2010-11 NYS County, Municipal Payrolls Posted on Revamped SeeThroughNY

The Empire Center for New York State Policy has posted updated municipal salaries on the newly revamped SeeThroughNY.net, the Center's transparency website. The data include the names and earnings of the 168,748 people who worked for New York's city, county, town and village governments in 2010-11.

The Center also paired the data with its annual report on these salaries, which summarizes average wages on a regional basis for each of the local governments (outside of New York City) contained in the database.

National Center for Educational Statistics

Beginning Teacher Attrition & Mobility: Results From the First Through Third Waves of the 2007–08 Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study" [PDF]
Dropout Prevention Services and Programs in Public School Districts: 2010-11 [PDF]
Military Service Members and Veterans: A Profile of Those Enrolled in Undergraduate & Graduate Education in 2007–08 [PDF]
Postsecondary Institutions and Price of Attendance in the United States: 2010–11, Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2009–10, & 12-Month Enrollment: 2009–10[PDF]
Projections of Education Statistics to 2019[PDF]

Credit card statistics, industry facts, debt statistics

This page contains credit card statistics -- including statistics on credit card debt, credit card delinquencies, credit scores, credit card interest rates, bankruptcies, average credit card debt and more -- compiled by the CreditCards.com staff.

Steve Jobs, from his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice."

Read more about Steve Jobs HERE.

Census Bureau Releases

Estimates of Same-Sex Married Couples
Federal Aid to States for Fiscal Year 2010 [PDF]
Intercensal Population Estimates: 2000 - 2010
Race, Ethnicity, & Education (REE) Data Release

Crime and Arrrest

From the Bureau of Justice Statistics:

Arrest in the United States, 1980-2009 [PDF]
Bureau of Justice Statistics - Criminal Victimization, 2010 [PDF]

Stack Exchange

There is a popular programmers Q&A site, Stack Overflow. It is part of a larger network of Q&A sites on a range of topics, Stack Exchange. While it is tech-heavy, there are several decidedly non-technical ones – cooking, photography, bicycles among others.

Notably, there is answers.onstartups.com, described as "Q&A for entrepreneurs looking to start or run a new business."

(Thanks, Al!)

Bureau of Labor Statistics recent statistics

Consumer Expenditures 2010 [PDF]
Multifactor Productivity Trends for Detailed Industries, 2009

How to Enroll in the U.S. Visa Lottery

There are many ways to legally immigrate to the United States, but only one of them depends completely on luck: the congressionally mandated visa lottery, which offers 50,000 green cards to people from certain countries.

Registration for the 2013 visa lottery will be open from October 4 to November 5, 2011. Participation is only available through the State Department’s website at www.dvlottery.state.gov. It's free to enter the lottery so watch out for fraudulent websites that pretend to be government sites.

Learn how to participate in the lottery, how to avoid being disqualified, and how to avoid scams.

Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality: recent statistics

Coverage in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance for the Private Sector, 2000 and 2010 [PDF]

Trends in the Pharmaceutical Treatment of Children's Asthma, 1997 - 2008 [PDF]]


Readmissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 2008 [PDF]

Also, from the Census Bureau: Health Insurance Coverage of Workers Aged 18 to 64, by Work Experience: 2008 and 2010 [PDF]

NCES releases The Condition of Education 2011

The Condition of Education 2011 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report presents 50 indicators on the status and condition of education and provides a closer look at postsecondary education by institutional level and control. The indicators represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education for which accurate data are available. The 2011 print edition includes indicators in five main areas: (1) participation in education; (2) learner outcomes; (3) student effort and educational progress; (4) the contexts of elementary and secondary education; and (5) the contexts of postsecondary education.

Consolidated Federal Funds Report

The Consolidated Federal Funds Report is proposed to reach its end run this year. This could well be the last report of this kind issued! Be a part of history, read it, and maybe print a copy and keep it for your records.

The 2012 Statistical Abstract

The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.

Use the Abstract as a convenient volume for statistical reference, and as a guide to sources of more information both in print and on the Web.

Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations.

Quarterly Summary of State & Local Tax Revenue

2nd Quarter Summary of State and Local Government Tax Revenue — This summary shows quarterly tax revenue statistics on property, sales, license, income and other taxes. Statistics are shown for individual state governments as well as national estimates of total state and local taxes, including 12-month calculations. This quarterly survey has been conducted continuously since 1962.

How small errors can have a big impact on small populations

When you checked the boxes on your census form, you probably did not pay much attention to the form design. But it is something the Census Bureau researches and gives a lot of attention. Something as simple as using vertical instead of horizontal boxes can have a big impact on how you read the form and the data we gather.

If one person’s eye misreads the form and checks the wrong box, it may not change percentages of statistics very much. But if even 1 percent of a large population checks the wrong box on a question, it could lead to an inaccurate picture of a smaller population.

More HERE.

Find Government Forms Online

You can quickly find the federal form you need by searching or browsing by name, type, or agency. Find tax forms, postal service forms, and more.

Find government forms now.

My Big Fat Planet, Climate Change Chronicles from NASA

NASA currently has more than a dozen Earth science spacecraft and instruments in orbit studying the oceans, land, and atmosphere. With these tools they measure several key climate change indicators like carbon dioxide concentration, global surface temperature, Arctic sea ice, land ice, and sea levels.
Visit my big fat planet, a blog hosted by Dr. Amber Jenkins, as she explores fantastic images of our changing Earth.

Intercensal estimates now available

The Census Bureau put the intercensal estimates online today.

The intercensal estimates are a time series of annual population estimates that start with population counts on April 1, 2000 (Census counts adjusted for geographic changes and such) and are consistent with findings from Census 2010. The series end with estimates for July 1, 2010.

These series are being used to control the ACS.

Finding Medicare doctors

Medicare can help you locate and compare doctors and other healthcare professionals by specialty, location, and more. You can even look for providers who accept the Medicare-approved amount as payment in full.

Find and compare doctors.

The World's Religious Composition

In the world today, there are over 10,000 distinct religious groups, each advocating a particular way of life, preaching a path to achieve lasting happiness. Many of these groups are connected to a larger central religious belief system, such as Catholicism is connected to Christianity, or Sunnism is connected to Islam. However regardless of any such connection their differences are large enough to warrant a separation from other groups in the overall group.


More HERE.

New Economic Indicator Database Search Available from Census Bureau

Statistics from 12 economic indicators are now easy to access and easier to use with the new economic indicator database search. With the release of the Quarterly Financial Report for retail trade, all 12 of the Census Bureau's economic indicators are accessible in this user-friendly Internet tool. It provides an easy way to create statistical tables in ASCII text or time series charts in spreadsheet format. Users can select an indicator and choose statistics by item, time period and other dimensions using drop-down menus at http://www.census.gov/econ/currentdata/.

The Standard

From Living Water.

Thom Vaught has provided background information to one of the most terrible fires in the history of the United States:

It was a chilly Sunday morning on February 7, 1904. The firemen of Engine Co. 15 were expecting a quiet day as they readied for inspection. Their routine was interrupted by an automated fire alarm at 10:48 a.m. in the John Hurst and Company building. These men were answering the first call of the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904.
Once the Fire Chief was on the scene, he quickly realized the danger... He called in nearly the entire Baltimore City Fire Department to fight the fire but even that was not enough to contain the persistent flames.
A plea for help went out to areas surrounding Baltimore...Firefighters from Washington DC were the first to arrive. Upon arrival they were dismayed to find out that their fire hose couplings would not fit the fire hydrants. Baltimore, like most cities of that day, had their own standard by which fire hydrants and fire-fighting equipment were manufactured. As firefighters arrived, they tried to adapt to this different standard but the lowered water pressure and leaks continued to impact their ability to help. Firefighters from as far away as Philadelphia and New York City answered the call but each time the story was the same. The lack of a standard caused confusion and the resulting efforts were less effective.
The Great Baltimore Fire raged across the city for two days... It destroyed over 1,500 buildings covering nearly 70 city blocks.
In a report presented to Congress, the lack of a uniform standard was cited as a major contributing factor to the massive destruction. Congress tasked the fledgling National Bureau of Standards now known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to investigate the matter. They discovered around 600 different sizes for fire equipment in use throughout the nation. As a result, the organization established a national standard for fire equipment.

Census Bureau Releases 2010 ACS Single Year Estimates

Topics Include Commuting, Education, Income, Health Insurance and More

The U.S. Census Bureau released findings from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS), the most relied-on source for up-to-date socioeconomic information every year. The release covers more than 40 topics, such as educational attainment, income, health insurance coverage, occupation, language spoken at home, nativity, ancestry and selected monthly homeowner costs.

The estimates are available in detailed tables for the nation, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, every congressional district, every metropolitan area, and all counties and places with populations of 65,000 or more. See the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder database to find statistics for your area. Selected high-level highlights can be found here [PDF].
One illustration of the extent of information available on one
of the major topics covered is the commute to work. According to the data, average travel time for workers 16 and older inched up from 25.1 minutes in 2009 to 25.3 minutes in 2010. The percentage who drove to work alone increased from 76.1 percent in 2009 to 76.6 percent in 2010. Conversely, the percentage who carpooled declined from 10.0 percent to 9.7 percent and the percentage taking public transportation slipped from 5.0 percent to 4.9 percent. Another 4.3 percent worked at home and 2.8 percent walked to work. About 1.7 percent commuted to work in other ways, including commuting by bicycle (731,286), motorcycle (266,777) and taxicab (151,247).
Average travel time to work was highest in Maryland (31.8 minutes), followed by New York (31.3 minutes). North Dakota and South Dakota had the shortest travel times, at 16.1 minutes and 16.8 minutes, respectively. Not coincidentally, Maryland also had the second-highest percentage of workers with jobs outside their county of residence (47.0 percent), behind only Virginia (51.3 percent). New Jersey (45.7 percent) and Georgia (41.6 percent) followed Maryland.

Detailed Report on Commuting

Also released was Commuting in the United States: 2009[PDF], a report that provides additional layers of analysis about commuting patterns for the nation and metro areas. Based on the 2009 ACS, the analysis gives a historical perspective of the nation’s commuting patterns. It also looks at how our commutes differ based on how we get to work, when we leave for work and how long it takes us. It further analyzes commutes based on a host of demographic characteristics, including race and Hispanic origin, occupation, gender, place of birth and other variables.
According to the report:
The recent rise in mean travel time to work is nothing new. In 1980, the first time the Census collected such information, average travel time was just under 22 minutes, then increased to about 25 minutes in 2000, where it remained in 2009.
In 2009, workers who carpooled took longer to get to work than those who drove alone; the difference was largest for those who departed in the midnight to 4:59 a.m. period, where average travel time for carpool commuters was 45.1 minutes, compared with 30.8 minutes for workers who drove alone.
Those who worked in production, transportation and material moving occupations were more likely to depart for work between midnight and 4:59 a.m. than any other occupational category (10.5 percent). At 1.9 percent, those in managerial, professional and related occupations had the lowest percentage of departures during this time period.
Mean travel time to work varied by nativity status: 28.1 minutes for foreign-born workers compared with 24.9 minutes for those who were native-born. Hispanic workers had the longest mean travel time when carpooling (29.0 minutes) and the shortest time for public transportation usage (46.0 minutes).
American Community Survey Brief Series
In addition, the Census Bureau released today a set of four separate briefs based on the 2010 ACS. These short reports supplement detailed tables with additional analysis on four key topics. These include:
Health insurance coverage
Employment ratios
Household income
Foreign-born from Latin America and the Caribbean
More than a dozen additional briefs will be released in monthly waves through the end of the year.
More about the American Community Survey (ACS)
As a complete count of the population, the 2010 Census results are critical for people who need to know how many people live in the United States and where they live. The ACS statistics, on the other hand, are based on a sample survey of the nation conducted over the course of the 2010 calendar year and describe how we live by providing estimates of key social, economic and housing characteristics.
In October, the Census Bureau will release a set of ACS statistics covering all areas with populations of 20,000 or more, based on data collected between 2008 and 2010. A third set of ACS statistics, available for all geographic areas regardless of population size, down to the block group level, will be released in December; these estimates will cover 2006-2010.
Methodology
As is the case with all surveys, statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. All comparisons made in the reports have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level, unless otherwise noted. Please consult the tables for specific margins of error. For more information, go here.
Changes in survey design from year to year can affect results. See http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/2010_release/ this for more information on changes affecting the 2010 statistics. See http://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/comparing_2010/ this for guidance on comparing 2010 ACS statistics with previous years and the 2000 Census.
Special Note
The Census Bureau released all of the 2010 ACS 1-year estimates on Thursday, September 22. Due to a technical issue, a limited number of products for smaller geographic areas are not available through American FactFinder at this time. However, all Detailed Tables are accessible in the ACS Summary File, through the Census Bureau’s FTP site.
Working with the ACS Summary File requires computer expertise. Technical documentation is available here [PDF]. Data users who are not able to access the Summary File can contact the American Community Survey Office (301-763-1405, acso.users.support@census.gov).

Data Dissemination Specialist jobs (closing date 10/5/2011) were posted

You can check the USAjobs website to see all listings for the Census Bureau by typing "Census" in the first box under "What".

Six Census Bureau offices will close in December 2012. The Boston Regional Office is one of those six. The New York Regional Office boundaries will now include New Jersey (21 counties), New York (62 counties), Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

The Economy's Latest Casualty: America's Baby Bottoms

From AdAge:

Sales of diaper-rash cream are up, rising for the third straight year on a unit basis, even though the number of babies has kept declining over that period. Data suggest that babies are getting diaper rash more often because parents are changing their diapers less.

The number of babies ages 2 and under in the U.S. fell about 3% to 8.1 million last year, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which tracks the number of live births. Yet SymphonyIRI data show unit sales of disposable diapers fell 9% in the 52 weeks ended Aug. 7, three times as fast as the population of infants. At the same time, unit sales of baby ointments and creams rose 2.8%, despite fewer babies.

Future of Producing Social, Economic Statistical Info, Part 2

From the Director's Blog for U.S. Census Bureau

In my last post, I reviewed five observations. Because of changes in American society, 1) the Census Bureau’s methods of data collection are costing more money to produce the same statistical information, but 2) the demands are increasing for more statistical information from businesses, governments, and the public, and 3) there are new data collection technologies that are being invented constantly, 4) there are new sources of digital data from Federal program agencies, the internet, and economic transactions, but 5) in the medium run the Census Bureau is not likely to have more fiscal resources to take advantage of these

What Happens After Foreclosure?

From American Consumers:

This link will take you to an informative study by the Federal Reserve Board that examines what happens to people after a foreclosure. Based on credit report data from the FRBNY/Equifax Consumer Credit Panel--a nationally representative 5 percent random sample of Americans with credit files--the study tracked individuals who had experienced the start of a foreclosure. Surprisingly, most who experience the start of a foreclosure are still in the same house two years later. Most of the foreclosed who moved ended up in equivalent housing--a single family home in a similar neighborhood.

'No major issues' with 2011 census, Statscan declares

Interesting article on how our neighbors up north are doing with their census:

The agency says it received the mandatory short form from 98.1 per cent of Canadian households, up a full percentage point from the last census in 2006.

Another victory for Statistics Canada is how many Canadians filled out their census form online – 54.4 per cent. The agency was aiming for 40 per cent. Mr. Hamel said that puts Canada at the international forefront of digital census collection.

WorldRiskReport 2011

The WorldRiskReport 2011 helps to evaluate the vulnerability of societies to natural hazards. Using world maps to visualize, it shows on the one hand where the probability of a natural hazard to occur is particularly high; on the other hand it is shown in which countries the population can cope with these events especially good or bad. The central element of the WorldRiskReport, the concept of the WorldRiskIndex, was developed by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) in Bonn/Germany, in cooperation with the Alliance Development Works and its partners. Alliance Development Works also is editor of the report.

FBI Releases Bank Crime Statistics for Second Quarter of 2011

During the second quarter of 2011, there were 1,023 reported violations of the Federal Bank Robbery and Incidental Crimes Statue, a decrease from the 1,146 reported violations in the same quarter of 2010. According to statistics released by the FBI, there were 1,007 robberies, 15 burglaries, one larceny, and two extortions of financial institutions reported between April 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011.

Highlights of the report include:
•Loot was taken in 91 percent of the incidents, totaling more than $7.8 million.
•Of the loot taken, 23 percent of it was recovered. More than $1.8 million was recovered and returned to financial institutions.
•Bank crimes most frequently occurred on Friday. Regardless of the day, the time frame when bank crimes occurred most frequently was between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012

From the World Economic Forum:

Switzerland tops the overall rankings in The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 [PDF, 544 pp]. Singapore overtakes Sweden for second position. Northern and Western European countries dominate the top 10 with Sweden (3rd), Finland (4th), Germany (6th), the Netherlands (7th), Denmark (8th) and the United Kingdom (10th). Japan remains the second-ranked Asian economy at 9th place, despite falling three places since last year.

The United States continues its decline for the third year in a row, falling one more place to fifth position. In addition to the macroeconomic vulnerabilities that continue to build, some aspects of the United States’ institutional environment continue to raise concern among business leaders, particularly related to low public trust in politicians and concerns about government inefficiency.

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010

Summary of Key Findings

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that in 2010, median household income declined, the poverty rate increased and the percentage without health insurance coverage was not statistically different from the previous year.

Real median household income in the United States in 2010 was $49,445, a 2.3 percent decline from the 2009 median.

The nation’s official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent, up from 14.3 percent in 2009 ─ the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate. There were 46.2 million people in poverty in 2010, up from 43.6 million in 2009 ─ the fourth consecutive annual increase and the largest number in the 52 years for which poverty estimates have been published.

The number of people without health insurance coverage rose from 49.0 million in 2009 to 49.9 million in 2010, while the percentage without coverage −16.3 percent – was not statistically different from the rate in 2009.

This information covers the first full calendar year after the December 2007-June 2009 recession. See section on the historical impact of recessions.

These findings are contained in the report Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010. The following results for the nation were compiled from information collected in the 2011 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC):

Income

Since 2007, the year before the most recent recession, real median household income has declined 6.4 percent and is 7.1 percent below the median household income peak that occurred prior to the 2001 recession in 1999. The percentages are not statistically different from each another.

Race and Hispanic Origin (Race data refer to people reporting a single race only. Hispanics can be of any race.)

Among race groups, real median income declined for white and black households between 2009 and 2010, while changes for Asian and Hispanic-origin households were not statistically different. Real median income for each race and Hispanic-origin group has not yet recovered to the pre-2001 recession all-time highs. (See Table A.)

Regions

Households in the Midwest, South and West experienced declines in real median income between 2009 and 2010. The apparent change in median household income for the Northeast was not statistically significant. (See Table A.)

Nativity

Median income for households maintained by native-born householders declined between 2009 and 2010 in real terms. The change in the median income of all foreign-born households was not statistically significant. (See Table A.)

Earnings

In 2010, the earnings of women who worked full time, year-round were 77 percent of that for men working full time, year-round, not statistically different from the 2009 ratio. The 2010 real median earnings of these men and women were not different from the 2009 earnings.

Since 2007, the number of men working full time, year-round with earnings decreased by 6.6 million and the number of corresponding women declined by 2.8 million.

Income Inequality

Based on the Gini Index, the change in income inequality between 2009 and 2010 was not statistically significant, while the changes in shares of aggregate household income by quintiles showed a slight shift to more inequality. The Gini index was 0.469 in 2010.

(The Gini index is a measure of household income inequality; zero represents perfect income equality and 1 perfect inequality.)

Poverty

The poverty rate in 2010 was the highest since 1993 but was 7.3 percentage points lower than the poverty rate in 1959, the first year for which poverty estimates are available. Since 2007, the poverty rate has increased by 2.6 percentage points.

In 2010, the family poverty rate and the number of families in poverty were 11.7 percent and 9.2 million, respectively, up from 11.1 percent and 8.8 million in 2009.

The poverty rate and the number in poverty increased for both married-couple families (6.2 percent and 3.6 million in 2010 from 5.8 percent and 3.4 million in 2009) and female-householder-with-no-husband-present families (31.6 percent and 4.7 million in 2010 from 29.9 percent and 4.4 million in 2009). For families with a male householder no wife present, the poverty rate and the number in poverty were not statistically different from 2009 (15.8 percent and 880,000 in 2010).

Thresholds

As defined by the Office of Management and Budget and updated for inflation using the Consumer Price Index, the weighted average poverty threshold for a family of four in 2010 was $22,314.
(See < http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/threshld/index.html> for the complete set of dollar value thresholds that vary by family size and composition.)

Race and Hispanic Origin (Race data refer to people reporting a single race only. Hispanics can be of any race.)

The poverty rate for non-Hispanic whites was lower in 2010 than it was for other racial groups. Table B details 2010 poverty rates and numbers in poverty, as well as changes since 2009 in these measures, for race groups and Hispanics.

Doubled-Up Households

Doubled-up households are defined as households that include at least one “additional” adult: a person 18 or older who is not enrolled in school and is not the householder, spouse or cohabiting partner of the householder. In spring 2007, prior to the recession, doubled-up households totaled 19.7 million. By spring 2011, the number of doubled-up households had increased by 2.0 million to 21.8 million and the percent rose by 1.3 percentage points from 17.0 percent to 18.3 percent.

In spring 2011, 5.9 million young adults age 25-34 (14.2 percent) resided in their parents’ household, compared with 4.7 million (11.8 percent) before the recession, an increase of 2.4 percentage points.

It is difficult to precisely assess the impact of doubling up on overall poverty rates. Young adults age 25-34, living with their parents, had an official poverty rate of 8.4 percent, but if their poverty status were determined using their own income, 45.3 percent had an income below the poverty threshold for a single person under age 65.

Age

The poverty rate increased for children younger than 18 (from 20.7 percent in 2009 to 22.0 percent in 2010) and people 18 to 64 (from 12.9 percent in 2009 to 13.7 percent in 2010), while it was not statistically different for people 65 and older (9.0 percent).

Similar to the patterns observed for the poverty rate in 2010, the number of people in poverty increased for children younger than 18 (15.5 million in 2009 to 16.4 million in 2010) and people 18 to 64 (24.7 million in 2009 to 26.3 million in 2010) and was not statistically different for people 65 and older (3.5 million).

Nativity

The 2010 poverty rate for naturalized citizens was not statistically different from 2009, while the poverty rates of native-born and noncitizens increased. Table B details 2010 poverty rates and the numbers in poverty, as well as changes since 2009 in these measures, by nativity.

Regions

The South was the only region to show statistically significant increases in both the poverty rate and the number in poverty — 16.9 percent and 19.1 million in 2010 — up from 15.7 percent and 17.6 million in 2009. In 2010, the poverty rates and the number in poverty for the Northeast, Midwest and the West were not statistically different from 2009. (See Table B.)
Health Insurance Coverage

The number of people with health insurance increased to 256.2 million in 2010 from 255.3 million in 2009. The percentage of people with health insurance was not statistically different from 2009.

Between 2009 and 2010, the percentage of people covered by private health insurance declined from 64.5 percent to 64.0 percent, while the percentage covered by government health insurance increased from 30.6 percent to 31.0 percent. The percentage covered by employment-based health insurance declined from 56.1 percent to 55.3 percent.

The percentage covered by Medicaid (15.9 percent) was not statistically different from 2009.

In 2010, 9.8 percent of children under 18 (7.3 million) were without health insurance. Neither estimate is significantly different from the corresponding 2009 estimate.

The uninsured rate for children in poverty (15.4 percent) was greater than the rate for all children (9.8 percent).

In 2010, the uninsured rates decreased as household income increased from 26.9 percent for those in households with annual incomes less than $25,000 to 8.0 percent in households with incomes of $75,000 or more.

Race and Hispanic Origin (Race data refer to those reporting a single race only. Hispanics can be of any race.)

The uninsured rate and number of uninsured in 2010 were not statistically different from 2009 for non-Hispanic whites and blacks, while increasing for Asians. The number of uninsured Hispanics was not statistically different from 2009, while the uninsured rate decreased to 30.7 percent. (See Table C.)

Nativity

The proportion of the foreign-born population without health insurance in 2010 was about two-and-a-half times that of the native-born population. The 2010 uninsured rate was not statistically different from the 2009 rate for native-born, the foreign-born overall and noncitizens but rose for naturalized citizens. Table C details the 2010 uninsured rate and the number of uninsured, as well as changes since 2009 in these measures, by nativity.

Regions

The Northeast and the Midwest had the lowest uninsured rates in 2010. Between 2009 and 2010, there were no statistical differences in uninsured rates for any of the regions. The number of uninsured increased in the Northeast, while there were no statistically significant changes for the other three regions. (See Table C.)

Historical Impact of Recessions

Since 2010 represents the first full calendar year after the recession that ended in June 2009, one can compare changes in income, poverty and health insurance coverage between 2009 and 2010 with changes during the first year after the end of other recessions:

Median household income declined the first full year following the December 2007 to June 2009 recession, as well as in the first full year following three other recessions (March 2001 to November 2001, January 1980 to July 1980 and December 1969 to November 1970). However, household income increased the first full year following the November 1973 to March 1975 recession, and the changes following the July 1990 to March 1991 and July 1981 to November 1982 recessions were not statistically significant.

The poverty rate and the number of people in poverty increased in the first calendar year following the end of the last three recessions. For the recessions that ended in 1961 and 1975, the poverty rate decreased in the next full calendar year.

After the most recent recession, there was no significant difference in the uninsured rate during the first full year after the recession. However, in the year following the recessions that ended in 1991 and 2001, the uninsured rate increased.

Supplemental Poverty Measure

The Census Bureau’s statistical experts, with assistance from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, the Economics and Statistics Administration and other appropriate agencies and outside experts, are now developing a Supplemental Poverty Measure. The Supplemental Poverty Measure, for which the Census Bureau expects to publish preliminary estimates in October 2011, will provide an additional measure of economic well-being. It will not replace the official poverty measure and will not be used to determine eligibility for government programs. See Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010 for more information.


The Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement is subject to sampling and nonsampling errors. All comparisons made in the report have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level, unless otherwise noted.


For additional information on the source of the data and accuracy of the estimates for the CPS, visit .


Table A. Median Household Income
2009 2010 Percent change in real median income
(in 2010 dollars)

Region
U.S.
$50,599 $49,445 *-2.3
Northeast
$53,949 $53,283 -1.2
Midwest
$49,684 $48,445 *-2.5
South
$46,368 $45,492 *-1.9
West
$54,722 $53,142 *-2.9

Race and Hispanic Origin of Householder
White
$52,717 $51,846 * -1.7
White, not Hispanic
$55,360 $54,620 -1.3
Black
$33,122 $32,068 *-3.2
Asian
$66,550 $64,308 -3.4
Hispanic origin
$38,667 $37,759 -2.3

Nativity of Householder
Native-born
$51,337 $50,288 *-2.0
Foreign-born
$44,648 $43,750 -2.0
Naturalized citizen
$52,833 $52,642 -0.4
Not a citizen
$36,685 $36,401 -0.8

*Change statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level.


Table B. People in Poverty
(Numbers in thousands)
2009 2010 Change in poverty
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Region
U.S.
43,569 14.3 46,180 15.1 *2,611 *0.8
Northeast
6,650 12.2 6,987 12.8 336 0.6
Midwest
8,768 13.3 9,148 13.9 380 0.6
South
17,609 15.7 19,072 16.9 *1,463 *1.2
West
10,542 14.8 10,973 15.3 431 0.5

Race and Hispanic Origin
White
29,830 12.3 31,650 13.0 *1,819 *0.7
White, not Hispanic
18,530 9.4 19,599 9.9 *1,070 *0.5
Black
9,944 25.8 10,675 27.4 *732 *1.6
Asian
1,746 12.5 1,729 12.1 -17 -0.4
Hispanic origin
12,350 25.3 13,243 26.6 *893 *1.3
Nativity
Native-born
36,407 13.7 38,568 14.4 *2,161 *0.7
Foreign-born
7,162 19.0 7,611 19.9 *450 0.9
Naturalized citizen
1,736 10.8 1,906 11.3 *169 0.5
Not a citizen
5,425 25.1 5,706 26.7 281 *1.5

*Statistically different from zero at the 90 percent confidence level.


Table C. People Without Health Insurance Coverage
(Numbers in thousands)
2009 2010 Change
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Region
U.S.
48,985 16.1 49,904 16.3 *919 0.2
Northeast
6,434 11.8 6,779 12.4 *345 0.6
Midwest
8,368 12.7 8,605 13.0 237 0.4
South
21,576 19.2 21,665 19.1 88 -0.1
West
12,606 17.7 12,855 17.9 249 0.2

Race and Hispanic Origin
White
37,124 15.3 37,385 15.4 261 --
White, not Hispanic
22,715 11.5 23,093 11.7 378 0.2
Black
7,838 20.3 8,132 20.8 294 0.5
Asian
2,317 16.5 2,600 18.1 *284 *1.6
Hispanic origin
15,450 31.6 15,340 30.7 -110 *-0.9

Nativity
Native-born
36,305 13.6 36,881 13.8 576 0.2
Foreign-born
12,680 33.7 13,023 34.1 343 0.4
Naturalized citizen
2,951 18.4 3,356 20.0 *405 *1.6
Not a citizen
9,729 45.1 9,667 45.1 -62 --

*Change statistically significant from zero at the 90 percent confidence level.

--Represents or rounds to zero.

Twitter: 100 Million Users Strong

Five years ago, Twitter came to life when @jack sent the first Tweet to his seven followers. Now, 100 million active users around the globe turn to Twitter to share their thoughts and find out what’s happening in the world right now.

More than half of them log in to Twitter each day to follow their interests. For many, getting the most out of Twitter isn’t only about tweeting: 40 percent of our active users simply sign in to listen to what’s happening in their world.

More HERE.

Health Insurance in Small Firms: Availability, Coverage, and the Effect of Tax Incentives

A new study by the Office of Advocacy investigates health care coverage provided by small firms and the effects of state and federal tax incentives on health insurance availability. States have tried a variety of approaches to improve health plan coverage, particularly health insurance offered by small businesses. The study finds that most existing state tax incentive programs apply to a narrow class of employers. The increase in the federal self-employed health insurance tax deduction in 2003 did create an incentive for some self-employed individuals to purchase health insurance. In 2007, it was estimated that small employers deducted approximately $53.8 billion for health insurance benefits.

The research summary can be found HERE [PDF].

Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Joe Sobota at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

Flags of Every Country

Well, almost every country. No South Sudan, the newly-independent nation. And no, there's no separate flag of Scotland.

More Retirees With $100,000 Allowances

Thirteen percent of newly retired members of the state Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) in 2010 qualified for a pension of more than $100,000, according to data posted this week at SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center's government transparency website. Most of the 125 new PFRS retirees with six-figure pensions worked for agencies on Long Island and in the lower Hudson Valley, including the Port Authority of NY & NJ, continuing a trend that has developed in the past decade.

The average pension for all newly retired PFRS members came to $63,791, while pensions averaged $29,988 for members of the New York State Employee Retirement System (ERS), which covers all county and municipal workers outside New York City.

Remembering 9/11 and How to Be Part of National Day of Service

"You can find – or create – local opportunities to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 at www.serve.gov. At that site, you’ll find everything from food drives and neighborhood cleanups, to activities that help honor our military, our veterans, and our first responders."

September Is National Preparedness Month

Disability.gov’s Emergency Preparedness section has quite a few tools and resources that can help people with disabilities and others prepare for, and recover from, emergency situations and disasters. You'll also find information about the importance of including people with disabilities in emergency preparedness efforts - including planning for, responding to and recovering from a disaster or emergency.

Education Impacts Work-Life Earnings 5 Times More Than Other Demographic Factors

According to a new U.S. Census Bureau study, education levels had more effect on earnings over a 40-year span in the workforce than any other demographic factor, such as gender, race and Hispanic origin. For example, a worker with a professional degree is expected to make more than a worker with a eighth grade education or lower.

Some groups, such as non-Hispanic white males, Asian males and Asian females, benefit more from higher levels of education than other groups over a 40-year career for those with a professional degree. White males with a professional degree make more than double (about $2.4 million more) than that of Hispanic females with the same level of education.

(Note: Hispanics may be any race. All references in this news release to race groups such as black or white exclude Hispanic members of the race group in question; that is, all are “non-Hispanic.”)

Many factors, such as race and Hispanic origin, gender, citizenship, English-speaking ability and geographic location do influence work-life earnings but none had as much impact as education. The estimated impact on annual earnings between a professional degree and an eighth grade education was about $72,000 a year, roughly five times the impact of gender, which was $13,000.

These findings come from the report Education and Synthetic Work-Life Earnings [PDF], which looks at the economic value of educational attainment by estimating the amount of money that people might earn over the course of a 40-year work-life given their level of education. The report also looks at the effect of other factors, such as race and gender groups and other characteristics with regard to this relationship.

“This analysis shows that there is a clear and well-defined relationship between education and earnings,” said Tiffany Julian, an analyst in the Census Bureau’s Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division. “The overall economic value of educational attainment in this report supports the belief that higher levels of education are well-established paths to better jobs and higher earnings.”

Other highlights:
Overall, white males had higher earnings than any other group at every education level, with the exception of those with a master’s degree, which was topped by Asian males, and those with a professional degree, where Asian males were not significantly different from white males.
In general, women in the most economically advantaged race groups usually earn less than men in the most disadvantaged race groups. For example, a white female with master’s degree is expected to earn $2.4 million over a 40-year work-life. In comparison, a Hispanic male with a master’s degree is expected to earn $2.8 million.

For Asian, black and Hispanic groups whose highest education completed is high school, the difference between each group’s work-life earnings was not large compared with the differences between these groups when they had higher levels of education.
Asian men and women with a bachelor’s degree or higher had greater returns on higher education than blacks or Hispanics of either gender. For example, an Asian female with a professional degree made $3.7 million in work-life earnings compared with $2.3 million for a Hispanic female with a professional degree.

Naturalized citizens saw a small yearly increase in earnings over the native-born population ($1,210), but those who were not citizens made $2,446 less a year than the native-born.

Language spoken at home had an effect on earnings: those who spoke a language at home other than English saw a decrease in annual earnings after considering all other factors. Even those who speak English “very well” saw a decrease of $989 in annual earnings compared with English-only speakers.

Geography impacted earnings, showing higher earnings in the Pacific states and in New England and lowest earnings in East South Central states.

Data for this research comes from the 2006-2008 3-year American Community Survey. All estimates are presented in 2008 dollars and represent the amount of estimated money that one can expect to earn from ages 25 to 64.

Energy studies

The Ethanol Decade: An Expansion of U.S. Corn Production, 2000-09 [PDF]: The recent 9-billion-gallon increase in corn-based ethanol production, which resulted from a combination of rising gasoline prices and a suite of Federal bioenergy policies, provides evidence of how farmers altered their land-use decisions in response to increased demand for corn. As some forecasts had suggested, corn acreage increased mostly on farms that previously specialized in soybeans. Other farms, however, offset this shift by expanding soybean production. Farm-level data reveal that the simultaneous net expansion of corn and soybean acreage resulted from a reduction in cotton acreage, a shift from uncultivated hay to cropland, and the expansion of double cropping (consecutively producing two crops of either like or unlike commodities on the same land within the same year).

The International Energy Outlook 2010 International Energy Outlook 2010 (IEO2010) presents an assessment by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the outlook for international energy markets through 2035. U.S. projections appearing in IEO2010 are consistent with those published in EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2010 (AEO2010), (April 2010).

Announcement from NYS Tax Department re: Hurricane Irene

President Barack H. Obama has declared certain counties in New York State to be disaster areas as a result of Hurricane Irene. As a result of this declaration, Commissioner Thomas H. Mattox has postponed certain tax filing and payment deadlines for taxpayers in these counties who were directly affected by the storm.
The relief provided for in this notice applies to taxpayers directly affected by the storm in the counties of Albany, Clinton, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Montgomery, Nassau, Orange, Otsego, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Suffolk, Ulster, Warren, and Westchester. This includes taxpayers residing in or having their principal place of business in these counties. In addition, the relief will also apply to taxpayers directly affected by the storm located in any additional counties in New York State that are declared disaster areas and eligible for federal tax relief after this notice is issued. The relief will also apply to taxpayers directly affected by the storm in counties in other states that are declared disaster areas and eligible for federal tax relief.

See details HERE [PDF].

Corporation Info Online

Here's a link to a directory of all 50 states' Secretary of State sites.

"Coordinated Legal Technologies has compiled the links on this page for legal professionals and others who are looking for quick access to the corporate information available in online searchable databases maintained by the Secretary of State for any given state. The extent of information available and the way in which it is present varies from state to state. Some states provide only a business name lookup, while others offer search by officer and director names, and UCC filing information. Please be sure to check the hosting state entity for more information about the type of content offered and the time periods covered."

Personal Income for Metropolitan Areas, 2010

Personal income rose in 2010 in all but four of the nation’s 366 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), according to estimates released this month by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal income in the metropolitan portion of the United States rose 2.9 percent in 2010 after falling 1.9 percent in 2009.

Clinical Trials

Some sources:

World Health Organization

IFPMA

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Fake a Sick Day? Non!

By Allison Linn
A new survey finds that a whopping 71 percent of Chinese workers admit to calling in sick when they weren’t.

On the other hand, only 16 percent of French workers say they have taken a fake sick day.

http://www.kronos.com/pr/kronos-global-absence-survey-shows-employees-around-the-world-playing-hooky-with-china-leading-the-pack.aspx The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive for Kronos Incorporated, found that about half of all Americans have taken a fake sick day. That’s about on par with countries including Canada and Australia.

More HERE.

Workplace fatalities in mining, 2004–2008

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Over the 5-year period from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2008, more than 90 percent of the workplace fatalities in the mining industry resulted from four kinds of events: transportation accidents, contact with objects and equipment, fires and explosions, and exposure to harmful environments.

Quizzle’s Survey of Credit Demographics

Who wins the credit score battle of the sexes?

Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) latest Liveability Ranking

From HERE:

Vancouver was first-equal with Melbourne in 2002, taking the top spot in the next ranking and holding it ever since. In this edition of the rankings, Vancouver dropped to third place after the city’s overall score dropped because of “a slight decline in its transport infrastructure score.” Vienna climbed into second place as Melbourne took first place, despite no change in its score.

Seven of the top ten cities are in Canada or Australia (3 and 4, respectively) and two cities are in Europe (Vienna at number two and Helsinki at 7). Auckland rounds out the top ten in tenth place, meaning Commonwealth countries have 8 out of the top ten most liveable cities.

However, the EIU notes that, “The performance of the most liveable cities reflects minimal variation between the scores of the top locations… only 1.8 percentage points separate the top ten cities. In this context, some 63 cities (down to Santiago in Chile) are considered to be in the very top tier of liveability…”

Robert Samuelson Defends Stat Abstract in Washington Post

Robert J. Samuelson recently published the op ed Don’t kill America’s databook in the Washington Post. He discusses the importance of the Statistical Abstract in the context of data transparency.

NYS Tax Dept: Offer in Compromise Program Reform

From one of those nifty tax digests I receive regularly:

Individuals seeking a fresh start from overwhelming tax debts may now be eligible for relief under a new hardship provision in the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance's Offer in Compromise Program.

The new provision enables them to accept offers where collection in full
would cause undue economic hardship. Previously, the program was only
available in cases of insolvency or bankruptcy.

For more information, see the Offer in Compromise Reform web page and this PDF document.

Multifactor Productivity Trends in Manufacturing, 2009

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics [PDF]

Manufacturing sector multifactor productivity declined at a 5.7 percent annual rate in 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This was the largest annual decline in multifactor productivity since the series started in 1987. The multifactor productivity decline in 2009 reflected a 12.5 percent decrease in output and a 7.2 percent decrease in combined inputs.

National Transportation Library

Good source for transportation statistics:

Chapter 1 - The Transportation System

Chapter 2 - Transportation Safety

Chapter 3 - Transportation and the Economy

Chapter 4 - Transportation, Energy, and the Environment

How Many Species Are There on Earth?

The diversity of life is one of the most striking aspects of our planet; hence knowing how many species inhabit Earth is among the most fundamental questions in science. Yet the answer to this question remains enigmatic, as efforts to sample the world's biodiversity to date have been limited and thus have precluded direct quantification of global species richness, and because indirect estimates rely on assumptions that have proven highly controversial. ... In spite of 250 years of taxonomic classification and over 1.2 million species already catalogued in a central database, our results suggest that some 86% of existing species on Earth and 91% of species in the ocean still await description.

More HERE.

OPAL down for a week

From OPAL, the New York State's Online Permit Assistance and Licensing website:

If you want to start a new business or expand your current business, this site will help you find the New York State business permits you may need.

However

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to a scheduled upgrade, the online forms will NOT be available from September 6 through September 13, 2011. This website will NOT be available from September 9 through September 13, 2011. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

"Community college often gets a bad rap, but for years these institutions have helped many students — especially those trying to balance work, family and going to school — get the education and training they need. President Obama has called community colleges one of the keys to America’s economic future, and the new attention and increasingly bigger draw is bound to mix things up in the coming decade. Here are a few examples" of what is predicted to "evolve and even improve about the community college experience."

More HERE.

Publication of Final Criteria for Delineating Urban Areas for the 2010 Census

The Census Bureau published final criteria for delineating urban areas for the 2010 Census in the August 24, 2011 Federal Register. In addition to the final criteria, the notice contains a summary of comments received in response to the Census Bureau’s proposed urban area criteria and the Census Bureau’s responses to those comments. Background information about the Census Bureau’s urban-rural classification also is included.

Note that these areas form the foundation for delineating the metropolitan and micropolitan areas by OMB that are to come.

The final criteria are available from the Census Bureau’s website at

What 15 Financial Experts Want You to Know About College Expenses

There’s no shortage of information about college expenses: scholarships, loans, savings plans, the rising cost of college tuition, and more. Nearly everyone has advice for saving on or somehow managing to make college expenses work. But what do the experts have to say? We’ve found sound college advice from some of the top financial experts today, whether you’re wondering about 529s or raiding your retirement fund for college. Read on to find out what the experts know about saving and paying for college.

Other weather sources

In addition to sources such as the National Weather Service, weather.com, and Weather Underground, here are a couple other links:

The Northeast Climate Center

The Utah Climate Center at the Utah State University.

The Changing Profile of Autopsied Deaths in the US, 1972–2007

National Center for Health Statistics [PDF]

In 1972, almost 1 out of 5 deaths were autopsied. From 1972 through 2003, however, the autopsy rate dropped 58 percent from 19.3 percent to 8.1 percent. Although the autopsy rate has increased slightly since 2003, only 8.5 percent, or fewer than 1 out of 10 deaths, were autopsied in 2007.

Variation & Change in the State Standards for Reading & Mathematics, 2005 - 2009

National Center for Education Statistics [PDF]

There is wide variation among state proficiency standards.
• In 2009, as in 2003, 2005, and 2007, using NAEP as common metric, standards for proficient performance in reading and mathematics varied across states in terms of the levels of achievement required. For example, for grade 4 reading, the difference in the level required for proficient performance between the five states with the highest standards and the
five with the lowest standards was comparable to the difference between Basic and Proficient performance on NAEP. The results for reading at grade 8 and mathematics in both grades were similar.

Snapshot of Food Safety Milestones in the History of the FDA

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA posted, “Snapshot of Food Safety Milestones in the History of the FDA” on its Web site. Until a little over a century ago, there were no federal laws or regulations in place to protect the public from potentially dangerous substances in medicines or foods.

Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.

From the Department of Agriculture - Economic Research Service

U.S. farmers have adopted genetically engineered (GE) crops widely since their commercial introduction in 1996, notwithstanding uncertainty about consumer acceptance and economic and environmental impacts. In terms of share of planted acres, soybeans and cotton have been the most widely adopted GE crops in the U.S., followed by corn. This data product summarizes the extent of adoption of herbicide-tolerant and insect–resistant crops since their introduction in 1996.

Annual Energy Review

Source: Energy Information Administration

The Annual Energy Review (AER) is the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s primary report of historical annual energy statistics. For many series, data begin with the year 1949. Included are data on total energy production, consumption, and trade; overviews of petroleum, natural gas, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, renewable energy, international energy, as well as financial and environmental indicators; and data unit conversion tables.

Same-sex couples in New York State

From the The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law

Data are compiled from PCT 15, Census 2010 SF-1. Same-sex couples are identified in households where Person 1 describes his or her relationship with another adult of the same sex as either a “husband/wife” or “unmarried partner”. The reported number of same-sex couples in the state and the associated figure for same-sex couples per 1,000 households are based on official Census tabulations.

More HERE.

What Is the Average Retirement Age?

by Alicia H. Munnell

Since working longer is the key to a secure retirement for the vast majority of older Americans, it is useful to take a look at labor force trends for those under and over age 65 for the last century.

Use of Victim Service Agencies by Victims of Serious Violent Crime

From 1993 to 2009, an average of 9% of victims of serious violent crime—rape or other sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault—received assistance from a victim service agency. Victim service agencies are publicly or privately funded organizations that provide victims with support and services to aid their physical and emotional recovery, offer protection from future victimizations, guide them through the criminal
justice system process, and assist them in obtaining restitution.

More HERE (PDF).

Earthquake Hazards Program

All you need to know about earthquakes from the USGS. The Last Earthquake in New York was a magnitude 2.2 on 2011 August 23 10:35:17 UTC, 28 km (17 miles) W of ALBANY, New York.

Like a Hurricane

Hurricane Irene is churning in the Atlantic, and if you live in a hurricane-prone part of the United States, it's time to prepare for severe storms.

USA.gov has the information you need to prepare your family, your business, and your pets. Don't let a disaster catch you by surprise - be prepared.

THE NEARLY COMPLETE LEIBER & STOLLER DISCOGRAPHY

"This discography focuses on officially released studio recordings; live recordings are included only where there is no studio version by that artist. Exceptions are noted as such."

Jerry Leiber of the songwriting team of Leiber & Stoller has died at the age of 78. The two men gave us a lot of hits, for the Coasters, the Drifters, Elvis Presley and a lot of other folks. I actually bought a book with many, though by no means, all of their songs. You will say "Gee, they wrote that, too?"

Children's Well Being

A number of reports released this month about children.

From the Annie E. Casey Foundation - 2011 Kids Count Data Book: National and State-By-State Data on Key Indicators of Child Well-Being

From the Census Bureau - A Child’s Day: 2009

From the National Center for Health Statistics - Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2010 [PDF]

From the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality - Hospital Stays for Children, 2009 [PDF]

All Time Top 100 Stars at the Box Office

This chart is not adjusted for inflation. The figures represent the total amount of US revenue generated by all the movies a star has appeared in over their lifetime.

Who's #1? You're probably thinking Tom Cruise (#8) or Harrison Ford (#5) or Tom Hanks (#3). My guess is that you will NEVER guess #1.

Childbearing

A couple PDF reports from the National Center for Health Statistics

Childbearing Differences Among Three Generations of U.S. Women
Transitions Between Childlessness and First Birth: Three Generations of U.S. Women

How To Live Forever

An inforgraphic talking about our current longevity, things that impact our lifespan, ways to improve that lifespan, and what the future may hold for making us live longer.

"Keeping America Informed" U.S. Government Printing Office's 150th Anniversary History Exhibit

Did you know that the Government Printing Office is celebrating 150
years?
Here is a press release [PDF] on an exhibit with a URL to a YouTube video showing the GPO employees viewing the exhibit.

State Agricultural Export Data

From the Department of Agriculture - Economic Research Service

Annual estimates of U.S. exports by State and commodity group based on each State's share of U.S. agricultural production.

Small Business Quarterly Bulletin

The Small Business Quarterly Bulletin [PDF] from Advocacy's Office of Economic Research is a brochure-style publication that contains commentary and analysis on the current employment and financing trends of small businesses.

Baby Boomers Envision What's Next?

From AARP:

As boomers approach retirement they are less confident about financing their retirement through their own savings or pensions. They are more likely to expect to rely on Social Security. Their health is also declining. As a result they are less optimistic about their retirement, and now have lowered expectations. They anticipate working longer, at least on a part-time basis, for the additional income. This is especially true among working boomers with lower incomes. The recession and financial meltdown have played a role in this pessimism,

Search for Patents

Inventors are encouraged to search the USPTO’s patent database to see if a patent has already been filed or granted that is similar to your patent. Patents may be searched in the USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT). The USPTO houses full text for patents issued from 1976 to the present and TIFF images for all patents from 1790 to the present.

Employee Benefits for Same-Sex Partners

(description from American Demographics)

Thirty percent of same-sex unmarried domestic partners have access to health care benefits for their partner through their employer, according to the 2011 Employee Benefits Survey. In this Bureau of Labor Statistics' survey, for the first time, questions were included about access to benefits for unmarried domestic partners--same sex and opposite sex. The 30 percent of same-sex partners who have access to health care benefits exceeds the 25 percent of opposite-sex partners with access.

School Districts Integrate Technology into Common Core-based Curriculum

As states emphasize the Common Core State Standards, school districts work on meeting learning goals with technology.

Forty-four states, including New York State, and the District of Columbia have adopted the standards, and two state consortiums are designing assessments for them.

More info HERE.

The MetLife Report on American Grandparents

New Insights for a New Generation of Grandparents

There are 65 million grandparents in the U.S., an increase from 40 million in 1980. More than one in every four adults is a grandparent. A long way from being dependent, households that are headed by someone 45 to 64 years old command almost half (46%) of the nation’s total household income. If households older than age 65 are added in, the grandparent age share of the nation’s income rises to 60%, which is a full 10 percentage points higher than it was in 1980.

Interesting ZIP code resource

Zipskinny, unfortunately, is based on Census 2000 data, not 2010...yet.

Wealth Gaps Rise to Record Highs Between Whites, Blacks and Hispanics

The median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households and 18 times that of Hispanic households, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of newly available government data from 2009.

These lopsided wealth ratios are the largest since the government began publishing such data a quarter century ago and roughly twice the size of the ratios that had prevailed between these three groups for the two decades prior to the Great Recession that ended in 2009.

The Pew Research Center analysis finds that, in percentage terms, the bursting of the housing market bubble in 2006 and the recession that followed from late 2007 to mid-2009 took a far greater toll on the wealth of minorities than whites.

More from Pew Research.

Standard & Poor's Credit Rating for each country

The map found HERE shows Standard & Poor's Credit Rating for each country. The US is no longer deep blue.

A Timeline of College Tuition

My wife went to college in the 1980s and recalled that she thought tuition at her private university was quite expensive. Since then, the tuition has increased fivefold, as we noticed on an alumni visit last week.

Speaking of which, A Timeline of College Tuition.

Search for Lost Money

What is Lost Money?

For your protection, banks, insurance companies, utilities, investment companies and many other businesses are required by State law to surrender inactive accounts to the State. These accounts are known as “lost,” “abandoned,” or “unclaimed” funds.

The Office of the State Comptroller serves as custodian of this money. If you can prove you are entitled to the money, we will gladly return it to you, at any time, without charge. Until the money is claimed, it is used by the State’s General Funds, serving the citizens and taxpayers of the State of New York.

The Future Technology

Handbook of New York State and Local Taxes

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.

New York State Transportation Equity Alliance

The New York State Transportation Equity Alliance (NYSTEA) is a coalition of over 75 groups across New York State working to reform federal and state transportation policy.

NYSTEA is coordinated by Empire State Future, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, UPROSE and WE ACT- combining regional land use planning, environmental justice and transportation policy experience.

Bar Codes

What is the best way for a business to obtain a barcode for a product?

I would start HERE.

Updates to CUNY's Census maps

The team at the CUNY Center for Urban Research has updated its interactive maps showing block-level race/ethnicity patterns in 2000 and 2010 in major US cities.

The maps are available at www.urbanresearchmaps.org/comparinator/pluralitymap.htm. Steven Romalewski has a blog post with more detail HERE. The news release is here.

Some updates:


1. Block-level coverage for all of New York State, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut. For example, here are links to Albany and Syracuse and Buffalo and Babylon/Islip on Long Island.

2. More cities. There are now 15 major urban regions mapped (Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.).

3. The maps now have three ways of comparing 2000 and 2010 racial patterns:
- a vertical slider bar dividing two overlapping maps (2000 on the left, 2010 on the right);
- a side-by-side comparison (two separate maps moving in unison), and
- a single-map overlay (you can fade between 2010 and 2000).

4. Color-coded the population change data in the popup window. Population increase is shown in green; decrease is shown in red. (A minor thing, but hopefully it makes the change values clearer.)

All three options for viewing are included so people can pick and choose which they like best, or which suits their particular needs. The vertical slider bar provides an effective "before and after" view. The side-by-side comparison works well for lingering over a given area, especially at the local level, taking the time to absorb the differences in demographic patterns. The single-map 2010/2000 overlay seems especially helpful for revealing the increase in diversity over a given area (as areas shaded with darker blues, oranges, etc fade to lighter shades indicating a more mixed population demographically) or vice versa.

CUNY Center for Urban Research has received some good feedback already on people's favorite comparison techniques. If you have a preference and have used the maps for a particular project, they would love to know.

Fewer Employees Cost More at MTA

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employees received an average total pay of $72,019 in 2010, up nearly 4 percent from the 2009 level, according to the latest complete MTA payroll posted at www.SeeThroughNY.net, the government transparency website sponsored by the Empire Center for New York State Policy.

The list of highest-paid MTA employees was topped by Jay Walder, the agency's chairman and CEO, whose base salary in 2010 was $350,000, followed by seven other high-ranking MTA executives who earned between $241,341 and $285,331.

To read the full release, click here.

To visit the SeeThroughNY database, click here.

What is a "common wheelchair?"

Section 37.3 of the DOT’s regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (49 CFR Parts 27, 37, and 38) defines a "common wheelchair" as a mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four-wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered. A "common wheelchair" does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length measured two inches above the ground, and does not weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied.

Is an electric scooter or other mobility device a common wheelchair?

If an electric scooter or other mobility device meets the physical specifications of a common wheelchair as defined by the DOT’s ADA regulations, it must be treated as a common wheelchair.

May a transit operator require common wheelchairs be secured to the vehicle?

Yes, provided that the transit operator has established such a policy. Section 37.165(c)(3) of the DOT’s ADA regulations allows a transit operator to establish a policy that requires all riders to have their common wheelchairs secured while aboard a transit vehicle. Therefore, the operator may decline to provide service to a rider who refuses to allow his or her common wheelchair to be secured. Alternatively, transit operators may adopt a policy that allows common wheelchairs to ride unsecured. If the rider wishes his or her wheelchair to be secured, however, the operator’s personnel must provide the requested assistance.

What kinds of securement equipment must be provided?

Section 38.23(d) of the DOT’s ADA regulations requires all ADA-compliant vehicles to have a two-part securement system, one to secure the common wheelchair, and a seatbelt and shoulder harness for the wheelchair user. Section 38.23(a) requires vehicles over 22 feet in length to have enough securement locations and devices to secure two common wheelchairs, while vehicles 22 feet and under must be able to accommodate at least one common wheelchair.

May a transit operator deny boarding to a rider whose common wheelchair is difficult to secure?

No. If the transit operator has a policy that requires securement, or if a rider asks that the wheelchair be secured, Section 37.165(f) of the DOT’s ADA regulations requires transit personnel to use their best efforts to secure any mobility device that meets the regulatory definition of a common wheelchair. Section 37.165(d) states that transit operators cannot refuse to accommodate a common wheelchair – including a scooter or other specialized mobility device that complies with the ADA regulation’s specifications -- because the wheelchair cannot be secured to the driver’s satisfaction. Given the diversity of "common" wheelchairs, transit operators should consult with the manufacturers of securement devices and wheelchairs, as well as the owner of the wheelchair, to determine the best means of securement.

Does a wheelchair user have to use the seatbelt and shoulder harness?

Under the broad non-discrimination provisions in Section 37.5 of the DOT’s ADA regulations, a transit operator is not permitted to mandate the use by wheelchair users of seatbelts and shoulder harnesses, unless the operator mandates the use of these devices by all passengers, including those sitting in vehicle seats. For example, on fixed route buses, if none of the other passengers are required to wear shoulder belts then neither can the person in the mobility device be required to do so.Transit operators may establish a policy that requires the seatbelt and shoulder harness to be used by all riders, including those who use wheelchairs as well as those who use vehicle seats, if seatbelts and shoulder harnesses are provided at all seating locations. In some cases, state law could require an operator to adopt such a policy.

What kind of services must transit personnel provide?

Because safe and nondiscriminatory transportation is the responsibility of the transit operator, Section 37.173 of the DOT’s ADA regulations requires transit operators to train their personnel to properly assist and treat individuals with disabilities with sensitivity, and to operate vehicles and equipment safely. This includes training personnel to use the accessibility equipment and to accommodate the different types of common wheelchairs. Attendant-type services (e.g., carrying passengers, personal baggage, or suitcases) are not required, but assistance with boarding and disembarking, including pushing a manual wheelchair up a particularly steep ramp, is required.

What if the accessibility equipment is missing or not working?

Section 37.161 of the DOT’s ADA regulations requires transit operators to maintain and repair the accessibility equipment. Section 37.163 requires public transit operators to establish a schedule or system to ensure regular and frequent maintenance checks and to take a vehicle out of service to repair or replace any broken or missing equipment before returning the vehicle to service. In some instances, a transit operator must provide alternative accessible transportation if the accessibility equipment is not present or not working.

Does a common wheelchair need brakes in order to use public transit?

No. The DOT ADA regulations’ definition of a common wheelchair does not include a requirement for brakes or any other equipment. A transit operator may not deny transportation to a wheelchair user because the wheelchair does not have brakes or the user does not choose to set the brakes.

Can an operator refuse to carry a person with a disability, especially a person using an electric scooter that meets the definition of a "common wheelchair," because of higher insurance rates or liability concerns?

No. Section 37.5(g) of the DOT’s ADA regulations prohibits an operator from denying service to an individual with a disability because its insurance company conditions coverage or rates on the absence of individuals with disabilities or persons who use common wheelchairs.

Can a transit operator require a person to transfer from a wheelchair to a vehicle seat?

No. Section 37.165(e) of the DOT’s ADA regulations allows persons who use wheelchairs to transfer to a vehicle seat, if one is available. Such a move is the rider’s decision and the transit operator cannot force a rider to transfer to a vehicle seat, although the transit operator can suggest a transfer in a non-coercive way.For more information on this and other topics related to the ADA and public transit, contact:
Federal Transit Administration
Office of Civil Rights
East Building – 5th Floor, TCR
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590

The Marriage Equality Act

This document [PDF] explains that all marriages, whether of same-sex couples or different-sex couples, will be treated equally under all laws of the state. Accordingly, the Act applies to all taxes administered by the Tax Department as of the effective date of July 24, 2011.

Library Statistics

The latest update of the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) data is now available on the IMLS web site. This survey has a CENSUS URL, not so incidentally.

Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2008

In September 2008, state and local law enforcement agencies employed more than 1.1 million persons on a full-time basis, including about 765,000
sworn personnel (defined as those with general arrest powers). Agencies also employed approximately 100,000 part-time employees, including 44,000 sworn
officers. These findings come from the 2008 Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies (CSLLEA), the fifth such census to be conducted since the quadrennial series began in 1992.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by occupation, 2009

In 2009, the total number of reported nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases that required days away from work to recuperate was 1,238,490 cases for private industry, state government, and local government; the total incidence rate was 117 cases per 10,000 full-time workers.

Consumer Protection blog

Check out the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Protection blog for valuable tips to help you protect your privacy, manage your money, avoid scams, and much more. Recent posts suggest caution in downloading apps; describe how businesses track your web browsing; and reveal scams that target immigrants.

Women’s Earnings in 2010

From Bureau of Labor Statistics [PDF]

In 2010, women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median weekly earnings of $669. Women earned 81 percent of the median weekly earnings of their male counterparts ($824). In 1979, the first year for which comparable
earnings data are available, women earned 62 percent of what men earned. The women's-to-men's earnings ratio has been in the 80 to 81 percent range since 2004; prior to this time, the ratio had been gradually trending upward.

Death in the United States, 2009

From the National Center for Health Statistics [PDF]

Mortality in the United States is best summarized by the age-adjusted death
rate—a measure that accounts for changes in the age distribution of the
population. This rate has declined in an almost uninterrupted manner since
1960. The death rate is now 45 percent lower than in 1960 (declining from
1,339.2 per 100,000 standard population in 1960 to 741.0 in 2009).
Although age-adjusted mortality has declined for all demographic groups
over a period of many decades, long-standing gaps between black and white
populations and between male and female populations have begun to narrow
only since the mid-1990s. Many of the recent improvements in death rates
and life expectancy for all population groups can be attributed to ongoing
reductions in death rates from major causes of death, such as heart disease,
cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.