Source: Urban Institute
Up-to-date state information on children of immigrants is essential for social policies that affect children and families. This brief, accompanying the Urban Institute’s interactive Children of Immigrants Data Tool, describes the national and state characteristics of children of immigrants based on recent American Community Survey data. Since children of immigrants account for almost a quarter (24 percent) of children under age 5, their share in the school-age population will increase, with important implications for education policy. In addition, children of immigrants’ poverty and low-income rates vary across states, highlighting the importance of state and local policies in promoting children’s well-being.
Also visit the interactive Children of Immigrants Data Tool for comprehensive information on the characteristics of children of immigrants nationwide and for individual states and the District of Columbia.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
ACS and ASEC Data on Veteran Status: 2007
Focuses on comparisons of national and state distributions of veteran status and period of military service between the 2007 American Community Survey and the 2007 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey. Examines specifically, for instance, how, at the national level, the age distribution of veterans and, at the state level, how the percent of the adult population who are veterans differs between the surveys.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
National, State, Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Children
The National Immunization Survey (NIS) estimates vaccination coverage among children aged 19–35 months for 50 states and selected local areas. Healthy People 2010 established vaccination coverage targets of 90% for individual vaccines in the 4:3:1:3:3:1† vaccine series and 80% for the series. This report describes the 2008 NIS coverage estimates for this series and individual vaccines, 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine (HepA), and hepatitis B vaccination received in the first 3 days of life (HepB birth dose)among children born during January 2005–June 2007.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Carnegie Mellon researchers develop tool to rank death rates
Source: Carnegie Mellon University
Have you ever wondered what the chances are that you may die in the next year? Would it be from illness or an accident? Is it something you can control? Or is it completely out of your hands?
A new Web site, www.DeathRiskRankings.com, developed by researchers and students at Carnegie Mellon University, allows users to query publicly available data from the United States and Europe, and compare mortality risks by gender, age, cause of death and geographic region. The Web site not only gives the risk of dying within the next year, but it also ranks the probable causes and allows for quick side-by-side comparison between groups.
Suppose you wanted to know who is more likely to die next year from breast cancer, a 54-year-old Pennsylvania woman or her counterpart in the United Kingdom.
“This is the only place to look,” said Paul Fischbeck, site developer and professor of social and decision sciences and engineering and public policy (EPP) at Carnegie Mellon. “It turns out that the British woman has a 33 percent higher risk of breast cancer death. But for lung/throat cancer, the results are almost reversed, and the Pennsylvania woman has a 29 percent higher risk.”
“Most Americans don’t have a particularly good understanding of their own mortality risks, let alone ranking of their relevant risks,” said David Gerard, a former EPP professor at Carnegie Mellon who is now an associate professor of economics at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.
The researchers found that beyond infancy, the risk of dying increases annually at an exponential rate. A 20-year-old U.S. woman has a 1 in 2,000 (or 0.05 percent) chance of dying in the next year. By age 40, the risk is three times greater; by age 60, it is 16 times greater; and by age 80, it is 100 times greater (around 1 in 20 or 5 percent). “The risks are higher, but still not that bad,” Gerard said. “At 80, the average U.S. woman still has a 95 percent chance of making it to her 81st birthday.”
Have you ever wondered what the chances are that you may die in the next year? Would it be from illness or an accident? Is it something you can control? Or is it completely out of your hands?
A new Web site, www.DeathRiskRankings.com, developed by researchers and students at Carnegie Mellon University, allows users to query publicly available data from the United States and Europe, and compare mortality risks by gender, age, cause of death and geographic region. The Web site not only gives the risk of dying within the next year, but it also ranks the probable causes and allows for quick side-by-side comparison between groups.
Suppose you wanted to know who is more likely to die next year from breast cancer, a 54-year-old Pennsylvania woman or her counterpart in the United Kingdom.
“This is the only place to look,” said Paul Fischbeck, site developer and professor of social and decision sciences and engineering and public policy (EPP) at Carnegie Mellon. “It turns out that the British woman has a 33 percent higher risk of breast cancer death. But for lung/throat cancer, the results are almost reversed, and the Pennsylvania woman has a 29 percent higher risk.”
“Most Americans don’t have a particularly good understanding of their own mortality risks, let alone ranking of their relevant risks,” said David Gerard, a former EPP professor at Carnegie Mellon who is now an associate professor of economics at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.
The researchers found that beyond infancy, the risk of dying increases annually at an exponential rate. A 20-year-old U.S. woman has a 1 in 2,000 (or 0.05 percent) chance of dying in the next year. By age 40, the risk is three times greater; by age 60, it is 16 times greater; and by age 80, it is 100 times greater (around 1 in 20 or 5 percent). “The risks are higher, but still not that bad,” Gerard said. “At 80, the average U.S. woman still has a 95 percent chance of making it to her 81st birthday.”
Friday, August 28, 2009
Life Expectancy at All Time High; Death Rates Reach New Low, New Report Shows
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC)
U.S. life expectancy reached nearly 78 years (77.9), and the age-adjusted death rate dropped to 760.3 deaths per 100,000 population, both records, according to the latest mortality statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The report, Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2007, was issued this week by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. The data are based on nearly 90 percent of death certificates in the United States.
The 2007 increase in life expectancy – up from 77.7 in 2006 — represents a continuation of a trend. Over a decade, life expectancy has increased 1.4 years from 76.5 years in 1997 to 77.9 in 2007.
See also Births: Preliminary Data for 2007.
U.S. life expectancy reached nearly 78 years (77.9), and the age-adjusted death rate dropped to 760.3 deaths per 100,000 population, both records, according to the latest mortality statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The report, Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2007, was issued this week by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. The data are based on nearly 90 percent of death certificates in the United States.
The 2007 increase in life expectancy – up from 77.7 in 2006 — represents a continuation of a trend. Over a decade, life expectancy has increased 1.4 years from 76.5 years in 1997 to 77.9 in 2007.
See also Births: Preliminary Data for 2007.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
USDA Announces New Global Agricultural Trade System Database
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently launched an enhanced U.S. foreign agricultural trade searchable database called the Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS).
The GATS database, which replaces the current U.S. trade data system, will provide users with U.S. agricultural data not previously available from FAS, including U.S. Customs District trade data, monthly and annual trade data going back to 1967, and U.S. state export data. Users will also be able to use GATS to produce charts and graphs.
GATS will help exporters and government officials keep up with fluctuations in U.S. agricultural trade. This information can help formulate marketing and negotiating objectives and strategies. Policy makers, program administrators, farmers, exporters, food aid organizations and others will be able to use this information to plan activities and make decisions.
The GATS database, which replaces the current U.S. trade data system, will provide users with U.S. agricultural data not previously available from FAS, including U.S. Customs District trade data, monthly and annual trade data going back to 1967, and U.S. state export data. Users will also be able to use GATS to produce charts and graphs.
GATS will help exporters and government officials keep up with fluctuations in U.S. agricultural trade. This information can help formulate marketing and negotiating objectives and strategies. Policy makers, program administrators, farmers, exporters, food aid organizations and others will be able to use this information to plan activities and make decisions.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
New York State Senate and Assembly Payrolls Updated
An updated staff payroll for the New York State Senate and Assembly was posted this week at www.SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center's government transparency site for taxpayers. The payroll is fully searchable by name and title, and reflects the latest changes made in the Senate staff payroll. The payroll, current as of Aug. 17, can also be downloaded from the site in spreadsheet form.
For the full text of this press release, click here.
Contact: Tim Hoefer, 518.434.3100
For the full text of this press release, click here.
Contact: Tim Hoefer, 518.434.3100
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Speed Matters Report re: Internet
From the release:
The third annual Speed Matters report on Internet Speeds in America was released earlier today – and U.S. connection speeds have not improved significantly in the past year. The results of nearly 413,000 real-time Internet connection speed tests show that the United States continues to lag behind other countries for average upload and download speeds.
The average download speed of U.S. Internet connections is 5.1 megabits per second, significantly below the averages of countries like South Korea (20.1 mbps), Japan (16 mbps) and Sweden (12.7 mbps).
Take a look at the report’s website, which features an interactive map with zip code level data, state by state rankings and the Speed Matters speed test.
Or you can find the full report here (PDF).
The third annual Speed Matters report on Internet Speeds in America was released earlier today – and U.S. connection speeds have not improved significantly in the past year. The results of nearly 413,000 real-time Internet connection speed tests show that the United States continues to lag behind other countries for average upload and download speeds.
The average download speed of U.S. Internet connections is 5.1 megabits per second, significantly below the averages of countries like South Korea (20.1 mbps), Japan (16 mbps) and Sweden (12.7 mbps).
Take a look at the report’s website, which features an interactive map with zip code level data, state by state rankings and the Speed Matters speed test.
Or you can find the full report here (PDF).
Monday, August 24, 2009
NYS Draft 2010 Annual Action Plan: Notice of Public Comment Period
Each year, in order to maintain its eligibility to administer certain federal funds for affordable housing and community development, New York State must prepare an Annual Action Plan and submit it to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Annual Action Plan describes, for one specific Program Year, the State’s proposed use of available federal and other resources to address the priority needs and specific objectives in the Consolidated Plan; the State’s method for distributing funds to local governments and not-for-profit organizations; and the geographic areas of the State to which it will direct assistance.
The Plan also describes New York State’s planned use of approximately $86 million in federal fiscal year 2010 funds for: the NYS Community Development Block Grant Program ($47 million); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (approximately $34 million); the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program ($1.9 million); and the Emergency Shelter Grants Program ($3.2 million).
New York State encourages public participation in the development of its Annual Action Plan. To provide an opportunity for that participation, New York State invites interested persons to review and comment on the draft Annual Action Plan for 2010 during an upcoming public comment period.
This 30-day public comment period will begin on Thursday, September 10, 2009 and extend through close of business on Friday, October 9, 2009. Beginning on September 10, 2009, New York State’s draft Annual Action Plan for 2010 may be viewed on and downloaded from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) website at www.nysdhcr.gov. In addition, copies can be requested by e-mail (DHCRConPln@nysdhcr.gov) or by calling 1-866-ASK-DHCR (275-3427).
Comments should be mailed to: NYS DHCR, Attention: Brian McCarthy, 38-40 State Street, Albany, New York 12207 or e-mailed to DHCRConPln@nysdhcr.gov. Comments must be received by close of business Friday, October 9, 2009.
The Annual Action Plan describes, for one specific Program Year, the State’s proposed use of available federal and other resources to address the priority needs and specific objectives in the Consolidated Plan; the State’s method for distributing funds to local governments and not-for-profit organizations; and the geographic areas of the State to which it will direct assistance.
The Plan also describes New York State’s planned use of approximately $86 million in federal fiscal year 2010 funds for: the NYS Community Development Block Grant Program ($47 million); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (approximately $34 million); the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program ($1.9 million); and the Emergency Shelter Grants Program ($3.2 million).
New York State encourages public participation in the development of its Annual Action Plan. To provide an opportunity for that participation, New York State invites interested persons to review and comment on the draft Annual Action Plan for 2010 during an upcoming public comment period.
This 30-day public comment period will begin on Thursday, September 10, 2009 and extend through close of business on Friday, October 9, 2009. Beginning on September 10, 2009, New York State’s draft Annual Action Plan for 2010 may be viewed on and downloaded from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) website at www.nysdhcr.gov. In addition, copies can be requested by e-mail (DHCRConPln@nysdhcr.gov) or by calling 1-866-ASK-DHCR (275-3427).
Comments should be mailed to: NYS DHCR, Attention: Brian McCarthy, 38-40 State Street, Albany, New York 12207 or e-mailed to DHCRConPln@nysdhcr.gov. Comments must be received by close of business Friday, October 9, 2009.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Public Authority Payrolls, School Labor Contracts Posted Online
Payroll files for 384 Public Authorities have been posted on www.SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center's government transparency web site for taxpayers. The new data includes names, titles, base pay rates and total pay received for most of the 44,320 public authority employees added this month. For the full text of the press release, click here.
Also, earlier this month, updated school labor contracts for 77 teacher unions and 86 school superintendents were posted on the site. For the full text of the press release, click here.
Contact: Tim Hoefer 518.434.3100
Also, earlier this month, updated school labor contracts for 77 teacher unions and 86 school superintendents were posted on the site. For the full text of the press release, click here.
Contact: Tim Hoefer 518.434.3100
Thursday, August 20, 2009
State and Local Government Jobs are Up
While the private sector has lost nearly 7 million jobs since the recession began, state and local governments have added employees, a new report from the Rockefeller Institute of Government shows. Over the past year, total state- and local-government employment rose in 30 states and dropped in 16. Many public employers have cut jobs in recent months, however, and further cuts are expected.
The New York Times reported on the study in today’s editions. The article is available here.
Access the full report at the Institute's Web site.
The New York Times reported on the study in today’s editions. The article is available here.
Access the full report at the Institute's Web site.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Handbook of New York State and Local Taxes, August 2009 Edition
The Handbook of New York State and Local Taxes provides a general descriptive overview of the taxes which New York State and its local governments impose, and is revised periodically to reflect recently enacted law changes. It does not include non-tax revenue sources such as motor vehicle fees and the Lottery. Instead, it focuses on taxes, especially those administered by the Department of Taxation and Finance.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
How Much Stimulus Funding is Going to Your County?
Want to know what’s going on with the stimulus in your area? ProPublica has compiled nearly all the contracts, grants and loans that the government has reported awarding so far in the stimulus program. Type in your county or click on your state to find projects in your area.
Monday, August 17, 2009
State Highway Safety Laws
Description from ResourceShelf:
While you may be familiar with what’s legal in your own state, it’s a different story when you’re planning a road trip that will take you through several states. Will you need a Bluetooth headset? What’s the story if your 18-year old kid and his friends are taking to the open road — with their cell phones? Well, you can always rummage around the Net in search of different state driving laws — or you could call AAA.
Or you could take the recommended ResourceShelf route and seek out a reliable one-stop shopping site — in this case, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), which maintains a collection of various highway safety laws in every state, updated monthly. Topics covered:
» Aggressive Driving Laws
» Cell Phone Driving
» Child Passenger Safety
» Drug Impaired Driving
» Drunk Driving
» Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
» Helmets
» Mature Drivers
» Seat Belts
» Segways
» Sobriety Checkpoints
» Speed Limits
» Speed and Red Light Cameras
» Work Zone Speed Limits
You can see a neat matrix of laws on a state-by-state basis, with comments, notations and additional information, including links to related issue briefs. If it’s more useful for you to browse all the laws at once for a particular state, you can access the information that way.
There are other treasures on the GHSA website, notably this outstanding collection of links and resources, from which you can get to all state highway safety office websites, related federal websites, and a nicely annotated page of links on various highway safety topics.
For a look at traffic safety beyond the U.S., check out this page of Global Road Safety Websites.
While you may be familiar with what’s legal in your own state, it’s a different story when you’re planning a road trip that will take you through several states. Will you need a Bluetooth headset? What’s the story if your 18-year old kid and his friends are taking to the open road — with their cell phones? Well, you can always rummage around the Net in search of different state driving laws — or you could call AAA.
Or you could take the recommended ResourceShelf route and seek out a reliable one-stop shopping site — in this case, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), which maintains a collection of various highway safety laws in every state, updated monthly. Topics covered:
» Aggressive Driving Laws
» Cell Phone Driving
» Child Passenger Safety
» Drug Impaired Driving
» Drunk Driving
» Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
» Helmets
» Mature Drivers
» Seat Belts
» Segways
» Sobriety Checkpoints
» Speed Limits
» Speed and Red Light Cameras
» Work Zone Speed Limits
You can see a neat matrix of laws on a state-by-state basis, with comments, notations and additional information, including links to related issue briefs. If it’s more useful for you to browse all the laws at once for a particular state, you can access the information that way.
There are other treasures on the GHSA website, notably this outstanding collection of links and resources, from which you can get to all state highway safety office websites, related federal websites, and a nicely annotated page of links on various highway safety topics.
For a look at traffic safety beyond the U.S., check out this page of Global Road Safety Websites.
Friday, August 14, 2009
State Transportation Statistics 2008
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), presents State Transportation Statistics 2008, a statistical profile of transportation in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. This is the sixth annual edition of the State Transportation Statistics, and a companion document to the National Transportation Statistics (NTS), which is updated quarterly on the BTS website.
Like the previous editions, this document presents transportation information from RITA/BTS, other federal government agencies, and other national sources. A picture of the states’ transportation infrastructure, freight movement and passenger travel, system safety, vehicles, transportation related economy and finance, energy usage and the environment is presented in tables covering the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Tables have been updated with the most recently available data.
Included in this State Transportation Statistics 2008 report is a brief description of the data sources used and a glossary of terms. Also contained in this publication is a summary table that displays the approximate timing of future data releases and contact information for each state’s department of transportation.
Like the previous editions, this document presents transportation information from RITA/BTS, other federal government agencies, and other national sources. A picture of the states’ transportation infrastructure, freight movement and passenger travel, system safety, vehicles, transportation related economy and finance, energy usage and the environment is presented in tables covering the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Tables have been updated with the most recently available data.
Included in this State Transportation Statistics 2008 report is a brief description of the data sources used and a glossary of terms. Also contained in this publication is a summary table that displays the approximate timing of future data releases and contact information for each state’s department of transportation.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Accounting for the Census Clause
Accounting for the Census Clause
By Myrna Pérez
Brennan Center for Justice Blog (August 11, 2009)
In the inaccurately titled opinion piece (Our Unconstitutional Census) published on August 9 in the Wall Street Journal, Messrs. Baker and Stonecipher, a constitutional law professor and pollster respectively, falsely claim that the current practice of counting undocumented persons in the census for the purpose of apportionment is unconstitutional...
The Constitution uses the word "numbers" or "persons"-not "citizens," or "legal residents," or "those lawfully present" as the authors suggest.
More here.
By Myrna Pérez
Brennan Center for Justice Blog (August 11, 2009)
In the inaccurately titled opinion piece (Our Unconstitutional Census) published on August 9 in the Wall Street Journal, Messrs. Baker and Stonecipher, a constitutional law professor and pollster respectively, falsely claim that the current practice of counting undocumented persons in the census for the purpose of apportionment is unconstitutional...
The Constitution uses the word "numbers" or "persons"-not "citizens," or "legal residents," or "those lawfully present" as the authors suggest.
More here.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book
Taking Results Seriously for Vulnerable Children and Families: The 20th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book profiles the well-being of America’s children on a state-by-state basis and ranks states on 10 key measures of child well-being. The Data Book essay calls for a “data revolution” that uses timely and reliable information to track the progress and improve the lives of vulnerable children.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Personal Income for Metropolitan Areas, 2008
Personal income growth slowed in 2008 in most of the nation’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), according to estimates released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal income growth slowed in 322 MSAs, increased in 42, and remained unchanged in 2 MSAs. On average, MSA personal income grew 3.3 percent in 2008, down from 6.0 percent in 2007.
Monday, August 10, 2009
American Community Survey Alert
On September 22, 2009, the Census Bureau will release the 2008 ACS 1-year estimates. Similar to last year's release, the 2008 ACS will include 1-year estimates available for the nation, 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, every congressional district and all counties, places and metropolitan areas with populations of 65,000 or more. Included are the ACS income, earnings, and poverty data as well as all other ACS estimates on social, economic, demographic, and housing characteristics.
On October 27, 2009, the Census Bureau will release the 2006-2008 ACS 3-year estimates, based on data collected from 2006-2008, for all geographic areas with populations of 20,000 or more. Included are the estimates on social, economic, demographic and housing characteristics.
Additional ACS Tools and Information - Coming Soon. Later this summer and into the fall the Census Bureau will provide tools to aid ACS data users. These tools include guidance on making comparisons between the 2007 and 2008 ACS data, ACS table shells, and a new e-tutorial to assist novice ACS data users.
On October 27, 2009, the Census Bureau will release the 2006-2008 ACS 3-year estimates, based on data collected from 2006-2008, for all geographic areas with populations of 20,000 or more. Included are the estimates on social, economic, demographic and housing characteristics.
Additional ACS Tools and Information - Coming Soon. Later this summer and into the fall the Census Bureau will provide tools to aid ACS data users. These tools include guidance on making comparisons between the 2007 and 2008 ACS data, ACS table shells, and a new e-tutorial to assist novice ACS data users.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Pork-Barrel Spending Is Latest Addition To SeeThroughNY
This week, the Empire Center marked the first anniversary of its government transparency web site, www.SeeThroughNY.net, with the posting of $148.3 million in legislative pork barrel member items for 2009-10. The online database, which also includes $148.1 million in member items for 2008-09, is searchable by legislator, locality and recipient.
For the full text of this press release, click here. Contact Lise Bang-Jensen at 518.434.3100.
For the full text of this press release, click here. Contact Lise Bang-Jensen at 518.434.3100.
Friday, August 7, 2009
BLS Update
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: A listing of the latest publications from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is now available here, including The Employment Situation: July 2009. Please refer questions to blsdata_staff@bls.gov
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
O Canada Business
Haven't stolen borrowed from the Hill Library lately:
A couple great resources to find statistics and resources on industry and business in Canada.
Industry Canada is the place to go if you're looking for information on the state of Canada's industry. It includes business tools for start-ups, as well as information on electronic commerce. Use the company directories to research companies, or search for information on statistics, financing, innovation, research, science and technology, regulations and standards, and more for Canada.
Canadian businesses and start-up entrepreneurs can use Canada Business to reduce "the complexity and burden of dealing with various levels of government" when attempting to start or run a business. Canada Business covers a range of relevant topics, from starting a business to taxes to selling to government. You can access Canada Business services via Web, email, or phone.
A couple great resources to find statistics and resources on industry and business in Canada.
Industry Canada is the place to go if you're looking for information on the state of Canada's industry. It includes business tools for start-ups, as well as information on electronic commerce. Use the company directories to research companies, or search for information on statistics, financing, innovation, research, science and technology, regulations and standards, and more for Canada.
Canadian businesses and start-up entrepreneurs can use Canada Business to reduce "the complexity and burden of dealing with various levels of government" when attempting to start or run a business. Canada Business covers a range of relevant topics, from starting a business to taxes to selling to government. You can access Canada Business services via Web, email, or phone.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Small Area Health Insurance Estimates
The Census Bureau's Small Area Health Insurance Estimates program (SAHIE) is "very pleased and excited to inform you of the latest release of model-based health insurance coverage estimates for counties and states by selected demographic groups for calendar year 2006. These estimates were released...Monday, August 3, 2009.
"As you probably know, SAHIE data are created by combining data from a variety of sources. For the 2006 data release, those sources include the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS
ASEC) , population estimates, decennial census, County Business Patterns, administrative record sources such as anonymized tax return data, Medicaid and CHIP participation data, and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly the Food Stamp Program) participation data. These sources are inputs into our statistical models to produce new estimates without collecting further information via surveys.
"For COUNTIES, we have created estimates of people with and without health insurance coverage by:
Ages 0-64, 18-64 and 40-64;
Sex;
People of All incomes and people At or below 200 percent or At or below 250 percent of the poverty threshold; and
Ages 0-18, All incomes and At or below 200 percent of poverty.
"For STATES, we have created estimates of people with and without health insurance coverage by:
Ages 0-64, 18-64, 40-64 and 50-64;
Sex;
All Races, White not Hispanic, Black not Hispanic, and Hispanic (any race);
People of All incomes and people At or below 200 percent and At or below 250 percent of the poverty threshold; and
Ages 0-18, All incomes and At or below 200 percent of poverty.
"At the request of our data users, we have added the following variables for the release:
The under 19 age group is available for All income levels and At or below 200 percent of the poverty threshold (2005 estimates were only available for At or below 200 percent of the poverty threshold).
The 0-64 age group is also available for All income levels for both state and county-level (2005 estimates were available for either At or below 200 percent or At or below 250 percent of the poverty threshold).
Added a second definition of percent uninsured with the addition of the percent uninsured in demographic group for low-income. This new percent compares the number of low-income uninsured relative to the low-income population in that demographic group. (This new data is reported along with the other percent uninsured which is the percent in the demographic group for All income levels. This percent compares the number of low-income uninsured relative to the population in that demographic group.)
All categories available for uninsured estimates are also available for insured estimates.
"This project is partially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program."
"As you probably know, SAHIE data are created by combining data from a variety of sources. For the 2006 data release, those sources include the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS
ASEC) , population estimates, decennial census, County Business Patterns, administrative record sources such as anonymized tax return data, Medicaid and CHIP participation data, and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly the Food Stamp Program) participation data. These sources are inputs into our statistical models to produce new estimates without collecting further information via surveys.
"For COUNTIES, we have created estimates of people with and without health insurance coverage by:
Ages 0-64, 18-64 and 40-64;
Sex;
People of All incomes and people At or below 200 percent or At or below 250 percent of the poverty threshold; and
Ages 0-18, All incomes and At or below 200 percent of poverty.
"For STATES, we have created estimates of people with and without health insurance coverage by:
Ages 0-64, 18-64, 40-64 and 50-64;
Sex;
All Races, White not Hispanic, Black not Hispanic, and Hispanic (any race);
People of All incomes and people At or below 200 percent and At or below 250 percent of the poverty threshold; and
Ages 0-18, All incomes and At or below 200 percent of poverty.
"At the request of our data users, we have added the following variables for the release:
The under 19 age group is available for All income levels and At or below 200 percent of the poverty threshold (2005 estimates were only available for At or below 200 percent of the poverty threshold).
The 0-64 age group is also available for All income levels for both state and county-level (2005 estimates were available for either At or below 200 percent or At or below 250 percent of the poverty threshold).
Added a second definition of percent uninsured with the addition of the percent uninsured in demographic group for low-income. This new percent compares the number of low-income uninsured relative to the low-income population in that demographic group. (This new data is reported along with the other percent uninsured which is the percent in the demographic group for All income levels. This percent compares the number of low-income uninsured relative to the population in that demographic group.)
All categories available for uninsured estimates are also available for insured estimates.
"This project is partially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program."
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
New York Leads in Per-Pupil Public Education Spending at Nearly $16,000
Public schools in New York spent $15,981 per pupil in 2007, which was more than any other state or state equivalent, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. (See Table 11.) New Jersey ($15,691) and the District of Columbia ($14,324) had the next-highest spending. States spending the least per pupil were Utah ($5,683), Idaho ($6,625) and Tennessee ($7,113).
On average, each state spent $9,666 per pupil in 2007, a 5.8 percent increase over 2006. Of total public school financing, state governments contributed 47.6 percent, followed by local sources, which contributed 44.1 percent, and federal sources, which made up the remaining 8.3 percent.
On average, each state spent $9,666 per pupil in 2007, a 5.8 percent increase over 2006. Of total public school financing, state governments contributed 47.6 percent, followed by local sources, which contributed 44.1 percent, and federal sources, which made up the remaining 8.3 percent.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Residential Vacancies and Homeownership
National vacancy rates in the second quarter 2009 were 10.6 (+ 0.4) percent for rental housing and 2.5 (+ 0.1) percent for homeowner housing, the Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau announced. The Census Bureau said the rental vacancy rate was higher than the second quarter 2008 rate (10.0 percent) and higher than the rate last quarter (10.1 percent). For homeowner vacancies, the current rate was lower than the second quarter 2008 rate (2.8 percent) and lower than the rate last quarter (2.7 percent). The homeownership rate at 67.4 (+ 0.5) percent for the current quarter was lower than the second quarter 2008 rate (68.1 percent), but not statistically different from last quarter’s rate (67.3 percent).
Friday, July 31, 2009
1 in 11 Prisoners Serving Life Sentences
A new report released by The Sentencing Project finds a record 140,610 individuals are now serving life sentences in state and federal prisons, 6,807 of whom were juveniles at the time of the crime. In addition, 29% of persons serving a life sentence (41,095) have no possibility of parole, and 1,755 were juveniles at the time of the crime. No Exit: The Expanding Use of Life Sentences in America represents the first nationwide collection of life sentence data documenting race, ethnicity and gender. The report’s findings reveal overwhelming racial and ethnic disparities in the allocation of life sentences: 66% of all persons sentenced to life are non-white, and 77% of juveniles serving life sentences are non-white.
2010 Census Bilingual Questionnaires
The Census Bureau will be sending bilingual (English/Spanish) questionnaires to census blocks that have large concentrations of households speaking Spanish at home.
They've produced maps for each regional office showing where these will be distributed. While these maps aren't very detailed, they are still useful in getting an idea as to where these questionnaires will be sent.
Boston Regional Office
New York Regional Office
They've produced maps for each regional office showing where these will be distributed. While these maps aren't very detailed, they are still useful in getting an idea as to where these questionnaires will be sent.
Boston Regional Office
New York Regional Office
Thursday, July 30, 2009
State Transportation Statistics 2008
This report presents a statistical profile of transportation in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. This is the sixth annual edition of the State Transportation Statistics, and a companion document to the National Transportation Statistics (NTS), which is updated quarterly on the BTS website.
The Future is Wireless
Pew Internet Report: Wireless Internet Use, July 22, 2009
56% Of All Americans Have Accessed The Internet By Wireless Means
Overview
An April 2009 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project asked respondents whether they had used a variety of devices - laptops, cell phones, game consoles, and more - to go online using a wireless network. Altogether, 56% of Americans said they have at some point used wireless means for online access.
* 39% of all Americans have used a laptop computer to go online wirelessly, making this the most prevalent means of wireless access.
* 32% of all Americans have gotten online with a mobile device - meaning they have used a cell phone or other handheld device to check email, access the internet for information, or send instant messages.
Together, laptop and mobile wireless access account for the vast majority of wireless access, as 51% of Americans have gotten online using either of these two methods. Some people (19% of Americans) opt for both means of wireless access - portable laptops on fast WiFi networks or handheld access on slower networks from cell carriers.
Use of the internet on mobile devices has grown sharply from the end of 2007 to the beginning of 2009.
* In December 2007, 24% of Americans said they had at some point used the internet on their mobile device.
* By April 2009, 32% of Americans said they had at some point used the internet on their mobile device.
* In December 2007, 11% of Americans said they had yesterday accessed the internet on their mobile.
* By April 2009, 19% of Americans said they had yesterday accessed the internet on their mobile.
Links To HTM and PDF versions of the Full Report available
56% Of All Americans Have Accessed The Internet By Wireless Means
Overview
An April 2009 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project asked respondents whether they had used a variety of devices - laptops, cell phones, game consoles, and more - to go online using a wireless network. Altogether, 56% of Americans said they have at some point used wireless means for online access.
* 39% of all Americans have used a laptop computer to go online wirelessly, making this the most prevalent means of wireless access.
* 32% of all Americans have gotten online with a mobile device - meaning they have used a cell phone or other handheld device to check email, access the internet for information, or send instant messages.
Together, laptop and mobile wireless access account for the vast majority of wireless access, as 51% of Americans have gotten online using either of these two methods. Some people (19% of Americans) opt for both means of wireless access - portable laptops on fast WiFi networks or handheld access on slower networks from cell carriers.
Use of the internet on mobile devices has grown sharply from the end of 2007 to the beginning of 2009.
* In December 2007, 24% of Americans said they had at some point used the internet on their mobile device.
* By April 2009, 32% of Americans said they had at some point used the internet on their mobile device.
* In December 2007, 11% of Americans said they had yesterday accessed the internet on their mobile.
* By April 2009, 19% of Americans said they had yesterday accessed the internet on their mobile.
Links To HTM and PDF versions of the Full Report available
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
FCC Releases Data on Local Telephone Competition
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released new data on local telephone service competition in the United States. Twice a year, all incumbent local exchange carriers (incumbent LECs) and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) are required to report basic information about their local telephone service, and all facilities-based mobile telephony providers are required to provide information about their subscribers, pursuant to the FCC’s local telephone competition and broadband data gathering program (FCC Form 477). Statistics released reflect data as of June 30, 2008.
Computer Use and Ownership
Reported Internet Usage for Individuals 3 Years and Older, by State: 2007
"Computer Use data have been collected in various supplements to the Current Population Survey (CPS). Beginning in 1997, the survey included questions on Internet Use."
"Computer Use data have been collected in various supplements to the Current Population Survey (CPS). Beginning in 1997, the survey included questions on Internet Use."
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Federal Domestic Spending Increases 9.3 Percent in FY ’08
The federal government obligated nearly $2.79 trillion in domestic spending for fiscal year 2008, up 9.3 percent from 2007, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s equivalent to a total of $9,184 per person living in the United States. Entitlement programs Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security comprised 48 percent of all federal spending, accounting for $1.35 trillion. Of that amount, $659 billion went to Social Security. The one-year increase in spending for these three programs was approximately $359 for every person in the United States.
Hunting and Fishing
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (FHWAR)
Presents microdata records (with any information that might identify a specific person or household removed) on individuals involved in fishing, hunting, and other wildlife-associated recreation, such as wildlife observation, photography, and feeding. Data include state in which these activities occurred; number of trips taken; duration of trips; and expenditures for food, lodging, transportation, and equipment. The survey was conducted by the Census Bureau for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, which prepares printed reports in this field.
Presents microdata records (with any information that might identify a specific person or household removed) on individuals involved in fishing, hunting, and other wildlife-associated recreation, such as wildlife observation, photography, and feeding. Data include state in which these activities occurred; number of trips taken; duration of trips; and expenditures for food, lodging, transportation, and equipment. The survey was conducted by the Census Bureau for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, which prepares printed reports in this field.
Monday, July 27, 2009
New Orleans Mayor's comments about Census Day residence create stir
Ray is wrong.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (D) is encouraging former residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina to identify themselves as residents of the city in the 2010 census, even if they have not yet returned to their pre-storm homes. The mayor's spokesman told the City's Times-Picayune newspaper that, "A low population count would mean the loss of millions of dollars needed to provide critical services" (July 14, 2009, Editorial). Communications Office representative James Ross clarified in a July 20 Wall Street Journal article, "What we're really talking about is people who are really close to coming back." Census Dallas Regional Director Gabriel Sanchez responded to Mayor Nagin's proposal by saying, "We need to count people where they live, not where they plan to live or where they want to live" (July 13, 2009 Times-Picayune).
Census residence rules provide that people are counted at their "usual residence," which the Census Bureau defines as "the place where the person lives and sleeps most of the time. This place is not necessarily the same as the person's voting residence or legal residence."
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (D) is encouraging former residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina to identify themselves as residents of the city in the 2010 census, even if they have not yet returned to their pre-storm homes. The mayor's spokesman told the City's Times-Picayune newspaper that, "A low population count would mean the loss of millions of dollars needed to provide critical services" (July 14, 2009, Editorial). Communications Office representative James Ross clarified in a July 20 Wall Street Journal article, "What we're really talking about is people who are really close to coming back." Census Dallas Regional Director Gabriel Sanchez responded to Mayor Nagin's proposal by saying, "We need to count people where they live, not where they plan to live or where they want to live" (July 13, 2009 Times-Picayune).
Census residence rules provide that people are counted at their "usual residence," which the Census Bureau defines as "the place where the person lives and sleeps most of the time. This place is not necessarily the same as the person's voting residence or legal residence."
Friday, July 24, 2009
Unprecedented Global Aging Examined in New Census Bureau Report
Report Commissioned by the National Institute on Aging
The average age of the world’s population is increasing at an unprecedented rate. The number of people worldwide 65 and older is estimated at 506 million as of midyear 2008; by 2040, that number will hit 1.3 billion. Thus, in just over 30 years, the proportion of older people will double from 7 percent to 14 percent of the total world population, according to a new report, An Aging World: 2008 (PDF: 11.6 MB).
The report examines the demographic and socioeconomic trends accompanying this phenomenon. It was commissioned by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health and produced by the U.S. Census Bureau.
“The world’s population of people over age 65 is growing rapidly, and with it will come a number of challenges and opportunities,” said NIA Director Dr. Richard J. Hodes. “NIA and our partners at the Census Bureau are committed to providing the best data possible so that we can better understand the course of population aging and its implications.”
An Aging World: 2008 examines nine international population trends identified in 2007 by the NIA and the U.S. Department of State (Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective). The report also contains detailed information on life expectancy, health, disability, gender balance, marital status, living arrangements, education and literacy, labor force participation and retirement and pensions among older people around the world.
The average age of the world’s population is increasing at an unprecedented rate. The number of people worldwide 65 and older is estimated at 506 million as of midyear 2008; by 2040, that number will hit 1.3 billion. Thus, in just over 30 years, the proportion of older people will double from 7 percent to 14 percent of the total world population, according to a new report, An Aging World: 2008 (PDF: 11.6 MB).
The report examines the demographic and socioeconomic trends accompanying this phenomenon. It was commissioned by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health and produced by the U.S. Census Bureau.
“The world’s population of people over age 65 is growing rapidly, and with it will come a number of challenges and opportunities,” said NIA Director Dr. Richard J. Hodes. “NIA and our partners at the Census Bureau are committed to providing the best data possible so that we can better understand the course of population aging and its implications.”
An Aging World: 2008 examines nine international population trends identified in 2007 by the NIA and the U.S. Department of State (Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective). The report also contains detailed information on life expectancy, health, disability, gender balance, marital status, living arrangements, education and literacy, labor force participation and retirement and pensions among older people around the world.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Food Nutrient Database
Data via USDA. Keyword search or browse by food category. More access points vs. version on USDA web site.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Annual Report Service
From Hill Library:
Are you looking for information on a public company? A good place to start is with the company's annual report.
Use Annual Report Service to search for a company's annual report. Annual Report Service claims to be "the largest...directory of online annual reports." Not only can you access reports online, you can request free copies of the printed reports as well.
Annual Report Service allows you to search by symbol or name, or you can browse the alphabetical list of companies. You can also search by industry or US state, and the database currently contains 559 Canadian companies.
Are you looking for information on a public company? A good place to start is with the company's annual report.
Use Annual Report Service to search for a company's annual report. Annual Report Service claims to be "the largest...directory of online annual reports." Not only can you access reports online, you can request free copies of the printed reports as well.
Annual Report Service allows you to search by symbol or name, or you can browse the alphabetical list of companies. You can also search by industry or US state, and the database currently contains 559 Canadian companies.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Copyright Newsletter not just for lawyers
The Copyright & New Media Law Newsletter, volume 13 (2009) issue 1, is now available. This 13-year-old quarterly print and electronic newsletter provides copyright information, news, analysis and practical advice, in plain English from a variety of contributors - from lawyers to academics to others working on copyright and licensing issues in their organizations.
Each issue is 12 pages.
T of C (Vol. 13, Issue 1)
Editorial – lobbying for copyright reform
Copyright Rules of the Road for Bloggers
U.S. Copyright Legislation in 2009
Copyright Quiz 1.0
“Non-Commercial” and Other Definitions in Licenses
Copyright Questions & Answers (a comprehensive list of these Qs & As is at www.copyrightanswers.blogspot.com.
You may also email editor@copyrightlaws.com for a PDF version of this issue.
Each issue is 12 pages.
T of C (Vol. 13, Issue 1)
Editorial – lobbying for copyright reform
Copyright Rules of the Road for Bloggers
U.S. Copyright Legislation in 2009
Copyright Quiz 1.0
“Non-Commercial” and Other Definitions in Licenses
Copyright Questions & Answers (a comprehensive list of these Qs & As is at www.copyrightanswers.blogspot.com.
You may also email editor@copyrightlaws.com for a PDF version of this issue.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Presentations from American Community Survey Workshop
The Population Association of America's (PAA) Committee on Population Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau sponsored a special ACS workshop during the PAA meetings on April 29, 2009.
The presentations focused on the basics of the ACS and specific case studies.
Welcome and ACS Fundamentals
Case Study 1 – How to Deal with Estimates with Low Reliability
Case Study 2 – Choosing Between 1, 3, and 5-year Data
Case Study 3 – Making Comparisons
Case Study 4 – Introduction to Demographic Research Using the ACS PUMS
Case Study 5 – Introduction to Demographic Research Using Aggregated ACS Data for Ecological Regression
Links to most presentations are available on the PAA website.
The presentations focused on the basics of the ACS and specific case studies.
Welcome and ACS Fundamentals
Case Study 1 – How to Deal with Estimates with Low Reliability
Case Study 2 – Choosing Between 1, 3, and 5-year Data
Case Study 3 – Making Comparisons
Case Study 4 – Introduction to Demographic Research Using the ACS PUMS
Case Study 5 – Introduction to Demographic Research Using Aggregated ACS Data for Ecological Regression
Links to most presentations are available on the PAA website.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
States' Tax Revenues Take Biggest Plunge on Record
Taxes collected by the 50 states dropped by 11.7 percent overall during the first quarter of 2009, compared to the same period a year earlier — the largest such decline in the 46 years for which quarterly data are available, according to the latest report on state finances from the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
Overall state tax revenues fell to the lowest first-quarter level since 2005, according to the Institute. The decline in personal income tax was particularly sharp, with an unprecedented decline of 17.5 percent, as the weakened economy continued to hammer state budgets. Forty-five of the 50 states experienced revenue drop-offs.
Overall state tax revenues fell to the lowest first-quarter level since 2005, according to the Institute. The decline in personal income tax was particularly sharp, with an unprecedented decline of 17.5 percent, as the weakened economy continued to hammer state budgets. Forty-five of the 50 states experienced revenue drop-offs.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
GAO testimony on Census Data and Formula Grants
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released the following testimony:
Formula Grants: Census Data Are among Several Factors That Can Affect Funding Allocations, by Robert Goldenkoff, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-832T, July 9.
Highlights.
Formula Grants: Census Data Are among Several Factors That Can Affect Funding Allocations, by Robert Goldenkoff, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-832T, July 9.
Highlights.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
From Hill Library:
Did you know that "foreign direct investment (FDI) into 17 countries, including France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US, fell by 50% in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the last quarter of 2008?" So reports the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Check out the OECD for global statistics on topics related to the economy, society, development, finance, and more. You can access publications and documents, information by country, or statistics. Find indicators for economic growth, competition, education, migration, biotechnology, and so much more.
Don't miss the most frequently requested statistics, some of which include consumer price indices, forecasts, health, hourly earnings, labor costs, population, and retail trade. The OECD also provides a searchable glossary of statistical terms under the "Don't miss" navigation box in the upper right corner of the site.
Did you know that "foreign direct investment (FDI) into 17 countries, including France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US, fell by 50% in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the last quarter of 2008?" So reports the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Check out the OECD for global statistics on topics related to the economy, society, development, finance, and more. You can access publications and documents, information by country, or statistics. Find indicators for economic growth, competition, education, migration, biotechnology, and so much more.
Don't miss the most frequently requested statistics, some of which include consumer price indices, forecasts, health, hourly earnings, labor costs, population, and retail trade. The OECD also provides a searchable glossary of statistical terms under the "Don't miss" navigation box in the upper right corner of the site.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Who Marries & When? Age at First Marriage in the US: 2002
Key findings (PDF):
Data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth
+ Over 70% of men and women aged 25-44 have ever been married: 71% of men and 79% of women.
+ Non-Hispanic black men and women aged 25-44 have lower percentages who have ever been married than non-Hispanic white and Hispanic persons of the same age.
+ The probability that men will marry by age 40 is 81%; for women, it is 86%.
+A larger percentage of women than men aged 35-44 have married by age 35.
+ Smaller percentages of non-Hispanic black women aged 35-44 have married by age 35 than non-Hispanic white or Hispanic women of the same age range.
+ Smaller percentages of non-Hispanic black men aged 35-44 who are below the poverty line have been married by age 35 than non-Hispanic black men of the same age who are at least 200% above poverty.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics / CDC
Data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth
+ Over 70% of men and women aged 25-44 have ever been married: 71% of men and 79% of women.
+ Non-Hispanic black men and women aged 25-44 have lower percentages who have ever been married than non-Hispanic white and Hispanic persons of the same age.
+ The probability that men will marry by age 40 is 81%; for women, it is 86%.
+A larger percentage of women than men aged 35-44 have married by age 35.
+ Smaller percentages of non-Hispanic black women aged 35-44 have married by age 35 than non-Hispanic white or Hispanic women of the same age range.
+ Smaller percentages of non-Hispanic black men aged 35-44 who are below the poverty line have been married by age 35 than non-Hispanic black men of the same age who are at least 200% above poverty.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics / CDC
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
SENATE CONFIRMS ROBERT GROVES AS CENSUS BUREAU DIRECTOR
July 13, 2009
Census Briefs #70
The U.S. Senate voted today to confirm Dr. Robert Groves as Director of the Census Bureau, overcoming objections of several Republicans more than three months after President Obama nominated the renowned survey methodologist and former Census Associate Director to head the nation's largest statistical agency. Senators voted 76 - 15 to end debate on the nomination and then proceeded to give final approval to the nominee by voice vote.
Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE), chairman of the census oversight subcommittee, told his colleagues that the census was one of the few specific obligations of the federal government mentioned in the Constitution and that the decennial census requires thousands of people and years of preparation. "We can't turn a light switch on next April and take a census," the chairman said. Sen. Carper called Dr. Groves "an inspired choice" and said the nominee was "ideally suited to this position" because of his credentials in survey methodology and his prior experience as a senior Census Bureau official.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the senior Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Census Bureau, said that her committee had "scrutinized this nominee thoroughly" and had unanimously approved his nomination on May 20. The Census Director "will need to quickly take action to ensure an accurate, actual enumeration," Sen. Collins stated, adding that the outcome must be "accurate, objective, and free from even the appearance of political interference."
Sen. Collins described Dr. Groves as "superbly well-qualified" to head the agency. Addressing colleagues who were concerned that the Obama Administration will politicize the census for partisan purposes, the senator recounted Dr. Groves' pledges under oath at his confirmation hearing "to resign and actively work to stop any action to improperly influence the census for political gain." Dr. Groves also testified at the May 15 hearing that he had no intention of using statistical sampling methods to adjust the 2010 census, the senator said, and that he was "committed to a transparent census process." "I don't know what more you could ask" of a nominee, Sen. Collins concluded, adding that Dr. Groves is "not a political person; he is a scientist, a researcher, a statistician."
Sen. Collins also criticized the Census Bureau for failed procurements that she said "have not been a pretty picture" and have resulted in a "dramatic increase in [the] cost of the 2010 census." The senator said that the large investment in new technology for 2010 had "gone to waste" because of "gross mismanagement," referring to a significant reduction in the Field Data Collection Automation (FDCA) contract for GPS-equipped handheld computers to gather information from households during field operations.
HSGAC Chairman Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) called Dr. Groves "a brilliant social scientist" who is "well-positioned to see [the decennial census] through to a successful conclusion." "The Administration would have had a hard time appointing a better-qualified candidate to lead the Census Bureau," the chairman said in a statement applauding the final vote.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), who introduced the nominee at his confirmation hearing, said Dr. Groves "may be the best candidate ever nominated for this position." Dr. Groves holds Master of Arts degrees in statistics and sociology and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Michigan and most recently served as Director of the University's Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research. Sen. Levin noted that six former Census Directors, appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents, had written a letter in support of Dr. Groves' nomination.
The President named Dr. Groves to head the Census Bureau on April 2, but the nomination stalled after Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) objected to a confirmation vote until they received assurances from the Administration that there would not be a statistical adjustment of the 2010 census and that the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) would not play a role in the decennial count. During today's debate on a motion to "invoke cloture," or end debate, on the nomination, Sen. Vitter said he had written to the Administration in June, asking for assurances that ACORN -- one of thousands of official 2010 Census partners that have agreed to promote participation in the census -- "will have nothing to do with the census." Sen. Shelby said that he had sought similar assurances from the Administration in March. Both senators said they had not received responses to their letters.
The two senators discussed charges brought against several workers ACORN recruited to help with voter registration during the 2008 election cycle. Sen. Vitter suggested that, as a decennial census partner, ACORN would perform "exactly the sort of activity of signing people up" as it did in recruiting workers who produced "fraudulent voter registrations." As a non-governmental organization, ACORN enlisted workers to help people complete voter registration applications, but was not in a position to register voters, which generally is the responsibility of local registrars who review applications before adding people to the voting rolls. Sen. Carper pointed out that the role of partner organizations is to encourage people to respond to the census and that partners receive no money or grants from the Census Bureau. "This is not about ACORN," the chairman said, saying the group's employees would not "go door to door." The Census Bureau will begin recruiting more than three million applicants this Fall, to fill about 1.2 million temporary census positions over the next year. Partner organizations communicate the availability of census jobs to their constituencies but play no direct role in considering and hiring census workers or in collecting information from unresponsive households. All temporary census employees must pass a test and will undergo FBI background and fingerprint checks before they are approved for work.
Sen. Shelby said he could not support Dr. Groves if the nominee did not "denounce" ACORN's role as a 2010 census partner organization. He expressed concern that the political party "controlling the census" could affect the distribution of political power in the redistricting process and "skew" the allocation of federal funds to communities their members represent. Census data are used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, to draw federal, state, and local district lines, and to allocate more than $400 billion annually under federal formula grant programs.
The fifteen Republican senators voting against the motion to end debate on the nomination were Sens. John Barrasso (WY), Sam Brownback (KS), Jim Bunning (KY), Saxby Chambliss (GA), John Cornyn (TX), Mike Crapo (ID), John Ensign (NV), Michael Enzi (WY), Johnny Isakson (GA), Jim Risch (ID), Pat Roberts (KS), Jeff Sessions (AL), Richard Shelby (AL), David Vitter (LA), and Roger Wicker (MS).
The National Association for Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, a member of the 2010 Census Advisory Committee, issued a statement shortly after the final vote, calling Dr. Groves "the right person to lead the Bureau at this critical time of planning for next year's enumeration" and saying that the confirmation "fills an important leadership void at the Census Bureau." The nonprofit organization urged the Census Bureau to ensure that the 2010 census communications and outreach program "takes into account the current economic and social realities" caused by natural disasters and the economic crisis. NALEO also "strongly condemn[ed] the efforts of a small group of organizations with extremist views, and even a member of Congress, calling for a boycott" of the census. The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders has urged undocumented residents not to participate in the census until the Administration and Congress adopt comprehensive immigration reform. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has said publicly that her family will refuse to answer any census questions other than the number of people living in their household, even though census response is required by law. "A boycott would only exacerbate the undercount, which would hurt neighborhoods and communities," NALEO said. "Encouraging anyone not to participate in the census is simply wrong."
Census Briefs #70
The U.S. Senate voted today to confirm Dr. Robert Groves as Director of the Census Bureau, overcoming objections of several Republicans more than three months after President Obama nominated the renowned survey methodologist and former Census Associate Director to head the nation's largest statistical agency. Senators voted 76 - 15 to end debate on the nomination and then proceeded to give final approval to the nominee by voice vote.
Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE), chairman of the census oversight subcommittee, told his colleagues that the census was one of the few specific obligations of the federal government mentioned in the Constitution and that the decennial census requires thousands of people and years of preparation. "We can't turn a light switch on next April and take a census," the chairman said. Sen. Carper called Dr. Groves "an inspired choice" and said the nominee was "ideally suited to this position" because of his credentials in survey methodology and his prior experience as a senior Census Bureau official.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the senior Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Census Bureau, said that her committee had "scrutinized this nominee thoroughly" and had unanimously approved his nomination on May 20. The Census Director "will need to quickly take action to ensure an accurate, actual enumeration," Sen. Collins stated, adding that the outcome must be "accurate, objective, and free from even the appearance of political interference."
Sen. Collins described Dr. Groves as "superbly well-qualified" to head the agency. Addressing colleagues who were concerned that the Obama Administration will politicize the census for partisan purposes, the senator recounted Dr. Groves' pledges under oath at his confirmation hearing "to resign and actively work to stop any action to improperly influence the census for political gain." Dr. Groves also testified at the May 15 hearing that he had no intention of using statistical sampling methods to adjust the 2010 census, the senator said, and that he was "committed to a transparent census process." "I don't know what more you could ask" of a nominee, Sen. Collins concluded, adding that Dr. Groves is "not a political person; he is a scientist, a researcher, a statistician."
Sen. Collins also criticized the Census Bureau for failed procurements that she said "have not been a pretty picture" and have resulted in a "dramatic increase in [the] cost of the 2010 census." The senator said that the large investment in new technology for 2010 had "gone to waste" because of "gross mismanagement," referring to a significant reduction in the Field Data Collection Automation (FDCA) contract for GPS-equipped handheld computers to gather information from households during field operations.
HSGAC Chairman Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) called Dr. Groves "a brilliant social scientist" who is "well-positioned to see [the decennial census] through to a successful conclusion." "The Administration would have had a hard time appointing a better-qualified candidate to lead the Census Bureau," the chairman said in a statement applauding the final vote.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), who introduced the nominee at his confirmation hearing, said Dr. Groves "may be the best candidate ever nominated for this position." Dr. Groves holds Master of Arts degrees in statistics and sociology and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Michigan and most recently served as Director of the University's Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research. Sen. Levin noted that six former Census Directors, appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents, had written a letter in support of Dr. Groves' nomination.
The President named Dr. Groves to head the Census Bureau on April 2, but the nomination stalled after Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) objected to a confirmation vote until they received assurances from the Administration that there would not be a statistical adjustment of the 2010 census and that the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) would not play a role in the decennial count. During today's debate on a motion to "invoke cloture," or end debate, on the nomination, Sen. Vitter said he had written to the Administration in June, asking for assurances that ACORN -- one of thousands of official 2010 Census partners that have agreed to promote participation in the census -- "will have nothing to do with the census." Sen. Shelby said that he had sought similar assurances from the Administration in March. Both senators said they had not received responses to their letters.
The two senators discussed charges brought against several workers ACORN recruited to help with voter registration during the 2008 election cycle. Sen. Vitter suggested that, as a decennial census partner, ACORN would perform "exactly the sort of activity of signing people up" as it did in recruiting workers who produced "fraudulent voter registrations." As a non-governmental organization, ACORN enlisted workers to help people complete voter registration applications, but was not in a position to register voters, which generally is the responsibility of local registrars who review applications before adding people to the voting rolls. Sen. Carper pointed out that the role of partner organizations is to encourage people to respond to the census and that partners receive no money or grants from the Census Bureau. "This is not about ACORN," the chairman said, saying the group's employees would not "go door to door." The Census Bureau will begin recruiting more than three million applicants this Fall, to fill about 1.2 million temporary census positions over the next year. Partner organizations communicate the availability of census jobs to their constituencies but play no direct role in considering and hiring census workers or in collecting information from unresponsive households. All temporary census employees must pass a test and will undergo FBI background and fingerprint checks before they are approved for work.
Sen. Shelby said he could not support Dr. Groves if the nominee did not "denounce" ACORN's role as a 2010 census partner organization. He expressed concern that the political party "controlling the census" could affect the distribution of political power in the redistricting process and "skew" the allocation of federal funds to communities their members represent. Census data are used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, to draw federal, state, and local district lines, and to allocate more than $400 billion annually under federal formula grant programs.
The fifteen Republican senators voting against the motion to end debate on the nomination were Sens. John Barrasso (WY), Sam Brownback (KS), Jim Bunning (KY), Saxby Chambliss (GA), John Cornyn (TX), Mike Crapo (ID), John Ensign (NV), Michael Enzi (WY), Johnny Isakson (GA), Jim Risch (ID), Pat Roberts (KS), Jeff Sessions (AL), Richard Shelby (AL), David Vitter (LA), and Roger Wicker (MS).
The National Association for Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, a member of the 2010 Census Advisory Committee, issued a statement shortly after the final vote, calling Dr. Groves "the right person to lead the Bureau at this critical time of planning for next year's enumeration" and saying that the confirmation "fills an important leadership void at the Census Bureau." The nonprofit organization urged the Census Bureau to ensure that the 2010 census communications and outreach program "takes into account the current economic and social realities" caused by natural disasters and the economic crisis. NALEO also "strongly condemn[ed] the efforts of a small group of organizations with extremist views, and even a member of Congress, calling for a boycott" of the census. The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders has urged undocumented residents not to participate in the census until the Administration and Congress adopt comprehensive immigration reform. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has said publicly that her family will refuse to answer any census questions other than the number of people living in their household, even though census response is required by law. "A boycott would only exacerbate the undercount, which would hurt neighborhoods and communities," NALEO said. "Encouraging anyone not to participate in the census is simply wrong."
Monday, July 13, 2009
Population Change in Central, Outlying Counties of Metropolitan Statistical Areas
This report (PDF) examines population change and the demographic components of change from 2000 to 2007 for central an outlying counties of metropolitan statistical areas. Population change in metro areas and their component central and outlying counties will be examined through the configurations of census regions and divisions, metro area population size categories, and 12 of the most populous metro areas. Demographic components of change are births, deaths and migration. The difference between the birth and death components is termed natural increase, and the migration component can consist of both net international migration and net domestic migration. Data used in this report come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program.
The report focuses on metro areas and the central and outlying counties that compose the areas—all metro area counties belong to one of these two catego- ries, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The 2006 area definitions are based upon the 2000 OMB Standards for Defining Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas applied to Census 2000 data and Census Bureau population estimates.
The report focuses on metro areas and the central and outlying counties that compose the areas—all metro area counties belong to one of these two catego- ries, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The 2006 area definitions are based upon the 2000 OMB Standards for Defining Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas applied to Census 2000 data and Census Bureau population estimates.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
(When) are Religious People Nicer?
(When) are Religious People Nicer? Religious Salience and the ‘Sunday Effect’ on Pro-Social Behavior
Source: Harvard Business School
Prior research has found mixed evidence for the long-theorized link between religiosity and pro-social behavior. To help overcome this divergence, we hypothesize that pro-social behavior is linked not to religiosity per se, but rather to the salience of religion and religious norms. We report on a field experiment that examines when auction participants will respond to an appeal to continue bidding for secular charitable causes. The results reveal that religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to respond to an appeal for charity only on days that they visit their place of worship; on other days of the week, religiosity has no effect. Notably, the result persists after controlling for a host of factors that may influence bidding, but disappears when the appeal for charity is replaced by an appeal to bid for other reasons. Implications for the link between religion and pro-social behavior are discussed.
Source: Harvard Business School
Prior research has found mixed evidence for the long-theorized link between religiosity and pro-social behavior. To help overcome this divergence, we hypothesize that pro-social behavior is linked not to religiosity per se, but rather to the salience of religion and religious norms. We report on a field experiment that examines when auction participants will respond to an appeal to continue bidding for secular charitable causes. The results reveal that religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to respond to an appeal for charity only on days that they visit their place of worship; on other days of the week, religiosity has no effect. Notably, the result persists after controlling for a host of factors that may influence bidding, but disappears when the appeal for charity is replaced by an appeal to bid for other reasons. Implications for the link between religion and pro-social behavior are discussed.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Predicting Social Security numbers from public data
"Information about an individual’s place and date of birth can be exploited to predict his or her Social Security number (SSN). Using only publicly available information, we observed a correlation between individuals’ SSNs and their birth data and found that for younger cohorts the correlation allows statistical inference of private SSNs. The inferences are made possible by the public availability of the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File and the widespread accessibility of personal information from multiple sources, such as data brokers or profiles on social networking sites. Our results highlight the unexpected privacy consequences of the complex interactions among multiple data sources in modern information economies and quantify privacy risks associated with information revelation in public forums."
Thursday, July 9, 2009
2010 Census Song
I was told about a hiphop song that has been written to promote the 2010 Census. You can listen to the song and watch the accompanying video here. It's the "draft" copy, but it's interesting.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The Small Business Economy: A Report to the President 2009
The 2009 edition of The Small Business Economy documents the 2008 recession’s effects on small business as well as their role in the 2008 economy. The report includes chapters focusing on the state of small business (with brief subsections on small business challenges such as health care and globalization, as well as contributions in job creation and innovation) and financing. Appendices include additional data on small firms and a summary of Advocacy research published in 2008.
• Small businesses in most industries, especially in the construction industry hard hit by the housing market downturn, saw declines in employment.
• Average unincorporated self-employment fell from 10.4 million in 2007 to 0.1 million in 2008 and averaged 9.6 million by November and December 2008.
• Incorporated self-employment remained steady at 5.8 million on average over the 2007-2008 period.
• Some surveys found small firms expressing less willingness to expand, hire new workers, invest in new plant and equipment, or borrow money, at least in the near term.
• Health care costs remain a major concern for small firms: according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average annual cost of a family premium for employer-sponsored health insurance increased 119 percent between 1999 and 2008, with a 5 percent increase in 2008 from the previous year.
• Real exports have risen steadily since 2005, outpacing the growth in imports; the value of real exports increased 6.2 percent in 2008.
• Most small businesses faced a less accommodating credit market, especially in the second half of 2008.
• Lenders exhibited widening interest rate spreads and tightening terms of lending.
• Business borrowing plunged in the fourth quarter of 2008 to a low annual rate comparable to the levels experienced in the 2001 recession.
• According to June 2007-June 2008 Call Report data, developments in the financial markets had a limited impact on small business lending in the first half of 2008.
• Despite the lack of very current financial data, a number of indicators suggest that the flow of funds to small firms was much curtailed by the end of 2008.
A copy of The Small Business Economy: A Report to the President 2009 can be found here (PDF) and the research summary can be found here (PDF).
• Small businesses in most industries, especially in the construction industry hard hit by the housing market downturn, saw declines in employment.
• Average unincorporated self-employment fell from 10.4 million in 2007 to 0.1 million in 2008 and averaged 9.6 million by November and December 2008.
• Incorporated self-employment remained steady at 5.8 million on average over the 2007-2008 period.
• Some surveys found small firms expressing less willingness to expand, hire new workers, invest in new plant and equipment, or borrow money, at least in the near term.
• Health care costs remain a major concern for small firms: according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average annual cost of a family premium for employer-sponsored health insurance increased 119 percent between 1999 and 2008, with a 5 percent increase in 2008 from the previous year.
• Real exports have risen steadily since 2005, outpacing the growth in imports; the value of real exports increased 6.2 percent in 2008.
• Most small businesses faced a less accommodating credit market, especially in the second half of 2008.
• Lenders exhibited widening interest rate spreads and tightening terms of lending.
• Business borrowing plunged in the fourth quarter of 2008 to a low annual rate comparable to the levels experienced in the 2001 recession.
• According to June 2007-June 2008 Call Report data, developments in the financial markets had a limited impact on small business lending in the first half of 2008.
• Despite the lack of very current financial data, a number of indicators suggest that the flow of funds to small firms was much curtailed by the end of 2008.
A copy of The Small Business Economy: A Report to the President 2009 can be found here (PDF) and the research summary can be found here (PDF).
Monday, July 6, 2009
250+ Killer Digital Libraries and Archives
This list contains over 250 libraries and archives that focus mainly on localized, regional, and U.S. history, but it also includes larger collections, eText and eBook repositories, and a short list of directories to help you continue your research efforts.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Annual report of the Superintendent of Insurance
The New York State Insurance Department recently released its 150th Annual report of the Superintendent of Insurance to the New York Legislature. This 2008 report can be found in PDF, along with other recent years, on the Insurance Department's web site here.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
SREB Fact Book on Higher Education, 2009
The SREB Fact Book on Higher Education is one of the nation’s most comprehensive collections of comparative data on higher education. For decades, state leaders, policy-makers, researchers and journalists have used the Fact Book to find useful data quickly — and to learn more about long-term trends and developments in SREB states and across the nation.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Trafficking in Persons Report 2009
"The ninth annual Trafficking in Persons Report sheds light on the faces of modern-day slavery and on new facets of this global problem. The human trafficking phenomenon affects virtually every country, including the United States. In acknowledging America’s own struggle with modern-day slavery and slavery-related practices, we offer partnership. We call on every government to join us in working to build consensus and leverage resources to eliminate all forms of human trafficking."
–Secretary of State Clinton, June 16, 2009
–Secretary of State Clinton, June 16, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
July is National Ice Cream Month
And all you really need to know about the ice cream market can be found here. Though the page is from New Zealand, it takes a world view.
Also, how to make ice cream.
Also, how to make ice cream.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tracking Economic Recession and Recovery in America’s 100 Largest Metropolitan Areas
Beneath the constant drumbeat of headline numbers emanating from Washington on U.S. jobs, national unemployment, GDP, and home prices lies a complex, diverse set of 366 metropolitan economies. While no metro area has been immune from the current economic downturn, the pain is unevenly distributed. Some have felt only modest effects, and a few show early signs of recovery, while others are undergoing a wrenching restructuring that may fundamentally alter their economic trajectory.
The MetroMonitor, an interactive barometer of the health of America’s metropolitan economies, looks “beneath the hood” of national economic statistics to portray the diverse metropolitan landscape of recession and recovery across the country. It aims to enhance understanding of the underpinnings of national economic trends, and to promote public- and private-sector responses to the downturn that take into account metro areas’ unique starting points, weaknesses, and strengths—the potential “grassroots green shoots”—for eventual recovery.
The MetroMonitor, an interactive barometer of the health of America’s metropolitan economies, looks “beneath the hood” of national economic statistics to portray the diverse metropolitan landscape of recession and recovery across the country. It aims to enhance understanding of the underpinnings of national economic trends, and to promote public- and private-sector responses to the downturn that take into account metro areas’ unique starting points, weaknesses, and strengths—the potential “grassroots green shoots”—for eventual recovery.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Pedestrians, cyclists among main road traffic crash victims
The first global assessment of road safety finds that almost half of the estimated 1.27 million people who die in road traffic crashes every year are pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. While progress has been made towards protecting people in cars, the needs of these vulnerable groups of road users are not being met.
The Global status report on road safety provides the first worldwide analysis of how well countries are implementing a number of effective road safety measures. These include limiting speed, reducing drink-driving, and increasing the use of seatbelts, child restraints and motorcycle helmets. Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the report presents information from 178 countries, accounting for over 98% of the world’s population. It uses a standardized method that allows comparisons between countries to be made.
The Global status report on road safety provides the first worldwide analysis of how well countries are implementing a number of effective road safety measures. These include limiting speed, reducing drink-driving, and increasing the use of seatbelts, child restraints and motorcycle helmets. Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the report presents information from 178 countries, accounting for over 98% of the world’s population. It uses a standardized method that allows comparisons between countries to be made.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
2010 Census: A New Portrait of America
This is a very interesting video from the US Census Bureau . It describe why the 2010 census is probably the most important one in US history. It explains how the census is used by all levels of government to allocate funds for services. This would be appropriate for use in many classes and groups.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Census Bureau: World’s Older Population Projected to Triple by 2050
The world’s 65-and-older population is projected to triple by midcentury, from 516 million in 2009 to 1.53 billion in 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In contrast, the population under 15 is expected to increase by only 6 percent during the same period, from 1.83 billion to 1.93 billion.
In the United States, the population 65 and older will more than double by 2050, rising from 39 million today to 89 million. While children are projected to still outnumber the older population worldwide in 2050, the under 15 population in the United States is expected to fall below the older population by that date, increasing from 62 million today to 85 million.
In the United States, the population 65 and older will more than double by 2050, rising from 39 million today to 89 million. While children are projected to still outnumber the older population worldwide in 2050, the under 15 population in the United States is expected to fall below the older population by that date, increasing from 62 million today to 85 million.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Facts and Findings about Foreclosures, Families, and Communities
"The Impacts of Foreclosures on Families and Communities," a new new Urban Institute report, details what is known about how foreclosures adversely affect households and their neighborhoods — from children and the elderly to public safety and local property tax revenues. It also looks at policies, programs, and response strategies to prevent or mitigate the fallout.
The report, a comprehensive resource for local officials, advocates, and concerned laypeople, was motivated by the recognition that this decade may be the most tumultuous in the history of U.S. housing markets. Home prices skyrocketed from 2000 to 2006, while subprime loans and other factors propelled an expansion in homeownership. Then it all fell apart. Prices have plummeted, foreclosure rates have ballooned, and many communities have been walloped.
The report, a comprehensive resource for local officials, advocates, and concerned laypeople, was motivated by the recognition that this decade may be the most tumultuous in the history of U.S. housing markets. Home prices skyrocketed from 2000 to 2006, while subprime loans and other factors propelled an expansion in homeownership. Then it all fell apart. Prices have plummeted, foreclosure rates have ballooned, and many communities have been walloped.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
100 Leading National Advertisers: 2009 edition index
Facts and figures on US ad spending
Published: June 22, 2009 in Advertising Age
MARKETER TREES 2009
Explore the database of the 100 Leading National Advertisers Featuring U.S. ad spending, division sales, personnel, brands and agencies.
RANKINGS, ANALYSIS, CHARTS AND MORE
100 Leading National Advertisers
A ranking of the top 100 U.S. advertisers in 2008
Spending Fell (only) 2.7% in '08. Real Problem: 2009
Walmart Stores Spending up 16%; Retail Surpasses Auto as Top Ad Category, by Bradley Johnson
Video: Bradley Johnson discusses 100 LNA
U.S. Ad Spend Trends: 2008
• % change in ad spend, 2001-2008: 100 LNA
• % change in ad spend, 2001-2011 (forecast): ZenithOptimedia
• How 2008 U.S. ad spending was split by medium
• How 2008 U.S. ad spending was split by category
Verizon Tops AT&T as Most-Advertised Brand
Walmart vaults into No. 5 Spot with 66% increase in measured media spending, by Maureen Morrison
Top 200 Megabrands
By U.S. measured media spending in 2008
Total U.S. Advertising Spending by Medium
• Measured media spending from TNS Media Intelligence
• Media plus marketing services from ZenithOptimedia
Total U.S. Measured Advertising Spending by Category
Media spending totals from TNS by category for 2008
Top 10 Advertisers in 10 Media
Top spenders in magazine, newspaper, outdoor, radio, broadcast TV, cable and internet based in measured media
U.S. Advertising as Percent of Sales
For the 100 LNA by category
U.S. Market Share Leaders
Marketers in key ad categories for 2008: Automotive, retail, restaurants, wireless, beverages, beer, prescription drugs, personal care and credit cards
Published: June 22, 2009 in Advertising Age
MARKETER TREES 2009
Explore the database of the 100 Leading National Advertisers Featuring U.S. ad spending, division sales, personnel, brands and agencies.
RANKINGS, ANALYSIS, CHARTS AND MORE
100 Leading National Advertisers
A ranking of the top 100 U.S. advertisers in 2008
Spending Fell (only) 2.7% in '08. Real Problem: 2009
Walmart Stores Spending up 16%; Retail Surpasses Auto as Top Ad Category, by Bradley Johnson
Video: Bradley Johnson discusses 100 LNA
U.S. Ad Spend Trends: 2008
• % change in ad spend, 2001-2008: 100 LNA
• % change in ad spend, 2001-2011 (forecast): ZenithOptimedia
• How 2008 U.S. ad spending was split by medium
• How 2008 U.S. ad spending was split by category
Verizon Tops AT&T as Most-Advertised Brand
Walmart vaults into No. 5 Spot with 66% increase in measured media spending, by Maureen Morrison
Top 200 Megabrands
By U.S. measured media spending in 2008
Total U.S. Advertising Spending by Medium
• Measured media spending from TNS Media Intelligence
• Media plus marketing services from ZenithOptimedia
Total U.S. Measured Advertising Spending by Category
Media spending totals from TNS by category for 2008
Top 10 Advertisers in 10 Media
Top spenders in magazine, newspaper, outdoor, radio, broadcast TV, cable and internet based in measured media
U.S. Advertising as Percent of Sales
For the 100 LNA by category
U.S. Market Share Leaders
Marketers in key ad categories for 2008: Automotive, retail, restaurants, wireless, beverages, beer, prescription drugs, personal care and credit cards
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
e-SecretaryOfState.com
From HillLibrary:
Many types of businesses are required to file application and statement forms with the Secretary of State Office(s) where they conduct business. Use e-SecretaryOfState.com to find contact information for Secretary of State Office(s) that apply to your business, or search for registered companies and their filing status.
e-SecretaryOfState.com provides information for Secretary of State Offices in each state. Mailing address, phone number, fax number, and email address are provided.
Additionally, there are links for each office's main Web site, forms, tax forms, statutes, and entity search. Identify the forms and statutes relevant to you organization, or use the entity search to find registered businesses.
Many types of businesses are required to file application and statement forms with the Secretary of State Office(s) where they conduct business. Use e-SecretaryOfState.com to find contact information for Secretary of State Office(s) that apply to your business, or search for registered companies and their filing status.
e-SecretaryOfState.com provides information for Secretary of State Offices in each state. Mailing address, phone number, fax number, and email address are provided.
Additionally, there are links for each office's main Web site, forms, tax forms, statutes, and entity search. Identify the forms and statutes relevant to you organization, or use the entity search to find registered businesses.
Monday, June 22, 2009
It's Not You, It's Your Data
I was away at my niece's high school graduation in Charlotte, NC in the middle of June, so I didn't come upon Bill Dowd's What? Why me? Intrusive queries from the Census Bureau, published in the Albany Times Union on Sunday, June 14, until this past weekend.
Mr. Dowd writes what I guess is a cheeky dealing with the American Community Survey. But I'll reply to his points seriously anyway.
"In a few days your household will receive a questionnaire in the mail for a very important national survey, the American Community Survey. When the questionnaire arrives, please fill it out and mail it back promptly. The U.S. Census Bureau is conducting this survey and chose your address, not you personally, as part of a randomly selected sample."
Interesting that this very process nullifies any statistical viability of such a survey.
The address is randomly sampled; I do not understand how this "nullifies any statistical viability". It's not totally random in that, if your address is picked, safeguards are in place so that the address won't be selected again soon.
Not only have I now received another Census Bureau letter concerning "The American Community Survey," I also received a questionnaire I am informed I must fill out and return, under penalty of law.
From Census News Briefs #67: "A person who 'refuses' or 'willfully neglects' to answer any census questions is subject to a fine of not more than $100. A person who 'willfully' provides false information can be fined up to $500." But it isn't the intent of Census to get people fined; it is to get the information it's required to collect.
They again demand my cooperation, even though they swear they don't know who I am since I was "randomly selected" -- by them.
Same source: "The Census Bureau requests names of people residing in the household, to ensure full coverage and minimize the likelihood of duplication, and a telephone number, in case it must follow-up to obtain missing or unclear information..."
I suppose I'm being unnecessarily stubborn in asking what these survey questions have to do with those topics:
How many times have I been married?
How many times has my spouse been married?
How are the two people in the household related to each other?
What are the household residents' ethnic origins?
When did the residents move into the current residence...
What is my monthly condominium fee, if applicable?
Has anyone in the household ever served in the military?
What kind of work do the residents of the household do?
Relationships and residence characteristics have implications in everything from health care to road design. Other questions involve voting rights, government benefits and other issues.
Unless the Census Bureau has, while I was sleeping, been assigned the task of planning the nation's highways, running the health care system, handling public safety programs, and building new schools, that makes no sense. The information it demands obviously will be shared with someone outside the Census Bureau. Many someones, no doubt.
No, Census does not plan the nation's highways; it provides the data in the aggregate which allows transportation planners to plan highways, educators to build or raze schools, and the like. Bill Dowd's individual information isn't being shared. Roger Green's individual information isn't being shared. The data provided show how many children in a particular block group, not characteristics of a particular child. In fact, the Census Bureau is very quick - overly quick, some believe -to SUPPRESS the data when it seems possible likely that an individual person or household might be revealed.
I'm hoping that Mr. Dowd actually look at the data already created through the American Community Survey so he can see that no individual person's information is revealed, only totals for various geographies. If he -or anyone else - needs help deciphering this, they can leave a comment and I'll do my best to explain.
***
On another Census topic, I was please to see this: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed during a press briefing [last week] that the Obama Administration was "determining the best way to ensure that gay and lesbian couples are accurately counted" in the 2010 census. The Wall Street Journal reported... that the Administration had directed the Census Bureau to explore ways to tabulate responses to the census relationship question, to produce data showing responses from married couples of the same sex.
The Census Bureau decided during the Bush Administration that it would re-code same sex spouse responses as "unmarried partners," citing provisions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that it believed prohibited the tabulation of data on marriages that are not between opposite sex couples, as well as concerns about data quality based on responses collected in the American Community Survey. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) sent a letter earlier this week to President Obama, urging the Administration to recognize same-sex marriages in the 2010 census. Rep. Quigley and more than 50 other members of the LGBT Congressional Equality Caucus wrote to the President last month, suggesting that the Bush Administration had misinterpreted the DOMA and saying that reporting statistical data on same-sex couples "simply provides basic information about how Americans respond to the Census Bureau's questions" and "is not tantamount to federal recognition of same-sex marriage."
I never believed that DOMA forbade reporting what is happening in the states, and this is the type of data openness I suspect that Census would have preferred.
Mr. Dowd writes what I guess is a cheeky dealing with the American Community Survey. But I'll reply to his points seriously anyway.
"In a few days your household will receive a questionnaire in the mail for a very important national survey, the American Community Survey. When the questionnaire arrives, please fill it out and mail it back promptly. The U.S. Census Bureau is conducting this survey and chose your address, not you personally, as part of a randomly selected sample."
Interesting that this very process nullifies any statistical viability of such a survey.
The address is randomly sampled; I do not understand how this "nullifies any statistical viability". It's not totally random in that, if your address is picked, safeguards are in place so that the address won't be selected again soon.
Not only have I now received another Census Bureau letter concerning "The American Community Survey," I also received a questionnaire I am informed I must fill out and return, under penalty of law.
From Census News Briefs #67: "A person who 'refuses' or 'willfully neglects' to answer any census questions is subject to a fine of not more than $100. A person who 'willfully' provides false information can be fined up to $500." But it isn't the intent of Census to get people fined; it is to get the information it's required to collect.
They again demand my cooperation, even though they swear they don't know who I am since I was "randomly selected" -- by them.
Same source: "The Census Bureau requests names of people residing in the household, to ensure full coverage and minimize the likelihood of duplication, and a telephone number, in case it must follow-up to obtain missing or unclear information..."
I suppose I'm being unnecessarily stubborn in asking what these survey questions have to do with those topics:
How many times have I been married?
How many times has my spouse been married?
How are the two people in the household related to each other?
What are the household residents' ethnic origins?
When did the residents move into the current residence...
What is my monthly condominium fee, if applicable?
Has anyone in the household ever served in the military?
What kind of work do the residents of the household do?
Relationships and residence characteristics have implications in everything from health care to road design. Other questions involve voting rights, government benefits and other issues.
Unless the Census Bureau has, while I was sleeping, been assigned the task of planning the nation's highways, running the health care system, handling public safety programs, and building new schools, that makes no sense. The information it demands obviously will be shared with someone outside the Census Bureau. Many someones, no doubt.
No, Census does not plan the nation's highways; it provides the data in the aggregate which allows transportation planners to plan highways, educators to build or raze schools, and the like. Bill Dowd's individual information isn't being shared. Roger Green's individual information isn't being shared. The data provided show how many children in a particular block group, not characteristics of a particular child. In fact, the Census Bureau is very quick - overly quick, some believe -to SUPPRESS the data when it seems possible likely that an individual person or household might be revealed.
I'm hoping that Mr. Dowd actually look at the data already created through the American Community Survey so he can see that no individual person's information is revealed, only totals for various geographies. If he -or anyone else - needs help deciphering this, they can leave a comment and I'll do my best to explain.
***
On another Census topic, I was please to see this: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed during a press briefing [last week] that the Obama Administration was "determining the best way to ensure that gay and lesbian couples are accurately counted" in the 2010 census. The Wall Street Journal reported... that the Administration had directed the Census Bureau to explore ways to tabulate responses to the census relationship question, to produce data showing responses from married couples of the same sex.
The Census Bureau decided during the Bush Administration that it would re-code same sex spouse responses as "unmarried partners," citing provisions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that it believed prohibited the tabulation of data on marriages that are not between opposite sex couples, as well as concerns about data quality based on responses collected in the American Community Survey. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) sent a letter earlier this week to President Obama, urging the Administration to recognize same-sex marriages in the 2010 census. Rep. Quigley and more than 50 other members of the LGBT Congressional Equality Caucus wrote to the President last month, suggesting that the Bush Administration had misinterpreted the DOMA and saying that reporting statistical data on same-sex couples "simply provides basic information about how Americans respond to the Census Bureau's questions" and "is not tantamount to federal recognition of same-sex marriage."
I never believed that DOMA forbade reporting what is happening in the states, and this is the type of data openness I suspect that Census would have preferred.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
2010 Census - New JOB postings
Please check out these links to 2010 Census job openings and Regional Office positions in the New York City region (downstate plus). Open each link to see the geographic area of consideration (where applicants must reside).
http://www.census.gov/ronyc/www/emply.html
http://www.census.gov/ronyc/www/newyork2010jobs.html
How to apply pdf
Jobs in the Boston Regional Office's portion of the state (upstate) can be found at http://www.census.gov/robos/www/lcomanagement2010jobs.html.
http://www.census.gov/ronyc/www/emply.html
http://www.census.gov/ronyc/www/newyork2010jobs.html
How to apply pdf
Jobs in the Boston Regional Office's portion of the state (upstate) can be found at http://www.census.gov/robos/www/lcomanagement2010jobs.html.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
ACS Compass Handbook
Another ACS Compass Handbook has been released by the Census Bureau. This one is targeted towards academic researchers. The report can be found at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/ACSResearch.pdf.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Love and marriage (and divorce)
Marriage and divorce stats in NYS are tracked by the state health department. You'll find them at Tables 46 through 52. 2008 data are not yet available.
Table 46 - Marriages by Age of Bride and Age of Groom, New York State Exclusive of New York City
Table 47 - Marriages by County of Occurrence and Month of Ceremony, New York State
Table 48 - Dissolutions of Marriage by County of Decree and Type of Decree, New York State
Table 49 - Dissolutions of Marriage by Duration and Type of Decree by Region, New York State
Table 50 - Divorces by County of Decree and Legal Grounds, New York State
Table 51 - Divorces by County of Decree and Duration of Marriage, New York State
Table 52 - Divorces by County of Decree and Number of Children Under 18, New York State
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
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Table 46 - Marriages by Age of Bride and Age of Groom, New York State Exclusive of New York City
Table 47 - Marriages by County of Occurrence and Month of Ceremony, New York State
Table 48 - Dissolutions of Marriage by County of Decree and Type of Decree, New York State
Table 49 - Dissolutions of Marriage by Duration and Type of Decree by Region, New York State
Table 50 - Divorces by County of Decree and Legal Grounds, New York State
Table 51 - Divorces by County of Decree and Duration of Marriage, New York State
Table 52 - Divorces by County of Decree and Number of Children Under 18, New York State
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Fireworks display industry data
You can get some good industry facts at the American Pyrotechnics Association - http://www.americanpyro.com/ and also at the National Fire Protection Association - http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=297&URL=Safety%20Information/For%20consumers/Fireworks.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Races Differ in Rates of Sleep-Related Obesity
From US News & World Report: Blacks get less shuteye than whites, more suffer from obesity, study finds.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
New York Issues Guidelines For Victims Of Ponzi-Style Investment Schemes
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Commissioner Robert L. Megna has announced tax guidelines for people who suffer financial losses through fraudulent investment arrangements commonly known as Ponzi schemes.
To view the entire document please visihere.
To view the entire document please visihere.
Monday, June 15, 2009
2007 Economic Census: Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Industry Series
This is a series of national-level data files on the real estate and rental and leasing sector (NAICS 53). These include data for industries such as miniwarehouses and self-storage units, real estate agents and brokers, car rental and leasing, rental centers and others. The files provide data on the number of establishments, revenue, payroll, number of employees, value of product line revenue and other data items by industry.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Metropolitan and Micropolitan Areas
The latest updates for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Area Data Tables are as of February 4, 2009 and can be found here.
World Trade Organization: Hyperlinked Map of Disputes Between Members
The World Trade Organization has recently posted on its website an interactive map that depicts disputes between its member states. The top of the webpage shows a list of highlight-able choices among types of member-state involvement in disputes: as complainant, respondent, or either. The accompanying map shows member-state areas of the world in a color range of whitish pink to red, to indicate the range in the number of disputes (0-100), and non-member-state areas in gray; the United States is bright red.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Gov. Paterson Announces Transportation Projects
Governor Paterson announced the certification of an additional $94.9 million for highway and bridge improvements this week. A copy of the press release is attached and regional information may be found by clicking on the various geographies.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Census Update
From the June 2009 State Data Center Steering Committee Highlights
2010 Census
• About 13 million English/Spanish questionnaires will be sent to all addresses in tracts where 20 percent or more of the households had 1 or more persons age 15 and older speaking Spanish and not speaking English very well based on the 2000 Census and current knowledge
• Language assistance guides will be available in 59 languages
• Funders Census Initiative (FCI) is a project of the Funder’s Committee for Civic Participation
• A number of foundations are getting more interested in the Census, as users of the data and realizing the importance of an accurate count, and are working to encourage complete counts.
• These foundations may be willing to support local census promotion activities.
ACS Data Changes
• 95 detailed tables are being deleted from the 2008 ACS 1-year products due to breaks in series resulting from changes in the questionnaire.
• Most of these are being replaced with new tables. There will be 99 new detailed tables
• 37 detailed tables will be modified from previous years
• New topics for 2008 are marital history, health insurance, and service-connected disability
• Major changes have been made to the disability questions in 2008 result in a break in this series and no comparability with earlier years
• Disability related detailed tables are being renumbered. A note will indicate that these tables are not comparable with the similar looking table from previous years – a reference to the specific old table number will be included
• There will be no 3-year disability tables until the 2008-2010 tables are released in 2011.
• There will be no 5-year disability tables until the 2008-2012 tables are released in 2013
• The employment questions have been revised to be closer to the CPS questions. The impact of this change is being evaluated – the data may or may not be comparable with previous years. If it is determined that there is a break in this series, it will be handled the same way as the disability data.
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2010 Census
• About 13 million English/Spanish questionnaires will be sent to all addresses in tracts where 20 percent or more of the households had 1 or more persons age 15 and older speaking Spanish and not speaking English very well based on the 2000 Census and current knowledge
• Language assistance guides will be available in 59 languages
• Funders Census Initiative (FCI) is a project of the Funder’s Committee for Civic Participation
• A number of foundations are getting more interested in the Census, as users of the data and realizing the importance of an accurate count, and are working to encourage complete counts.
• These foundations may be willing to support local census promotion activities.
ACS Data Changes
• 95 detailed tables are being deleted from the 2008 ACS 1-year products due to breaks in series resulting from changes in the questionnaire.
• Most of these are being replaced with new tables. There will be 99 new detailed tables
• 37 detailed tables will be modified from previous years
• New topics for 2008 are marital history, health insurance, and service-connected disability
• Major changes have been made to the disability questions in 2008 result in a break in this series and no comparability with earlier years
• Disability related detailed tables are being renumbered. A note will indicate that these tables are not comparable with the similar looking table from previous years – a reference to the specific old table number will be included
• There will be no 3-year disability tables until the 2008-2010 tables are released in 2011.
• There will be no 5-year disability tables until the 2008-2012 tables are released in 2013
• The employment questions have been revised to be closer to the CPS questions. The impact of this change is being evaluated – the data may or may not be comparable with previous years. If it is determined that there is a break in this series, it will be handled the same way as the disability data.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Name Game
No doubt you saw the story a few weeks ago about how Emma supplanted Emily as the most popular name for a baby girl, while, on the boys' side, Jacob held steady.
There's much more at Social Security's Popular Baby Names site such as the names of twins born in 2008, by rank:
1 Jacob, Joshua 69
2 Daniel, David 59
3 Jayden, Jordan 56
4 Ethan, Evan 50
5 Taylor, Tyler 43
6 Gabriella, Isabella 42
Interesting stuff. The problem I have with most of the the stories is that it doesn't tell you the change in the nature of naming children.
For instance, below are percentages of boys, girls born with these names:
1880
1 John 8.1541%, Mary 7.2381%
2 William 8.0511%, Anna 2.6678%
3 James 5.0057%, Emma 2.0521%
4 Charles 4.5167%, Elizabeth 1.9865%
5 George 4.3292%, Minnie 1.7888%
6 Frank 2.7380%, Margaret 1.6167%
7 Joseph 2.2229%, Ida 1.5081%
8 Thomas 2.1401%, Alice 1.4487%
9 Henry 2.0641%, Bertha 1.3523%
10 Robert 2.0404%, Sarah 1.3196%
1930
1 Robert 5.5021%, Mary 5.4969%
2 James 4.7781%, Betty 3.2794%
3 John 4.6417%, Dorothy 2.6064%
4 William 4.1855%, Helen 1.7076%
5 Richard 2.8491%, Margaret 1.5743%
6 Charles 2.8197%, Barbara 1.5683%
7 Donald 2.5723%, Patricia 1.3507%
8 George 2.0155%, Joan 1.3280%
9 Joseph 1.8579%, Doris 1.3250%
10 Edward 1.5346%, Ruth 1.2804%
1980
1 Michael 3.7039%, Jennifer 3.2811%
2 Christopher 2.6531%, Amanda 2.0132%
3 Jason 2.5994%, Jessica 1.9064%
4 David 2.2600%, Melissa 1.7776%
5 James 2.1205%, Sarah 1.4464%
6 Matthew 2.0417%, Heather 1.1223%
7 Joshua 1.9454%, Nicole 1.1189%
8 John 1.9018%, Amy 1.1148%
9 Robert 1.8475%, Elizabeth 1.0972%
10 Joseph 1.6285%, Michelle 1.0743%
2008
1 Jacob 1.0355%, Emma 0.9043%
2 Michael 0.9437%. Isabella 0.8941%
3 Ethan 0.9301%, Emily 0.8377%
4 Joshua 0.8799%, Madison 0.8199%
5 Daniel 0.8702%, Ava 0.8198%
6 Alexander 0.8566%, Olivia 0.8196%
7 Anthony 0.8442%, Sophia 0.7729%
8 William 0.8438%, Abigail 0.7250%
9 Christopher 0.8268%, Elizabeth 0.5748%
10 Matthew 0.8061%, Chloe 0.5692%
In 1880, two boy names were used by almost one-sixth of the population, while Mary was nearly thrice as popular as the next most popular girl's name. By 2008, the #1 names was considerably less dominant than the #10 names in 1980.
I decided to pick out some boys' and girls' names not entirely at random to note their trends.
Male
Roger
1880-349
1930-57
1980-134
2008-463
highest year-22 in 1945 (unsurprisingly)
Darrin
not in top 1000 until 1959
1980-505
not in top 1000 since 2004
highest year-102 in 1965
Gordon
1880-233
1930-77
1980-345
2008-946
highest year-70 in 1935
Rex
1880-519
1930-233
1980-488
2008-799
not in top 1000 in 1999-2002
highest year-171 in 1951
Arthur
1880-14
1930-23
1980-147
2008-363
highest year-14 in 1880-1884, 1886-1899, 1901
Norman
1880-133
1930-40
1980-286
not in top 1000 since 2005
highest year-36 in 1931
Leslie
1880-167
1930-139
1980-354
not in top 1000 since 1997
highest year-81 in 1895
Female
Carol
1880-685
1930-54
1980-232
not in top 1000 in 1883
not in top 1000 since 2006
highest year-4 in 1941
Lydia
1880-77
1930-233
1980-287
2008-120
highest year-75 in 1883
Gertrude
1880-25
1930-96
not in top 1000 since 1965
highest year-22 in 1906
Marcia
1880-614
1930-231
1980-414
not in top 1000 in 1992
not in top 1000 since 1994
highest year-74 in 1951
Gladys
1880-370
1930-48
1980-628
not in top 1000 in 1998
not in top 1000 since 1999
highest year-11 in 1901
Karen
1880-not in top 1000 until 1881
1930-687
1980-54
2008-183
not in top 1000 in 1882-1884, 1888, 1891, 1895-1905, 1907-1911, 1913-1917, 1919-1923, 1925, 1925, 1927
highest year-3 in 1965
Leslie
1880-655
1930-601
1980-61
2008-147
highest year-56 in 1981
Note that the specific spelling matters. For instance, on the boys' side in 2008, Arthur is #363, but, separately, Arturo is #352. Similarly, on the girls' 2008 list, Leslie is #147 and Lesly, #447; Lesley fell off the chart in 2008.
Having spent all this time on FIRST names, you may want to check out this database which allows you to search a last name and see how it ranks nationally, with racial demographic breakdowns (provided by U.S. Census Bureau).
Finally, I'm in the mood for a little Shirley Ellis:
Just don't try Chuck.
There's much more at Social Security's Popular Baby Names site such as the names of twins born in 2008, by rank:
1 Jacob, Joshua 69
2 Daniel, David 59
3 Jayden, Jordan 56
4 Ethan, Evan 50
5 Taylor, Tyler 43
6 Gabriella, Isabella 42
Interesting stuff. The problem I have with most of the the stories is that it doesn't tell you the change in the nature of naming children.
For instance, below are percentages of boys, girls born with these names:
1880
1 John 8.1541%, Mary 7.2381%
2 William 8.0511%, Anna 2.6678%
3 James 5.0057%, Emma 2.0521%
4 Charles 4.5167%, Elizabeth 1.9865%
5 George 4.3292%, Minnie 1.7888%
6 Frank 2.7380%, Margaret 1.6167%
7 Joseph 2.2229%, Ida 1.5081%
8 Thomas 2.1401%, Alice 1.4487%
9 Henry 2.0641%, Bertha 1.3523%
10 Robert 2.0404%, Sarah 1.3196%
1930
1 Robert 5.5021%, Mary 5.4969%
2 James 4.7781%, Betty 3.2794%
3 John 4.6417%, Dorothy 2.6064%
4 William 4.1855%, Helen 1.7076%
5 Richard 2.8491%, Margaret 1.5743%
6 Charles 2.8197%, Barbara 1.5683%
7 Donald 2.5723%, Patricia 1.3507%
8 George 2.0155%, Joan 1.3280%
9 Joseph 1.8579%, Doris 1.3250%
10 Edward 1.5346%, Ruth 1.2804%
1980
1 Michael 3.7039%, Jennifer 3.2811%
2 Christopher 2.6531%, Amanda 2.0132%
3 Jason 2.5994%, Jessica 1.9064%
4 David 2.2600%, Melissa 1.7776%
5 James 2.1205%, Sarah 1.4464%
6 Matthew 2.0417%, Heather 1.1223%
7 Joshua 1.9454%, Nicole 1.1189%
8 John 1.9018%, Amy 1.1148%
9 Robert 1.8475%, Elizabeth 1.0972%
10 Joseph 1.6285%, Michelle 1.0743%
2008
1 Jacob 1.0355%, Emma 0.9043%
2 Michael 0.9437%. Isabella 0.8941%
3 Ethan 0.9301%, Emily 0.8377%
4 Joshua 0.8799%, Madison 0.8199%
5 Daniel 0.8702%, Ava 0.8198%
6 Alexander 0.8566%, Olivia 0.8196%
7 Anthony 0.8442%, Sophia 0.7729%
8 William 0.8438%, Abigail 0.7250%
9 Christopher 0.8268%, Elizabeth 0.5748%
10 Matthew 0.8061%, Chloe 0.5692%
In 1880, two boy names were used by almost one-sixth of the population, while Mary was nearly thrice as popular as the next most popular girl's name. By 2008, the #1 names was considerably less dominant than the #10 names in 1980.
I decided to pick out some boys' and girls' names not entirely at random to note their trends.
Male
Roger
1880-349
1930-57
1980-134
2008-463
highest year-22 in 1945 (unsurprisingly)
Darrin
not in top 1000 until 1959
1980-505
not in top 1000 since 2004
highest year-102 in 1965
Gordon
1880-233
1930-77
1980-345
2008-946
highest year-70 in 1935
Rex
1880-519
1930-233
1980-488
2008-799
not in top 1000 in 1999-2002
highest year-171 in 1951
Arthur
1880-14
1930-23
1980-147
2008-363
highest year-14 in 1880-1884, 1886-1899, 1901
Norman
1880-133
1930-40
1980-286
not in top 1000 since 2005
highest year-36 in 1931
Leslie
1880-167
1930-139
1980-354
not in top 1000 since 1997
highest year-81 in 1895
Female
Carol
1880-685
1930-54
1980-232
not in top 1000 in 1883
not in top 1000 since 2006
highest year-4 in 1941
Lydia
1880-77
1930-233
1980-287
2008-120
highest year-75 in 1883
Gertrude
1880-25
1930-96
not in top 1000 since 1965
highest year-22 in 1906
Marcia
1880-614
1930-231
1980-414
not in top 1000 in 1992
not in top 1000 since 1994
highest year-74 in 1951
Gladys
1880-370
1930-48
1980-628
not in top 1000 in 1998
not in top 1000 since 1999
highest year-11 in 1901
Karen
1880-not in top 1000 until 1881
1930-687
1980-54
2008-183
not in top 1000 in 1882-1884, 1888, 1891, 1895-1905, 1907-1911, 1913-1917, 1919-1923, 1925, 1925, 1927
highest year-3 in 1965
Leslie
1880-655
1930-601
1980-61
2008-147
highest year-56 in 1981
Note that the specific spelling matters. For instance, on the boys' side in 2008, Arthur is #363, but, separately, Arturo is #352. Similarly, on the girls' 2008 list, Leslie is #147 and Lesly, #447; Lesley fell off the chart in 2008.
Having spent all this time on FIRST names, you may want to check out this database which allows you to search a last name and see how it ranks nationally, with racial demographic breakdowns (provided by U.S. Census Bureau).
Finally, I'm in the mood for a little Shirley Ellis:
Just don't try Chuck.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Economics and Statistics Administration
The Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) is the bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce where economic and social changes are chronicled, understood, and explained.
ESA provides broad and targeted economic data, analyses and forecasts for use by Government agencies, businesses and others, as well as develops domestic and international economic policy.
Many important political and business decisions are based upon the economic and demographic information produced by ESA and its components: the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. Census Bureau, and STAT-USA.
ESA provides broad and targeted economic data, analyses and forecasts for use by Government agencies, businesses and others, as well as develops domestic and international economic policy.
Many important political and business decisions are based upon the economic and demographic information produced by ESA and its components: the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. Census Bureau, and STAT-USA.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Kids Count Data Center
Want to find out how kids are faring in your county or school district? The newly redesigned KIDS COUNT Data Center features local data in addition to hundreds of indicators of child well-being for cities, states, and the nation as a whole. Create your own maps, graphs, or charts, and use them in presentations or post them on your own website or blog.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Tech Valley Trends – A Basis for Civic Change
Rocky Ferraro, Executive Director, Capital District Regional Planning Commission, notes that the report Tech Valley Trends – A Basis for Civic Change is now posted on the CDRPC site.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Number of Muslims in America
Nation Master: US ranked 34th w 6 million
Wikipedia: US ranked 52nd w 2.35 million
If Nation Master's number is correct, it's rather significant. A larger number than Libya, Jordan, Israel, or Kuwait.
Wikipedia: US ranked 52nd w 2.35 million
If Nation Master's number is correct, it's rather significant. A larger number than Libya, Jordan, Israel, or Kuwait.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
2005 New York State Corporate Tax Statistical Report
The Corporate Tax Statistical Report is intended to provide a summary of corporate tax data to aid interested parties in their analysis of New York's corporate tax structure. Tables in this report present tax statistics for Article 9-A (the franchise tax on business corporations), Article 9 (the corporation and utilities tax), Article 32 (the franchise tax on banking corporations), and Article 33 (the franchise tax on insurance companies). The report focuses on the franchise taxes imposed under these articles to enable data users to more easily understand the
corporate franchise tax population and liability. By definition, it includes the excise taxes imposed under Article 9, Sections 186-a and 186-e.
This edition of the Corporate Tax Statistical Report provides detailed information for liability year 2005.
To download the entire publication and statistical tables, please visit here.
corporate franchise tax population and liability. By definition, it includes the excise taxes imposed under Article 9, Sections 186-a and 186-e.
This edition of the Corporate Tax Statistical Report provides detailed information for liability year 2005.
To download the entire publication and statistical tables, please visit here.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Lottery Scam Warning
Everyone wants to be a winner, but lottery scams can fool some people. In order not to be taken in by the illusion of monetary gain, the New York State Consumer Protection Board and the New York State Lottery have produced a Public Service announcement of tips in English and Spanish featuring Yolanda Vega here.
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The bar/bat mitzvah question
Someone asking about 13-year-old Jewish children got this as a partial answer:
The problem with getting demographics is that there is no agreement on them. The Census, for instance, is prohibited from asking religion questions. I have reports indicating they’re declining precipitously and others with a small increase.
ARIS indicates that the adult Jewish population has declined from 3,137,000 (1.8%) in 1990 to 2,680,000 (1.2%) in 2008. They note that definition is practicing Jews, not “ethnically” Jewish. In 2008, 49% of Jews were male, 51% female. 21% are 18-29, 28% are 30-49, 33% are 50-69 and 18% are over 70.
Conversely, Pew Research shows 1.7% of adult Americans are Jewish; Reform 0.7%, Conservative 0.5%, Orthodox- <0.3%; rest are "other" or not specified. The AJIS study from 2001 suggests that there were roughly 2.5 million Jewish children.
From ARDA: Judaism by county (2000) and by metro area (2000). For 2005, it estimates a total of 5.7 million Jews in the US, 1.7% of the total population.
By comparision, here's the world Jewish population by country.
Having found bar mitzvah website, I was frankly happy to find this relevant quote here: "I doubt very much there are any statistics on the number of Bar/Bat Mitzvahs are in the US. Each synagogue has their own set-up and there is no central database I know of even for the main denominations… What you'd need is a census of Jews turning 13 in any given year - and that is not really available anywhere you could rely on. Some portion of THAT number would have a bar/bat mitzvah ceremony."
Lists:
Jewish magazines
Jewish newspapers
Jewish newspapers
Jewish organizations
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The problem with getting demographics is that there is no agreement on them. The Census, for instance, is prohibited from asking religion questions. I have reports indicating they’re declining precipitously and others with a small increase.
ARIS indicates that the adult Jewish population has declined from 3,137,000 (1.8%) in 1990 to 2,680,000 (1.2%) in 2008. They note that definition is practicing Jews, not “ethnically” Jewish. In 2008, 49% of Jews were male, 51% female. 21% are 18-29, 28% are 30-49, 33% are 50-69 and 18% are over 70.
Conversely, Pew Research shows 1.7% of adult Americans are Jewish; Reform 0.7%, Conservative 0.5%, Orthodox- <0.3%; rest are "other" or not specified. The AJIS study from 2001 suggests that there were roughly 2.5 million Jewish children.
From ARDA: Judaism by county (2000) and by metro area (2000). For 2005, it estimates a total of 5.7 million Jews in the US, 1.7% of the total population.
By comparision, here's the world Jewish population by country.
Having found bar mitzvah website, I was frankly happy to find this relevant quote here: "I doubt very much there are any statistics on the number of Bar/Bat Mitzvahs are in the US. Each synagogue has their own set-up and there is no central database I know of even for the main denominations… What you'd need is a census of Jews turning 13 in any given year - and that is not really available anywhere you could rely on. Some portion of THAT number would have a bar/bat mitzvah ceremony."
Lists:
Jewish magazines
Jewish newspapers
Jewish newspapers
Jewish organizations
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Top 20 U.S. Counties by Annual Carbon Emissions
A new study by the Vulcan Project has calculated carbon emissions at the county level across the country. One "top" county is in New York State. Any guesses?
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