Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2015

In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad, completed May 10, 1869.

In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a month-long celebration. Per a 1997 U.S. Office of Management and Budget directive, the Asian or Pacific Islander racial category was separated into two categories: one being Asian and the other Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. Thus, this Facts for Features contains a section for each.

Asians

19.4 million 

The estimated number of U.S. residents in 2013 who were Asian, either one race or in combination with one or more additional races. Source: 2013 Population Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPSR5H?slice=Year~est72013>

6.1 million 

The Asian alone or in combination population in California in 2013. The state had the largest Asian population, followed by New York (1.8 million). The Asian alone population represented 37.7 percent of the total population in Hawaii. Source: 2013 Population Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPSR5H?slice=Year~est72013>

Demographic Characteristics of Business Owners and Employees: 2013

the Office of Advocacy released Demographic Characteristics of Business Owners and Employees: 2013, the second annual issue brief on business owner demographics. This year’s issue brief also includes how business owners differ from employees. This comparison is important for measuring the overall economic well-being of the economy including the economic incentives for entrepreneurship.

The issue brief is available on Advocacy’s website here.

Sacramento Tops Large Counties in Employment Growth Rate

Information Sector Posted Fastest Job Growth       Among the 50 largest counties with the most employees, Sacramento, Calif., had the highest rate of employment growth among all sectors between 2012 and 2013 (up 5.5 percent to 428,475), according to new U.S. Census Bureau statistics released today. Sacramento was followed by two Texas counties: Travis (up 4.9 percent to 514,749) and Harris (up 4.7 percent to 2.0 million). Annual payroll in Sacramento rose 9.9 percent to $20.9 billion for the same period.       Delaware led all states in rate of employment growth between 2012 and 2013 with employment levels climbing 5.1 percent to 382,128, followed by Washington (up 3.5 percent to 2.4 million) and California (a 3.5 percent increase to 13.4 million). Payroll in Delaware increased 6.7 percent to $19.5 billion.       Nationally, employment in the information sector (NAICS 51) of the nation’s economy rose 4.1 percent between 2012 and 2013 to 3.3 million, besting every other sector in rate of growth. The sector also saw its payroll rise 7.0 percent to $273.3 billion and its payroll per employee climb 2.8 percent to $83,677.       These new findings released this week are from County Business Patterns: 2013, which provides the only detailed annual information on the number of establishments, employees, and quarterly and annual payroll for nearly 1,200 industries at the national, state and county levels.       “The 2013 County Business Patterns provide the first snapshot of business activity locally since the 2012 Economic Census was conducted,” said William Bostic, the Census Bureau’s associate director for economic programs. “Its findings show the extent to which high-speed global communications and networking drives our economy.”       The information sector’s gains were propelled by the data processing, hosting and related services subsector (NAICS 518), which added more than 87,000 employees from 2011 to 2013 (a rate of growth of 21.9 percent). This subsector includes establishments that specialize in application and Web hosting, video and audio streaming services, and application service providers.       A related subsector, other information services (NAICS 519), saw employment levels rise 22.4 percent over the 2011-2013 period, adding more than 40,500 employees. Other information services include establishments such as news syndicates, firms that publish and/or broadcast exclusively to the Internet, Web search portals, libraries and archives. In contrast, a more traditional information subsector, broadcasting (except Internet) (NAICS 515), experienced a 5.7 percent employment gain over the 2011-2013 period, adding just over 15,000 employees.

Hard-hitting Series on Food Service Industry Wins Pulitzer

The food service industry is the province of kitchen workers who must enlist government investigators to collect the bare minimum that the law entitles them to receive; wait staff who earn a punishingly low $2.13 per hour nationally in exchange for tips whose distribution is often controlled by management; and fast-food employees who work for chains that explicitly advise them to apply for food stamps and other government aid to supplement their unlivable pay.”

This excerpt from a Boston Globe editorial by Kathleen Kingsbury, “For restaurant workers, fair conditions not on the menu,” sums up the problems that plague one of the country’s largest industries. It’s part of her 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on food service workers, “Service Not Included,” that illustrates a sad reality: too many people are worker harder but still falling farther behind.

More from The US Department of Labor blog.

Estimates of U.S. Population by Age and Sex: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014

A downloadable file containing estimates of the resident U.S. population by single year of age and sex has been released on the Population Estimates webpage http://www.census.gov/popest/data/datasets.html.

State Government Tax Revenue Rises for Fourth Year in a Row

State government tax revenue increased 2.2 percent, from $847.1 billion in fiscal year 2013 to $865.8 billion in 2014, the fourth consecutive increase, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2014 Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections.       General sales and gross receipts taxes drove most of the revenue growth, increasing from $258.9 billion to $271.3 billion, or 4.8 percent. Severance taxes increased 6.0 percent, from $16.8 billion to $17.8 billion, and motor fuel taxes increased 3.4 percent, from $40.1 billion to $41.5 billion.       “The Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections provides a comprehensive look at the fiscal health of state governments,”

Explore the History of Jazz

Jazz is a unique form of music that originated in African American communities and spread rapidly in the 1920s. Jazz is now heard and performed around the world. Explore this interactive timeline to learn about its earliest influences and how this music genre continues to evolve.

Earth Day: April 22, 2015

April 22, 2015, marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day ― a day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment. The day came from reaction to a massive oil spill in waters near Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1969. In honor of Earth Day ― and Earth Week (April 16-22) ― this edition of Profile America Facts for Features includes examples of Census Bureau statistics pertaining to energy and the environment. Renewable Energy $9.8 billion Revenues in 2012 for electric power generation industries that use renewable energy resources, such as hydro, wind, geothermal, biomass, solar and other electric power generation. This figure is up 49.0 percent from $6.6 billion in 2007. 697 The number of wind, geothermal, biomass, solar and other electric power generation business establishments in 2012, up from 312 in 2007. 5,456 The number of employees in wind electric power generation, the most among the industries using renewable energy in 2012. $5 billion Revenues for the wind electric power generation industry in 2012, the highest among the industries using renewable energy resources. Hydroelectric power generation followed with revenues of $2.4 billion. Geothermal electric power generation had revenues of just under $1 billion ($995.4 million), followed by biomass electric power generation, with $934.6 million in revenues, solar electric power generation, with $472.4 million, and other electric power generation, with $59.0 million. Source: 2012 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2014/cb14-204.html> Heating and Cooling the Home

GRC's Interactive Brute Force Password “Search Space” Calculator

Every password you use can be thought of as a needle hiding in a haystack. After all searches of common passwords and dictionaries have failed, an attacker must resort to a “brute force” search – ultimately trying every possible combination of letters, numbers and then symbols until the combination you chose, is discovered.

If every possible password is tried, sooner or later yours will be found.
The question is: Will that be too soon . . . or enough later?

This interactive brute force search space calculator allows you to experiment with password length and composition to develop an accurate and quantified sense for the safety of using passwords that can only be found through exhaustive search.

2015 State of America's Libraries Report

The American Library Association released its 2015 State of America's Libraries Report, detailing issues and trends of the previous year affecting America's public, academic and school libraries. The highly anticipated report includes the 2014 list of Top Ten Most Challenged Books as reported to ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. Here's an overview of the report's key findings:

Libraries provide people of all ages and backgrounds with unlimited possibilities to participate in a media- and technology-enriched society. As community anchors, libraries touch people’s lives in many ways and stand as protectorates of the tenets of a democratic government. This report discusses current issues, developments, and practices of academic, school, and public libraries.

Academic libraries provide resources and services to support the learning, teaching, and research needs of students, faculty, and staff. Surveys show that both students and faculty value high-quality digital and print collections and the instructional support that helps them use these resources. Academic librarians are finding creative ways to repurpose library spaces and make optimal budgeting choices.

School libraries provide learning environments that enable students to acquire the reading, research, digital literacy, and citizenship skills necessary for college and career readiness. Certified school librarians ensure that 21st-century information literacy skills, dispositions, responsibilities, and assessments are integrated throughout all curriculum areas.

Public libraries serve as community anchors that address economic, educational, and health disparities in the community. They offer educational programs, print and digital books, access to databases, meeting spaces, and instruction on how to use new technologies. More than two-thirds of Americans agree that libraries are important because they improve the quality of life in a community, promote literacy and reading, and provide many people with a chance to succeed.


More from I Love Libraries

How kicking a trash can became criminal for a 6th grader: Where does your state rank in sending students to cops, courts?

The U.S. Department of Education data analyzed by the Center for Public Integrity show that Virginia schools in a single year referred students to law enforcement agencies at a rate nearly three times the national rate. Virginia’s referral rate: about 16 for every 1,000 students, compared to a national rate of six referrals for every 1,000 students. In Virginia, some of the individual schools with highest rates of referral — in one case 228 per 1,000 — were middle schools, whose students are usually from 11 to 14 years old.

The data shows that in most states black, Latino and special-needs (disabled) students get referred to police and courts disproportionately. The volume of referrals from schools is fueling arguments that zero tolerance policies and school policing are creating a “school-to-prison pipeline” by criminalizing behavior better dealt with outside courts. The Center for Public Integrity ranked states by their rate of referral for every 1,000 students.

More from the Center for Public Integrity.

American Community Survey (ACS) Data Products Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey Office (ACSO)  is conducting a survey to gather data user feedback on ACS data products.  The Census Bureau wants to ensure the ACS program continues to produce relevant and timely data products that meet the needs of and are accessible to the public.

You are invited to provide feedback on the content of the ACS data products and usage of geographic areas, the coinciding documentation currently provided on the website, as well as the way in which Census data products are accessed and disseminated.  The Bureau wants to hear from you!

Poison Proof Your Home

Accidental poisoning by common household items kill more people than car accidents each year. Products we use everyday such as medicines, household cleaning solutions, children’s art supplies, makeup and other personal items can be toxic if used incorrectly.

Learn about the dangers and who's most at risk, how to poison-proof your home, and what you can do if you experience an emergency. Contact the Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222 and use this emergency checklist as a guide for what information to give the poison expert on the phone. Keep the Poison Help Line number handy or save it on your cell phone.

Earth Day: April 22, 2015

April 22, 2015, marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day ― a day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’snatural environment. The day came from reaction to a massive oil spill in waters near Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1969. In honor of Earth Day ― and Earth Week (April 16-22) ― this edition of Profile America Facts for Features includes examples of Census Bureau statistics pertaining to energy and the environment. Renewable Energy $9.8 billion Revenues in 2012 for electric power generation industries that use renewable energy resources, such as hydro, wind, geothermal, biomass, solar and other electric power generation. This figure is up 49.0 percent from $6.6 billion in 2007. 697 The number of wind, geothermal, biomass, solar and other electric power generation business establishments in 2012, up from 312 in 2007. 5,456 The number of employees in wind electric power generation, the most among the industries using renewable energy in 2012. $5 billion Revenues for the wind electric power generation industry in 2012, the highest among the industries using renewable energy resources. Hydroelectric power generation followed with revenues of $2.4 billion. Geothermal electric power generation had revenues of just under $1 billion ($995.4 million), followed by biomass electric power generation, with $934.6 million in revenues, solar electric power generation, with $472.4 million, and other electric power generation, with $59.0 million. Source: 2012 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2014/cb14-204.html> Heating and Cooling the Home

A Deep Dive Into Party Affiliation

Democrats hold advantages in party identification among blacks, Asians, Hispanics, well-educated adults and Millennials. Republicans have leads among whites – particularly white men, those with less education and evangelical Protestants – as well as members of the Silent Generation...

The share of independents in the public, which long ago surpassed the percentages of either Democrats or Republicans, continues to increase. Based on 2014 data, 39% identify as independents, 32% as Democrats and 23% as Republicans. This is the highest percentage of independents in more than 75 years of public opinion polling. (For a timeline of party affiliation among the public since 1939, see this interactive feature.)

When the partisan leanings of independents are taken into account, 48% either identify as Democrats or lean Democratic; 39% identify as Republicans or lean Republican. The gap in leaned party affiliation has held fairly steady since 2009, when Democrats held a 13-point advantage (50% to 37%).

More from Pew Reearch.

Why saying this four-letter word can transform your productivity

When we’re concentrated on a task, the brain’s electrical activity is heightened. But the moment we say we’re done with something, the electrical activity in our brain shifts from being activated and engaged into a more relaxed state...

A neurochemical shift in the brain occurs simultaneously. Serotonin—known as the body’s "feel-good chemical"—is released, creating a sense of calmness and satisfaction. This new relaxed state then allows us to take on the next task and builds our confidence. The more often you complete a task, the more confidence you build to achieve the next item on your to-do list, allowing you to take on even more challenging tasks...

How to create more opportunities to say "done":

More from Fast Company.

Census Bureau Releases Updated Tables on Fertility

The U.S. Census Bureau released new tables and figures today using the 2014 Current Population Survey’s Fertility Supplement, which includes fertility and relationship data for women age 15 to 50. The tables include information on children ever born, rates of childlessness, and relationship status at first birth for women with selected demographic characteristics. In addition, the tables and figures show historical trends in fertility.

Highlights include:

·         Just under 60 percent of the roughly 75 million women age 15 to 50 in 2014 were mothers and had given birth to about 95 million children.

What You Need to Know About U and T Visas

Labor Secretary Perez announced that the Labor Department is taking important steps to fulfill its commitment to protect vulnerable workers. Specifically, the Wage and Hour Division will begin certifying applications for trafficking victims seeking T visas. In addition, the division will now certify U visa requests when it detects three new qualifying criminal activities in the course of its workplace investigations: extortion, forced labor, and fraud in foreign labor contracting.

The Wage and Hour Division enforces several critical federal workplace laws — including the federal minimum wage and overtime laws. Because many wage and hour investigations take place in industries that employ vulnerable workers, the Wage and Hour Division is often the first federal agency to make contact with these workers and detect exploitation in the workplace.

Economic Census Geographic Area Releases in March

Currently the economic census is releasing the Geographic Area Series, which provides detailed geographic data for all applicable sectors. Data are released on a flow basis by sector by state. The table below lists the states that have been released for each sector in the last month. A complete list of what has been released to date is available here.

Please note that if a sector has released more than one geographic area series table, the search results will be linked instead of a data table.

NAICS Sector	States Released in MARCH
22: Utilities	ME,MT
23: Construction	All 50 States and the District of Columbia
42: Wholesale Trade	AK,HI,ME,MT
44-45: Retail Trade	AK,MT
48-49: Transportation and Warehousing	AK,CO,HI,MT
51: Information	CO,HI
52: Finance and Insurance	HI
53: Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	AZ,CA,NV
54: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	CO,HI
56: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	AK,ME,MT
71: Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	CO,HI
72: Accommodation and Food Services	AK,ME
81: Other Services (Except Public Administration)	CO

Income Inequality and Life Expectancy

There’s an interesting story in The Upshot section of The New York Times this week about income inequality and life expectancy. The story highlights a study by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute that looks at the relationship between having higher income inequality in a community and the life expectancy of the people who live there.

The researchers found that those who lived in communities with higher inequality were more likely to die before age 75 than those with lower inequality.

(Via AIER)


See also: The American people are clueless: Why income inequality is so much worse than we realize

A Day in the Life of a Digital Marketer

Source: BestMarketingDegrees.org

Failing on Two Fronts: The U.S. Labor Market Since 2000

For almost four decades and by almost all available measures, economic inequality has been increasing in the United States. For a portion of this period, the United States could console itself, in part, by celebrating its success as a “jobs machine.” Indeed, the two issues were often linked in the standard economics account of the post-Reagan era: widening wage inequality rewarded the skills of those at the top, while providing job opportunities for those at the bottom.

In countries where inequality did not increase, the story went, employment suffered. But, for almost 15 years, that story has not held. The U.S. jobs machine has broken down.