NYS Sales and Use Tax Rates by Jurisdiction, as of Dec 1, 2010

Effective December 1, 2010:
Publication 718 (11/10),New York State Sales and Use Tax Rates by Jurisdiction
Publication 718-F (11/10), Local Sales and Use Tax Rates on Qualified Motor Fuel, Diesel Motor Fuel, and B20 Biodiesel

The change from the previous list is for Chautauqua County.

OTC meds will need Rx for Health Flex Spending

I believe there are some really good aspects of the new health care bill. This is not one of them: Over-the-counter medications will require a prescription to buy them with flexible spending account funds next year under new health care reform regulations. "The health care reform law sharply restricts FSA reimbursements for OTC purchases such as nonprescription pain relievers, cold medicines, antacids and allergy medications." Insulin is specifically excluded from this ruling.

Specifically, "the IRS says OTC reimbursements require a prescription, which it defines as a 'written or electronic order for a medicine or drug that meets the legal requirements of a prescription in the state in which a medical expense is incurred and that is issued by an individual who is legally authorized to issue a prescription in that state,'" whatever THAT means.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: thanks to the Census Bureau.

The "event became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday."

We are thankful that FDR provided that extra shopping period. Otherwise, Thanksgiving would have been a week later in 2000, 2006 and 2007, and would be a week later in 2012, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2028, 2029...

Seriously, I am thankful for all sorts of good things.

First and last names- How Many of Me?

"There are 310,771,873 people in the United States of America. If everyone in the U.S. lined up single file, the line would stretch around the Earth almost 7 times. That's a lot of people.

"The U.S. Census Bureau statistics tell us that there are at least 151,671 different last names and 5,163 different first names in common use in the United States. Some names are more common than others.

"There are 44,935 people named John Smith in the United States. There are 977 people named James Bond, 103 people named Harry Potter , 438 people named George Bush, and 31 people named Emily Dickinson. However, Johnny Cash (33 people) songs aside there are, statistically speaking, very few boys named Sue."

HOW MANY OF ME?

•There are 500,343 people in the U.S. with the first name Roger.
•Statistically the 111th most popular first name.
•More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Roger are male.

•There are 476,335 people in the U.S. with the last name Green.
•Statistically the 37th most popular last name.

The numbers appear consistent with the 2000 Census and recent Social Security numbers.

As for Roger Green:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

The Changing American Family

Decades of demographic, economic and social change have transformed the structure and composition of the American family.

From the Newsmax coverage of the story: "About half of all adults in the U.S. are married, down from 72 percent in 1960, while four in 10 people consider marriage obsolete...As marriage has declined, cohabitation has become more widespread. Living with a partner has doubled since 1990, and 44 percent of adults say they have cohabited at some point, usually as a step toward marriage. Among respondents who were married, 93 percent said love was the most important reason to tie the knot. Marriage rates also were higher among those with greater education levels."

Who Needs Marriage? A Changing Institution. The TIME magazine cover story.

USA Counties - a quick reference for many commonly requested data items

USA Counties features over 6,800 data items for the United States, States and counties from a variety of sources. Files include data published for 2009 estimates and many items from the 2000 Census of Population and Housing, the 1990 census, the 1980 census and the 2002, 1997, 1992, 1987, 1982 and 1977 economic censuses.

Information in USA Counties is derived from the following general topics: age, agriculture, ancestry, banking, building permits, business patterns, crime, earnings, education, elections, employment, government, health, households, housing, income, labor force, manufactures, population, poverty, retail trade, social programs, veterans, vital statistics, water use, and wholesale trade.

Files contain a collection of data from the U. S. Census Bureau and other Federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Social Security Administration.

A Contractor's World

Click the image to enlarge

Source: Fixr Contractors Eg: Construction contractors in Atlanta, GA

Economic Indicator Search Tool

The Census Bureau has introduced a new, user-friendly Internet tool that takes all the guesswork out of finding, downloading and using data from economic indicators. For the first time, users can access data from multiple indicators in one place and all in the same format. This tool provides an easy way to create data tables in ASCII text or time series charts in your favorite spreadsheet format. Users can select an indicator and choose data by item, time period and other dimensions using drop-down menus. Of the Census Bureau's 12 economic indicators, four are operational in the new tool now — international trade, manufactures' shipments, monthly wholesale trade and quarterly services; the remainder are expected to be available in this database throughout the course of 2011. See also a blog on this tool.

New Census Data: Revolutionizing How We Understand Our Communities

by Lindsay Carille, Dutchess County Senior Planner

While [the decennial Census] is important, until the 2010 Census data is released in early 2011 it is not really newsworthy...

American Community Survey (ACS)
The Census Bureau has long recognized the need for more current data than the once-a-decade collection. People using the data for important funding and planning decisions were, by necessity, using data that was at some points up to ten years out-of-date. The Census Bureau has found a solution to the problem of out-of-date socioeconomic information with the American Community Survey (ACS).

Phased in over the last 10 years, the ACS has replaced the “long form” and is now the source for socioeconomic information. The ACS is a survey designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing, every year instead of every ten years.

Much more info HERE.

Have Consumers Become More Frugal?

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit for the third quarter of 2010, which shows that consumer debt continues its downward trend of the previous seven quarters, though the pace of decline has slowed recently. Since its peak in the third quarter of 2008, nearly $1 trillion has been shaved from outstanding consumer debts.

Additionally, this quarter’s supplemental report addresses for the first time the question of how this decline has been achieved and notes a sharp reversal in household cash flow from debt, indicating a decrease in available funds for consumption.

More HERE.


Quoting the American Consumers Newsletter: At the household level, the Consumer Expenditure Survey shows the same pattern. Household spending peaked in 2006 at $51,688. In 2008, the average household spent $50,486, or $1,200 less after adjusting for inflation. On many categories of products and services, the average household reversed the direction of its spending in the 2006-08 time period compared with the 2000-06 time period. Here are the 10 most telling U-turns in consumer spending:

1. RESTAURANTS: +8 percent to -6 percent. Americans are spending more on groceries.
2. MORTGAGE INTEREST: +21 percent to -5 percent. No age group has been hit as hard as 35-to-44-year-olds.
3. STATIONERY AND GIFT WRAP: +15 percent to -11 percent. Is there anything more discretionary than gift wrap?
4. DAY CARE: +16 percent to -8 percent. As the unemployment rate climbed, spending on day care fell.
5. FURNITURE: +1 percent to -22 percent. Houses were selling furiously during the housing boom, but spending on furniture was surprisingly lackluster.
6. HOUSEHOLD TEXTILES: +24 percent to -23 percent Towels, sheets, blankets, curtains.
7. BABY CLOTHES: 0 percent to -9 percent. When the recession set in, the number of births began to fall, and so did spending on baby clothes.
8. DRUGS: +6 percent to -12 percent. Behind the decline is the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, which went into effect in 2006.
9. ADMISSIONS TO ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS: +1 percent to -5 percent During the downturn, households continued to spend on high-definition television sets. But they cut back on other entertainment categories.
10. CASH CONTRIBUTIONS: +34 percent to -13 percent. Donations to charities are plummeting, says the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

American consumers spent $330 billion a year in borrowed dollars between 2000 and 2007, according to the Fed study. Now those dollars--and many of the businesses they built--are gone for good.

Taxable Sales and Purchases

Sales Tax: Taxable Sales and Purchases - County and Industry Data for March 2008 - February 2009

Article 29 of the Tax Law authorizes counties, cities and some school districts to impose a local sales tax as a complement to the statewide tax. This report presents statistical information on taxable sales and purchases subject to the county or the New York City (NYC) sales tax.
Taxable sales include nearly all retail sales of tangible personal property and certain services. Taxable purchases represent the value of tangible personal property or services purchased for use in business operations (which would otherwise be subject to tax) on which no sales tax was previously paid.

Ruling On New York State's So-Called "Amazon Law"

In litigation of national significance, a recent State appellate court ruling upheld New York law requiring Internet retailers to collect sales tax on sales to New York customers, in litigation of national significance.

To view the entire document please visit HERE.

Men and Women Wait Longer to Marry

The median age at first marriage increased to 28.2 for men and 26.1 for women in 2010, an increase from 26.8 and 25.1 in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This increase is a continuation of a long-term trend that has been noted since the mid-1950s. In addition, the overall percentage of adults who were married declined to 54.1 percent in 2010 from 57.3 percent in 2000.

According to America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2010, the average household size declined to 2.59 in 2010, from 2.62 people in 2000. This is partly because of the increase in one-person households, which rose from 25 percent in 2000 to 27 percent in 2010, more than double the percentage in 1960 (13 percent).

More HERE.

Teacher and School Employee Salaries

A searchable online database including salaries of 402,896 public school employees, outside of New York City, was updated this month at www.SeeThroughNY.net, the transparency website sponsored by the Empire Center for New York State Policy. (New York City school salaries were updated on SeeThroughNY as part of the city payroll in July.)

The newly updated database includes data for professional employees, such as teachers and administrators, and for non-professional employees, such as custodians, bus driver, aides and secretaries.

The full text of this press release is available here.

New York State Projection Data by County

In 2008 Cornell's Program on Applied Demographics redesigned its projection methods and produced population projections by county and by age and sex. The main differences from the earlier methodology and numbers are a 2005 base population instead of 2000, and the way populations in Group Quarters are handled.

Since 2008 the numbers were revised to accommodate new insights, such as new Census Bureau estimates. The results found on this web page were produced on April 2, 2009.

The projections are in 5 year intervals, in 5 year age groups, and project to 2035. The projections are based upon rates of change estimated from historic data. This means that the projections reflect what would happen if the rates of population growth and decline stay as they were. The projections are not meant to be forecasts; forecasts are predictions of future conditions while these projections are meant to gain insight into what might happen if the future looks like the past.

A methodology description and an Excel sheet with the assumptions can be downloaded from the download section.

Annual Statistical Report of NYS Tax Collections

2009-2010 Annual Statistical Report of New York State Tax Collections - Statistical Summaries and Historical Tables.

This publication contains a series of statistical tabulations detailing taxes administered by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The information presented includes revenues and selected tax structure and consumption information for the State's major taxes. It also presents data for some locally imposed taxes.

This edition presents information for New York State Fiscal Year 2009-2010 (SFY 2009-2010) and some historical statistics. New York State's fiscal year is April 1 - March 31.

Monthly tax collection information is also available HERE.

New York state warns of drowsy driving

By TIM O'BRIEN, Times Union Staff Writer

ALBANY -- It's been a long drive, and you're almost home. You grab a cup of coffee to keep going, roll down the window to let the cold air blast you in the face, and crank up the radio. Still, you can't seem to stop yawning. Your eyes fight to stay open. The last thing you remember is seeing your car start to drift.

Every year, 1,000 car crashes in New York state are caused by drowsy drivers. Another 3,000 accidents involve drivers who fell asleep at the wheel, said state Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner David J. Swarts.

According the Swarts, all the aforementioned tactics tired drivers try to use to make themselves more alert are "not effective."

"The best thing to do is pull over someplace safe and take a nap," he said...

Veterans Day - Data from the Census Bureau

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars. The day honors living military veterans with parades and speeches across the nation. A national ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

New web site for Cornell Program on Applied Demographics

The last couple of months, the Cornell Program on Applied Demographics
has been working hard to completely overhaul its web site. This overhaul is related to limitations we had on the old site to present data. That limitation is now lifted.

Last month the new web site went live. The URL for the new homepage is http://pad.human.cornell.edu/index.cfm, and the link on the sidebar of this blog has been updated.

The whole structure of the new site is different from the old web site, so old bookmarks and links do not work anymore and need to be updated.

At the moment the site presents data from different sources on the County and School district level.

Fertility of American Women: 2008

Census Bureau Reports Nearly 1 in 3 Unmarried Women Who Give Birth Cohabit

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that among the 1.5 million unmarried women who gave birth during the period between June 2007 and June 2008, about 425,000, or 28 percent, were living with a cohabitating partner. These unmarried mothers included those who were separated and those married with an absent spouse.

These findings are contained in Fertility of American Women: 2008, which reports that 4 million women age 15 to 44 gave birth during that time.

"The report shows that many unmarried new moms are not raising their child alone."

The Census in Schools Educator Update

Read the November Issue of The Census in Schools Educator Update; the following topics are included in the issue:
* 2010 Apportionment Data
* American Community Survey Data
* Lessons Plans for World Statistics Day

The Census in Schools Educator Update keeps educators informed about current and upcoming census data and provides ideas about how to use data in the classroom.

Can the Census Go Digital?

Science 15 October 2010: Vol. 330. no. 6002, pp. 310 - 312
by Sam Kean

The 2010 census will cost U.S. taxpayers $13 billion, making it the most expensive census in the world and prompting policymakers to ask if there are cheaper and better ways for the Census Bureau to do its job. For instance, why not tap into the vast amount of digital data on U.S. residents already being collected by various state and federal agencies and sitting in computers? But using digital data is not as straightforward as it would appear, and the Census Bureau must be very careful if it decides to rely on it in the future. For starters, a census can't err on the side of counting someone multiple times when the same person's name appears in different databases. Data from government agencies also contain more mistakes about individual characteristics—age, race, sex, and so on—than a census can tolerate. In addition, few databases come close to delivering the universal coverage the decennial census demands. What's more, there are no obvious technical fixes to these problems, in part because of the dearth of research on the topic.

[Complete article available, for a fee, HERE.]

2009 ACS 1-year PUMS Files Now Available

The U.S Census Bureau is pleased to announce the release of the 2009 ACS 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) files today. The PUMS files are individual-level datasets that ACS data users can download and analyze on their own computers.

American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month

Facts for Features: American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month: Nov. 2010

The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state, getting endorsements from 24 state governments, to have a day to honor American Indians. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994.

Health-cost sharing could be step to balanced NY budget

Requiring local-government and school-district employees to pay part of the cost of their health insurance coverage could save New York taxpayers more than $1 billion a year without diminishing essential services, according to a new Rockefeller Institute report. The paper is one in a series prepared as part of Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch’s initiative to develop proposals that would lead New York State to structural budgetary balance.
“This idea would help localities manage through the inevitable cuts in state aid that can be expected in the coming years without compromising the quality of public services,” Ravitch said. “It is the kind of action that New York needs in order to avoid a destructive spiral of long-term economic decline.”
To read the report by Institute Senior Fellow Carol O’Cleireacain, visit the Institute Web site.

Community eligibility for grant programs

Someone asked me about income levels for certain grant programs:

The FFIEC, under contractual agreement with Tele Atlas, requires that you enter a street address along with either a city and state OR a zip code. It will provide demographic info for the area.

New York City has a Community Development Block Grant Eligibility Report

Economic and trade sanctions

The Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") of the US Department of the Treasury administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States. OFAC acts under Presidential national emergency powers, as well as authority granted by specific legislation, to impose controls on transactions and freeze assets under US jurisdiction.

Lengthy PDF list of blocked persons.

Stats on online businesses

From the Census, of course:

2008 E-commerce Multi-Sector Report Tables

Final Report

TSA's Secure Flight

Turning the calendar to November 1 means that airline passengers are now "required to provide complete Secure Flight passenger data when booking reservations so [the Transportation Security Administration or] TSA can conduct watch list matching and approve airlines to issue a boarding pass. To avoid unnecessary delays and prevent misidentifications, passengers should provide complete Secure Flight data - their name, date of birth, and gender as it appears on a recognized government ID - when booking airline travel, whether they have booked directly with the airline, a travel agent or an online booking site.

More HERE.

Where Do You Vote?

Here's a national search engine as to where you vote, providing even the hours the polls are open.

Here's a New York State lookup. "To use this page, you must be a registered voter in the New York State." You also need the date of birth of the voter. The upside is that it provides voter district information, such as one's Election District, County Legislative District, State Senate District, State Assembly District, Congressional District, Town or City, and Ward. It also provides the party affiliation, in case you've forgotten.

Qualified Census Tracts and Difficult Development Areas

"The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) supports the Department's efforts to help create cohesive, economically healthy communities.

"PD&R is responsible for maintaining current information on housing needs, market conditions, and existing programs, as well as conducting research on priority housing and community development issues. The Office provides reliable and objective data and analysis to help inform policy decisions. PD&R is committed to involving a greater diversity of perspectives, methods, and researchers in HUD research."

And that's where I found Qualified Census Tracts and Difficult Development Areas and other low-income data regarding housing, which can be applied to other uses.

Climate change: How do we know?

From NASA:

Earth has warmed since 1880. Most of this warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years. Even though the 2000s witnessed a solar output decline resulting in an unusually deep solar minimum in 2007-2009, surface temperatures continue to increase.

2010 Corruption Perceptions Index

Transparency International(TI) defines corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. This definition encompasses corrupt practices in both the public and private sectors. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks countries according to the perception of corruption in the public sector. The CPI is an aggregate indicator that combines different sources of information about corruption, making it possible to compare countries.

The 2010 CPI draws on different assessments and business opinion surveys carried out by independent and reputable institutions. It captures information about the administrative and political aspects of corruption. Broadly speaking, the surveys and assessments used to compile the index include questions relating to bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, embezzlement of public funds, and questions that probe the strength and effectiveness of public sector anti-corruption efforts.

For a country or territory to be included in the index a minimum of three of the sources that TI uses must assess that country. Thus inclusion in the index depends solely on the availability of information.

Perceptions are used because corruption – whether frequency or amount – is to a great extent a hidden activity that is difficult to measure. Over time, perceptions have proved to be a reliable estimate of corruption. Measuring scandals, investigations or prosecutions, while offering ‘non-perception’ data, reflect less on the prevalence of corruption in a country and more on other factors, such as freedom of the press or the efficiency of the judicial system. TI considers it of critical importance to measure both corruption and integrity, and to do so in the public and private sectors at global, national and local levels. The CPI is therefore one of many TI measurement tools that serve the fight against corruption.

The United States ranked 22nd, 4th in the Americas.

Before they vote: Send Them a Postcard

Want to make sure your friends and family are informed about just who they're voting for in the upcoming midterms?

With an unprecedented amount of money flowing into this year's midterm elections, help your friends and family follow the money by sending a customized postcard or three right from this website - no stamps necessary - about the elections happening in their community.

Each postcard will show the industries and organizations that contribute the most to the candidate (or candidates) you choose. Make it personal by writing a note to tell your friend or family member about why you want them to see the money and influence this political season.

ACLU Report Calls On FCC To Protect Internet Openness

Protecting the Internet against content discrimination by broadband carriers is crucial to protecting First Amendment rights in the age of modern technology, the American Civil Liberties Union said in a new report on network neutrality. In the report, "Net Neutrality 101," the ACLU urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create strong policies that prevent Internet gatekeepers from exploiting their role for private gain. The report characterizes the need for "net neutrality" as a leading free speech issue of our time.

Election-Related Spending by Political Committees & Non-Profits Up 40% in 2010

Report Prepared for a Conference on the Impact of Citizens United
Jointly Sponsored by the Campaign Finance Institute and the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs

One part of the 2010 election spending story is based on publicly reportable activities. Non-party independent campaign spending in congressional elections is up by a very noticeable 73% in mid-October 2010, compared to the same time in 2008. In these reports, support for Republicans has nearly tripled from the mid-October level for 2008. There has already been more independent spending and electioneering in 2010 than in the full election cycle of 2008 – and this is before the traditionally heavy-spending final weeks of the campaign.

Top 10 Financial Blogs for College Students

Criminal Justice Degrees Guide recently published an article, Top 10 Financial Blogs for College Students that dovetails well with articles published recently here.

This was sent to me by a representative of the organization. Which reminds me: if you come across some interesting or intriguing or insane data that you think others might be interested in, please e-mail me. The contact info is at the bottom of the sidebar.

Male versus female pay

Payroll By Gender: Who Makes More Money

Who's bringing home the bacon?
In 1970, 4% of married women earned more than their husbands.
Today, it's 22%.

Which State Is Smartest?

For the second consecutive year, Vermont has earned the title of the nation’s Smartest State. This honor was announced today in Education State Rankings 2006-2007, a new reference book from Morgan Quitno Press, a Lawrence, Kansas-based independent research and publishing company. At the opposite end of the scale, Arizona repeated as the lowest ranking state in the fifth annual survey.

New York ranked 16th, down six slots from the last study. See all the results, as well as the methodology, HERE.

World Statistics Day

The United Nations General Assembly designated Oct. 20, 2010, as the first-ever World Statistics Day to highlight the role of official statistics and the many achievements of national statistical systems. Statistical organizations throughout the world will celebrate World Statistics Day at the national and regional level. The census, the U.S. Census Bureau and 13 other principal federal statistical agencies together have been collecting statistics about the nation's people, economy and society since 1790.

Here are some statistics, including statistics about statistics.

VIDEO: Statistics All Around Us on YouTube

World Statistics Day page

2009 American Community Survey Brief Series

The U.S Census Bureau is pleased to announce the release of twelve more reports from the American Community Survey (ACS) Brief series for 2009. These short reports cover a wide range of topics:

Public Transportation Usage among U.S. Workers: 2008 and 2009
Property Value: 2008 and 2009
Rental Housing Market Conditions Measures: 2009
Labor Force Participation Rate for Selected Age Groups: 2008 and 2009
Employment Status of Married-Couple Families by Presence of Own Children under 18 Years: 2008 and 2009
Public Assistance Receipt in the Past 12 Months for Households: 2008 and 2009
Science and Engineering Degrees: 2009
The Place of Birth of the Foreign-Born Population: 2009
Nativity Status and Citizenship in the United States: 2009
Year of Entry of the Foreign-Born Population: 2009
The Population with Haitian Ancestry in the United States: 2009
People Who Spoke a Language Other than English at Home by Hispanic Origin and Race: 2009

An initial set of seven reports was released on Sept. 28, 2010.

You can access all reports HERE.

U.S. finally enters top gender equality ranking

The United States rocketed from 31st place to 19th this year in a report that ranks gender equality the world over. This is the first time the U.S. has entered the Global Gender Gap Report's top 20, and this sudden progress mainly comes from economic participation and political empowerment (although, the empty bar graph for "Years with female head of state" is rather depressing). In terms of economic participation and opportunity, we rank sixth in the world. The two other areas considered by the report: educational attainment and health.

The real stars of the report, however, are the four Nordic countries dominating the list: Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

More HERE.
Global Gender Gap Report 2010 - Saadia Zahidi video (2:29).

New York State Archives and Library announce new Saturday hours

The New York State Library and New York State Archives will institute new Saturday hours beginning on October 16th. Saturday hours of operation at the two facilities, located on the 7th and 11th floor of the Cultural Education Center (CEC) at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, will be from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free public parking will be available in the Madison Avenue parking lots adjacent to the CEC. Directions and parking information is available on the New York State Museum website.

This new policy for expanded access does not affect the hours of the New York State Museum, which is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
However if a major holiday (e.g. July 4th, Memorial Day, Veterans Day) falls directly on a Saturday, the Library and Archives will not be open (checking their websites is advised for such holidays).

The New York State Library has served New Yorkers, New York State government and researchers from throughout the United States for more than 190 years. It is the largest state library in the nation and the only state library to qualify for membership in the Association of Research Libraries. The Library's research collection of more than 20 million items includes major holdings in law, medicine, the social sciences, education, American and New York State history and culture, the pure sciences and technology.

The New York State Archives identifies, preserves, and makes available more than 200 million records of colonial and state government dating back to 1630 that have enduring value to the public and private institutions and to all the people of the Empire State and the nation.

Handbook of New York State and Local Taxes: October 2010

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.

Transportation fatalities dropped, pipeline & marine deaths rose in 2009

Source: National Transportation Safety Board

Transportation fatalities in the United States decreased by 9.2 percent in 2009 from 2008, according to preliminary figures released today by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The data indicate that transportation fatalities in all modes totaled 35,928 in 2009, compared to 39,569 in 2008. Although highway, rail, aviation, deaths declined, pipeline and marine fatalities showed an increase.
...
Pipeline fatalities increased by six (8 to 14), with an increase in both categories - gas pipelines and liquid pipeline operations.

Marine deaths increased from 783 to 817, with the vast majority occurring in recreational boating (736). Other marine categories, including cargo transport and commercial fishing, showed increases as well, although commercial passenger vessels showed a slight decrease.

Highway fatalities, which account for nearly 95% of all transportation deaths, decreased from 37,423 in 2008 to 33,808 in 2009. In fact, highway fatalities decreased in all categories including motorcycle fatalities (down 16 percent) which had been on the rise in recent years.

Aviation deaths decreased from 574 to 538. Nearly 90% of aviation fatalities occurred in general aviation accidents (471), but they still represented a decrease from the previous year (494).

Rail fatalities decreased 4% from 781 to 751. The vast majority of these fatalities were persons struck by a rail vehicle.

More HERE.

GSA Per Diem Rates

From Hill Library.org

If you’re wondering how much your next vacation or business trip might cost you – or you want to compare possible domestic locales by cost – have a look at the U.S. General Services Administration’s Per Diem Rates website.

The site was designed to show Federal employees the limits they have on spending each day for lodging, meals, and other incidental costs (local transportation, etc.). Typically the rates given reflect mid-range prices, not luxury or budget options.

While not designed for the non-Federal business traveler -- nor for the holiday traveler -- the figures on the site can at least be a start in setting a sample budget. Note that the rates given often vary by season, reflecting high-season and off-season price variations in certain locales (think Martha’s Vineyard, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains). Thanks to the Los Angeles Times for the tip!

Business quotes

Every month, Forbes magazine has a page of quotes at the back of the magazine - "Thoughts and Quotes on the Business of Life". Here's the link to the online database.

HRVH Historical Newspapers website launch

The Southeastern NY Library Resources Council is pleased to announce the launch of a new website, http://news.hrvh.org/ HRVH Historical Newspapers , part of the Hudson River Valley Heritage (HRVH) service. The Kingston Daily Freeman is the first newspaper to be included in this new digital newspaper repository and was completely digitized for the years 1903 to 1912. The entire contents of the newspaper issues can be searched by word and browsed by date. Complete issues of the newspaper can be viewed by full page or individual articles can be highlighted and viewed. This collection will be invaluable to historians, family researchers, teachers and students.

HRVH Historical Newspapers is the product of a two year demonstration project supported in part by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. Using this grant and other New York State funds, SENYLRC created images and digitized 2,974 issues and 26,341 pages of The Kingston Daily Freeman from microfilm and print issues of the newspaper. The Kingston Library supplied copies of the microfilm and the City of Kingston Historian provided 106 year old print copies of the newspaper for this project.

HRVH Historical Newspapers is freely available for public use. The goal is to have the newspaper site linked from as many library websites and portals as possible so that people know that this resource is available for them to use for their research.
The vision for HRVH Historical Newspapers is to provide access to digitized copies of historical newspapers from the Hudson River Valley region of New York State. New titles added to HRVH Historical Newspapers will be based on a number of factors, such as regional significance, the availability of paper issues or master negative microfilm copies of the newspaper, and available funds.

Feel free to share this information.

Prison Mortality

Although access to this research (which appeared in the August 2010 issue of Demography) is restricted, the astounding results published in the article, "Incarcerating Death: Mortality in U.S. State Correctional Facilities, 1985-1998," are worthy of attention. In the article, Vanderbilt University sociologist Evelyn J. Patterson compares the mortality rate of men in state correctional facilities with the rate of men who are not in prison. She discovers that imprisoned black men have a lower mortality rate than black men who are not in prison. After controlling for firearm and motor vehicle deaths, the mortality rate for imprisoned black men is still lower. The reason, suggests Patterson, is that imprisoned black men have greater access to basic health care than their counterparts outside prison walls.

Small Nonprofits in Danger of Losing Their Tax-Exempt Status

From Guidestar:

"Time is running out for small nonprofits facing loss of tax-exempt status because they have not filed Form 990-N or Form 990-EZ for three consecutive years. The deadline for the IRS's one-time filing relief program is October 15, 2010. After that, nonprofits that (1) are required to file a 990 and (2) whose filings are at least three years in arrears will automatically lose their exemptions. To regain tax-exempt status, they will have to apply to the IRS all over again, a process that can take several months and requires payment of fees."

Every county in the US

For $4, one can purchase an MS EXCEL Spreadsheet that lists every county in the United States (3,136 of them) followed by all cities and towns (25,097 of them). Both lists are alphabetical by State and county/city within each State. Each listing includes the population from the 2000 census. (The current population of each can be found on the Census Bureau's web site.)

Launch of New York First (Gov. David Paterson)

My Fellow New Yorker:
I am proud to announce the launch of New York First (http://www.nyfirst.ny.gov/), an innovative business website geared toward the needs of companies within New York State and those who are considering relocating here. Until now, anyone looking for information on the State’s economic development programs would have to contact every agency in the State. With New York First, the full scope of what our State offers its entrepreneurs and potential corporate partners can now be found at one centralized, easy-to-navigate website.
New York First brings new clarity, efficiency, and transparency to the State’s economic development efforts. This new site also offers an “Experts on Demand” guarantee. Any email or phone call will receive a response from Empire State Development staff within twenty-four business hours. I’m confident this site will act as a catalyst for long-term business growth, jobs, and prosperity in New York, building on my Administration’s larger efforts to make New York THE State for doing business. For more information about New York First, please enjoy an introductory video with an overview of the website and a demonstration on how to fully utilize it.

Degrees in business conferred

Degrees in business conferred by degree-granting institutions, by level of degree and sex of student: 1955–56 through 2006–07

Immigration Statistics

New Releases

Characteristics of Persons Naturalizing in the United States Between 1980 and 2008, September 2010 (PDF 2 pages, 218 KB) This Fact Sheet provides information on the changes in social, demographic, and economic composition of new citizens during the 1980 to 2008 period.

2009 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, August 2010 (PDF 112 pages, 4.91 MB)
The Yearbook is a compendium of tables that provides data on foreign nationals who, during the specified fiscal year, were granted lawful permanent residence, were admitted into the United States on a temporary basis, applied for asylum or refugee status, or were naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration law enforcement actions.

Are You Better Off than Your Parents Were?

For Americans under the age of 55, the answer is no. It is not just the Great Recession that has set us back, either. Rather, the recession has unmasked the long-term decline in our standard of living. Yet most of us continue to assert that we are better off than our parents were at the same age. Even those of us with doubts are likely to blame our problems on the recession and assume any setbacks are temporary. How wrong we are.

Let's take a look at what has happened to our standard of living. To do that, we must dive deeply into the numbers--an effort that requires navigating the backwaters of the Census Bureau's voluminous online presence. It is tedious work, which is why you rarely see the revealing comparisons that you are about to read...

Also at the site:
Who Has High Incomes?

Media Industry: Broadcast/Entertainment

Media sources from the U Penn library. Not all will be available online to non-affiliated folks, but it is a good bibliography, and some links are accessible.

2010 Census Decennial Newsletter Issue 5 - New York Region

Please enjoy the latest (and final) edition of the wonderful 2010 Census Decennial Newsletter for the NY Region.

You can view and share it as a digital edition here.

Cities With the Highest Credit Scores in America

Do you live in a city with the highest credit scores in America? And if you do, does it matter when you go to get a loan?

Experian, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, released a new feature called LiveCreditSmart.com. (You can also get to it under the “Credit Education” button on the company’s main website.) The site lists the U.S. cities with the highest and lowest credit scores. The scores are based on the Vantage credit scoring model, which runs from about 500 to 990. Credit scores from 900 to 990 are top credit scores, or Grade A. Scores from 800 to 899 are Grade B. Credit scores from 700 to 799 are Grade C, and so on.

Not that many consumers are familiar with the Vantage credit scoring model. Most are more familiar with the credit score scale created by Fair Isaacs Corporation (called a FICO score), range from 300 to 850. According to Credit Karma, in August, 2010 the average American’s credit score was 667 on the FICO scale....

Cities With The Highest (Average) Credit Scores:

1.Minneapolis, MN – 787
2.Madison, WI – 785
3.Cedar Rapids, IA – 781
4.Green Bay, WI – 780
5.San Francisco, CA – 780

More HERE.

The cities listed in New York State (with average debt):
766 Rochester, $24,536
765 Albany, $23,945
762 New York City $24,478
757 Buffalo $23,331
755 Syracuse $23,217

I should note that the mapping associated with this product is TERRIBLE. While Albany is more or less correct, Syracuse shows up in the middle of the Adironacks, Rochester is up near where Watertown actually is located, and Oswego is much closer to where they placed Buffalo.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act : Stimulus in New York State

A quarterly report by Governor David A. Paterson's Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Cabinet was issued in August. "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Stimulus in New York State" provides an overview of projects, with charts and data, involving Job Training, Transportation, Clean Water, Housing, Energy, and Public Safety.

This report is available online HERE (pdf) and follows (chronologically if not bibliographically) reports from the New York State Inspector General's Stimulus Oversight Panel which are available HERE.

Study finds atheists know more about religion than believers

Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups on a new survey of religious knowledge, outperforming evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and Catholics on questions about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions.

On average, Americans correctly answer 16 of the 32 religious knowledge questions on the survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. Atheists and agnostics average 20.9 correct answers. Jews and Mormons do about as well, averaging 20.5 and 20.3 correct answers, respectively. Protestants as a whole average 16 correct answers; Catholics as a whole, 14.7. Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons perform better than other groups on the survey even after controlling for differing levels of education.

Salon magazine about the survey.
***
I don't want to brag - oh, of course I do. On the miniquiz:

Industrial College of the Armed Forces

The following student reports are based on fieldwork and core course studies that prepare graduates with analytic and historic perspectives on a variety of national resources and industry. Some 20 resource areas are the focus of inspection and provide a platform to think strategically about the needs of a nation. The reports are published annually. Copies may be downloaded from this website by clicking on the links in the industry study focus area.

The completed topics for 2010 include:
Agribusiness: All economic activity that supports farm production and the conversion of raw farm products to consumable goods.
Aircraft: All economic activity that supports the production of aircraft and subsidiary systems related to aircraft flight
Biotechnology: Activity that supports technological application using biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.
Education: Activity that supports the process and systems of learning distributed to the individuals and to the nation at large.
Electronics: All economic activity that supports the production of components and systems that have the ability to control electron flow.
Energy: All activity that supports the production,distribution and use of materials that provide a fuel source for mechanisms to do work.
Environment: Study of activities,perspectives and behaviors which impact global resources and populations.
Health Care: All activity that supports the provision of services that impact or improve the well being of a population.
Information Technology: All economic activity that supports the production, distribution and systems that guide or direct data to users or clients.
Manufacturing: Study of the systems, processes and mechanisms used to assemble complex goods for sale or distribution in various marketplaces.
Privatized Military OPS: Economic activities of the private sector that support battlefield operations or services that maintain war fighter readiness.
Reconstruction and Vital Infrastructure: Activity that supports the development or redevelopment of structures that support national integrity and pathways to provide for the various needs of the population.
Shipbuilding: All economic activity that supports the production of vehicles designed to be used at sea for warfighting and other use.
Space: Study of systems, concepts and strategies that are related to using the area outside the physical boundary of the planet.
Strategic Materials: All economic activity that supports the production and conversion of common and rare earth materials for use in goods.
Transportation: All economic activity and systems that support the movement of goods from one area to another.

Sales Tax - New online service

The Office of the Taxpayer Rights Advocate, an independent organization within the New York State Tax Department, is committed to helping New York State taxpayers by balancing taxpayer assistance against enforcement efforts.
This office:
-Provides free and independent assistance to taxpayers -Assists taxpayers whose tax problems are causing undue economic harm -Helps taxpayers who have been unable to resolve protracted tax problems through normal channels

If you need help, you are invited to use the new online service, Request for Assistance from the Office of the Taxpayer Rights Advocate.

Sales Tax Rates On Clothing, Footwear - Change on October 1, 2010

The exemption from New York State sales tax for clothing and footwear under $110 has been eliminated, for the period October 1, 2010, through March 31, 2011. Beginning October 1, 2010, clothing and footwear costing less than $110 will be subject to the 4% New York State sales and use tax and, if applicable, the ⅜% tax in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) downstate. Local sales tax rates are not affected. This means:

For jurisdictions that did not enact an exemption from the local sales tax, all sales of clothing and footwear are subject to the full state and local sales tax.

For jurisdictions that provided for this exemption, only the New York State tax (and MCTD tax, if applicable) will be charged. These counties: Broome, Chautauqua, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Hamilton, Madison, Schuyler, Tioga County, Wayne will charge only the 4% state sales tax. New York City businesses will charge 4⅜% (the combined state tax and MCTD rate).

NewYorkHeritage.org adds collections

New York Heritage Digital Collections has recently added twelve new collections to its cooperative site at newyorkheritage.org, including the Bowers Collection from the Broome County Historical Society, Historic Paintings Unwrapped from the History Center of Tompkins County, the Daughters of Charity Collection from the Lourdes Hospital, the Crandall Public Library Center for Folklife, History, and Cultural Programs Digital Collections, and the Digital Collections of Albany Law School.

NewYorkHeritage.org is a project of the NY 3Rs Association, which uses OCLC’s CONTENTdm Multisite Server to bring previously digitized collections together, allowing researchers to search across all items simultaneously. This project provides free, online access to images of cultural and historical significance in New York State.

Participants in New York Heritage Digital Collections are committed to enhancing the site by adding both content and contributing institutions on a regular basis. The goal of the project is to eventually connect one thousand collections and one million items from throughout New York State. All institutions interested in participating in the project are encouraged to complete this online form.

The New York 3Rs Association is a partnership among New York’s nine reference and research resource systems. The New York 3Rs was incorporated in 2003 to further the ability of those systems to provide statewide services. The members of the New York 3Rs Association are: the Capital District Library Council, Central New York Library Resources Council, Long Island Library Resources Council, Metropolitan New York Library Council, Northern New York Library Network, Rochester Regional Library Council, Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, South Central Regional Library Council, and Western New York Library Resources Council.

Who Are The Millenials?

An interesting infographic look at the Millennials, who and what they are demographically and socially. "Not surprisingly, we found that Millienials love technology."

Census Data Release Schedule 2010-2011

Based on various sources within the Census Bureau, the Latino Census Network has compiled the following schedule for data and statistical releases for 2010-2011 for the 2010 Census, the American Community Survey (ACS) and other Census programs.

Late September 2010
2009 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates for areas with a population of 65,000 or more.

Mid-December 2010
2005-9 5-years estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) for geographies down to the block group level.

December 2010
2010 demographic analysis estimates of national population by age, sex, and race (Black and nonblack). Not from the 2010 Census, but estimates based on historical data on births and deaths and estimates of immigration and emigration. This information is used, in part, to estimate the accuracy of the 2010 Census.

By December 31, 2010
The apportionment counts will be delivered to the President will be delivered to the President within nine months of Census Day (on or before December 31, 2010), as required by law. This report will show the apportionment population counts, by state, and the number of seats in the US House of Representatives apportioned to each state.

February-March 2011
2010 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) Summary File - redistricting data to the 50 states consisting of small-area data the states will need to redraw districts for the state legislature:
* State population counts for race and Hispanic or Latino categories
* State housing unit counts by occupancy status (occupied units, vacant units)
Media: Internet tables, DVD, download capability
Lowest level of geography: Blocks

April 2011
National Summary File of Redistricting Data:
* Population and housing unit counts for the United States, regions, divisions, and American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Areas
Media: Internet tables, download capability
Lowest level of geography: American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian areas

May 2011
Demographic Profile:
* Selected population and housing characteristics
* Includes Congressional Districts of the 111th Congress
Media: Internet quick tables, download capability
Lowest level of geography: Places/Functioning Minor Civil Divisions

June-August 2011
Summary File 1 (SF 1) for States:
* Population counts for 63 race categories and Hispanic or Latino down to block level.
* Population counts for many detailed race and Hispanic or Latino categories, and American Indian and Alaska Native tribes down to Census tracts.
* Selected population and housing characteristics down to blocks/Census tracts.

November 2011
Summary File 1 (SF 1) National Update:
* Counts for the United States, regions, divisions, and geographic areas that cross state lines such as American Indian Areas and Core-Based Statistical Areas.

December 2011-April 2012
Summary File 2 (SF 2):
* Population and housing characteristics iterated for many detailed race and Hispanic or Latino categories, and American Indian and Alaska Native tribes down to Census tracts.

Dates To Be Determined
Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Files
* Includes age, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino origin, household type and relationship, and tenure data with identifying information removed, down to PUMAs of 100,000+ population.
Media: DVD, download capability

Summer Productivity Info graphic

Now that Summer is almost officially gone, ever wonder how warm weather (yes we get SOME in New York) affects productivity. One group’s take on the impact of working during the summer. (Thanks, Dale.)

SeeThroughNY Posts 189 Updated School Labor Contracts

Updated school labor contracts for 77 teacher unions and 112 school superintendents were posted this week on www.SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center's government transparency web site.

The newest contracts are part of the most comprehensive public collection of school district labor contracts in New York. Contracts for the 733 school districts and BOCES districts were obtained under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).

The full text of this press release is available here.

Last month, the group posted 2009-10 NYS County, Municipal Payrolls, with the names and salaries of 186,223 people who worked for New York’s county, city, town and village governments.

Contact: Lise Bang-Jensen
518.434.3100

Data Capture and Processing

The 2010 Census forms are now being processed at our National Data Capture Centers across the country. The data we collect from the forms will help determine the number of representatives to Congress allotted to each state. To learn more, watch a video HERE.

2010 Congressional Apportionment Countdown

The first data released from the 2010 Census are the official national and state population count, which are used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. As mandated by the U.S. Constitution, this data must be delivered to the President of the United States on or before December 31, 2010.

Library Card Sign-Up Month

If you don't already have a library card, consider this a nudge to get one.
In addition to providing an assortment of books, your local library may also have videos, CDs, Internet access, story hours for children, and more.
Locate a Public Library Near You.
Ask a Librarian.
Visit National Libraries Online.

Digital Inspiration Guides

Dubbing themselves “Tech a la Carte,” the folks at Digital Inspiration have put together an array of tech how-tos and reviews for the layperson wishing to get more out of a PC or the Web.

Hill Library particularly liked:

Know The Publishing Date of Web Pages
Find the Person Behind an Email Address
Know Everything About Web Sites

Census Bureau’s First Release of Comprehensive Franchise Data

The U.S. Census Bureau reports franchise businesses accounted for 10.5 percent of businesses with paid employees in the 295 industries for which franchising data were collected in 2007. Of the 4.3 million total establishments surveyed, 453,326 were either franchisee or franchisor-owned businesses.

Additionally, franchise businesses accounted for nearly $1.3 trillion of the $7.7 trillion in total sales for these industries, $153.7 billion out of the $1.6 trillion in total payroll, and 7.9 million workers out of a total workforce of 59.0 million.

The 2007 Economic Census Franchise Report is the first comprehensive and detailed report by the Census Bureau on this segment of the U.S. economy

mySkills, myFuture: A new tool for job seekers

A new, free online tool to help job seekers increase their career mobility and economic prospects has been developed by the Federal Department of Labor / Employment Training Administration.

The self-paced tool helps people who were previously employed to:
(1) use their previous experience to identify occupations for which they qualify
(2) identify the skills needed to qualify for a specific job
(3) identify appropriate education or training institutions

AND
The site also provides links to relevant job opportunities in national and state job banks.

Link to mySkills myFuture

The United States Economic Census Historical Guide

The Economic Census originally started out as part of the General Decennial Census. It has changed and grown over the years in both scope and coverage. The Princeton University Library has some historical documents HERE.

"Made in NY" is a high-value label

Products made in New York generate comparatively high levels of wages and spinoff economic activity, according to a new report prepared by the Rockefeller Institute for the Manufacturing Research Institute of New York State. Even after recent losses, the state ranks sixth in the nation in total manufacturing jobs, according to the report. Including other jobs that depend on manufacturing, the sector supports one in three payroll dollars in much of upstate New York. Yet New York City is the largest single center of manufacturing in the state, with more than 81,000 jobs and $4.2 billion of payroll in 2009.
In economic terms, the wealth created and added to the economy through manufacturing processes represented 52.7 percent of the total value of products shipped from New York in 2008, compared to 41.5 percent nationally. The state’s largest manufacturing sector, computers and electronic products, employs nearly 65,000 New Yorkers, with total payroll of $5.5 billion and average salaries of $84,292. Other major sectors include fabricated metal products, food processing, machinery and chemicals (including pharmaceuticals).
The report, released Monday at a Syracuse event announcing the launch of the Manufacturing Research Institute, is now available on the Rockefeller Institute Web site.

Government Challenges, Contests, and Prizes

Visit Challenge.gov to participate in government contests and challenges for the chance to win a variety of prizes (monetary or non-monetary).
You may be challenged to solve a problem, make a suggestion, shoot and upload a video, create a logo, build an online game, invent something, and much more. A new challenge from Kids.gov, for example, calls for posters that answer the question, "How do I become President?" Find more details about this and other challenges.
Even if you don't have a solution for a specific challenge, you can share challenges with friends or sign up to show support for a challenge.

Consumer Reports rates fast food burgers

McDonald's burgers are certainly cheap and fast, but you still might wonder why billions have been consumed when you see the results of our recent survey of 28,000 online subscribers who rated burgers at 18 fast-food restaurants.

Among the standouts were In-N-Out Burger and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The biggest loser: McDonald's. Burger King and Wendy's fared better than McDonald's but far worse than the highest-rated chains.

MORE HERE.

STAT-USA -- links to sources

STAT-USA will cease to exist on September 30, 2010. This guide provides links to data sources which were used by the Department of Commerce to provide information on the STAT-USA website. STAT-USA pulled together information from many different sources, some of which are available from other government websites (e.g. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Federal Reserve).

The Statistical Abstract: Earlier Editions

Looking for that economic data from 1967? Or ethnic breakdowns from 1900? Statistical Abstract data presented here "ranges from the most recent edition to the historical abstracts compiled throughout the decades. Some of the data were scanned as an effort to make historical abstract information available to the public." There are only a handful of editions missing.

Updated Legislative Spending Posted on Internet

Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada (D-Bronx), spent $880,201 on his legislative office operations and staff in the most recent six-month period reported by the Legislature -- nearly $273,000 more than former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Brunswick) spent during a comparable period in 2008.

Espada's office expenditures and those of other Senators and Assembly members for the six months ending March 31, 2010, was posted today as part of a searchable database on the Empire Center's government transparency website, SeeThroughNY.net.

The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Tim Hoefer - 518.434.3100

Taxation -- 2008 Partnership Returns Tables

Eighteen tables are now available containing Tax Year 2008 statistics for partnerships, including statistics that focus on types of partnerships and specific industrial sectors. Also included are data for partnerships that reported foreign transaction data on the Schedule K, Partners’ Distributive Share Items.

The statistics cover balance sheets, trade or business income and deductions, portfolio income, rental income (including rental real estate income), and total net income. The information is classified by industry and size of total assets.

Alcohol and Crime: Data from 2002 to 2008

This webpage includes analyses from four data sources: the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), the Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities (SISFCF), and the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails (SILJ). Each data source examines the involvement of alcohol and violent crime from different perspectives and different sets of criminal behaviors. In NIBRS law enforcement officers are asked to record whether alcohol use by victims, offenders, or both was involved in the incident. In NCVS victims are asked to report whether they believe the offenders had consumed alcohol prior to or during the crime. Finally, in the inmate surveys prison and jail inmates are asked if they were using alcohol at the time of the crime for which they were incarcerated.

Religiosity Highest in World's Poorest Nations

United States is among the rich countries that buck the trend by Steve Crabtree

Gallup surveys in 114 countries in 2009 show that religion continues to play an important role in many people's lives worldwide. The global median proportion of adults who say religion is an important part of their daily lives is 84%, unchanged from what Gallup has found in other years. In 10 countries and areas, at least 98% say religion is important in their daily lives.

the Average College Student Budget

I found this article recently.

College students are notorious for being broke. I cannot count the number of times each week I hear someone say, “Sorry, I can’t go out to eat/go to the movies/go to the clubs. I’m broke.”
However, maybe we college kids aren’t as broke as we think we are. Something that I find pretty interesting is that 66 percent of students receive funds from home each month, and the average amount of money received is $312. Another 49 percent of students have a part-time job and report an average monthly earning of more than $450.

So what do we spend our money on?
***
The article is citing THIS REPORT.

Ozone warning for parts of eastern NYS

Air quality alert in effect from 11 am to 11 PM EDT Thursday...

The New York state department of environmental conservation has issued an air quality health advisory for the following counties...

Dutchess... Ulster... Columbia... Greene... Schoharie... Albany...
Rensselaer... Saratoga... Schenectady... Washington... Fulton... Montgomery.

Air quality levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than an air quality index value of 100 for the pollutant of ozone. The air quality index... or aqi... was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale.
The higher the aqi value... the greater the health concern.

When pollution levels are elevated... the New York state department of health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially
sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very Young, and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician.

A toll free air quality hotline has been established so New York residents can stay informed on the air quality situation. The toll free number is: 1 800 5 3 5, 1 3 4 5.

SBA: Plan for Disasters During National Preparedness Month

WASHINGTON – In conjunction with the five-year anniversary of the
devastating Gulf Coast storms of 2005, the U.S. Small Businesses Administration is encouraging business owners, homeowners and others to create their own disaster preparedness plan during National Preparedness Month in September.

"There is a tendency to think that a large-scale disaster is not going to happen ‘where I live,’" SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. "The reality is that storms, floods, earthquakes, fires and man-made disasters can strike anytime and anywhere. Planning ahead for your own post-disaster recovery is a good step toward protecting your family, your business and your community."

SBA, along with many state, local government and private sector coalition partners are participating in this September’s National Preparedness Month.

To prepare for disasters, SBA offers the following tips:

•Develop a solid emergency response plan. Find evacuation routes from the home or business and establish meeting places. Make sure everyone understands the plan beforehand. Keep emergency phone numbers handy.
Business owners should designate a contact person to communicate with other employees, customers and vendors. Homeowners, renters and business owners should ask an out-of-state friend, colleague or family member to be a "post-disaster" point of contact, supporting the flow of information about short-term relocations, recovery, additional sources of assistance, etc.

• Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. Disaster preparedness begins with having adequate insurance coverage—at least enough to rebuild your home or business. Homeowners and business owners should review their policies to see what is or isn’t covered. Companies should consider business interruption insurance, which helps cover operating costs during the post- disaster shutdown period. Flood insurance is essential. To find out more about the National Flood Insurance Program, visit the Web site at www.floodsmart.gov.

• Copy important records. It’s a good idea to back up vital records and
information saved on computer hard drives, and store that information at a distant offsite location in fireproof safe deposit boxes. You should have copies/back ups of important documents ready to take with you if you have to evacuate.

• Create a "Disaster Survival Kit." The kit should include a flashlight, a
portable radio, extra batteries, first-aid supplies, non-perishable food, bottled water, a basic tool kit, plastic sheeting and garbage bags, cash, and a digital camera to take pictures of the property damage after the storm.
More preparedness tips for businesses, homeowners and renters are available on the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov.

The Institute for Business and Home Safety (www.disastersafety.org) also has information on protecting your home or business. Additional information on developing an emergency plan is available at the federal government’s preparedness website www.ready.gov.

When disaster strikes, the SBA makes low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and non-farm businesses of all sizes. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace damaged real estate. Individuals may borrow up to $40,000 to cover losses to personal property.

Non-farm businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may apply for up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged business assets and real property. Small businesses that suffered economic losses as a direct result of the declared disaster may apply for a working capital loan up to $2 million, even if the property was not physically damaged.

To learn more about the SBA’s disaster assistance program, visit the website at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.

Release Date: September 1, 2010
Contact: Carol Chastang (202) 205-6987 Release Number: 10-49
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

Top 100 cities by population

Click the image to enlarge

Source: Fixr

Proposed Urban Area Criteria for the 2010 Census

The Census Bureau announces publication of the "Proposed Urban Area Criteria for the 2010 Census" in the Federal Register of August 24, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 163), available HERE or HERE (PDF). The Census Bureau is seeking public comment on these proposed criteria. Comments, suggestions, or recommendations regarding the criteria should be submitted in writing, no later than November 22, 2010, to Timothy Trainor, Chief, Geography Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-7400.

The Census Bureau’s urban-rural classification is fundamentally a delineation of geographical areas, identifying individual urbanized areas of 50,000 or more people and urban clusters of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people; “rural” encompasses all population and territory not included in urban areas. The Census Bureau’s urban areas represent densely developed territory, and encompass residential, commercial, and other non-residential urban land uses. Additional information about the Census Bureau’s urban-rural classification, including proposed urban area criteria for the 2010 Census, as well as summaries of the proposed changes is available on the Census Bureau’s website.

Changes proposed for the 2010 Census include:

• Use of census tracts as analysis units in the initial phase of delineation
• Potential return to a maximum jump distance of 1.5 miles (the distance was increased to 2.5 miles in the Census 2000 criteria).
• Use of land use/land cover data to identify territory containing non-residential urban land uses or land cover that restricts urban development, such as marshland and wetlands.
• Lowering the minimum number of enplanements (departing passengers) from 10,000 to 2,500 to qualify airports for inclusion in urban areas.
• Elimination of the central place concept.
• Requirement that, in addition to at least 2,500 total population, an area must contain at least 1,500 persons residing outside institutional group quarters to qualify as urban.
• Splitting urban agglomerations of 1,000,000 or more population based on metropolitan statistical area boundaries, or, in New England, along metropolitan New England city and town area boundaries.

For further information about the Census Bureau urban-rural classification, or the proposed criteria for the 2010 Census, please contact Vincent Osier, Chief, Geographic Standards and Criteria Branch, Geography Division, U.S. Census Bureau, via e-mail at vincent.osier@census.gov or telephone at 301-763-9039.

Home improvement retailers shootout

Click the image to enlarge

Source: Fixr

Historical Population Data

Census of Population and Housing data present here ranges from our most recent census to the historical decennial census conducted throughout the decades. Some of the data were scanned as an effort to make historical census information available to the public. The display of data will continue as historical census records become available

The History of Weather

I've found a selection of weather data (temp, precipitation, hummidity, wind) on a daily basis for most US locations, going back to 1945 from the Weather Underground.

Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

Data Detectives Ed and Michael have noted the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, which "is meant to be a resource for people seeking records of past events, and people trying to analyze, interpret and display county-based historical data like returns of elections and censuses, and for people working on state and local history projects. The special interests of those potential users range from history to demography, economics, genealogy, geography, law, and politics."

The page features interactive maps of every county, extinct county, and unsuccessful county proposal from the creation of the first county through 31 December 2000; plus an index of counties and equivalents, with individual and statewide county chronologies. See how county boundaries changed over time.

Counting Same-Sex Couples

It has been written that the Census Bureau has no data on same-sex couples; this is incorrect. Go to Families and Living Arrangements and scroll near the bottom. Not only will one find tables, one will discover a couple working papers that describe the political and statistical challenges about gathering such information. Gay marriage is a particularly complicated statistical issue.

Also, on American Factfinder, look for Table B11009. UNMARRIED-PARTNER HOUSEHOLDS BY SEX OF PARTNER in the American Community Survey.

There's a UCLA professor named Gary Gates, who has put together some statistics based on 2000 Census data and other sources, including the Gay and Lesbian Atlas.

National Environmental Scorecard

The 2009 National Environmental Scorecard illustrates the extent to which the Obama administration and the 111th Congress began to move our nation towards a new energy future that will reinvigorate our economy, create jobs, make America more energy independent and protect the planet from global warming pollution. In the most sweeping accomplishment, the U.S. House passed the landmark American Clean Energy and Security Act, which marked the first time that comprehensive global warming and clean energy legislation passed either chamber of Congress.

The 2009 Scorecard covers other key issues, such as public lands, water quantity and quality, forest management, offshore drilling, wildlife conservation at home and abroad, chemical security and population.

The New York state delegation as a whole did very well, over 80%. In fact there were only 3 representatives with scores under 86% positive:
Christopher Lee (REP) NY-26 14%
Peter King (REP) NY-3 36%
John McHugh (REP) NY-23 67%

Census Bureau Releases Detailed Information on Nation’s Housing

U.S. Monthly Housing Costs Reach $1,000 for Homeowners

The nation's homeowners paid a median of $1,000 in monthly housing costs in 2009, compared with $808 for renters, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. However, renters usually paid a higher percentage of their household income on these costs than did owners (31 percent compared with 20 percent).

IRS Publishes List of Nonprofits at Risk of Losing Tax-Exempt Status

I belong to GuideStar, an entity that "gather[s] and publicize[s] information about nonprofit organizations." They have been writing about smaller nonprofits facing automatic revocation of tax-exempt status. They inform the readers that there is a list of nonprofits at risk on the IRS Web site.

You might want to check your favorite charities. The more curious could search the PDFs by location or partial ZIP Code, or perhaps save and manipulate the downloadable Excel files.

2011-2015 Consolidated Plan, AI Public Comment Announcement

NEW YORK STATE DRAFT 2011-2015 CONSOLIDATED PLAN, DRAFT 2011 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN
AND UPDATE TO THE ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ANNOUNCEMENT

To participate in certain federal community development and housing programs, the State of New York must prepare a five-year Consolidated Plan and an annual Action Plan and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in its development. As part of this process, New York State invites interested persons to review and comment on the five-year Consolidated Plan for 2011-2015 and the Annual Action Plan for 2011 during an upcoming public comment period.

The Consolidated Plan and the Annual Action Plan focus principally on four federal programs: the New York State Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME); the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA); and the Emergency Shelter Grants Program (ESGP).
The Consolidated Plan will be a five-year strategy for addressing the housing and non-housing community development needs of New York communities. The Consolidated Plan will set long-term goals for the development of viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. New York State must submit a completed Consolidated Plan, including the Annual Action Plan, to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development by November 15, 2010.

The Annual Action Plan will describe the State’s planned use of federal Fiscal Year 2011 CDBG, HOME, HOPWA and ESGP funds it administers to address the needs identified by its five-year Consolidated Plan and further the Consolidated Plan’s objectives, and will also describe the State’s methods for distributing these funds.
In addition, New York State is updating its Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing which will identify impediments to fair housing choice in New York State and what actions are being taken to overcome the effects of those impediments. Interested persons are also invited to review and comment on the draft update of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing during the upcoming public comment period.

The 30-day public comment period will begin on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 and extend through close of business Thursday, October 7, 2010. Beginning on September 8, 2010, New York State’s draft five-year Consolidated Plan for 2011-2015, draft Annual Action Plan for 2011, and draft update of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, 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 email (DHCRConPln@nysdhcr) 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 emailed to DHCRConPln@nysdhcr.gov. Comments must be received by close of business Thursday, October 7, 2010.

U.S. News ranks top NYS universities, liberal arts colleges

U.S. News & World Report ranks 2011 top New York universities, liberal arts colleges, with full national liberal arts colleges rankings.