Social Security Insurance Recipients by State and County, 2008

Local area data for SSI program for aged, blind, and disabled people are the focus of this annual statistical report, which, not incidentally, can only be accessed on the Web; no print version is available

Question about Disability

From The Census Project:

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) introduced legislation on May 21 to require the Census Bureau to change the way it collects data on disability in the American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS, launched nationwide in 2005 to replace the traditional census long form, samples roughly 250,000 addresses a month to produce annually updated estimates of the nation's socio-economic characteristics. The "Disability Data Modernization Act" (S. 1127) would replace the current ACS question on disability with "standardized function questions used by medical providers," Sen. Martinez said in announcing introduction of the measure on May 21. The ranking Republican on the Special Committee on Aging said the current question wording "is not meeting its legislative purpose. [With the change], we can better plan for a coordinated, comprehensive, and compassionate system of long-term care which will allow each and everyone of us to live out our lives with dignity and independence." Under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policy, all data collected in the census, of which the ACS is a part, must be required by federal law, be necessary to administer a federal program or law, or be required to implement the goals of a federal court decision.

S. 1127 specifically directs the Census Bureau to use the Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Index and the Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) to measure extent of disability. The senator described ADLs as "activities essential for self-care" and IADLs as "activities essential to function in the home and community," and said the measures are "two of the most widely accepted and used indices of function by hospitals, researchers, federal agencies and Long-Term Care facilities for 40 years." The bill was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

So my question: understanding that ADLs and IADLs are "two of the most widely accepted and used indices of function by hospitals, researchers, federal agencies and Long-Term Care facilities for 40 years," are the terms easily understandable by members of the general public?

2007 Economic Census: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Industry Series

Sector 54: EC0754I1 includes legal services, accounting and tax preparation services, engineering and architectural services.

Cancer Death Rate Steadily Declining

Cancer death rates are falling steadily, according to the American Cancer Society’s annual cancer statistics report, Cancer Facts & Figures 2009, and its companion article “Cancer Statistics, 2009,” published in the Society’s CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. The drop is driven in large part by better prevention, increased use of early detection practices, and improved treatments for cancer.

Cancer death rates dropped 19.2% among men during 1990-2005 and 11.4% among women during 1991-2005. Cancer incidence rates are also on the decline – they decreased 1.8% per year among men from 2001-2005 and 0.6% per year from 1998-2005 among women.

Agriculture Census Data Now Available by Congressional District

Information from the 2007 Census of Agriculture is now available at the congressional district level in online profiles published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

U.S. Lags World in Paid Sick Days for Workers and Families

A new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) shows that the United States is the only one of 22 rich countries that fails to guarantee sick workers some form of paid sick leave.

The report, Contagion Nation: A Comparison of Paid Sick Day Policies in 22 Countries, finds that the U.S. is the only country among 22 countries ranked highly in terms of economic and human development that does not guarantee that workers receive paid sick days or paid sick leave. Under current U.S. labor law, employers are not required to provide short-term paid sick days or longer-term paid sick leave.

Top 100 Government Contractors

Source: Washington Technology

Article

LIST

Federal, State Cigarette Excise Taxes - US, 1995--2009

On April 1, 2009, the largest federal cigarette excise tax increase in history went into effect, bringing the combined federal and average state excise tax for cigarettes to $2.21 per pack and achieving the Healthy People 2010 (HP2010) objective (27-21a) to increase the combined federal and average state cigarette excise tax to at least $2 per pack. This report summarizes changes in the federal excise tax, as well as state excise taxes for all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) from December 31, 1995 to April 1, 2009.* The findings indicate that the federal excise tax increased from 24 cents per pack in 1995 to $1.01 per pack in 2009, and the average state excise tax increased from 32.7 cents per pack to $1.20 per pack during the same period. These increases represent a 321% increase in the federal excise tax and a 267% increase in the average state excise tax since 1995.

America’s Best Beaches 2009

Source: “Dr. Beach”. One of the Top 10 is in New York State.

41 Million Licensed Americans May Be Unfit for Roads

Results from the http://media.gmacfs.com/index.php?s=43&item=330
2009 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test released today found that 20.1 percent of licensed Americans - amounting to roughly 41 million drivers on the road - would not pass a written drivers test exam if taken today. Overall, findings from the fifth annual survey indicate the number of drivers with knowledge of basic road rules is decreasing, with this year’s test scores lower than last year’s (76.6 percent vs. 78.1 percent).

Idaho and Wisconsin drivers tied for first in the nation, with an average test score of 80.6 percent; New York drivers ranked last, with an average score of 70.5 percent. This is the second time Idaho ranked first and the second time New York has ranked last in the survey’s five-year history.

The Little Green Data Book 2009

Are you interested in finding country-specific environmental indicators? Then check out the newly-released Little Green Data Book 2009 from The World Bank.

The Little Green Data Book 2009 is the tenth annual compilation of statistics on key environmental and development data for over 200 countries. In addition to statistics, each year's edition highlights a specific focus area. This year's edition identifies cities as key determinants of climate change and explores the impact public policy can have for future generations.

ACS Confusion

I was trying to explain ACS to a general population; here's what I wrote:

As you may know, 2000 is scheduled to be the last decennial Census that will gather "long-form" data. The information gathered from the long form of the census covered income/poverty, language, ancestry, education, homeowner/renter status and expenditures for same, plus much more.

Data users were frustrated about having nine-year-old figures in 2009. Thus was born the American Community Survey, which will eventually provide numbers every year starting in 2010.

Because there are different size requirements for geographies, this creates what might be confusion for the user.

2006: 2005 ACS - statistics for entities of 65,000

2007: 2006 ACS - statistics for entities of 65,000

2008: 2007 ACS - statistics for entities of 65,000 PLUS
2005-2007 statistics for entities of 20,000

2009: 2008 ACS - statistics for entities of 65,000 PLUS
2006-2008 statistics for entities of 20,000

2010: 2009 ACS - statistics for entities of 65,000 PLUS
2007-2009 statistics for entities of 20,000
2005-2009 statistics for all entities

Every year after 2010 will have a rolling set three sets of data for the largest geographies. So, in 2010, there will be reported surveys information gathered over 12-, 36- and 60-months periods for Queens County.

But which one should one use?

The multi-year reports are less current. Statistics are gathered over a larger period. However, multi-year reports are more statistically accurate because they include more records, more collected surveys. Particularly for figures with fewer occurrences, e.g., number of grandparents raising their grandchildren, I'd be inclined to opt for the longest period available.

When comparing geographies, obviously one must consider the size of each entity. There are no one-year ACS stats for 24 of New York State's 62 counties because the population of those counties are each below 65,000.

In any case, when doing comparisons, these two rules should be noted:
1. Do not compare one-year stats, three-year stats and five-year stats with each other. Compare one-year with one-year.
2. When comparing multi-year stats, do not compare overlapping years. For instance, do not compare 2005-2007 with 2007-2009 because both have the exact same records from 2007. This is not an issue yet but will be in 2010.

Finally, do all you can to support the 2010 decennial Census, which, like the 2000 survey, is one of the few attempts to get a full count, rather than a sampling. Therefore it becomes the benchmark of other calculations, both for Census products such as the ACS, and for the private firms that estimate demographic and consumer trends, such as Demographics Now and EASI.

How does your last name rank nationally?

You've heard all about the most popular baby name database, which not incidentally has data going back to 1880.

Another database allows one to search a last name and see how it ranks nationally, with racial demographic breakdowns (provided by U.S. Census Bureau).

Your Basic Associated Press Map

This is the news Web site of the Associated Press, its member newspapers and broadcasters.

State Tax Revenues Plummeted in First Quarter

State tax collections plummeted in the first quarter of 2009, with almost every state showing a decline from a year earlier, according to the
http://www.rockinst.org/ Rockefeller Institute's latest state revenue "flash" report, released this week. The bulk of the decline came from a 15.8 percent drop in personal income tax revenue. Further deterioration in state revenues is likely to occur in coming months, according to the report.

Google Down, World Stands Still?

Google Outage Shows Site's Ubiquity, Our Overdependence. From Hispanic Business.

Direct Response TV revenues

Direct Response TV revenues from Response magazine.

National Energy Board of Canada

The Canadian electricity system is part of an integrated North American electricity grid, but Canada's electricity markets have primarily developed along provincial or regional boundaries.

America’s Parents Vote for Change on Social Security's Most Popular Baby Names List

n 2008, American parents voted for change in naming their children. After a 12-year reign as the most popular baby name, Emily has slipped to third on the list. Emma is now the nation’s most popular name for girls.

The most popular boy’s name, Jacob, remained the same for the 10th year in a row.

Please click on the Most Popular Baby Names link at Social Security’s website -- http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/babynames/www.socialsecurity.gov -- to see all the top baby names for 2008. Drum roll please…the Top 10 boys and girls names for 2008 are:
Top 10 Names for 2008 Rank Male name/Female name
1 Jacob/Emma
2 Michael/Isabella
3 Ethan/Emily
4 Joshua/Madison
5 Daniel/Ava
6 Alexander/Olivia
7 Anthony/Sophia
8 William/Abigail
9 Christopher/Elizabeth
10 Matthew/Chloe

On the boys' list: Roger is at 463, up from 468 in 2007.
On the girls' list, Lydia is at 120, up from 124 in 2007, while Carol has been out of the top 1000 for the last two years.

Bankruptcy courts

Each of the 94 federal judicial districts handles bankruptcy matters, and in almost all districts, bankruptcy cases are filed in the bankruptcy court.

But if you were trying to figure out which court had jurisdiction over which county in states that have more than one court, such as New York, which has four, you won't find the info in the bankruptcy section, only an annoyingly overbroad map. Instead, look in the general federal district court section where you'll find this link for all counties in a district.

Eastern: KINGS, NASSAU, QUEENS, RICHMOND, SUFFOLK COUNTIES, NEW YORK
Southern: BRONX, DUTCHESS, NEW YORK, ORANGE, PUTNAM, ROCKLAND, SULLIVAN,
WESTCHESTER
The Western contains the western counties, the Northern the eastern counties north of the Southern.

NATO

No, not the North Atlantic treaty Organization. National Association of theater Owners, chock full of statistics such as U.S. Box Office Grosses, Total Number of U.S. Admissions, Average U.S. Ticket Prices and Number of U.S. Movie Screens.

State of the Air 2009

Air pollution continues to threaten the lives and health of millions of people in the United States despite great progress since the modern Clean Air Act was first passed in 1970. Even as the nation explores the complex challenges of global warming and energy, air pollution remains widespread and dangerous.

This year marks the tenth annual American Lung Association State of the Air report and provides an excellent opportunity to look back over the changes in the past ten years

Prevalence, Most Common Causes of Disability Among Adults in the US, 2005

From the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (CDC):

This analysis determined that the estimated percentage of U.S. adults reporting a disability has not changed since 1999, when, using the same survey and definitions, 22.0% of adults reported having a disability. Reasons for this leveling off likely include a better educated public, improved medical interventions, increased public health attention to behavior modifications (e.g., tobacco use), and increased access to assistive technology among the most advantaged socioeconomic groups.

Although the percentage has not changed, this analysis and other studies have determined that the absolute number of persons in the U.S. population reporting disabilities is increasing because of a rise in the at-risk population.

Faith in Flux

A new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that Americans change their religious affiliation early and often, and the reasons they give for changing - or leaving religion altogether - differ widely depending on the origin and destination of the convert.

Personal Income Tax Statistics

New York Adjusted Gross Income and Tax Liability - Analysis of 2006 State Personal Income Tax Returns by Place of Residence

This annual study provides statistical information on 2006 New York State personal income tax returns that were timely filed during 2007. The data are from full-year resident, full-year nonresident, and part-year resident returns. The report categorizes returns as either taxable or nontaxable depending on the presence or absence of taxable income and income tax liability. Data presented include the distribution of New York adjusted gross income and tax liability by residence and the value of deductions, exemptions, and taxable income by income class.

To download the entire publication and statistical tables, please visit here.

Some interesting facts about Mother's Day

* The first official celebration of mothers in the United States took place in 1858. Anna Reeves Jarvis campaigned for a Mothers' Work Day in her home state of West Virginia to raise awareness about local sanitation issues. When Jarvis passed away in 1905, her daughter Anna pursued a national mother's day in honor of her own activist mom. Anna's efforts paid off when in 1914, Mother's Day was recognized as a national holiday by Presidential proclamation.
* More than 83 million mothers are living today in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. There are approximately 2 billion mothers living worldwide.
* Modern moms have an average family size of two children, while mothers in the 1950s had an average of 3.5 children. In the 1700s, women gave birth to seven to ten children each.
* Nearly 96% of all Americans participate in Mother's Day celebrations in some way. For example, the holiday is the peak day for long distance carriers and one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants.
* The founder of Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, was vehemently opposed to the commercialization of the holiday. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit," she once said. Despite Jarvis' opposition, Mother's Day is the second biggest gift-giving holiday in America, preceded only by Christmas. The National Retail Foundation estimates that Americans will spend more than $14 billion a year on Mother's Day.

Source: www.holidays.net/mother

Used Merchandise Store Sales Top $9 Billion in 2007

From the U.S. Census Bureau

Used merchandise stores employed more than 131,000 people with $2.1 billion in annual payroll and nearly $9.3 billion in sales in 2007, according to new economic census data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

As part of the 2007 Economic Census Industry Series, these new figures for the retail trade sector provide data on the number of establishments, sales, payroll, number of employees, value of product line sales and other data items at the national level by industry.

Other findings include:

* Women’s, juniors’ and misses’ clothing product line sales accounted for more than 15 percent ($1.4 billion) of total used merchandise store sales. Sales of antiques made up almost 13 percent ($1.2 billion) of the total sales of the 17,779 used merchandise stores in the United States.
* Total sales from used merchandise stores increased $1.5 billion (nearly 20 percent) since 2002, while the number of used merchandise stores decreased by 353 (nearly 2 percent) over the same period.
* Annual payroll per employee for used merchandise stores increased from $14,898 in 2002 to $16,382 in 2007, a 10 percent increase.

Summary of Tax Provisions in SFY 2009-10 Budget

The Summary of Tax Provisions in SFY 2009-10 Budget contains synopses of the tax provisions contained in the most recently enacted budget legislation, and provides overviews (of the revenue impacts) and complete descriptions of all of the tax provisions enacted, and a guide to the tax provisions in the budget bills, listing each provision and its bill section, page, description, and effective date.

To download the entire publication, please visit here.

CENSUS NEWS BRIEF: FY2010 Budget Request

Go to Census News Brief for May 5 with information on several recent 2010 census developments.

On May 7, the President is expected to release his detailed budget request for Fiscal Year 2010, which begins October 1, 2009 and includes funding for final census preparations such as staffing all Local Census Offices (LCOs), launch of the 2010 census advertising campaign, and implementation of the census through mailed and hand-delivered questionnaires and follow-up visits to unresponsive households.

Video of Education Commissioner Mills' Speech at Rockefeller Institute

The next round of education reform — including establishment of new national standards — will be driven by the states, with New York among those leading the way, State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills told educators, legislators and researchers at a May 4 forum hosted by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Mills predicted that the $4.4 billion in federal stimulus money intended to reward states that have taken the lead in pursuing federal reform priorities will be won by consortia rather than individual states. Mills' talk also covered a range of other current education topics, including standards, outcomes, financing, technology and more.

Occupational Employment and Wages Summary

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
In 2008, the U.S. median wage was $15.57 per hour or $32,390 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor. These data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program, which provides employment and wage estimates for wage and salary workers in 22 major occupational groups and 801 detailed occupations.

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Counts, Rates, and Characteristics, 2006

The data, which come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, identify the industrial, occupational, and worker groups having relatively high risks of job-related injury and illness. The data also provide the means to focus attention on the severity of the incidents and how they occurred.

This report includes charts and text highlighting summary, case, and demographic data gathered from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Supplementary data, such as injury and illness rates by detailed industry and establishment size, can be accessed here. The online version of the Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Profiles System can be found here.

Consumer Expenditures in 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Consumer units (CUs) spent $49,638, on average, in 2007, a 2.6-percent increase over the previous year. This was a more moderate increase than the 4.3-percent growth in spending in 2006 and the 6.9-percent increase in 2005. The increase in consumer expenditures in 2007 was close to the 2.8-percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Items (CPI-U) in 2007. This report shows the latest results from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE).

New York State Homeland Security Strategy

On April 23, 2009 the New York State Office of Homeland Security announced the release of its New York State Homeland Security Strategy. This guide addresses man-made and natural disasters. It outlines priorities, capabilities, and goals. The document can be viewed here.

2008 Traffic Data for U.S and Foreign Airlines: Total Passengers Down 3.5 Percent from 2007

The number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines and on flights to and from the United States on foreign airlines declined in 2008 by 3.5 percent from 2007, dropping to 809 million, the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported.

Mailing Services Prices Effective Monday, May 11, 2009

Remember. See full list here.
First-Class Mail Price
Letters – first ounce $0.44
Large envelopes – first ounce $0.88
Parcels – first ounce $1.22
Additional ounces $0.17
Postcard $0.28
Stamped Card $0.31
Stamped Envelope $0.54

Relationship Between Education and Earnings

The U.S. Census Bureau announced this week that workers with a bachelor’s degree earned about $26,000 more on average than workers with a high school diploma, according to new figures that outline 2008 educational trends and achievement levels.

The tables also show that in 2008, 29 percent of adults 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree, and 87 percent had completed high school. That compares with 24 percent of adults who had a bachelor’s degree, and 83 percent who had completed high school in 1998.

Google Starts Begins Making Public Data Easier to Access, Visual

Google is adding search power to public data. The new public records search and visualization service (it's in the very early stages of development) went live Tuesday afternoon. Check it out.

Article in the Washington Post
Google's official blog

Economic Impact on Hospitals and their Communities

Six out of ten hospitals nationally are seeing a greater proportion of patients without insurance coming through their emergency departments, according to a new survey from the American Hospital Association (AHA). At the same time, nearly half of hospitals reported they have cut staff. Recent employment information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that hospital employment is no longer growing and that the number of mass layoffs for hospitals reported in February was more than double what it was a year ago.

Residential Mover Rate in U.S. is Lowest Since Census Bureau Began Tracking in 1948

The U.S. Census Bureau announced that the national mover rate declined from 13.2 percent in 2007 to 11.9 percent in 2008 — the lowest rate since the bureau began tracking these data in 1948.

In 2008, 35.2 million people 1 year and older changed residences in the U.S. within the past year, representing a decrease from 38.7 million in 2007 and the smallest number of residents to move since 1962.

Among those who moved in 2008, 65 percent moved within the same county, 18 percent moved to a different county within the same state, 13 percent moved to a different state, and 3 percent moved to the U.S. from abroad.

Quality of Living global city rankings 2009

The Mercer survey. New York City is #49, the seventh U.S. city on the list.

Swine Flu

Swine Flu information from the US Centers for Disease Control and the NY State Dept of Health

The Web 2.0 Guide to Swine Flu from Salon
Should You Fear Swine Flu? from About.com."No, but a healthy respect is called for."
The last great swine flu epidemic "This virus will kill 1 million Americans," declared the U.S. in 1976. The panic then has a lot to teach us today.

States Launch Stimulus-Tracking Sites

In less than two months, all 50 states have created Web sites that track their use of their share of the federal economic stimulus package, and that link to the federal Recovery.gov site.

However, the state sites are individual efforts and offer a patchwork of data. Some are more effective than others in providing transparency, a government watchdog analyst said.

Census boycott bad for migrants

by Judith Gans
The Arizona Republic (Apr. 21, 2009)

Recently, there have been reports that a large number of immigrants will refuse to participate in the 2010 census, thereby reducing the real population of Arizona. Such a reduction would result in a loss of federal funding tied to size of states, thereby compounding Arizona's fiscal crisis.

This fact again underscores the relationship of the economic issues confronting our state and nation and immigration. Immigrants have a big impact on the economy...

The Econonic Impact of the Non-Profit

Here are a few sources of data about the non-profit:

One primary source is the Economic Census. For 2002, it can be accessed either through a series of PDFs or via American FactFinder. The EC identifies establishments that are "not subject to federal income tax" in several of the service sectors, specifically 54-Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; 61-Educational Services; 62-Health Care and Social Assistance; 71-Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; and 81-Other Services (except Public Administration). These reports show the receipts for these establishments at the state, MSA and county level. There is even some place data, but the smaller the geography, the more likely it will be suppressed in order not to reveal confidential information. Also, public schools, colleges and universities, governments, and churches are excluded from the Economic Census. The 2007 data won't be out until late in 2010 and will be available only via American FactFinder.

The NYC Nonprofits Project surveyed nonprofits in the 5 boroughs to estimate their impact in several areas, including the economy. The website is http://www.nycnonprofits.org/, with links to detailed papers and the final report, which came out in 2003.

CGR completed a project in 2006 for Dyson Foundation about the Mid-Hudson Valley. The early comments on methodology will give an idea of how the data were compiled.

CaRDI published a 2007 brief on the topic, specifically for Rockland County.

What's It All About, Economic Census?

For the NYS SBDC, I was asked to explain a bit about the 2007 Economic Census. Some advisors have asked about it. Some media have called Central, so I expected that some media may have or may be calling our field offices as well.

First thing: why aren’t the data all out there yet?

This is because this is actually a census of 2007 economic activity. The form is sent out to businesses in December 2007, to be completed in February 2008. Of course, people don’t always comply, which takes the process out to April 2008. Then the data are compiled and verified.

Preliminary data can now be found here.

As this site indicates, the data are released in stages, with the broad categories addressed first, with the breakdowns by smaller geographies coming later. Also released near the end of the cycle is the Survey of Business Owners, which describes, among other things, minority-, woman- and veteran-owned businesses.

Finally, a couple related concepts to understand that won’t be much of an issue in the early stages of the release but most certainly will when getting down to the county or ZIP Code level. Confidentiality - In accordance with Title 13 [of the United States Code], "no estimates are published that would disclose the operations of an individual firm. The Census Bureau’s internal Disclosure Review Board sets the confidentiality rules for all data releases. A checklist approach is used to ensure that all potential risks to the confidentiality of the data are considered and addressed". Cell suppression – "Withholding data to protect the confidentiality of information reported by individual businesses or persons. Data withheld are replaced with ‘D’s in appropriate data cells."

This means that if there are 10 businesses in a jurisdiction, but one is known to be dominant, the number of businesses will be released but the dollar sales may not be, lest it reveal the approximate sales of the dominant business. (This concept is also used in the Population Census when dealing with, e.g., income of a minority group in a small geography.)

What Is It All About, Census?

The Population Reference Bureau explains: The census offers a “snapshot” of the entire population on a specific date: How many people reside within the national borders, who they are, where they live. Every 10 years since 1790, data from the census have been used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. With the next census just one year away, PRB will provide continuing coverage of the 2010 Census, explaining why this census is so different from previous ones, and highlighting the depth and breadth of information the census collects.

The PRB site already has articles already on Census History; the American Community Survey; Apportionment; 2010 Timetable, and 2010 Questionnaire.

Public Citizen Releases Annual Ranking of State Medical Boards

Public Citizen’s annual ranking of state medical boards shows that most states, including two of the largest, are not living up to their obligations to protect patients from doctors who are practicing substandard medicine, according to the report released today.

For the first time since Public Citizen has been publishing the rankings, California, the largest state in the country, and Florida, one of the largest, are among the 10 states with the lowest rates of serious disciplinary actions. Minnesota was the worst state when it came to disciplining doctors and, along with Maryland, South Carolina and Wisconsin, has consistently been among the worst 10 states for each of the last six rankings.

My Two Census

"Run by a team of professional political journalists", MyTwoCensus.com "is the watchdog blog of the 2010 Census!"

From the About section: "One evening, while perusing Craigslist, Stephen Robert Morse, a savvy young political journalist, noticed that the U.S. Census Bureau sought to hire thousands upon thousands of individuals from sea to shining sea to help the federal government complete its decennial count. Despite his age, Morse already learned that if you give people $13 billion to complete a task, they are likely to spend it without caution — both frivolously and haphazardly.

"As they say, one thing led to another, and MyTwoCensus.com was born."

It's glib, informative, occasionally snarky and generally entertaining. My favorite recent link is this Saturday Night Live clip.

USDA Launches New Country Web Pages

From the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service

In an effort to expand information available to exporters, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has added country pages to its Web site. Grouped into four regions – Western Hemisphere, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and Asia and Oceania – these country pages provide essential demographic, economic and political information.

The new country pages will allow users to find comprehensive links, all in one place, on import requirements for each country, as well as travel and market information, the status of trade negotiations, trade development and important contacts.

In addition, the FAS Web site includes many searchable databases providing export, import, production, supply, and distribution data, as well as export sales reports and market reports from U.S. agricultural trade experts stationed in 97 offices around the world.

Stimulus Watch

"StimulusWatch.org was built to help the new administration keep its pledge to invest stimulus money smartly, and to hold public officials to account for the taxpayer money they spend. We do this by allowing you, citizens around the country with local knowledge about the proposed "shovel-ready" projects in your city, to find, discuss and rate those projects. These projects are not part of the stimulus bill. They are candidates for funding by federal grant programs once the bill passes."

On each page are the "shovel-ready" projects the mayors of the states "submitted in the 2008 U.S. Conference of Mayors report. You can click on a project to read (and add to) its description. You can also discuss the project and vote on whether you believe it is critical or not."

Census in Schools

The Census Bureau has posted the 2010 Census in Schools pages on their website. There are some interesting things on it already, including a lesson plan, which will give an idea about what can be expected in the future.

State/Local Sales Tax Weakest in 50 Years

State tax collections for the fourth quarter of 2008 declined by 4 percent from the same quarter a year earlier, according to a new report by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. After adjusting for inflation, combined state and local sales tax revenue declined more in October-December 2008 than in any quarter since 1959. Early figures for state tax revenues in the first quarter of 2009 show an overall decline of more than 12 percent compared to a year earlier, a further dramatic worsening of fiscal conditions nationwide. Read the news release.

Latino Evangelicals Urge Undocumented to Boycott 2010 Census

"NEW YORK – Hispanic evangelical pastors have made a decision to recommend that undocumented immigrants not participate in the 2010 U.S. Census unless Congress passes 'genuine immigration reform.'

"Opponents of such a reform routinely use Census data as 'a tool' to justify 'attacks on undocumented families with strategies of terror and lies that polarize public opinion,' the National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, or Conlamic, said Monday."

How the boycott solves the problem is presently escaping me. As one pundit noted: "Let the fun begin ----"

Community resource guide

The community resource guide is a guide to NYC community-based data, such as demographics, banking, crime, education, health, and housing programs/building information. It has info such as building code violations and maps of police precincts. Some of the sources are staewide or nationwide and would have broader applicability than just the five boroughs. There's info for the beginner or intended for veteran users.

Learn How to Use OnTheMap at Your Convenience

Find Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) at OnTheMap; get training here.

CQ Announces New Map That Shows 2008 Presidential Election Results By Congressional District

Congressional Quarterly Inc. has announced the launch of a new interactive map that shows the results of the 2008 presidential election by congressional district.

What if the 2008 presidential election had been re-run using a district-based system of awarding electoral votes — used only in two states — instead of the winner-take-all method that every other state uses?

The answer is that Barack Obama still would have beaten John McCain, though the Electoral College tally would have been closer than the actual 365-173 margin of victory.

According to a CQ Politics analysis, Obama would have beaten McCain 301-237 using a district-based system, under which a candidate receives two electoral votes for winning a state and one electoral vote for every congressional district he or she wins. Only Maine and Nebraska allocate electoral votes in this fashion.

The analysis found that Obama won 242 districts and McCain won 193 districts. Obama also posted another 59 electoral votes by carrying 28 states and the District of Columbia, which is entitled to three electoral votes under the 23rd Amendment. McCain would have received another 44 electoral votes as a result of winning 22 states.

Forecast of Atlantic Seasonal Hurricane Activity for 2009 (PDF; 878 KB)

The Tropical Meteorology Project, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University (Dr. William Gray) foresees average activity for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. "We have decreased our seasonal forecast from our initial early December prediction. We anticipate an average probability of United States major hurricane landfall."

SBE Council Releases Report Ranking the States on Energy Costs

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) released the Energy Cost Index 2009, which ranks the 50 states and District of Columbia according to key energy costs affecting business.

SBE Council’s “Energy Cost Index 2009″ looks at two major energy costs affecting small businesses, individuals and families: 1) the price of regular gasoline at the pump, and 2) the cost of electricity (average revenue per kilowatthour). Each are calculated as indices and combined into one index.

At the top - or the lowest cost states - are: 1) Wyoming, 2) Idaho, 3) Utah, 4) Kentucky, 5) West Virginia, 6) Missouri, 7) Nebraska, 8t) Indiana, 8t) Iowa, 8t) North Dakota, 11) South Dakota, 12t) Arkansas, 12t) Kansas, 12t) South Carolina, and 15) Oklahoma.

The highest cost states (including the District of Columbia) include: 37) Florida, 38) Delaware, 39) Vermont, 40) Maryland, 41t) District of Columbia, 41t) Maine, 43) New Jersey, 44t) California, 44t) New Hampshire, 46) Massachusetts, 47) Rhode Island, 48) Alaska, 49t) Connecticut, 49t) New York, and 51) Hawaii.

North American Transportation Statistics Database

From Hill Library

If you're looking for information on transportation and transportation-related activities in North America, check out the North American Transportation Statistics Database.

The database, which is available in English, French, and Spanish, provides transportation data for Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Data is provided on transportation activities within each country and between the three countries as far back as 1990.

The North American Transportation Statistics Database provides information in table and time series formats, and "covers twelve thematic areas, including transportation and the economy, transportation safety, transportation's impact on energy and the environment, passenger and freight activity, and transportation and trade."

I Feel what You Feel if You Are Similar to Me

Social interactions are influenced by the perception of others as similar or dissimilar to the self. Such judgements could depend on physical and semantic characteristics, such as membership in an ethnic or political group. In the present study we tested whether social representations of the self and of others could affect the perception of touch. To this aim, PLoS ONE assessed tactile perception on the face when subjects observed a face being touched by fingers. In different conditions we manipulated the identity of the shown face.

Nonfatal Fall-Related Injuries Associated with Dogs, Cats

Falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries in the United States. In 2006, nearly 8 million persons were treated in emergency departments for fall injuries... To assess the incidence of fall-related injuries associated with cats and dogs, CDC analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) for the period 2001--2006. This report describes the results of that analysis, which showed that an estimated average of 86,629 fall injuries each year were associated with cats and dogs, for an average annual injury rate of 29.7 per 100,000 population. Nearly 88% of injuries were associated with dogs, and among persons injured, females were 2.1 times more likely to be injured than males. Prevention strategies should focus on 1) increasing public awareness of pets and pet items as fall hazards and of situations that can lead to fall injuries and 2) reinforcing American Veterinary Medical Association recommendations emphasizing obedience training for dogs.

Voter Registration Problems Major Factor in 3 Million Americans’ Inability to Vote in 2008

As many as three million registered voters did not cast a ballot in the 2008 General Election due to voter registration problems, suggests a survey cited by Doug Chapin, director of Election Initiatives for the Pew Center on the States in testimony before the Subcommittee on Elections of the Committee on House Administration. The problem was most acute for younger voters and registered voters who moved less than a year ago, one in four of whom said that a problem with their registration was a major reason why they did not cast a ballot.

More American Acquiring Medical Infections and Experiencing Medical Errors

A new Consumer Reports poll finds that 18 percent of Americans say they or an immediate family member have acquired a dangerous infection following a medical procedure and more than one-third report that medical errors are common in everyday medical procedures. The new poll, which assessed people’s experiences with the health care system, also found that only half of adults participate in routine preventive medical testing.

Study challenges the way U.S. census classifies race

By TONYA MOSLEY / KING 5 News
Washington News (March 29, 2009)

SEATTLE - New research by the University of Washington finds that many Americans, especially Hispanics and Latinos, don't consider themselves black, white or American Indian, three of the top choices on the 2000 census.

Dr. Tony Perez from UW says there is a massive disconnect between common ideas about race and the way the government officially classifies and measures people.

Perez found a large of number of people classified themselves as "some other race," making that classification the third largest group behind whites and blacks.

"(This) gets you into this weird space where you have non-Hispanic whites versus Hispanic whites, blacks, so forth and so on," he said.

Jan McStay with the census bureau says for 2010 there will be some clarifications. For instance there will be a choice for ethnic origin and then race.

"I think we have a very accurate portrait of who we and how we see ourselves in America," said McStay.

The study also delves into the issue of mixed race classifications.

The full report is now available in the March issue of the journal Population and Development Review.

To download the report, go to: https://secure.logmein.com/f?yzoPAj92s1jwkzvNhHtY2UpMtLVPVwX-KQmn6cEn73R

Income

This being income tax month, here's a neat source of State Median Income including by family size and number of earners.

Reducing the Undercount of Hard-to-Count Populations

On Monday, March 23, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building, the Information Policy, Census and National Archives Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, "Census 2010: Assessing the Bureau’s Strategy for Reducing the Undercount of Hard-to-Count Populations".

Invited Witness List
Includes Mr. Lester Farthing, NY Regional Director, U.S. Census Bureau
Mr. Tim Olson, Assistant Division Chief of Partnership, U.S. Census Bureau
Chairman Clay's Opening Statement
Congresswoman Watson's Opening Statement
Testimony of Mr. Thomas Mesenbourg, Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau
Testimony of Mr. Robert Goldenkoff, Director of Strategic Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Testimony of Mr. Jeff Tarakajian, Executive Vice President, DRAFTFCB
Testimony of Ms. Stacey Cumberbatch, City Census Coordinator, City of New York

Editorial: A Champion for the Census?

New York Times OPINION | March 31, 2009
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke's high-profile attention to the 2010 census comes not a moment too soon.

2009 MetLife Study of the American Dream

How has the economic crisis affected the American dream? Have American behavior and values shifted in the past year? The third MetLife Study of the American Dream set out to determine American attitudes and perceptions in light of our current economic situation and the ongoing erosion of traditional corporate and social safety nets. The study surveyed a cross-section of U.S. adults, in all generations and ethnic groups, to find out how lives have changed—and how the American dream itself has changed—in the past year.

The results show an American dream that has been revised, not reversed. Americans are resetting their priorities, and the dream is now buoyed by pragmatism rather than consumerism.

U.S. Regional Population Losses Linked to High Unemployment

High unemployment rates are not just creating a drag on the U.S. economy, but are also linked to lagging population growth in economically distressed areas, according to a Population Reference Bureau analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Between 2007 and 2008, the population in distressed counties—areas with unemployment rates of 6 percent or more in 2007—grew 0.3 percent, compared with a 1.2 percent growth rate in areas with relatively low unemployment (less than 4 percent). Nationwide, the population grew 0.9 percent during 2007-2008.

Multi-Generational Housing Patterns

From AARP Policy & Research

While most respondents to this January 2009 survey of adults ages 18 and older said that moving in with a friend or family member was unlikely, among those who thought it was a possibility, one-third said that such a move would be due to a loss in income, while one-fifth said it would be due to a change in job status or a change in health status.

IIHS makes interactive state law maps available online

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is enhancing its online presentation of state laws by using interactive maps of the United States. The first such laws to be illustrated are motorcycle and bicycle helmet laws and automated enforcement laws, with additional state law maps becoming available. The maps provide geographic representations of the laws to illustrate the extent to which US states are addressing highway safety concerns.

GPO Publishes Its Annual Report for 2008

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) released the agency’s annual report for fiscal year (FY) 2008, which shows another year of increased revenue.

Statistics on the number of incorporations by state

On the International Association of Commercial Administrators website's page for annual jurisdictional accounts: under 2008 Annual Report, there is a link to a Search by Jurisdiction Online. From there, choose United States and, e.g. New York, choose BOS Annual Report, and Display Report. The page opens to show the number of corporations filed during the past two years, along with the total number on file as of the last two years. They also have full pdf files for previous years.

Unemployment

The State Labor Department estimates the unemployment numbers and rates for communities of 25,000 or more. You can find these here.

Census 2010: Assessing the Bureau's Strategy for Reducing the Undercount of Hard-to-Count Populations

On Monday, March 23, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building, the Information Policy, Census and National Archives Subcommittee held a hearing entitled "Census 2010: Assessing the Bureau’s Strategy for Reducing the Undercount of Hard-to-Count Populations." Witnesses included:
· Mr. Thomas Mesenbourg, Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau
· Mr. Robert Goldenkoff, Director of Strategic Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office
· Ms. Stacey Cumberbatch, City Census Coordinator, City of New York
· Mr. Jeff Tarakajian, Executive Vice President, DRAFTFCB

Member statements and witness testimony are available here.

Important financial info for consumers

The Federal Reserve Publications Catalog is a treasure chest of 100's of free brochures.
Sort by date to get the latest.

Important financial info for consumers

The Federal Reserve Publications Catalog is a treasure chest of 100's of free brochures.
Sort by date to get the latest.

NPR: Recession Adds To Hurdles Facing U.S. Census

A year from now, the U.S. will conduct its decennial population count. The findings are used to re-apportion congressional districts, disburse federal funding — even decide where new traffic lights go. But the economic crisis threatens to make this daunting task even harder. There is special concern about minority groups, which are traditionally hard to count.

Full audio here.

U.S. Unemployment Understated in Recent Data

As the nation struggles to get a sense of the depth of the current recession, a new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) demonstrates that the current unemployment rate is higher than conventionally measured and is already at roughly the same level as the high reached in 1982, the year with the highest unemployment rate since World War II.

Brookings Holds 2010 Census Forum

On March 18, 2009, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) co-ponsored "Politics, Policy and the 2010 Decennial Census," an engaging discussion of the plans and issues regarding the coming census. Andrew Reamer, Brookings Fellow and APDU President, served as host. The event’s panel, moderated by NPR news editor Ron Elving, included Robert Goldenkoff, Strategic Issues Director, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant specializing in the census; Frank Vitrano, Chief, Decennial Management Division, Census Bureau; and Arturo Vargas, Executive Director, NALEO.

Event transcript and presentations are available here.
The Washington Post’s view on the event is available at here.

Address canvassing

Public Libraries and Department of Labor Employment Centers

New York's unemployment numbers now show that 762,600 workers statewide are unemployed. Because of the tremendous need for assistance with employment and retraining information and assistance, the NYS Department of Labor (DOL) is interested in placing some DOL employees who could provide employment counseling, programs and training, to work in public libraries across New York.

The State Library and the public library systems are working with the DOL to assess interest and capacity for hosting such staff in public libraries. The public library systems are surveying member libraries this week and next and results will be shared with the Department of Labor as soon as results are complete.

Public Library Systems and public libraries continue to work individually in many regions of the state to collaborate on job/career information training and workshops for both library staff and the public.

For additional information on the survey please contact: Cassie Artale, New York State Library / Division of Library Development, 518/474-1479, cartale@mail.nysed.gov

Interim county population estimates for years in the 1980s

New York data appear starting at line 3920 of the Excel file.

Job Cuts by Major Companies

FIRST-QUARTER LAYOFFS: Selection Of Job Cuts By Major Companies, Dow Jones News Service

Pink Slips Layoff Tracker from Forbes

Top 100 Rated TV Shows Of All Time

In the US, by Rating through February 1, 2009.

I've been fascinated not by the big event stuff, such as the Super Bowls, Root, final episodes and the like but the sheer strength off regular season shows such as the Beverly Hillbillies, Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

Fire Statistics

This page contains statistics on fires that occur in the United States and analytical and topical reports that describe the national fire problem. Also included are statistics related to firefighters and fire departments. The U.S. Fire Administration is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

2009 Rosemary Award for Worst FOIA Performance Goes to FBI

From the report: The Federal Bureau of Investigation won the fifth annual Rosemary Award for the worst Freedom of Information Act performance by a federal agency. The FBI’s reports to Congress show that the Bureau is unable to find any records in response to two-thirds of its incoming FOIA requests on average over the past four years, when the other major government agencies averaged only a 13% "no records" response to public requests.

During fiscal year 2008, the FBI gave "no records" responses to 57% of the requests it processed, more than any other major agency. The Bureau only provided documents (most redacted) in less than 14% of cases — the lowest percentage of requests granted among the major agencies in the federal government. In 2007, the FBI responded with “no records” in 70% of its FOIA requests. In 2006, "no records" peaked at 74%; and in 2005, at 66% — the four-year average.

Economy at a Glance

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces Economy at a Glance pages at the national, regional, state, and metropolitan area levels. The data displayed in these pages are assembled from different surveys and programs conducted by BLS. The Economy at a Glance pages are refreshed with current data every time any of the source programs releases new statistics. This typically occurs 7-9 times per month.

IRS Releases 2008 Data Book

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the release of the 2008 IRS Data Book (PDF), which is an annual snapshot of IRS activities for a given fiscal year.

The report describes activities conducted by the IRS from Oct. 1, 2007, to Sept. 30, 2008, and includes information about returns filed, tax collections, enforcement and taxpayer assistance, as well as the IRS budget and workforce.

During fiscal year 2008, the IRS collected more than $2.3 trillion in taxes (net of refunds) and processed more than 250 million returns. More than 101 million returns, including 58 percent of individual income tax returns, were filed electronically.

More than 118 million individual income tax return filers received tax refunds that totaled almost $270.4 billion. Filers also received more than $95.7 billion in economic stimulus payments. In fiscal year 2008, IRS spent an average of 41 cents to collect each $100 of tax revenue.

Insurance Related Data

The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) compiles the latest facts and statistics relating to the insurance industry, including data on annuities, the world’s deadliest catastrophes (including insurance loss data), worst terrorists attacks (with insured property losses), and more.

Health Coverage in an Economic Downturn

You may have seen references to the story about how people forgo using the health care system for financial reasons. I recommend checking out the whole Kaiser Family Foundation website. KFF "is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., with a growing role in global health."

Credit card industry facts, debt statistics 2006-2009

This page contains credit card-related statistics — including statistics on credit card debt, credit card delinquencies, credit scores, credit card interest rates, bankruptcies, average credit card debt and more — compiled by the CreditCards.com staff. Statistics on this page are updated regularly as new or updated credit card data is received. Some data may appear multiple times on the page because the information is applicable in multiple categories.

Consumer Information For Drinking Water

From the EPA's Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water.

USDA Agricultural Projections to 2018

From the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service

This report provides long-run (10-year) projections for the agricultural sector through 2018. Projections cover agricultural commodities, agricultural trade, and aggregate indicators of the sector, such as farm income and food prices.

Economy May Test Census

By Steve Vogel, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, March 20, 2009; Page A17

The faltering U.S. economy is causing concern about the ability of the 2010 census to get a full and accurate count of the U.S. population, according to Census Bureau officials and experts.

The increase in home foreclosures and the rising jobless rate mean more Americans are moving out of their homes and into shelters or other locations where they may be harder for census workers to find.

Tax Statistics

Produced by the Statistics of Income Division and Other Areas of the Internal Revenue Service, categories include business tax statistics, individual tax statistics, IRS operations/budget/compliance, statistics of income, charitable and exempt organization statistics, products/publications/papers, statistics by tax form, and more. The What’s New page points to the most recent information added to the site and also to the most popular items.

Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2008

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics

According to Current Population Survey estimates for 2008, 75.3 million American workers age 16 and over were paid at hourly rates, representing 58.2 percent of all wage and salary workers. On July 24, 2008, the Federal minimum wage increased to $6.55 per hour from $5.85 per hour. Data in this report reflect the average number of workers earning the prevailing Federal minimum wage or less for the year (those who earned $5.85 or less from January 2008 through July 2008 and those who earned $6.55 or less from August 2008 through the end of the year). Among those paid by the hour, 286,000 earned exactly the prevailing Federal minimum wage in 2008. About 1.9 million had wages below the minimum. Together, these 2.2 million workers with wages at or below the minimum made up 3.0 percent of all hourly-paid workers.

A Profile of the Working Poor, 2007

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

In 2007, according to the Census Bureau, 37.3 million people, or 12.5 percent of the population, lived at or below the official poverty level. Although the Nation’s poor were primarily children and adults who had not participated in the labor force during the year, 7.5 million were among the 'working poor'. This level is slightly higher than the level reported in 2006. The working poor are individuals who spent at least 27 weeks in the labor force (working or looking for work), but whose incomes still fell below the offi cial poverty level. In 2007, the working poor rate–the ratio of the working poor to all individuals in the labor force for at least 27 weeks–was 5.1 percent, unchanged from the rate reported in 2006.

Labor Underutilization Measures for States

A new webpage, Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization for States, has been posted on the BLS site. A table on this page shows U-1 to U-6 for the states (2008 annual averages). For example, U-4 includes discouraged workers. By this measure the unemployment rate in New Jersey in 2008 was 5.7 percent, while the rate for New York was 5.9 percent.

As a BLS reconomist noted: "Though these data pertain to the recently-ended calendar year, the deterioration in the labor market in 2008 was so rapid and pronounced that many of these measures understate the current degree of labor market underutilization. For example, the U.S. unemployment rate in December 2008 was 7.2 percent (seasonally adjusted), well above the 5.8 percent average for the year as a whole."