THESE are dark days for the shaving industry. After experiencing a century of fairly steady growth, makers of razors and other shaving equipment have seen revenues level off or fall in the last few years. Beards are back.
One striking feature of this resurgence is that for the first time in well over a century, a growing number of the world’s business leaders are sporting facial hair. Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin, Goldman Sachs’s chief executive, Lloyd C. Blankfein, and Marc Benioff, the billionaire founder and chief executive of Salesforce, are just a few prominent examples.
It’s easy to view the bearded business leader as a mere extension of the overall beard trend, or yet another sign that work environments are becoming more casual. But the tangled history of facial hair and capitalism suggests that deeper forces are at work.
More from the New York Times
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 27, 2014
In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims — early settlers of Plymouth Colony, held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. This event is regarded by many as the nation’s first Thanksgiving. The Wampanoag Indians in attendance played a key role. Historians have recorded ceremonies of thanks among other groups of European settlers in North America. These include the British colonists in Virginia as early as 1619.
The legacy of thanks and the feast have survived the centuries, as the event became a national holiday 151 years ago (Oct. 3, 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.
Where to Feast
115 million
Number of occupied housing units across the nation in 2014’s second quarter — all potential stops for Thanksgiving dinner. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8 <http://www.census.gov/
4.4 million
Number of multigenerational households in the U.S. in 2013. These households, consisting of three or more generations, no doubt will have to purchase large quantities of food to accommodate all the family members sitting around the table for the holiday feast ─ even if there are no guests! Source: 2013 American Community Survey, Table B11017 <http://factfinder2.census.
|
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Revenue Increased in All Service Sectors in 2013
Revenue increased in all of the nation’s 11 service sectors for employer firms, according to http://www.census.gov/services/index.html 2013 Service Annual Survey statistics released this month by the U.S. Census Bureau. Within the utilities sector, natural gas distribution showed a revenue increase of 15.7 percent, from $82.2 billion in 2012 to $95.1 billion in 2013.
The Service Annual Survey provides the most comprehensive national statistics available each year on service industry activity in the U.S. In 2009, the survey expanded to include data for all service industries, which account for approximately 55 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.
Highlights from service sectors:
Utilities
• Private sector utility revenue for 2013 was $541.0 billion, up 5.6 percent from $512.1 billion in 2012.
Transportation and Warehousing
• Revenue for transportation and warehousing for 2013 was $815.8 billion, up 4.1 percent from $783.9 billion in 2012.
• Pipeline transportation showed $36.5 billion in revenue for 2013, up 5.7 percent from $34.6 billion in 2012.
Information
• Information sector revenue for 2013 was $1.3 trillion, up 3.4 percent from 2012.
• Within the sector, the revenue for software publishers for 2013 was $172.3 billion, up 6.8 percent from $161.3 billion in 2012.
• In 2013, the revenue for wireless telecommunication carriers (except satellite) was $226.0 billion, up 3.4 percent from $218.5 billion in 2012.
• Data processing, hosting, and related services revenue for 2013 was $95.5 billion, up 6.4 percent from $89.8 billion in 2012.
• Revenue for Internet publishing and broadcasting and Web search portals for 2013 was $62.5 billion, up 10.3 percent from $56.7 billion in 2012.
Finance and Insurance
• Finance and insurance revenue for 2013 was $3.6 trillion, up 2.3 percent from 2012.
• Financial transactions processing, reserve, and clearinghouse activities showed $47.6 billion in revenue for 2013, up 12.2 percent from $42.5 billion in 2012.
• Portfolio management had $206.0 billion in revenue for 2013, up 10.7 percent from $186.0 billion in 2012.
• Investment advice revenue for 2013 was $31.8 billion, up 13.8 percent from $27.9 billion in 2012.
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
• Real estate and rental and leasing had $497.1 billion in revenue for 2013, up 7.0 percent from $464.6 billion in 2012.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Professional, scientific, and technical services revenue for 2013 was $1.5 trillion, up 2.0 percent from 2012.
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
• Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services had revenue of $745.2 billion for 2013, up 4.0 percent from $716.9 billion in 2012.
Educational Services
• Educational services revenue for 2013 was $56.9 billion, up 3.8 percent from $54.8 billion in 2012.
Health Care and Social Assistance
• Health care and social assistance revenue for 2013 was $2.2 trillion, up 2.7 percent from 2012.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
• The arts, entertainment, and recreation sector had revenue of $222.2 billion for 2013, up 4.7 percent from $212.2 billion in 2012.
Other Services (Except Public Administration)
• Other services (except public administration) revenue for 2013 was $448.2 billion, up 6.0 percent from $422.7 billion in 2012.
The Service Annual Survey provides the most comprehensive national statistics available each year on service industry activity in the U.S. In 2009, the survey expanded to include data for all service industries, which account for approximately 55 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.
Highlights from service sectors:
Utilities
• Private sector utility revenue for 2013 was $541.0 billion, up 5.6 percent from $512.1 billion in 2012.
Transportation and Warehousing
• Revenue for transportation and warehousing for 2013 was $815.8 billion, up 4.1 percent from $783.9 billion in 2012.
• Pipeline transportation showed $36.5 billion in revenue for 2013, up 5.7 percent from $34.6 billion in 2012.
Information
• Information sector revenue for 2013 was $1.3 trillion, up 3.4 percent from 2012.
• Within the sector, the revenue for software publishers for 2013 was $172.3 billion, up 6.8 percent from $161.3 billion in 2012.
• In 2013, the revenue for wireless telecommunication carriers (except satellite) was $226.0 billion, up 3.4 percent from $218.5 billion in 2012.
• Data processing, hosting, and related services revenue for 2013 was $95.5 billion, up 6.4 percent from $89.8 billion in 2012.
• Revenue for Internet publishing and broadcasting and Web search portals for 2013 was $62.5 billion, up 10.3 percent from $56.7 billion in 2012.
Finance and Insurance
• Finance and insurance revenue for 2013 was $3.6 trillion, up 2.3 percent from 2012.
• Financial transactions processing, reserve, and clearinghouse activities showed $47.6 billion in revenue for 2013, up 12.2 percent from $42.5 billion in 2012.
• Portfolio management had $206.0 billion in revenue for 2013, up 10.7 percent from $186.0 billion in 2012.
• Investment advice revenue for 2013 was $31.8 billion, up 13.8 percent from $27.9 billion in 2012.
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
• Real estate and rental and leasing had $497.1 billion in revenue for 2013, up 7.0 percent from $464.6 billion in 2012.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Professional, scientific, and technical services revenue for 2013 was $1.5 trillion, up 2.0 percent from 2012.
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
• Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services had revenue of $745.2 billion for 2013, up 4.0 percent from $716.9 billion in 2012.
Educational Services
• Educational services revenue for 2013 was $56.9 billion, up 3.8 percent from $54.8 billion in 2012.
Health Care and Social Assistance
• Health care and social assistance revenue for 2013 was $2.2 trillion, up 2.7 percent from 2012.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
• The arts, entertainment, and recreation sector had revenue of $222.2 billion for 2013, up 4.7 percent from $212.2 billion in 2012.
Other Services (Except Public Administration)
• Other services (except public administration) revenue for 2013 was $448.2 billion, up 6.0 percent from $422.7 billion in 2012.
Monday, November 24, 2014
The increased supply of underutilized labor from 2006 to 2014
The supply of labor and worker productivity are major sources of a nation’s long-term growth in economic output. The supply of labor depends on the size of a country’s population and the country’s labor force participation rate...
In the United States, the labor force participation rate for men has been falling for several decades. The participation rate for women increased for several decades until 1999, but has fallen since.
During a recession, a country’s actual economic output typically falls below its long-term potential output; recovery from a recession generally brings the economy back to its potential output. The recession that officially began in the United States in December 2007 and ended in June 2009 was the longest, and one of the deepest, since the Great Depression.5 Because of a slow recovery, the unemployment rate was higher in mid-2014 than it was during the year before the recession, raising concerns about the effect of the recession and the subsequent slow recovery on long-term potential output.
More from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In the United States, the labor force participation rate for men has been falling for several decades. The participation rate for women increased for several decades until 1999, but has fallen since.
During a recession, a country’s actual economic output typically falls below its long-term potential output; recovery from a recession generally brings the economy back to its potential output. The recession that officially began in the United States in December 2007 and ended in June 2009 was the longest, and one of the deepest, since the Great Depression.5 Because of a slow recovery, the unemployment rate was higher in mid-2014 than it was during the year before the recession, raising concerns about the effect of the recession and the subsequent slow recovery on long-term potential output.
More from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage month
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. This Facts for Features presents statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as this is one of the six major Office of Management and Budget race categories.
Note: Unless otherwise specified, the statistics in the “Population” section refer to the population who reported a race alone or in combination with one or more other races.
Population
5.2 million
The nation’s population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up about 2 percent of the total population in 2013. Of this total, about 49 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native only, and about 51 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races. Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.
11.2 million
The projected population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination, on July 1, 2060. They would comprise 2.7 percent of the total population. Source: Population projections <http://www.census.gov/
432,343
The American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, 65 and over. Source: 2013 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.
14
Number of states with more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native residents, alone or in combination, in 2013. These states were California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico,Washington, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Alaska, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado and Minnesota.Source: 2013 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.
Friday, November 21, 2014
25th Anniversary of Technology That Propelled GIS, Digital and Online Mapping into 21st Century
U.S. Geological Survey Adds TIGER Roads as Basis for National Map
The convenience of getting directions today on smartphones and tablets can trace its roots to the digital geographic database created 25 years ago by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) database — the first nationwide digital map of roads, boundaries and water — was initially created for the 1990 Census to modernize the once-a-decade head count. However, its impact has extended well beyond its initial purpose by offering common map data in electronic form that powers today’s geographic information system industry.
“TIGER is just one example of how innovation in the government has spurred innovation and positive economic results in the private sector,”
The convenience of getting directions today on smartphones and tablets can trace its roots to the digital geographic database created 25 years ago by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) database — the first nationwide digital map of roads, boundaries and water — was initially created for the 1990 Census to modernize the once-a-decade head count. However, its impact has extended well beyond its initial purpose by offering common map data in electronic form that powers today’s geographic information system industry.
“TIGER is just one example of how innovation in the government has spurred innovation and positive economic results in the private sector,”
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Internet to Hit 3 Billion Users in 2015
The number of internet users worldwide will surpass 3 billion in 2015, according to new figures from eMarketer, increasing 6.2% next year to reach 42.4% of the entire world's population.
This year, the internet will reach more than two in five people in the world for the first time as online audience hits 2.89 billion users globally. By 2018, eMarketer estimates, nearly half the world's population, or 3.6 billion people, will access the internet at least once each month.
- See more at Emarketer
This year, the internet will reach more than two in five people in the world for the first time as online audience hits 2.89 billion users globally. By 2018, eMarketer estimates, nearly half the world's population, or 3.6 billion people, will access the internet at least once each month.
- See more at Emarketer
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Best & Worst States at Combating the High Cost of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a costly disease. It claims more lives in the U.S. than the next three most common types of cancer combined: colon, breast and pancreatic. And the chance of surviving lung cancer is equally disappointing — an underwhelming 16.6 percent, compared with 64.2 percent for colon cancer and 89.2 percent for breast cancer — calling for heightened attention to the deadly disease.
Not only is lung cancer physically and emotionally taxing, it also imposes an astounding financial toll on both the person it afflicts and the rest of society. According to the most recent National Institutes of Health estimates, the disease accounted for $12.1 billion of total cancer care costs in 2010. Five years earlier, premature deaths from lung cancer among adults aged 20 and older resulted in $36.1 billion in lost productivity.
Although many governments and organizations have implemented various measures, such as smoke-free bans and tobacco product regulations, to curb the prevalence of lung cancer, another 224,210 new patients were expected to be diagnosed with the illness this year alone.
Advancing the cause of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, WalletHub ranked the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of their efforts to combat the expensive societal and economic impacts of the disease.
(NEW YORK IS IN THE TOP SIX OVERALL.)
More from WalletHub.
Not only is lung cancer physically and emotionally taxing, it also imposes an astounding financial toll on both the person it afflicts and the rest of society. According to the most recent National Institutes of Health estimates, the disease accounted for $12.1 billion of total cancer care costs in 2010. Five years earlier, premature deaths from lung cancer among adults aged 20 and older resulted in $36.1 billion in lost productivity.
Although many governments and organizations have implemented various measures, such as smoke-free bans and tobacco product regulations, to curb the prevalence of lung cancer, another 224,210 new patients were expected to be diagnosed with the illness this year alone.
Advancing the cause of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, WalletHub ranked the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of their efforts to combat the expensive societal and economic impacts of the disease.
(NEW YORK IS IN THE TOP SIX OVERALL.)
More from WalletHub.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Income and Net Worth of Veteran Business Owners over the Business Cycle, 1989–2010
This month, the Office of Advocacy is releasing a new research report, Income and Net Worth of Veteran Business Owners over the Business Cycle, 1989–2010. The report looks at the effects of two decades of economic expansion and recession on the economic fortunes of veterans and veteran small business owners. It finds that veteran small business owners did better than veterans who did not own small businesses during the 20-year-period. The economic extremes of the period 1989-2010—including the end of the longest U.S. economic expansion and the Great Recession—had similar effects on all business owners—veteran and non-veteran alike.
The report and research summary are available on Advocacy’s webpage.
The report and research summary are available on Advocacy’s webpage.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Unemployment rates by educational attainment and veteran status
Unemployment rates by educational attainment, October 2014
In October 2014, the unemployment rate edged down to 5.8 percent. For those 25 years and older with a bachelor's degree or more education, the unemployment rate was 3.1 percent, down from 3.8 percent in October 2013. For those with some college or an associate degree, the unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, down from 6.3 percent the previous year.
Employment and unemployment among all veterans, Gulf-War era II veterans, and nonveterans
In 2013, the employment-population ratio for all veterans was 47.9 percent, compared to 61.4 percent for nonveterans age 18 and over. (The ratio is the number of employed people as a percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population age 18 and older.) Gulf-War era II veterans, who served on active duty anywhere in the world sometime since September 2001, had an employment-population ratio of 73.3 percent in 2013.
In October 2014, the unemployment rate edged down to 5.8 percent. For those 25 years and older with a bachelor's degree or more education, the unemployment rate was 3.1 percent, down from 3.8 percent in October 2013. For those with some college or an associate degree, the unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, down from 6.3 percent the previous year.
Employment and unemployment among all veterans, Gulf-War era II veterans, and nonveterans
In 2013, the employment-population ratio for all veterans was 47.9 percent, compared to 61.4 percent for nonveterans age 18 and over. (The ratio is the number of employed people as a percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population age 18 and older.) Gulf-War era II veterans, who served on active duty anywhere in the world sometime since September 2001, had an employment-population ratio of 73.3 percent in 2013.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Lessons Learned from 2014 Test Will Improve 2020 Census Operations
One of [the Census Bureau's] major goals was to test ways to maximize Internet response. In 2020, we hope to use technology to reduce the overall cost of the census by potentially as much as $5 billion in taxpayer money compared with conducting it on paper (as in all past censuses). This test researched the use of the Internet in two main ways:
As a way to contact people prior to the survey — We introduced “Notify Me Census,” which allowed households to tell us the most convenient way to contact them when it is time to respond to the survey. About 3 percent of households that were provided the “Notify Me” option opted to receive an email or text message instead of standard mail materials.
As a response option — Nearly 58 percent of housing units responded online. The test’s overall self-response rate was 71 percent, meaning that 81 percent of self-responders chose to respond via the Internet rather than by mail or phone.
We made big strides toward maximizing the efficiency of our enumerators’ work using technology, including the use of smartphones to collect interview data and record their hours and mileage — all tasks done on paper in previous censuses. We also conducted a “bring your own device” test at Census Bureau headquarters to assess new secure software for collecting data on smartphones and tablets owned by enumerators (as opposed to using devices furnished by taxpayers).
More from the Census Bureau.
As a way to contact people prior to the survey — We introduced “Notify Me Census,” which allowed households to tell us the most convenient way to contact them when it is time to respond to the survey. About 3 percent of households that were provided the “Notify Me” option opted to receive an email or text message instead of standard mail materials.
As a response option — Nearly 58 percent of housing units responded online. The test’s overall self-response rate was 71 percent, meaning that 81 percent of self-responders chose to respond via the Internet rather than by mail or phone.
We made big strides toward maximizing the efficiency of our enumerators’ work using technology, including the use of smartphones to collect interview data and record their hours and mileage — all tasks done on paper in previous censuses. We also conducted a “bring your own device” test at Census Bureau headquarters to assess new secure software for collecting data on smartphones and tablets owned by enumerators (as opposed to using devices furnished by taxpayers).
More from the Census Bureau.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Peak indifference to surveillance
We have reached the moment after which the number of people who give a damn about their privacy will only increase. The number of people who are so unaware of their privilege or blind to their risk that they think "nothing to hide/nothing to fear" is a viable way to run a civilisation will only decline from here on in.
And that is the beginning of a significant change.
Like all security, privacy is hard. It requires subtle thinking, and the conjunction of law, markets, technology and norms to get right. All four of those factors have been sorely lacking.
More from BoingBoing
And that is the beginning of a significant change.
Like all security, privacy is hard. It requires subtle thinking, and the conjunction of law, markets, technology and norms to get right. All four of those factors have been sorely lacking.
More from BoingBoing
Friday, November 14, 2014
Nearly 8 in 10 Americans Have Access to High-Speed Internet
Connectivity Varies Across U.S. Metros and Demographic Groups
An estimated 78.1 percent of people in U.S. households had a high-speed Internet connection last year, according to a new report released this week from the U.S. Census Bureau. However, digital divides exist among the nation’s metropolitan areas and demographic groups.
These statistics come from the American Community Survey, which collected data on this topic for the first time in 2013 and is the largest survey used to examine computer and Internet use in the U.S.
Although most Americans have access to computers and high-speed Internet, differences in high-speed Internet use were as large as 25 percentage points between certain age and race groups, while divides between specific income and educational attainment groups were as large as 45 percentage points. In addition, among the nation’s metro areas, Boulder, Colo., had one of the highest rates of high-speed Internet use at 96.9, while Laredo, Texas, had one of the lowest rates at 69.3 percent.
The report released this week, Computer and Internet Use in the United States: 2013, includes analysis of household computer ownership and Internet use by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin, income and education. It covers areas of the country with populations larger than 65,000.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
ACS for Local Area Planning and Analysis: The 2014 Planning Database
The 2014 Planning Database of selected 2010 Census and selected 2008-2012 5-year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates is now available, incorporating the most current ACS small area estimates. Data are provided at both the census block group and the tract levels of geography. The Planning Database (PDB) assembles a range of housing, demographic, socioeconomic, and census operational data that can be used for survey and census planning. In addition to variables extracted from the census and ACS databases, operational variables include the 2010 Census Mail Return Rate for each block group and tract.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
The Weird & True Story of America’s Most Popular Social Security Number
It’s a bad idea to keep your Social Security card in your wallet (despite the fact that the card says you should), but it used to be common practice. In 1938, before identity theft was the problem it is today, a wallet manufacturer wanted to show potential buyers how well their Social Security cards would fit in their wallets, so they put fake ones in the ones they sold (similar to cardboard “credit cards” you may see in wallets today).
The cards in the wallets were fake, but the number on them wasn't.
More from Credit.com
The cards in the wallets were fake, but the number on them wasn't.
More from Credit.com
Monday, November 10, 2014
Homeowner trends: fewer homes are underwater, but have no sidewalks
The number of homeowners who owe more for their house than it is worth fell by 1.7 million between 2011 and 2013, according to the Census Bureau's American Housing Survey.
Just over 5 million homeowners reported in 2013 that they were underwater on their mortgage--or 11 percent of homeowners with a mortgage. This was less than the 6.8 million and 14 percent of homeowners with a mortgage who reported being underwater in 2011. Despite the progress, the 2013 figure is more than double what it was in 2007.
From the Demo Memo
Only 56 percent of U.S. households have sidewalks in their neighborhood, according to the 2013 American Housing Survey. Sidewalks are even less common in the neighborhoods of the nation's homeowners—only 48 percent have them compared with 71 percent of renters.
Renters are more likely to have sidewalks in their neighborhood because many live in central cities where sidewalks are the norm.
From the Demo Memo
Just over 5 million homeowners reported in 2013 that they were underwater on their mortgage--or 11 percent of homeowners with a mortgage. This was less than the 6.8 million and 14 percent of homeowners with a mortgage who reported being underwater in 2011. Despite the progress, the 2013 figure is more than double what it was in 2007.
From the Demo Memo
Only 56 percent of U.S. households have sidewalks in their neighborhood, according to the 2013 American Housing Survey. Sidewalks are even less common in the neighborhoods of the nation's homeowners—only 48 percent have them compared with 71 percent of renters.
Renters are more likely to have sidewalks in their neighborhood because many live in central cities where sidewalks are the norm.
From the Demo Memo
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Veterans Day 2014: Nov. 11
Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary marking 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 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 Arlington, Va.
Veterans
19.6 million
Number of military veterans in the United States in 2013. Source: 2013 American Community Survey<http://factfinder2.census.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2013
Annual data on the labor force, employment, and unemployment in states and substate areas are available from two major sources: the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. The CPS is a sample survey of about 60,000 households nationwide conducted for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the Census Bureau. The LAUS program is a Federal-State cooperative endeavor in which State workforce agencies prepare estimates using concepts, definitions, and estimation procedures prescribed by BLS.
This bulletin presents 2013 annual averages from the CPS for census regions and divisions; the 50 states and the District of Columbia; and 54 large metropolitan areas, 22 metropolitan divisions, and 41 principal cities. Data from the CPS differ from the official estimates produced by the individual States through the LAUS program. CPS estimates are provided herein because they are a current source of information on the demographic and economic characteristics of the labor force in subnational areas, from the same source as the official labor force data for the United States as a whole.
Data, going back to 1997, can be found from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This bulletin presents 2013 annual averages from the CPS for census regions and divisions; the 50 states and the District of Columbia; and 54 large metropolitan areas, 22 metropolitan divisions, and 41 principal cities. Data from the CPS differ from the official estimates produced by the individual States through the LAUS program. CPS estimates are provided herein because they are a current source of information on the demographic and economic characteristics of the labor force in subnational areas, from the same source as the official labor force data for the United States as a whole.
Data, going back to 1997, can be found from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
American Community Survey content review
The U.S. Census Bureau recently completed the first phase of a comprehensive content review of every question on the American Community Survey (ACS), using an objective cost-benefit analysis. With the aim of delivering maximum public benefit while ensuring a minimum of public burden, the Census Bureau’s analysis yields seven questions slated for removal from the survey. They include these:
Housing Question No. 6—Business/Medical Office on Property—Is there a business (such as a store or barber shop) or a medical office on this property?
Person Question No. 12—Undergraduate Field of Degree—This question focuses on this person's Bachelor's Degree. Please print below the specific major(s) of any Bachelor's Degrees this person has received.
Person Question No. 21a—Get Married—In the past 12 months did this person get—Married?
Person Question No. 21b—Get Widowed—In the past 12 months did this person get—Widowed?
Person Question No. 21c—Get Divorced—In the past 12 months did this person get—Divorced?
Person Question No. 22—Times Married—How many times has this person been married?
Person Question No. 23—Year Last Married —In what year did this person last get married?
A 60-day Federal Register notice was published October 31, 2014, effective through December 30, 2014. The Bureau invites you to review it and provide comments according to the instructions included in the notice.
The link is HERE.
For additional information, please go to the ACS Content Review webpage.
Housing Question No. 6—Business/Medical Office on Property—Is there a business (such as a store or barber shop) or a medical office on this property?
Person Question No. 12—Undergraduate Field of Degree—This question focuses on this person's Bachelor's Degree. Please print below the specific major(s) of any Bachelor's Degrees this person has received.
Person Question No. 21a—Get Married—In the past 12 months did this person get—Married?
Person Question No. 21b—Get Widowed—In the past 12 months did this person get—Widowed?
Person Question No. 21c—Get Divorced—In the past 12 months did this person get—Divorced?
Person Question No. 22—Times Married—How many times has this person been married?
Person Question No. 23—Year Last Married —In what year did this person last get married?
A 60-day Federal Register notice was published October 31, 2014, effective through December 30, 2014. The Bureau invites you to review it and provide comments according to the instructions included in the notice.
The link is HERE.
For additional information, please go to the ACS Content Review webpage.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
New York State Board of Elections Unofficial Election Night Results
The unofficial election night results displayed on this web site are based on the unofficial results reported to us by each County Board of Elections and as such, are posted on the web as a convenience to the public. New York State Election Law requires a complete recanvass of all votes cast on Election Day and the canvass of all valid absentee, special, and affidavit (provisional) ballots before any election results can be certified. Once all ballot counting tasks have been completed (usually within 15 days for a primary and within 25 days for a general election), each County Board certifies their respective election results pursuant to and in accordance with the applicable sections of New York State Election Law (see NYS Election Law, Sections 3-222, 9-200, 9-208). Those certifications are then sent to the State Board for aggregation, certification and publication/posting.
If you are looking for local election results, please contact the county board of elections. Write-in results are shown in the aggregate. Individual names for write-ins are only published in the official results and only by the State Board if a write-in candidate is a winner.
If you are looking for local election results, please contact the county board of elections. Write-in results are shown in the aggregate. Individual names for write-ins are only published in the official results and only by the State Board if a write-in candidate is a winner.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
An Aging Nation Braces for More Deadly Falls
As the American population ages, the number of older people who fall and suffer serious, even fatal, injuries is soaring. So retirement communities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes where millions of older Americans live are trying to balance safety and their residents’ desire to live as they choose.
They are hiring architects and interior designers, some of whom wear special glasses that show the building as an old person would see it. Some have begun to install floor lighting, much like that on airplanes, that automatically illuminates a pathway to the bathroom when a resident gets out of bed.
The number of people over 65 who died after a fall reached nearly 24,000 in 2012, almost double the number 10 years earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 200,000 Americans over 65 died after falls in the decade from 2002 to 2012. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in that age group.
And more than 2.4 million people over 65 were treated in emergency departments for injuries from falls in 2012 alone, an increase of 50 percent over a decade.
READ MORE from the New York Times
They are hiring architects and interior designers, some of whom wear special glasses that show the building as an old person would see it. Some have begun to install floor lighting, much like that on airplanes, that automatically illuminates a pathway to the bathroom when a resident gets out of bed.
The number of people over 65 who died after a fall reached nearly 24,000 in 2012, almost double the number 10 years earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 200,000 Americans over 65 died after falls in the decade from 2002 to 2012. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in that age group.
And more than 2.4 million people over 65 were treated in emergency departments for injuries from falls in 2012 alone, an increase of 50 percent over a decade.
READ MORE from the New York Times
Monday, November 3, 2014
Where the 3 million left out of health insurance live
Last week, the New York Times analyzed data from Enroll America and the data group Civis Analytics to determine how to find the still uninsured to help get them signed up for health insurance in the next enrollment period for Obamacare, which starts November 15. What this analysis found, though, was the remarkable difference in the uninsured rate in states that expanded Medicaid versus those that didn't, and the Times is following up on that story.
According to their analysis of the data, about three million people — mostly concentrated in the South — remain without insurance coverage because of the refusal by Republican lawmakers to accept the expansion. Based on the Enroll America/Civis Analytics data, the uninsured rate would drop by two percentage points nationally if the 24 hold-out states took the expansion. The rates in those states, though, would drop dramatically.
More from Daily Kos.
According to their analysis of the data, about three million people — mostly concentrated in the South — remain without insurance coverage because of the refusal by Republican lawmakers to accept the expansion. Based on the Enroll America/Civis Analytics data, the uninsured rate would drop by two percentage points nationally if the 24 hold-out states took the expansion. The rates in those states, though, would drop dramatically.
More from Daily Kos.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Albany, NY Listed in Top 10 Places for Service Members Transitioning to Civilian Life
Veterans looking for a new place to call home may want to consider Albany. The city is ranked number nine in a list by USAA, Hiring Our Heroes and Syracuse University.
See more at TWC Albany.
Read the list at USAA and click on Military Retirement.
See more at TWC Albany.
Read the list at USAA and click on Military Retirement.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Survey of Income and Program Participation: Dynamics of Economic Well-Being 2009-2012
This table package traces a sample of U.S. residents and examines how many of them were poor during at least some portion of the four-year period as well as how long their poverty spells lasted. It also looks at how many entered into poverty, how many exited and how many stayed poor during the entire period. The statistics — which come from the Survey of Income and Program Participation — are presented at the national level by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
U.S. Census Bureau Releases 2011-2013 ACS 3-Year Estimates
The Census Bureau released the 2011-2013 American Community Survey (ACS) 3-Year Estimates,
the most relied-upon source for up-to-date socioeconomic information every
year. The release covers a three-year period from 2011 to 2013 and 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 statistics 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 20,000 or more.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Happiest Cities in New York State; YES, the list includes Albany
High incomes, a diverse population, and feeling like you’re at the center of the universe combine as just a few reasons those who live in the Empire State feel happy about where they reside. The happiest New Yorkers are those who live in certain cities, which CreditDonkey has determined give residents the most reasons to smile about. We have ranked them from 1 to 10 on our list of the happiest cities in New York.
New Yorkers wonder why they would live anywhere else. They feel like they have the world at their fingertips — from the shops and job opportunities in New York City to the wonder of Niagara Falls and the chance to get away from it all in the Adirondacks. High incomes, a diverse population, and feeling like you’re at the center of the universe combine as just a few reasons those who live in the Empire State feel happy about where they live.
Certain cities in New York give residents more reasons to be happy than others. CreditDonkey considered a range of factors to come up with the happiest cities in this state. Take a look to find your happy place.
More from Credit Donkey.
New Yorkers wonder why they would live anywhere else. They feel like they have the world at their fingertips — from the shops and job opportunities in New York City to the wonder of Niagara Falls and the chance to get away from it all in the Adirondacks. High incomes, a diverse population, and feeling like you’re at the center of the universe combine as just a few reasons those who live in the Empire State feel happy about where they live.
Certain cities in New York give residents more reasons to be happy than others. CreditDonkey considered a range of factors to come up with the happiest cities in this state. Take a look to find your happy place.
More from Credit Donkey.
Monday, October 27, 2014
FRED, the main economic database of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
To access data in FRED, the main economic database of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, go to http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2.
If you want to map FRED data, go to GeoFRED at http://geofred.stlouisfed.org.
To compare vintage data with the latest numbers, use ALFRED athttp://alfred.stlouisfed.org.
For data on banking competition, use CASSIDI at http://cassidi.stlouisfed.org.
And for data and primary source documents related to the economic history of the U.S., including the history of the Federal Reserve System, use FRASER athttps://fraser.stlouisfed.org.
All of these services – and more – are free from the St. Louis Fed.
If you want to map FRED data, go to GeoFRED at http://geofred.stlouisfed.org.
To compare vintage data with the latest numbers, use ALFRED athttp://alfred.stlouisfed.org.
For data on banking competition, use CASSIDI at http://cassidi.stlouisfed.org.
And for data and primary source documents related to the economic history of the U.S., including the history of the Federal Reserve System, use FRASER athttps://fraser.stlouisfed.org.
All of these services – and more – are free from the St. Louis Fed.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Interactive Map of World Population by Point, Latitude, and Longitude
André Christoffer Andersen created this nifty interactive map that estimates world population at any coordinate. Andersen was inspired by Bill Rankin's data visualizations. According this this map, the most populous coordinate is in the Punjab region.
More from BoingBoing.
More from BoingBoing.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Breast Cancer Awareness: Take Control of your Health
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While the words “breast cancer” are very scary, it’s important to know that it’s normal for your breasts to change throughout your life, and not every lump is necessarily cancer.
That’s why it’s so important to do self-exams regularly, and be aware of your body and its changes-- so you can get any abnormality checked by a doctor, ASAP. If you’re a woman of 40, you should talk to your doctor about scheduling a mammogram to detect any lumps that you may not be able to feel on your own.
Find DEC Licensed Guides for boating, camping, fishing, hunting and more
The Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-0533.8 requires the Department to publish a list of guides. The information provided in the search engine fulfills that requirement. Data changes occur each business day.
Currently there are approximately 2,500 licensed guides in New York. The Search Wizard will help you find the individual or group in the specific category and location. The full list is available by selecting all counties and all categories.
Currently there are approximately 2,500 licensed guides in New York. The Search Wizard will help you find the individual or group in the specific category and location. The full list is available by selecting all counties and all categories.
Friday, October 24, 2014
What if Congress Was Like US?
Independently and in collaboration with local governments, business and not-for-profits in the Hudson Valley, the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach's (CRREO) research mission is to: conduct studies on topics of regional interest; bring visibility and focus to these matters; foster communities working together to better serve citizenry; and advance the public interest in our region. In addition to Regional Education, a number of well established, regionally oriented New Paltz programs and activities have been assembled under the aegis of CRREO.
This series of maps poses the question: What if Congress was like us? Our government is a representative democracy. We send our elected officials to the Senate and the House of Representatives to represent our interests. The primary way our system selects for similarity is by geographic proximity: in the case of the Senate it is based on what State we live in, and for the House, each State is divvied up into congressional districts.
To answer the question above, we took the most recent census data available and the number of seats in each state, and created a profile for the House of Representatives for each State of what characteristics our representatives would have if they were proportional to the demographics of the people of that State. - See more at the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO)
This series of maps poses the question: What if Congress was like us? Our government is a representative democracy. We send our elected officials to the Senate and the House of Representatives to represent our interests. The primary way our system selects for similarity is by geographic proximity: in the case of the Senate it is based on what State we live in, and for the House, each State is divvied up into congressional districts.
To answer the question above, we took the most recent census data available and the number of seats in each state, and created a profile for the House of Representatives for each State of what characteristics our representatives would have if they were proportional to the demographics of the people of that State. - See more at the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO)
New York ranks seventh most energy-efficient state
How does your state stack up when it comes to energy efficiency? The nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has just issued its eighth annual State Energy Efficiency Scoreboard, which assesses states based on policies that encourage energy savings, efficiency investments and jobs in the clean energy sector. So you can look it up...
The winner for the third straight year is Massachusetts...
The study also rated cities, finding Boston to be the leader in its efforts to encourage better energy use. Portland, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, Washington, Minneapolis, Chicago and Philadelphia round out the top ten.
More from Daily Kos.
The winner for the third straight year is Massachusetts...
The study also rated cities, finding Boston to be the leader in its efforts to encourage better energy use. Portland, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, Washington, Minneapolis, Chicago and Philadelphia round out the top ten.
More from Daily Kos.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
More Cities Are Making It Illegal To Hand Out Food To The Homeless
But just as more people reach out to help, cities are biting back at those hands feeding the homeless.
According to a report released Monday by the National Coalition for the Homeless, 21 cities have passed measures aimed at restricting the people who feed the homeless since January 2013. In that same time, similar legislation was introduced in more than 10 cities. Combined, these measures represent a 47 percent increase in the number of cities that have passed or introduced legislation to restrict food sharing since the coalition last counted in 2010.
More from NPR.
ALSO:
21 US cities restrict sharing food with homeless people
8 Ways Being Poor Is Wildly Expensive in America
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
The State of Municipal Historians in New York
New York State requires every municipality to have a historian. This means every village, every town, every city, every county, and, of course, at the state level. Hamlets can ponder “should we or should we not have an historian, that is the question” but they are not legally obligated to have one. Nor are neighborhoods. That might seem self-evident outside New York City, but one should realize that the neighborhoods in the city can be substantially larger than even some cities.
Naturally, even when you are required to have a historian by state law there is no assistance from the state in support of that position. It is an unfunded mandate.
Let’s examine the state of these municipal historians.
- See more at New York History blog.
Naturally, even when you are required to have a historian by state law there is no assistance from the state in support of that position. It is an unfunded mandate.
Let’s examine the state of these municipal historians.
- See more at New York History blog.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
American cities, ranked by conservatism
A fascinating chart from Representation in Municipal Government, publishing in American Political Science Review and written by MIT political scientists Chris Tausanovitch and Christopher Warshaw. (via Bruce Sterling)
(Image: Carpintera city limit, Al Pavangkanan, CC-BY)
Via BoingBoing
(Image: Carpintera city limit, Al Pavangkanan, CC-BY)
Via BoingBoing
Monday, October 20, 2014
Personal consumption expenditure-related employment during the recession and projections to 2022
More U.S. jobs directly or indirectly relate to consumer spending than to all other sectors of the economy combined. In 2007, which was the business cycle peak prior to the latest economic downturn, 85.1 million nonagricultural wage and salary jobs related to consumer spending; these jobs were 61.5 percent of total nonagricultural wage and salary employment in the United States. But unlike GDP, the percentage of U.S. jobs tied to consumption has fluctuated within a relatively stable range since the late 1970s because of labor-saving technologies and increased consumption of imports.
Between 1993 and 2007, consumer-related employment fluctuated between 60 and 62 percent of total employment—at the lower end of the historic range dating to the late 1970s—when the percentage of investment-related employment increased to fuel economic expansion. But in 2009, the worst year of the recession, personal consumption expenditure (PCE)-related employment increased to 63 percent of U.S. employment and then rose again in 2011 and 2012.
More from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Between 1993 and 2007, consumer-related employment fluctuated between 60 and 62 percent of total employment—at the lower end of the historic range dating to the late 1970s—when the percentage of investment-related employment increased to fuel economic expansion. But in 2009, the worst year of the recession, personal consumption expenditure (PCE)-related employment increased to 63 percent of U.S. employment and then rose again in 2011 and 2012.
More from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Ebola: Information & Resources
Ebola is all over the news right now. And with so much conflicting information and varying reports out there, it’s hard to know where to go to get the facts. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a lot of resources available so you can be properly informed, and keep yourself and your family safe.
- Like CDC on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter, where they post about Ebola regularly and update about current cases.
- CDC also has a full page devoted to Ebola information on their website. It features the latest outbreak news-- and includes resources for people living or traveling abroad, healthcare workers, and airline personnel.
- These resources are also available in Spanish.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Fun Halloween Facts for the Classroom and Safety Tips for Parents
Halloween is less than two weeks away. Hopefully the kids have their costumes and trick-or-treat plans are set. Here are some interesting facts about Halloween and some tips to go over with your kids to make this Halloween a safe one:
- Five Tips to Keep Your Halloween Safe - written just for kids
- Five Tips to Keep Your Halloween Safe - for parents
- Novelty Makeup - safety tips for using face paint
Friday, October 17, 2014
Employment Projections for New York State
Employment Prospects
Employment prospects are available for all published occupations in New York State and each of ten labor market regions. Each occupation is assigned one of four descriptors that describes the future employment prospects for that occupation.
Long-Term Occupational Employment Projections
Find the expected employment growth and annual openings for all published occupations in New York State and its ten labor market regions. These 10-year forecasts, which are updated every other year, are intended to help individuals make informed education and career decisions and assist educators and training providers in planning for future needs.
Short-Term Occupational Employment Projections
These are used for career counseling, economic development and other state and regional planning. Data are currently available for all published occupations in New York State and each of ten labor market regions.
Long-Term Industry Employment Projections
These represent valuable data sources for those interested in future employment trends. Data are currently available for approximately 90 detailed industries (at the 3-digit NAICS industry level.
Jobs in Demand Today
This is a real-time list of occupations in demand NOW. Please select a region from the down box to view data for that region. The regional lists show occupations in which hiring is occurring now. Occupations on the statewide list represent those job titles which appear on at least one regional list.
Find this from Labor Statistics from the NYS Department of Labor.
Employment prospects are available for all published occupations in New York State and each of ten labor market regions. Each occupation is assigned one of four descriptors that describes the future employment prospects for that occupation.
Long-Term Occupational Employment Projections
Find the expected employment growth and annual openings for all published occupations in New York State and its ten labor market regions. These 10-year forecasts, which are updated every other year, are intended to help individuals make informed education and career decisions and assist educators and training providers in planning for future needs.
Short-Term Occupational Employment Projections
These are used for career counseling, economic development and other state and regional planning. Data are currently available for all published occupations in New York State and each of ten labor market regions.
Long-Term Industry Employment Projections
These represent valuable data sources for those interested in future employment trends. Data are currently available for approximately 90 detailed industries (at the 3-digit NAICS industry level.
Jobs in Demand Today
This is a real-time list of occupations in demand NOW. Please select a region from the down box to view data for that region. The regional lists show occupations in which hiring is occurring now. Occupations on the statewide list represent those job titles which appear on at least one regional list.
Find this from Labor Statistics from the NYS Department of Labor.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Poverty Rate Declines, Number of Poor Unchanged, Based on Supplemental Measure of Poverty
The nation’s poverty rate was 15.5 percent in 2013, down from 16.0 percent in 2012, according to the supplemental poverty measure released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The 2013 rate was higher than the official measure of 14.5 percent, but similarly declined from the corresponding rate in 2012.
Meanwhile, 48.7 million were below the poverty line in 2013 according to the supplemental poverty measure, not statistically different from the number in 2012. In 2013, 45.3 million were poor using the official definition released last month in Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013.
These findings are contained in the Census Bureau report The Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2013, released with support from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and describing research showing different ways of measuring poverty in the United States.
The supplemental poverty measure serves as an additional indicator of economic well-being and provides a deeper understanding of economic conditions and policy effects.
Unlike the official poverty rate, the supplemental poverty measure takes into account the impact of different benefits and necessary expenses on the resources available to families, as well as geographic differences in housing costs.
|
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
2012 Business Dynamics Statistics
The Business Dynamics Statistics provide annual statistics on establishments, firms, and job creation and job destruction from 1976 to 2012 by firm age and size. These statistics are crucial to understanding current and historical U.S. entrepreneurial activity. The statistics come from a collaboration between the Census Bureau's Center for Economic Studies, the Small Business Administration, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, an American nonprofit organization that focuses on entrepreneurship.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Congress.gov is Out of Beta with New Features
The Congress.gov site now includes the following:
New Feature:
*Congress.gov Resources - A new resources section providing an A to Z list of hundreds of links related to Congress
*An expanded list of "most viewed" bills each day, archived to July 20, 2014
New Feature: House Committee Hearing Videos
*Live streams of House Committee hearings and meetings, and an accompanying archive to January, 2012
Improvement: Advanced Search
*Support for 30 new fields, including nominations, Congressional Record and name of member
Improvement: Browse
*Days in session calendar view
*Roll Call votes
*Bill by sponsor/co-sponsor
When the Library of Congress, in collaboration with the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and the Government Printing Office (GPO) released Congress.gov as a beta site in the fall of 2012, it included bill status and summary, member profiles and bill text from the two most recent congresses at that time – the 111th and 112th.
Since that time, Congress.gov has expanded with the additions of the Congressional Record, committee reports, direct links from bills to cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, legislative process videos, committee profile pages, nominations, historic access reaching back to the 103rd Congress and user accounts enabling saved personal searches.
More from the Library of Congress.
New Feature:
*Congress.gov Resources - A new resources section providing an A to Z list of hundreds of links related to Congress
*An expanded list of "most viewed" bills each day, archived to July 20, 2014
New Feature: House Committee Hearing Videos
*Live streams of House Committee hearings and meetings, and an accompanying archive to January, 2012
Improvement: Advanced Search
*Support for 30 new fields, including nominations, Congressional Record and name of member
Improvement: Browse
*Days in session calendar view
*Roll Call votes
*Bill by sponsor/co-sponsor
When the Library of Congress, in collaboration with the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and the Government Printing Office (GPO) released Congress.gov as a beta site in the fall of 2012, it included bill status and summary, member profiles and bill text from the two most recent congresses at that time – the 111th and 112th.
Since that time, Congress.gov has expanded with the additions of the Congressional Record, committee reports, direct links from bills to cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, legislative process videos, committee profile pages, nominations, historic access reaching back to the 103rd Congress and user accounts enabling saved personal searches.
More from the Library of Congress.
Monday, October 13, 2014
From Brazil to Uganda: What it takes to get ahead
The world may be flat these days, but the path to success differs around the globe. In some countries, education and hard work are enough. In others, connections and bribes play a big role. Pew Research surveyed people and asked them which factors are absolutely necessary to get ahead in their nation.
More from CNN.
More from CNN.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
The Geography of NFL Fandom
The residents of Seahawks terrain—which stretches from the northernmost Alaskan tundra to the potato fields of central Idaho—won some spiritual victory against the cheeseheads of Packers territory, which consumes all of Wisconsin and some of Michigan’s upper peninsula.
We can be so precise about these geographies of fandom because the Facebook Data Science team just released its 2014 NFL American fandom map. The map shows every American county’s favorite professional football team, as judged by the NFL team that Facebook users in that county have ‘liked’ the most.
The Cowboys rule a lot of land, but they’re not unambiguously “America’s Team.”
The New York Times called the baseball version of the map “unprecedented,” arguing that, for questions like this, there’s no superior data set: “Fans may not list which team they favor on the census, but millions of them do make their preferences public on Facebook.”
Now we can examine the football version.
More from The Atlantic.
We can be so precise about these geographies of fandom because the Facebook Data Science team just released its 2014 NFL American fandom map. The map shows every American county’s favorite professional football team, as judged by the NFL team that Facebook users in that county have ‘liked’ the most.
The Cowboys rule a lot of land, but they’re not unambiguously “America’s Team.”
The New York Times called the baseball version of the map “unprecedented,” arguing that, for questions like this, there’s no superior data set: “Fans may not list which team they favor on the census, but millions of them do make their preferences public on Facebook.”
Now we can examine the football version.
More from The Atlantic.
Friday, October 10, 2014
A Silent Majority Of Undereducated And Underemployed Millennials
Millennials are often mocked as Starbucks baristas with Ivy League educations.
And while they are the best-educated generation to date, data from the Pew Research Center show about two-thirds of millennials between ages 25 and 32 lack a bachelor's degree.
That majority is often ignored in conversations about millennials.
This narrative is alive and well in Boston's Harvard Square, where church bells chime as millennials sip lattes and drift out of bookstores. But take a walk down the road, and the story changes.
More from NPR.
And while they are the best-educated generation to date, data from the Pew Research Center show about two-thirds of millennials between ages 25 and 32 lack a bachelor's degree.
That majority is often ignored in conversations about millennials.
This narrative is alive and well in Boston's Harvard Square, where church bells chime as millennials sip lattes and drift out of bookstores. But take a walk down the road, and the story changes.
More from NPR.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Some Americans Boosted Charitable Giving In Recession; The Rich Did Not
As times got tough in the recent recession, the less well-off of America's citizens became more generous when giving to charity. But at the same time, wealthy Americans cut the proportion of their incomes they donated, according to a new study that analyzed data from tax returns.
NPR's Pam Fessler reports:
"The study was done by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which looked at IRS data showing charitable deductions in 2006 and 2012. The study found that Americans who earned $200,000 a year or more cut the share of income they gave to charity by 4.6 percent, while Americans earning less than $100,000 a year gave 4.5 percent more of their income to charity.
"Those with incomes of $25,000 or less saw the biggest increase. The share of their income that went to charity rose almost 17 percent. Low-income Americans primarily give to religious organizations."
While the wealthiest Americans cut how much of their incomes they sent to charity, the total amount of their donations rose, with the Chronicle saying their donations "increased by $4.6 billion, to hit $77.5 billion in 2012, using inflation-adjusted dollars."
More from National Public Radio
NPR's Pam Fessler reports:
"The study was done by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which looked at IRS data showing charitable deductions in 2006 and 2012. The study found that Americans who earned $200,000 a year or more cut the share of income they gave to charity by 4.6 percent, while Americans earning less than $100,000 a year gave 4.5 percent more of their income to charity.
"Those with incomes of $25,000 or less saw the biggest increase. The share of their income that went to charity rose almost 17 percent. Low-income Americans primarily give to religious organizations."
While the wealthiest Americans cut how much of their incomes they sent to charity, the total amount of their donations rose, with the Chronicle saying their donations "increased by $4.6 billion, to hit $77.5 billion in 2012, using inflation-adjusted dollars."
More from National Public Radio
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Living Planet Report 2014
The state of the world’s biodiversity appears worse than ever.
The Living Planet Index (LPI), which measures trends in thousands of vertebrate species populations, shows a decline of 52 per cent between 1970 and 2010 (Figure 2). In other words, the number of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish across the globe is, on average, about half the size it was 40 years ago. This is a much bigger decrease than has been reported previously, as a result of a new methodology which aims to be more representative of global biodiversity.
Biodiversity is declining in both temperate and tropical regions, but the decline is greater in the tropics. The 6,569 populations of 1,606 species in the temperate LPI declined by 36 per cent from 1970 to 2010. The tropical LPI shows a 56 per cent reduction in 3,811 populations of 1,638 species over the same period. Latin America shows the most dramatic decline – a fall of 83 per cent. Habitat loss and degradation, and exploitation through hunting and fishing, are the primary causes of decline. Climate change is the next most common primary threat, and is likely to put more pressure on populations in the future.
Links to full report and Summary from the World Wildlife Fund.
The Living Planet Index (LPI), which measures trends in thousands of vertebrate species populations, shows a decline of 52 per cent between 1970 and 2010 (Figure 2). In other words, the number of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish across the globe is, on average, about half the size it was 40 years ago. This is a much bigger decrease than has been reported previously, as a result of a new methodology which aims to be more representative of global biodiversity.
Biodiversity is declining in both temperate and tropical regions, but the decline is greater in the tropics. The 6,569 populations of 1,606 species in the temperate LPI declined by 36 per cent from 1970 to 2010. The tropical LPI shows a 56 per cent reduction in 3,811 populations of 1,638 species over the same period. Latin America shows the most dramatic decline – a fall of 83 per cent. Habitat loss and degradation, and exploitation through hunting and fishing, are the primary causes of decline. Climate change is the next most common primary threat, and is likely to put more pressure on populations in the future.
Links to full report and Summary from the World Wildlife Fund.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Statistics/demographics on school children and their parents
Answers from a BUSLIB listserv question:
You can consult publications from the NCES (National
Center for Education Statistics, such as the annual (see also earlier
years): Parent and family involvement in
education, from the National Household Educations Surveys Program of 2012 (NCES
2013-028) - (http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2013/2013028.pdf)
There is, a new book from Harvard University Press on this
topic: Robinson, Keith and Angel Harris.
2014. The Broken Compass: Parental Involvement with Children's Education.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (http://crsi.nd.edu/evaluations/new-research-on-parental-involvement-in-schools/).
Parent and Family Engagement, from the U. S. Dept. of
Education (http://www.ed.gov/parent-and-family-engagement)
Child Trends: http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=parental-involvement-in-schools#sthash.s0sLCfPN.dpuf
The Center for
Public Education has: Back to school:
How parental involvement affects student achievement (full report) - (http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Public-education/Parent-Involvement/Parent-Involvement.html)
There's also
the National Educational Association - a search of their site yielded 238 hits
(for parental involvement and after school) - (http://www.nea.org/home/37004.htm?q=parental%20involvement%20and%20after%20school
)
Monday, October 6, 2014
How the War on Drugs Damages Black Social Mobility
The social mobility of black Americans has suffered collateral damage from the “War on Drugs.” Being convicted of a crime has devastating effects on the employment prospects and incomes of ex-felons and their children... These findings are often used to motivate efforts to reduce criminal behavior. They should also motivate changes in our criminal justice system, which unfairly punishes black Americans—often for victimless crimes that whites are at least as likely to commit.
An estimated one-third of black male Americans will spend time in state or federal prison at some point in their lifetime – more than double the rate from the 1970s and over five times higher than the rate for white males.
What’s driving the imprisonment of black men? Arrest data show a striking trend: arrests of blacks have fallen for violent and property crimes, but soared for drug related crimes. As of 2011, drug crimes comprised 14 percent of all arrests and a miscellaneous category that includes “drug paraphernalia” possession comprised an additional 31 percent of all arrests. Just 6 percent and 14 percent of arrests were for violent and property crimes, respectively.
More from Brookings.
An estimated one-third of black male Americans will spend time in state or federal prison at some point in their lifetime – more than double the rate from the 1970s and over five times higher than the rate for white males.
What’s driving the imprisonment of black men? Arrest data show a striking trend: arrests of blacks have fallen for violent and property crimes, but soared for drug related crimes. As of 2011, drug crimes comprised 14 percent of all arrests and a miscellaneous category that includes “drug paraphernalia” possession comprised an additional 31 percent of all arrests. Just 6 percent and 14 percent of arrests were for violent and property crimes, respectively.
More from Brookings.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Here's The Most Common Ancestry In Each NYC Neighborhood
From Business Insider:
We recently looked at the dominant languages in each of NYC's neighborhoods. Now, we're taking a look at New Yorkers' ancestral backgrounds.
The American Community Survey is a massive annual effort by the Census Bureau to understand the citizens of the United States. Over three million people per year are asked questions about housing, demographics, and economics.
In one of the many questions on the ACS, respondents are asked to identify their ancestry. This is a very open-ended question, and the Census Bureau provides numerous options. Here are the most common ancestries in each NYC neighborhood.
We recently looked at the dominant languages in each of NYC's neighborhoods. Now, we're taking a look at New Yorkers' ancestral backgrounds.
The American Community Survey is a massive annual effort by the Census Bureau to understand the citizens of the United States. Over three million people per year are asked questions about housing, demographics, and economics.
In one of the many questions on the ACS, respondents are asked to identify their ancestry. This is a very open-ended question, and the Census Bureau provides numerous options. Here are the most common ancestries in each NYC neighborhood.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)