believes that statistics are invaluable tools for learning.

·       81% of the people residing in homes facing the west believe that 50% of statistics are made up.