Tuesday, May 31, 2011

An Overview of Home Health Aides: United States, 2007

This report presents national estimates of home health aides providing assistance in activities of daily living (ADLs) and employed by agencies providing home health and hospice care in 2007. Data are presented on demographics, training, work environment, pay and benefits, use of public benefits, and injuries.
Methods—Estimates are based on data collected in the 2007 National Home Health Aide Survey. Estimates are derived from data collected during telephone interviews with home health aides providing assistance with ADLs and employed by agencies providing home health and hospice care.
Results—In the United States in 2007, 160,700 home health and hospice aides provided ADL assistance and were employed by agencies providing home health and hospice care. Most home health aides were female; approximately one-half were white and one-third black. Approximately one-half of aides were at least 35 years old. Two-thirds had an annual family income of less than $40,000. More than 80% received initial training to become a home health aide and more than 90% received continuing education classes in the previous 2 years. Almost three-quarters of aides would definitely become a home health aide again, and slightly more than one-half of aides would definitely take their current job again. The average hourly pay was $10.88 per hour. Almost three-quarters of aides reported that they were offered health insurance by their employers, but almost 19% of aides had no health insurance coverage from any source. More than 1 in 10 aides had had at least one work-related injury in the previous 12 months.

Obama picks John Bryson to be next secretary of Commerce

President Obama will announce today that John Bryson, former chairman and CEO of Edison International, is his nominee to be the next secretary of Commerce, succeeding Gary Locke, nominated to be the new ambassador to China.

The Census Bureau is part of the Dept. of Commerce.

Annual Capital Expenditures Survey

The Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) provides data on capital spending for new and used structures and equipment by U.S. nonfarm businesses with and without employees. Data have been collected annually beginning with data for 1994. Also, every five years, for years ending in "3" and "8", detailed data by types of structures and types of equipment have been collected from companies with employees. In 2010, it was decided that this detailed data should be collected for years ending in "2" and "7" beginning in 2013, to align with the years in which the Economic Census is conducted. United States Code, Title 13, authorizes this survey and makes responding mandatory; it also protects the confidentiality of respondents and the data they provide.

Monday, May 30, 2011

National Compensation Survey and Productivity Trends

National Compensation Survey: Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2010

The National Compensation Survey (NCS) provides comprehensive measures of occupational earnings, compensation cost trends, the incidence of benefits, and detailed benefit provisions. This bulletin presents estimates of occupational pay for the Nation. These national estimates originate from the NCS locality survey data and are weighted to represent the Nation as a whole. The estimates include pay for workers in major sectors within the U.S. economy in 2010–the civilian, private, and State and local government sectors–and by various occupational and establishment characteristics. The civilian sector, by NCS definition, excludes Federal Government, agricultural, and household workers.

National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages by Census Division, 2010

Preliminary Multifactor Productivity Trends – 2010 [PDF]

Work Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities, 2008

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, the Bureau) reports the number and frequency of work-related fatal injuries and nonfatal injuries and illnesses each year. The Bureau also provides detailed information on the circumstances of the injuries and illnesses and on the characteristics of the affected worker.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Consumer Expenditures in 2009

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entrepreneurship and the U.S. Economy

Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in the growth of the U.S. economy. As the primary source for information on the nation’s labor market, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects data on new businesses and job creation. The following highlights from data series produced by BLS Business Employment Dynamics (BED) program provide some insights on the contribution of new and small businesses to the number of businesses and jobs in the economy.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Complicating Conditions of Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2008

From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [PDF]

Complications during pregnancy can pose a serious risk to both maternal and infant health, and are associated with various adverse outcomes, including miscarriage, hemorrhage, preterm labor, and low birth weight. An objective of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Healthy People 2020 is to reduce maternal illness and complications related to pregnancy during hospitalization for labor and delivery.
This Statistical Brief presents data...

International Economic Trends

From the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Enhanced Perinatal Surveillance, 2005–2008

Enhanced Perinatal Surveillance—15 Areas, 2005–2008

Includes number and percentage of HIV-infected pregnant women who gave birth to a live infant, by year of infant's birth and selected characteristics of mother, 2005–2008—15 areas conducting enhanced perinatal surveillance, United States

Import and export prices increase from April 2010 to April 2011

Over the year, overall import prices advanced 11.1 percent in April 2011. Export prices rose 9.6 percent over the past year, matching the 12-month advance in March—the largest year-over-year increase since export prices jumped 10.2 percent in July 2008.

Demographic profile reports

The Missouri Census Data Center has converted the final files in the SF1 Demographic Profile series as released by the Census Bureau. The data tables are accessible via uexplore/dexter. It has also created a set of 4 reports based on these data. Here is the menu page to facilitate access to these reports.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

National Corrections Reporting Program, 2009 - Statistical Tables

This update adds data for 2009 to the electronic series of selected tables on most serious offense, sentence length, and time served in state prison. The National Corrections Reporting Program collects demographic information, conviction offenses, sentence length, credited jail time, type of admission, type of release, and time served from individual prisoner records in participating jurisdictions.

2010 Census Demographic Profile Summary File now released for entire country

The Demographic Profile contains information on topics such as sex, age, race, Hispanic or Latino origin, household relationship, household type, group quarters population, housing occupancy, and home ownership. See information for the nation and individual states.
You can also explore these data on a new interactive map.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Public School Systems Spend $10,499 Per Pupil in 2009

Public school systems spent an average of $10,499 per pupil in fiscal year 2009, a 2.3 percent increase over 2008, according to data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Public schools in New York spent more than any other state or state equivalent, with $18,126 per pupil in 2009. The District of Columbia ($16,408), New Jersey ($16,271), Alaska ($15,552) and Vermont ($15,175) had the next-highest spending. (See table 11.)

These data come from Public Education Finances: 2009 [PDF], which provides tables on revenues, expenditures, debt and assets (cash and security holdings) of elementary and secondary public school systems with data for the nation, states and school districts. The tables also include more detailed data on spending, such as instruction, transportation and salaries, among others.

“Most children in the United States rely on public schools for their education, so it’s important for people to understand how available resources are being spent within the public education system,” said Lisa Blumerman, chief of the Census Bureau’s Governments Division. “These data provide a detailed look at how taxpayer money is being spent on education.”

States or state equivalents that saw the largest percent increases in per pupil spending from 2008 to 2009 were the District of Columbia (12.4 percent), Utah (10.3 percent), Minnesota (9.4 percent), North Carolina (7.4 percent) and Maine (6.3 percent).

Public school systems received $590.9 billion in funding in 2009, up 1.5 percent from the prior year. Of that amount, state governments contributed $276.2 billion (46.7 percent), followed by revenue raised from local sources, which contributed $258.9 billion (43.8 percent), and federal sources, which provided the remaining $55.9 billion (9.5 percent).

Total spending by public school systems was $604.9 billion in 2009, a 2.0 percent increase from the prior year. Total current spending was $517.7 billion (85.6 percent), of which $311.9 billion went to instruction.

Total school district debt increased by 5.8 percent to $399.1 billion in 2009.

Other highlights:

- States and state equivalents that spent the least per pupil were Utah (6,356), Idaho ($7,092), Arizona ($7,813), Oklahoma ($7,885) and Tennessee ($7,897).

- Instructional salaries accounted for the largest spending category for public elementary and secondary education, totaling $209.0 billion in 2009. (See Table 6.)

- Property taxes accounted for 65.2 percent of revenue for public school systems from local sources.

- The $258.9 billion in funding schools received from local sources included $227.7 billion (87.9 percent) from taxes and local government appropriations.

Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances

The Hudson Institute Center for Global Prosperity (CGP) provides a platform—through conferences, discussions, publications, and media appearances—to create awareness among U.S. and international opinion leaders, as well as the general public, about the central role of the private sector, both for-profit and not-for-profit, in the creation of economic growth and prosperity in any country.
The Center's core product is the annual Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances, which details the sources and magnitude of private giving to the developing world. The Index reframes the discussion about the roles of public and private sectors in foreign aid by showing that the full scale of a country's generosity is measured not just by government aid, but by private giving as well.
The Center supports free societies, including capital markets, rule of law, government transparency, free trade and press, human rights, and private property—prerequisites for economic health and well-being.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Commitment to Development Index 2010

Which rich countries are doing the most to help poor ones? Rich and poor nations are linked in many ways—by foreign aid, commerce, the environment, and more. Each year, the CDI rates rich-country governments on how much they are helping poor countries via seven key linkages: aid, trade, investment, migration, environment, security, and technology. The CDI then takes the average for an overall score.

To see if countries live up to their potential to help, scoring adjusts for size. So small countries can beat big ones.

2011 State of the Birds Report Highlights Importance of Public Lands

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman this month released the 2011 State of the Birds Report, the nation’s first assessment of birds on lands and waters owned by the American people. The findings indicate tremendous potential for bird conservation: these publicly owned habitats support at least half of the entire U.S. distributions of more than 300 bird species.

Monday, May 23, 2011

How Secondhand Smoke Affects the Brain

From the article:

Secondhand smoke has a direct, measurable impact on the brain similar to what's seen in the person doing the smoking, according to a new study. The finding highlights the importance of limiting exposure to secondhand smoke in cars and other enclosed spaces.

When not exposed to smoke (top image), brains show high levels (red and yellow) of a tracer molecule that binds to empty nicotine receptors. After 1 hour of exposure to secondhand smoke (bottom), nicotine displaces and reduces the level of tracer molecules.Image courtesy of Brody et al., Archives of General Psychiatry.

Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death nationwide. People who smoke are up to 6 times more likely than non-smokers to suffer a heart attack. Tobacco is also one of the strongest cancer-causing agents. Up to 90% of lung cancer deaths are attributed to smoking.

But the smoker isn't the only one harmed by cigarette smoke. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 50,000 deaths per year can be attributed to secondhand smoke. A Surgeon General's Report in 2006 concluded that secondhand smoke causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. It also causes serious health conditions in children, including sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory infections and more severe asthma.

New search engine for data & statistics

From an e-mail I received recently:

"I...thought that you might like to try our new search engine – Zanran – which is for finding data and statistics.

"It’s currently in beta – and it’s free. I think you’ll find it helpful - because of its focus on data, which makes it different from Google and Bing."

Worth taking a look.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Educators' pensions posted online

More than 1,200 retired New York State school teachers and administrators are entitled to annual pensions of more than $100,000, according to pension data posted this week on www.SeeThroughNY.net, the government transparency website. The database from the New York State Teachers Retirement System (NYSTRS) includes name, benefit rate, retirement date and last known employer when available, for 136,644 people collecting pensions in 2010...

To read the full release, click here.
To visit the SeeThroughNY database, click here.

Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Local Education Agencies

This First Look presents selected findings onthe numbers and types of public elementary and secondary local education agencies (LEAs) in the United States and the territories in the 2009-10 school year

Saturday, May 21, 2011

The Social Life of Health Information, 2011

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project (PDF)

From the overview:

The internet has changed people’s relationships with information. Our data consistently show that doctors, nurses, and other health professionals continue to be the first choice for most people with health concerns, but online resources, including advice from peers, are a significant source of health information in the U.S.

As broadband and mobile access spreads, more people have the ability – and increasingly, the habit – of sharing what they are doing or thinking. In health care this translates to people tracking their workout routines, posting reviews of their medical treatments, and raising awareness about certain health conditions.

These are not yet mainstream activities, but there are pockets of highly-engaged patients and caregivers who are taking an active role in tracking and sharing what they have learned.

The survey finds that, of the 74% of adults who use the internet:

•80% of internet users have looked online for information about any of 15 health topics such as a specific disease or treatment. This translates to 59% of all adults.
•34% of internet users, or 25% of adults, have read someone else’s commentary or experience about health or medical issues on an online news group, website, or blog.
•25% of internet users, or 19% of adults, have watched an online video about health or medical issues.
•24% of internet users, or 18% of adults, have consulted online reviews of particular drugs or medical treatments.
•18% of internet users, or 13% of adults, have gone online to find others who might have health concerns similar to theirs.
•16% of internet users, or 12% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other providers.
•15% of internet users, or 11% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of hospitals or other medical facilities.

Headaches in U.S. Hospitals and Emergency Departments

From HHS [PDF], 2008 data

Friday, May 20, 2011

National Jukebox

Exceedingly cool!

Historical Recordings from the Library of Congress



The Library of Congress presents the National Jukebox, which makes historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge. The Jukebox includes recordings from the extraordinary collections of the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation and other contributing libraries and archives. Recordings in the Jukebox were issued on record labels now owned by Sony Music Entertainment, which has granted the Library of Congress a gratis license to stream acoustical recordings.

At launch, the Jukebox includes more than 10,000 recordings made by the Victor Talking Machine Company between 1901 and 1925. Jukebox content will be increased regularly, with additional Victor recordings and acoustically recorded titles made by other Sony-owned U.S. labels, including Columbia, OKeh, and others.

Fertility; Women's Health

Data on fertility of American women for the noninstitutionalized population are collected biannually in the June Current Population Survey (CPS) for the Nation. Detailed information from recent surveys and historical trends in selected tables are listed below. Data on children ever born and mothers’ age at last birth are collected for women 15 to 44 years old arom 1971 to present and are available at the national level. These data are the best source for historical trends in fertility. (Note: Reports from 1997 to present are currently on-line).


Women’s Health Care Chartbook – Key Findings from the Kaiser Women’s Health Survey.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

World Health Statistics 2011

World Health Statistics 2011 contains WHO’s annual compilation of health-related data for its 193 Member States, and includes a summary of the progress made towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and associated targets. (Available in 3 languages.)

From the press release:

An increasing number of countries are facing a double burden of disease as the prevalence of risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and cancers increase and many countries still struggle to reduce maternal and child deaths caused by infectious diseases, for the Millennium Development Goals, according to the World Health Statistics 2011 released by the WHO today.
Noncommunicable diseases such heart diseases, stroke, diabetes and cancer, now make up two-thirds of all deaths globally, due to the population aging and the spread of risk factors associated with globalization and urbanization. The control of risk factors such as tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet and excessive use of alcohol becomes more critical. The latest WHO figures showed that about 4 out of 10 men and 1 in 11 women are using tobacco and about 1 in 8 adults is obese.

In addition many developing countries continue to battle health issues such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria that are most likely to kill children under the age of five. In 2009, 40% of all child deaths were among newborns (aged 28 days or less). Much more needs to be done to achieve the MDGs by the target date of 2015, but progress has accelerated.

•Child mortality declined at 2.7% per year since 2000, twice as fast as during the 1990s (1.3%). Mortality among children under five years fell from 12.4 million in 1990 to 8.1 million in 2009.
•Maternal mortality declined at 3.3% per year since 2000, almost twice as fast in the decade after 2000 than during the 1990s (2%). The number of women dying as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth has decreased from 546,000 in 1990 to 358,000 in 2008.

U.S. Trade in Private Services

Economics and Statistics Administration.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

55% Have Married One Time, Another 15% Have Married More Than Once

Among all people 15 and older in 2009, 55 percent had been married once, with 30 percent never having been married at all, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released today. At the same time, 15 percent had married more than once, including 12 percent who had married twice and 3 percent who had married three or more times.

The findings come from Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009, which uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation to provide a look at topics such as changes in the age at marriage, divorce and remarriage over the years, how long first marriages last, people who have been married multiple times, those who have been divorced or experienced other marital events, and the percentage of currently married couples that include spouses who are both in their first marriage.

More than half of currently married couples (55 percent) had been married for at least 15 years, while 35 percent had reached their 25th anniversary. A small percentage — 6 percent — had even passed their golden (50th) wedding anniversary. These percentages are about 1 to 2 percentage points higher than they were in 1996, reflecting both the leveling of divorce rates and increases in life expectancy.

For most couples (72 percent), both spouses were in their first marriage. Six percent of those married included a wife in her second marriage and husband in his first, 8 percent a husband in his second marriage and wife in her first, and 8 percent in which both spouses were in their second marriage. A small percentage of all currently married couples (1 percent) consisted of a husband and wife who had both been married three or more times.

Other highlights:

- First marriages that ended in divorce lasted a median of eight years for men and women. The median time from marriage to separation was shorter — about seven years.
- Half of men and women in all the race and Hispanic-origin groups who remarried after divorcing from their first marriage did so within about four years.
- For all groups of women 25 and older, the majority had married, as had the majority of men 30 and older.
- About one in five men and women ages 50 to 69 had married twice.
- Among people 70 and older, 23 percent of men and 51 percent of women had been widowed, and most were still widowed and had not remarried at the time of the survey.
- A higher proportion of the recently married in 2009 were Hispanic than in 1996. While one in 10 recently married adults was Hispanic in 1996, this increased to one in five by 2009.
- A higher proportion of recently married women had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2009 (31 percent) than in 1996 (21 percent).
- Changes in the percentage of women who never married between 1986 and 2009 suggest that a higher percentage of black women than white non-Hispanic women may never marry.

Recession employment for mothers

Employment during the 2007–2009 recession
The U.S. economy officially entered a recession in December 2007. Nonfarm employment peaked in January 2008 and then entered a period of steady decline.

Share of married-couple families with an employed mother at its lowest, 1994-2010
In 2010, the mother was employed in 65.4 percent of married-couple families with children under the age of 18—a record low for the series. The series began in 1994. The mother was employed in 67.0 percent of families with children maintained by women in which no spouse was present.

Women’s Employment During the Recovery [PDF].

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.0 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2011, compared to the 1.6-percent increase for the 12-month period ending March 2010.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Veteran-Owned Businesses Numbered More Than 2 Million in 2007

In 2007, U.S. military veterans owned 2.4 million businesses, which accounted for 9.0 percent of all businesses nationwide, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These businesses generated $1.2 trillion in receipts, or about 4.1 percent of all business receipts nationwide, and employed nearly 5.8 million people.

All in all, businesses where veterans were majority owners or half-owners numbered 3.7 million, representing 13.5 percent of all businesses nationwide, accounting for more than $1.6 trillion in receipts and employing 8.2 million people.

The new data come from the Survey of Business Owners (SBO): Veteran-Owned Businesses: 2007, which provides the first-ever detailed information for all veteran-owned businesses in the United States, including number of firms, sales and receipts, number of paid employees and annual payroll. Statistics are also shown for nonveteran-owned businesses, as well as for businesses that are equally owned by both veterans and nonveterans.

Nearly one-third of veteran-owned businesses (32.5 percent) operated in the professional, scientific, and technical services and the construction sectors.

More info HERE.

State of Cyberethics, Cybersafety and Cybersecurity Curriculum in the U.S.

Source: National Cyber Security Alliance and Microsoft

The 2011 State of K-12 Cyberethics, Cybersafety and Cybersecurity Curriculum in the United States [PDF] is a survey presented by the National Cyber Security Alliance and Microsoft. Building on the NCSA's previous K-12 studies from 2008 and 2010, this year's survey further explores the perceptions and practices of U.S. teachers, school administrators and technology coordinators in regards to cyberethics, cybersafety and cybersecurity education. This year's survey finds that young people still are not receiving adequate training and that teachers are ill-prepared to teach the subjects due, in large part, to lack of professional development.

Monday, May 16, 2011

GAME TIME! with Census data

Can you name the US cities that added the most people between the 2000 census and the 2010 census?

Can you name the US cities that lost the most people between the 2000 census and the 2010 census?

Clue: at least one New York city is in each category.

Census Bureau Wins 7 Awards from NAGC

The U.S. Census Bureau won a total of seven Blue Pencil/Gold Screen awards, including three first place awards, from the National Association of Government Communicators. The awards honor work during the 2010 Census Integrated Communications Campaign as well as other projects and were given for excellence in the following categories: media event, podcast, social media outreach, public service announcement and promotional campaign.

The Census Bureau, with a team of contractors, developed a communications campaign to create awareness and motivation about the 2010 Census. The campaign was multitargeted, multimedia and multilingual using traditional media like TV, radio, print as well as new media. The campaign complemented ongoing communications activities about Census Bureau data.

The Blue Pencil and Gold Screen awards competition salutes superior communications efforts of government agencies and recognizes the people who create them. Blue Pencil Award categories are designed for writing, editing, photography and published products, such as pamphlets, books, newsletters and other related materials. Gold Screen Award categories recognize audiovisual and multimedia products, including broadcast and Internet-based products.

The event “A New Portrait of America, First 2010 Census Results” won first place in the Blue Pencil Award media event category. On Tuesday,
Dec. 21, the nation received the first results from the 2010 Census as a new portrait of America began to take shape. The results included the resident population for the nation and the states, as well as the congressional apportionment totals for each state and were covered by media throughout the country.

The Profile America series won three Gold Screen Awards in the podcast category, including two first place awards. The entire series won a first place award and Profile America for Black History Month also placed first. The podcast “Al Día” also won a Gold Screen Award of Excellence. Profile America is a daily, 60-second feature that uses interesting vignettes from key events, observances or commemorations for that day to highlight information collected by the Census Bureau.

Social media use for the 2010 Census was recognized with a Gold Screen Award of Excellence. The Census Bureau used Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and blogs to engage in a dialogue with the American people, reaching traditionally hard to count groups.

The 2010 Census Greg Biffle entry won second place in the Gold Screen Award public service announcement (PSA) category. The PSA showed the NASCAR star driving his car in a cul-de-sac while encouraging people to mail back their census forms. It utilized a trusted voice to communicate the importance of the 2010 Census and motivated participation among racing fans.

Finally, the Puerto Rico Doors campaign won a Blue Pencil Award of Excellence in the promotional campaign category. The print and out of home ads were developed to encourage participation during the nonresponse follow-up phase and were inspired by the unique antique doors of Puerto Rico.

“The Census Bureau is honored by the recognition it received from NAGC for its integrated communications campaign, which strove to reach everyone in America through a variety of communications techniques,” said Steve Jost, Associate Director for Communications.

In addition to the Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards, the 2010 Census communications campaign has received other recognitions. In March, the Advertising Research Foundation awarded the Census Bureau with two David Ogilvy Awards for excellence in advertising research. Last year, Mediaweek, a leading advertising industry trade publication, honored the 2010 Census advertising campaign with the “Best Multicultural Campaign” and “Best Branded Content” awards.

Food CPI and State Fact Sheets

From the Department of Agriculture

Food CPI and Expenditures – CPI for Food Forecasts

State fact sheets provide information on population, income, education, employment, federal funds, organic agriculture, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, and exports, for each State in the United States. Links to county-level data are included when available.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Public School Student Enrollment, Graduates and Dropouts

Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment and Staff From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2009-10

This First Look presents national and state level data on student enrollment by grade and by race/ethnicity within grade, the numbers of teachers and other education staff, and several student/staff ratios for the 2009-10 school year.


Public School Graduates and Dropouts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2008–09

This report presents findings associated with public high school graduation and event dropout counts for the 2008–09 school year. These data were collected as part of the Common Core of Data Survey Collection, a universe collection of public schools operating in the United States and associated other jurisdictions.

Tornado Watches and Warnings

Serious storms have occurred--or are occurring--in several states across the U.S. Follow reports from the National Weather Service to track storms in your area.
Learn more about what to do before, during, and after a tornado:
How to Prepare for a Tornado -- Learn about preparing a disaster supply kit, creating a plan, and knowing the signs of an approaching tornado (dark, greenish sky; large hail; low-lying and rotating cloud; and a loud roar, like a freight train).
What to Do During a Tornado -- Depending on whether you are in a building, outdoors, or in a vehicle when a tornado strikes, find out what to do.
What to Do After a Tornado -- Get tips on what to do in a potentially unsafe area following a tornado and learn about federal assistance.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Major Depressive Episode and Treatment among Adolescents: 2009

From the Department of Health & Human Services

An estimated 2 million adolescents, or 8.1 percent of the population aged 12 to 17, had major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year. Rates of past year MDE increased between the ages of 12 and 15 (from 3.6 to 10.4 percent), and females aged 12 to 17 were over twice as likely as their male counterparts to have had past year MDE (11.7 vs. 4.7 percent). Adolescents who had past year MDE were 3 times as likely as those without past year MDE to have had a substance use disorder in the past year (18.9 vs. 6.0 percent).

ACE Electoral Knowledge Network

The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network is a "portal to the world of elections. The ACE network promotes credible, and transparent electoral processes with emphasis on sustainability, professionalism and trust in the electoral process. ACE offers a wide range of services related to electoral knowledge, assistance and capacity development. The network comprises of a global, thematic component (the ACE Practitioners' Network) and a regional component (the ACE Regional Electoral Resource Centres).

"The ACE website is an online knowledge repository that provides comprehensive information and customised advice on electoral processes. The website contains in-depth articles, global statistics and data, an Encyclopaedia of Elections, information on electoral assistance, observation and professional development, region- and country-specific resources, daily electoral news, an election calendar, quizzes, expert networks and much, much more. The ACE website is freely accessible to all and the number of visitors is constantly growing - as of January 2011 the website has more than 1,5 million unique visitors per year."

Friday, May 13, 2011

PAD website updated with new Census 2010 data

The Demographic Profiles have been released for New York. Cornell's Program on Applied Demographics web site is updated and contains some of that data.

The main page for Census 2010 data.

There is also a report [PDF] describing the changed age composition in NY and comparing it between economic regions.
***
The Census Bureau release info.

Independent Redistricting in Monroe County: A CGR Experiment

The Center for Government Research assumed the role of an independent redistricting commission and created a new map of Monroe County legislative districts based on the 2010 Census population counts. The maps were created with political blinders in place – no data on party enrollment of voters was used. Yet the maps preserved the 16-13 advantage for Republicans by creating 16 Republican-leaning districts. Find out why and browse a scalable map.

April 2011 New York-New Jersey CPI Data Summary

From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index Data Summary for April 2011 is now available. Please refer questions to BLSInfoNY@bls.gov.

Characteristics of Suspected Human Trafficking Incidents, 2008-2010

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Describes the characteristics of human trafficking investigations, suspects, and victims in cases opened by federally funded task forces between January 2008 and June 2010. This report provides information about investigations, persons involved in suspected and confirmed incidents of human trafficking, and case outcomes. Data are from the Human Trafficking Reporting System (HTRS), which was created in response to a congressional mandate in the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 for biennial reporting on the scope and characteristics of human trafficking. HTRS is currently the only system that captures information on human trafficking investigations conducted by state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States. The report also describes HTRS data collection procedures and data quality issues.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

From the Department of Health & Human Services:

This public use data file contains jobs-level data from the 2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC). Released as an ASCII file with SAS and SPSS programming statements and in SAS transport format, this public use file provides information collected on a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States during the calendar year 2009. The file contains job-level information collected in Rounds 3-5 for the thirteenth Panel and Rounds 1-3 for the fourteenth Panel of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (i.e., the rounds for the MEPS panels covering calendar year 2009); it includes variables pertaining to household-reported jobs, including wages, hours, industry, and occupation.

Missed Opportunity: Transit and Jobs in Metropolitan America

From Brookings

Public transit is a critical part of the economic and social fabric of metropolitan areas. Nearly 30 million trips are made every day using public transit. Almost all of these trips occur in the nation’s 100 largest metro areas, which account for over 95 percent of all transit passenger miles traveled. People take transit for any number of reasons, but one of the most common is to get to work.

However, when it comes to the question of how effectively transit connects people and jobs within and across these metropolitan areas, strikingly little is known. With governments at all levels considering deep budget cuts, it is increasingly important to understand not just the location and frequency of transit service, but ultimately how well transit aligns with where people work and live. To better understand these issues, the Metropolitan Policy Program developed a comprehensive database that provides the first comparable, detailed look at transit coverage and connectivity across and within the nation’s major metro areas.

From the Times Union article re the topic, No charm, but effective: A new study ranks Capital Region's transport system 29th in the nation in connecting people to their jobs:

A Brookings Institution report gives the Capital Region a relatively strong ranking for access to public transportation, when measured against the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas. Here's how the region compares to nearby areas in two key measurements.

Area/% of jobs within Overall 45 min. of home/Average wait rank

Capital Region 10.8% 14.3 minutes 29

New York City 9.8% 4.5 minutes 13

Syracuse 12.3% 17.4 minutes 30

Springfield, Mass. 7.6% 21.1 minutes 44

Poughkeepsie 2.8% 51 minutes 100

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A Snapshot of Arts Education; National Report Card on Civics

From the National Center for Education Statistics

A Snapshot of Arts Education in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools: 2009–10

This first look report presents selected findings from a congressionally mandated study on arts education in public K–12 schools. The data were collected through seven Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) surveys during the 2009-10 school year. This report provides national data about arts education for public elementary and secondary schools, elementary classroom teachers, and elementary and secondary music and visual arts specialists. A later report will present findings on a broader set of indicators on the status of arts education in 2009–10 and comparisons with data from the 1999–2000 study where applicable.


The Nation’s Report Card – Civics 2010 [PDF]

Nationally representative samples of about 7,100 fourth-graders, 9,600 eighth-graders, and 9,900 twelfth-graders participated in the 2010 National Assessment of EducationalProgress (NAEP) in civics. At each grade, students responded to questions designed to measure the civics knowledge and skills that are critical to the responsibilities of citizenship in America’s constitutional democracy. Comparing the results from the 2010 assessment to results from two previous assessment years shows how students’ knowledge and skills in civics have progressed over time.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

2010 Census Demographic Profiles and Interactive Map for More States

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released the Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for the District of Columbia, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. The demographic profiles provide 2010 Census data on age and sex distributions, race, Hispanic or Latino origin, household relationship and type, the group quarters population, and housing occupancy and tenure (whether the housing occupant owns or rents). Throughout May, these profiles are being released on a rolling basis for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

States with Projected Budget Shortfalls, SFY2013

From www.statehealthfacts.org.

Centers of Population presentation May 11

Each decade, after it tabulates the decennial census, the Census Bureau calculates the center of population. The center is determined as the place where an imaginary, flat, weightless and rigid map of the United States would balance perfectly if all residents were of identical weight.
Please join the US Census Bureau for a live UStream event discussing the new Centers of Population at 11 AM EDT on Wednesday, May 11. The event will feature Theodore Sickley, Geographer at the US Census Bureau. Ted will be taking questions from the public live during the event on Facebook and Twitter.
To view the UStream event broadcast, please visit Facebook or UStream.
You can watch the Center of Population move across the country and learn more about what historical factors contributed to this movement, on the Census Bureau's interactive map.
Learn more about the data release on the United States Center of Population.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Robert Scardamalia: The Impact of an Aging Society | April 13, 2011


At this public policy forum co-sponsored by the Rockefeller Institute and the Albany Guardian Society, demographer Robert Scardamalia discussed current and future trends in the aging of New York's population, especially upstate New York and the Capital Region. He followed Richard Jackson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who presented his Global Aging Preparedness Index.

Relationship between poverty and education - statistics

University of Wisconsin's Institute for Research on Poverty
NCES - use keyword of income
The Census Bureau has a whole section of data on poverty

Saturday, May 7, 2011

2010 Digest & Mini-Digest of Education Statistics

Digest of Education Statistics, 2010

The 46th in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons.

Mini-Digest of Education Statistics, 2010

This publication is a pocket-sized compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from kindergarten through graduate school. The statistical highlights are excerpts from the Digest of Education of Statistics, 2010.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Rising Gas Prices + Rising Transit Ridership = Cut Transit Funding

Unfortunately for those turning to public transportation for a reprieve [from high gas prices], they’re most likely experiencing a system that has been cut to the bone in the past 18 months as lawmakers in D.C. stood by. Not only did the 111th Congress fail to pass the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010, which would have provided emergency federal funds to restore and maintain transit service across the country, the 112th Congress has recently slashed transit funding as a way to curb federal spending. More could be on the way.

More from the New York State Transportation Equity Alliance (NYSTEA) blog.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Research Your Genealogy

Do you have an interest in tracing your family history? If so, check out some genealogy resources to help you start your research, including:

Immigration Records -- Review ship passenger arrival records dating from 1820 to 1982.
Land Records -- Find records that document the transfer of public land from the U.S. government to private ownership.
State Archives and Historical Societies -- Get contact information for archives and historical societies in your state.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

National Center for Education Statistics data

Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2009-10 - First Look
Description: This report presents findings on the numbers and types of public elementary and secondary schools in the United States and the territories in the 2009-10 school year, using data from the Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey system.

Postsecondary Awards in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by State: 2001 and 2009
Description: These tables provide state-level information on the conferring of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) awards (degrees and certificates) from academic years 2000–01 and 2008–09, both overall and by field.

Monday, May 2, 2011

The Cost of Being Poor

The Cost of Being Poor
Via: OnlineSociologyDegree.net

The Latino Electorate in 2010

More than 6.6 million Latinos voted in last year's election—a record for a midterm—according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center. Latinos also were a larger share of the electorate in 2010 than in any previous midterm election, representing 6.9% of all voters, up from 5.8% in 2006...

However, even though more Latinos than ever are participating in the nation's elections, their representation among the electorate remains below their representation in the general population. In 2010, 16.3% of the nation's population was Latino, but only 10.1% of eligible voters and fewer than 7% of voters were Latino.

More HERE from the Pew Hispanic Center.

Advance GDP by Industry Statistics for 2010

Durable-goods manufacturing and retail trade were among the leading contributors to the upturn in U.S. economic growth in 2010, according to preliminary statistics on the breakout of real gross domestic product (GDP) by industry from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The economic recovery was widespread: 20 of 22 industry groups contributed to real GDP growth.

MORE HERE.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Educational Attainment in the US – 2010

Detailed Tables from the Census Bureau.

Consumer Price Index

Of course, looking for the Consumer Price Index Index, one would look at bls.gov/cpi, which has the CPI for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the U.S.

But someone on a listserv also suggested USDA.gov, and use the advanced search for, e.g., cheese cpi or milk cpi; not as systematic, but interesting.