The Future of YouTube: Critical Reflections on YouTube Users’ Discussion over Its Future

Abstract:

This paper examines how the sociopolitical and educational potentials of YouTube have been exercised by analyzing users’ discussion practices by posting videos. Compared to literature that deals with the Internet’s sociopolitical impact, I argue that YouTube has played a key role in implementing the democratization of media spectacles. Different forms of Internet use are discussed with regard to YouTube’s contributions. First of all, the discursive practices of YouTube validate Habermas’s notion of the public sphere by suggesting video communication as a new perspective of participatory democracy. Creating community is another key notion that users consider to be the future of YouTube; users believe it facilitates interactive and creative communication among different cultures, races, and societies. However, there is little consideration of how individuals make critical use of YouTube as a means for sociopolitical engagement. Analyzing the users’ arguments in their video responses, this paper examines the strengths, as well as the limitations, of discourses on the future of YouTube, and reconsiders its sociopolitical potential. It ultimately indicates the necessity of critical pedagogic interventions to make full use of YouTube.

Source: InterActions: UCLA Journal of Education and Information Studies.

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Modern Scientific Visualization is more than Just Pretty Pictures

Abstract:

While the primary product of scientific visualization is images and movies, its primary objective is really scientific insight. Too often, the focus of visualization research is on the product, not the mission. This paper presents two case studies, both that appear in previous publications, that focus on using visualization technology to produce insight. The first applies "Query-Driven Visualization" concepts to laser wakefield simulation data to help identify and analyze the process of beam formation. The second uses topological analysis to provide a quantitative basis for (i) understanding the mixing process in hydrodynamic simulations, and (ii) performing comparative analysis of data from two different types of simulations that model hydrodynamic instability.

Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Paper LBNL-1450E.

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One on One with Neel Kashkari

Introduction:

Last October, when the financial crisis was wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy, Congress approved a $700 billion bailout package to prevent major firms from going belly up. The government official in the eye of that storm was Neel Kashkari, a former investment banker from Goldman Sachs, who had followed his previous boss, Henry Paulson, into the Treasury department. Kashkari was responsible for building a team to oversee the bailout and also for deploying government aid to stabilize the financial system.

How did the Treasury department work with the Federal Reserve to make the decisions it did? What kind of regulations should derivatives be subjected to in the future? In an exclusive interview at Wharton San Francisco with Knowledge@Wharton, Kashkari, who left the Treasury two weeks ago, discusses these issues and more.

Source: Wharton School of Business

Download pdf of transcript | Link to online transcript and video of interview

Where the Most Private Becomes Public: Policy Making for Sexual Health

...the burden of morbidity and mortality from STDs is only one aspect of sexual health. Formerly considered under the umbrella of reproductive health by policy makers, sexual health was identified as a topic meriting attention in its own right by the World Health Organization in 2004 [3]. The International Planned Parenthood Foundation (http://www.ippf.org/en/), a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, has endorsed the United Nations definition of sexual health: “the notion of sexual health implies a positive approach to human sexuality and the purpose of sexual health care should be the enhancement of life and personal relations and not merely counselling and care related to reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases.”

Source: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Download pdf of article | Link to Public Library of Science (PLoS)

The Academic Experience of Students in English Universities 2009 Report

From Background document:

This report follows two previous surveys of the academic experience of students in English universities, in 2006 and 2007. Those reports covered a wide range of issues, including the amount of contact students had with their staff, the amount of private study they undertook, the number of other students in their lectures and seminars and the extent of their use of facilities, as well as more qualitative issues like their satisfaction with the value for money of what they received.

Source: Higher Education Policy Institute

Download full pdf report | Link to HEPI

Assistance to the Family and the College Achievement of Young Adults

Abstract:

This investigation examined the assistance that approximately 630 college—bound young adults from Asian, Latin American, and European backgrounds provided to their families and the implications of that assistance for their postsecondary educational progress. Students from Filipino and Latin American backgrounds spent more hours helping their parents and siblings on a daily basis as compared to their peers from East Asian and European backgrounds. Those from Latin American backgrounds provided financial support to their families at a higher rate than those from East Asian and European backgrounds, and males provided more financial support than females. Young adults who provided daily and financial assistance to their families were less likely to pursue or obtain bachelor’s degrees and more likely to pursue or obtain an associate’s degrees. This association did not vary across subgroups of adolescents and group differences in family assistance did not account for group differences in postsecondary degree persistence.

Source: California Center for Population Research. On-Line Working Paper Series.

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Ambulation: a tool for monitoring mobility patterns over time using mobile phones

Abstract:

An important tool for evaluating the health of patients who suffer from mobility-affecting chronic diseases such as MS, Parkinson’s, and Muscular Dystrophy is assessment of how much they walk. Ambulation is a mobility monitoring system that uses Android and Nokia N95 mobile phones to automatically detect the user’s mobility mode. The user’s only required interaction with the phone is turning it on and keeping it with him/her throughout the day, with the intention that it could be used as his/her everyday mobile phone for voice, data, and other applications, while Ambulation runs in the background. The phone uploads the collected mobility and location information to a server and a secure, intuitive web-based visualization of the data is available to the user and any family, friends or caregivers whom they authorize, allowing them to identify trends in their mobility and measure progress over time and in response to varying treatments.

Source: Center for Embedded Network Sensing. Univ. of California.

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Social Work Education, Training and Employment in Africa: The case of Zimbabwe

Abstract:

Social work education in Zimbabwe commenced with the establishment of the School of Social Work in Harare in 1964 by the Catholic Jesuit Fathers. The School was initially called the School of Social Service. Prior to this, the country’s social workers were mainly trained in British, South African and Zambian Social Work Colleges. The first students were trained as group workers for clubs, welfare centres, and urban conditions where the clientele were more visible. The major strength of colonial social work education was that it formed the basis for professional social work practice resulting in the creation of a three year diploma in 1966. In 1969 the school changed its name to the School of Social Work and became the first associate college of the University of Rhodesia (now University of Zimbabwe), with students awarded a university diploma in Social Work after a three year program. In 1975 the School established the first bachelor’s degree programme in Social Work (BSW), which was followed later by the Honours and Masters degree. The school, which is the only social work training institution in the country, is now an affiliate of the University of Zimbabwe. Since the attainment of independence, the School of Social Work has transformed into a dynamic institution making social work education more responsive to the development needs of the country. The government in Zimbabwe remains the largest employer of social workers with a few employed by private and charitable organisations (NGOs). The single greatest challenge facing social work education in Zimbabwe today is making it more responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe. In this vein however, it has become imperative for the institution to prepare social workers capable of addressing local structural problems, as well as maintaining an international flavour in line with the current trends of globalization in which there is rapid movement of social workers across international frontiers.

Source: Ufahamu: A Journal of African Studies: Vol. 35: No. 1, Article 3. [via eScholarship Repository]

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Latino Children: A Majority Are U.S.-Born Offspring of Immigrants

Hispanics now make up 22% of all children under the age of 18 in the United States--up from 9% in 1980--and as their numbers have grown, their demographic profile has changed.

A majority (52%) of the nation's 16 million Hispanic children are now "second generation," meaning they are the U.S.-born sons or daughters of at least one foreign-born parent, typically someone who came to this country in the immigration wave from Mexico, Central America and South America that began around 1980. Some 11% of Latino children are "first generation"--meaning they themselves are foreign-born. And 37% are "third generation or higher"--meaning they are the U.S.-born children of U.S.-born parents.

Source: Pew Hispanic Center

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Who’s Hispanic?

Is Sonia Sotomayor the first Hispanic ever nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court? Or does that distinction belong to the late Justice Benjamin Cardozo, who served on the court from 1932-1938 and whose ancestors may or may not have come from Portugal?

Unscrambling Cardozo's family tree is best left to historians and genealogists.1 Here we take a stab at a more daunting question. Just who is a Hispanic?

Source: Pew Hispanic Center

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Public Tracks Economy, Media Focuses on Terror Debate

"Americans continued to closely track news about the struggling economy and the spread of the swine flu last week, though the media devoted the largest share of coverage to the sharp debate in Washington over how best to protect the nation from terrorism."

Source: Pew Center for People and the Press

Download full pdf report | Download topline questionnaire (pdf) | Link to online summary

The Condition of Education 2009

The Condition of Education 2009 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report presents 46 indicators on the status and condition of education. 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 2009 print edition includes 46 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.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

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Cultural Borders and Mental Barriers: The Relationship Between Living Abroad and Creativity,

From Press Release:

Living in another country can be a cherished experience, but new research suggests it might also help expand minds. This research, published by the American Psychological Association, is the first of its kind to look at the link between living abroad and creativity.

“Gaining experience in foreign cultures has long been a classic prescription for artists interested in stimulating their imaginations or honing their crafts. But does living abroad actually make people more creative?” asks the study's lead author, William Maddux, PhD, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD, a business school with campuses in France and Singapore. “It's a longstanding question that we feel we've been able to begin answering through this research.”

Maddux and Adam Galinsky, PhD, from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, conducted five studies to test the idea that living abroad and creativity are linked.

Source: APA

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The Impact of Credit Cards on Spending: A Field Experiment

Abstract:
In a field experiment, we measure the impact of payment with credit card as compared with cash on insurance company employees' spending on lunch in a cafeteria. We exogenously changed some diners' payment medium from cash to a credit card by giving them an incentive to pay with a credit card. Surprisingly, we find that credit cards do not increase spending. However, the use of credit cards has a differential impact on spending for revolvers and convenience users: Revolvers spend less when induced to spend with a credit card, whereas convenience users display the opposite pattern.

Source: Social Science Research Network

Link to abstract - pdf available for download at SSRN

International perspectives on positive action measures - A comparative analysis in the European Union, Canada, the United States and South Africa

Abstract:
This study was undertaken to help the European Commission develop a framework for better understanding the role that positive action measures can play in practice in preventing or remedying discrimination. In addition, it offered insight into the kind of practical positive action measures already being taken in the EU (and in the EFTA-EEA countries), as well as the possible costs and benefits of the positive action measures. The study also sought to examine how legal frameworks, policies and practices of positive action in the EU compared with Canada, the United States and South Africa.

Source: European Commission on Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

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Out of the Shadows: Preventive Detention, Suspected Terrorists, and War

From Abstract:

This article examines the appropriate and inappropriate role of "preventive detention" in responding to terrorist threats. It offers a constitutional jurisprudence of preventive detention, maintaining that absent a showing that dangerous behaviour cannot be addressed through criminal prosecution, preventive detention is unconstitutional. But criminal prosecution is not always a realistic option, and in those circumstances, preventive detention, carefully circumscribed and meticulously safeguarded by procedural protections, may be permissible. Familiar examples of accepted preventive detention regimes include civil commitment of dangerous persons who because of a mental disability cannot be held criminally responsible, and detention of enemy soldiers in a traditional war, whose hostile activities cannot be criminalized so long as they respect the laws of war.

Source: Georgetown Law Faculty Working Papers. Paper 106.

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Does the Wall Still Stand? The Implications of Transhumanism for the Separation of Church and State

Abstract:

Suppose a required course in a public high school taught transhumanism. The course covered topics such as how nanotechnology can improve brain functioning, and it took a positive, optimistic perspective on the possibility that we can become posthuman beings. Would such a course constitute an unconstitutional establishment of religion? The Malnak test and other sources suggest that the answer might be yes. From the perspective of a non-transhumanist, it seems that it would be honest and sensible for transhumanists to embrace the idea that they offer an alternative to traditional religions.

Steven Goldberg, Georgetown Law
Speech at the Workshop on Transhumanism and the Future of Democracy, Templeton Research Lectures at the Arizona State University Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, April 24, 2009

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Tort Law Tally : Tort Laws that Save Americans the Most Money

From Press Release:

...report identifying which state tort reforms reduce tort losses and tort insurance premiums the most.

The analysis identifies 18 reforms to state civil-justice systems that significantly reduce tort losses and/or tort insurance premiums. The cumulative effect of reforms across all tort categories is a 47-percent reduction in losses and a 16-percent reduction in insurance premiums for consumers. “Our study helps state legislators and legal reformers identify which tort reforms produce the biggest bang for the buck,” said Lawrence J. McQuillan, PhD, project director and PRI director of Business and Economic Studies.

Source: Pacific Research Institute

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U.S. Health Care System Fails To Protect Patients From Deadly Medical Errors

From Press Release:

“To Err is Human – To Delay is Deadly,” Consumers Union detailed the lack of progress since the IOM estimated in 1999 that as many as 98,000 Americans die every year from preventable medical errors. Consumers Union’s report was released as lawmakers in Congress are working on legislation to address the rising cost of health care and expand access to coverage. Consumers Union maintains that reducing medical harm -- including hospital-acquired infections and medication errors -- would not only improve patient care but also provide significant costs savings to help make expanded access to health coverage possible.

Source: Consumer's Union

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Dangerous But Not Omnipotent Exploring the Reach and Limitations of Iranian Power in the Middle East

Abstract:
Following the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Iranian threat to U.S. interests has taken on seemingly unprecedented qualities of aggressiveness and urgency. Added to its provocative positions on the nuclear program, support for non-state militants, and development of threatening military capabilities is the sense that Iran is trying to effect far-reaching changes on the regional and even global stage. Within this context, this report aims to provide policy planners with a new framework for anticipating and preparing for the strategic challenges Iran will present over the next ten to fifteen years. In an analysis grounded in the observation that although Iranian power projection is marked by strengths, it also has serious liabilities and limitations, this report assesses four critical areas — the Iranian regime's perception of itself as a regional and even global power, Iran's conventional military buildup and aspirations for asymmetric warfare, its support to Islamist militant groups, and its appeal to Arab public opinion. Based on this assessment, the report offers a new U.S. policy paradigm that seeks to manage the challenges Iran presents through the exploitation of regional barriers to its power and sources of caution in the regime's strategic calculus. Source: RAND Corp.

Download full pdf report | Download Summary (pdf) | Link to online abstract

Food for Thought: Building a High-Quality School Choice Market

From the press release:
Proponents of school choice have long argued that the power of markets is an essential element for creating a better public school system. But while the charter school movement has spurred the creation of highly successful school models, it has become increasingly clear that markets alone will not dramatically improve the supply and demand for great public schools, particularly in low-income, urban communities that have long suffered from low educational achievement.

"The reality is that supply and demand are more difficult to manufacture than originally conceived and are unlikely to fully develop on their own," argues Policy Analyst Erin Dillon in Food for Thought: Building a High-Quality School Choice Market, a new report from Education Sector. "In order to pressure all public schools to improve and to raise student achievement overall, school choice reforms need to not just increase the supply of any schools. They need to increase the supply of good schools, and parents who know how to find them."

Source: Education Sector

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

From the Press Release:

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

Source: Center for Economic Policy and Research

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Sex and Science: How Professor Gender Perpetuates the Gender Gap

Why aren’t there more women in science? Female college students are currently 37 percent less likely than males to obtain a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and comprise only 25 percent of the STEM workforce. This paper begins to shed light on this issue by exploiting a unique dataset of college students who have been randomly assigned to professors over a wide variety of mandatory standardized courses. We focus on the role of professor gender. Our results suggest that while professor gender has little impact on male students, it has a powerful effect on female students’ performance in math and science classes, their likelihood of taking future math and science courses, and their likelihood of graduating with a STEM degree. The estimates are largest for female students with very strong math skills, who are arguably the students who are most suited to careers in science. Indeed, the gender gap in course grades and STEM ma jors is eradicated when high performing female students’introductory math and science classes are taught by female professors.. In contrast, the gender of humanities professors has only minimal impact on student outcomes. We believe that these results are indicative of important environmental influences at work. Source: Author: S.E.Carrell, U.C.Davis, NBER [via Chron of Higher Ed]

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U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications

Mexico has a population of about 110 million people making it the most populous Spanish- speaking country in the world and the third most populous country in the Western Hemisphere. Based on a gross domestic product (GDP) of $1.0 trillion in 2008 (about 7% of U.S. GDP), Mexico has a free market economy with a strong export sector. Economic conditions in Mexico are important to the United States because of the proximity of Mexico to the United States, the close trade and investment interactions, and other social and political issues that are affected by the economic relationship between the two countries. The United States and Mexico have strong economic ties. An important feature of the relationship is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has been in effect since 1994. In terms of total trade, Mexico is the United States' third largest trading partner, while the United States ranks first among Mexico's trading partners. In U.S. imports, Mexico ranks third among U.S. trading partners, after China and Canada, while in exports Mexico ranks second, after Canada. The United States is the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico. These links are critical to many U.S. industries and border communities. In 2008, about 11% of total U.S. merchandise exports were destined for Mexico and 10% of U.S. merchandise imports came from Mexico. In the same year U.S. exports to Mexico increased almost 10%, while imports from Mexico increased about 3%. For Mexico, the United States is a much more significant trading partner. About 82% of Mexico's exports go to the United States and 50% of Mexico's imports come from the United States. FDI forms another part of the economic relationship between the United States and Mexico. The United States is the largest source of FDI in Mexico. U.S. FDI in Mexico totaled $91.7 billion in 2007. The overall effect of NAFTA on the U.S. economy has been relatively small, primarily because two-way trade with Mexico amounts to less than three percent of U.S. GDP. Major trade issues between Mexico and the United States have involved the access of Mexican trucks to the United States; the access of Mexican sugar and tuna to the U.S. market; and the access of U.S. sweeteners to the Mexican market. Source: Congressional Research Service

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The Kurds in Post-Saddam Iraq

"The Kurdish-inhabited region of northern Iraq has been relatively peaceful and prosperous since the fall of Saddam Hussein. However, the Iraqi Kurds' political autonomy, demands, and ambitions have caused friction with Christian and other minorities in the north, with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other Arab leaders of Iraq, and with neighboring Turkey and Iran. These outstanding issues between the Kurds and the central government do not appear close to resolution, and tensions—which are likely to increase now that Kurdish representation in two key mixed provinces has been reduced by the January 31, 2009 provincial elections—threaten to undermine the stability achieved throughout Iraq in 2008. The Kurds face further political setbacks in 2010 because a senior Kurdish leader, Jalal Talabani, said he would not be available to continue as president of Iraq after the next national elections expected at the end of 2009. It is likely that Sunni Arabs will push for one of their own to take that position. It is likely to require U.S. political influence over the Kurds to prevent a near term de-stabilizing escalation of these disputes. However, the U.S. ability to keep these tensions contained could wane as U.S. combat forces draw down from Iraq by August 2010." Source: Congressional Research Service

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National Science Foundation Releases Comprehensive Report on Global Impacts of Climate Change

"The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a report on global climate change, entitled "Solving the Puzzle: Researching the Impacts of Climate Change around the World," that describes how, over nearly 60 years, NSF-funded researchers have found signs of a changing climate in nearly every corner of the globe, from the icy expanses of Earth's polar regions to its equatorial ecosystems."

"NSF has also launched a Foundation-wide Climate Change Education program aimed at improving K-12 to graduate education in climate change science and increasing the public's understanding of climate change and its consequences."


Download full pdf report | Link to NSF

Survey Finds Colleges Moving Away From Pure "Cafeteria-Style" General Education Requirements

The Association of American Colleges and Universities released findings today from a survey of its members revealing trends in undergraduate general education and the use of engaged and integrative curricular practices. The survey of chief academic officers at 433 colleges and universities of all sorts (public and private, two-year and four-year, large and small) suggests that many colleges and universities are reforming their general education programs and developing new curricular approaches and ways to assess key learning outcomes. As institutions review their general education programs, many are choosing to incorporate more engaged and integrative curricular practices. Source: The Association of American Colleges and Universities

Download full pdf report | Link to press release

Rich States, Poor States - ALEC path to economic recovery for states

In the midst of economic turmoil, federal bailouts, and budget deficits in more than 40 states, a new report from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) offers a roadmap to recovery based on economic performance trends from states over the last 10 years. The second edition of Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index shows how the federal bailout of the states may simply encourage out-of-control spending by states, which is up 124 percent over the last 10 years, without requiring them to make the tough decisions needed to bring about financial stability.
Source: American Legislative Exchange Council

Download full pdf report | Link to ALEC

The Establishment Clause and Government Funding of Faith-Based Organizations

"The debate over government funding of religious groups and institutions raises some of the thorniest issues in the ongoing discussion about the appropriate relationship between church and state. Most legal scholars agree that the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits at least some government funding of religion, but they disagree sharply on exactly what is permissible.

Participants in the debate fall roughly into two camps: On the one side are "separationists," who broadly interpret the Establishment Clause -- which prohibits all laws "respecting an establishment of religion" -- to require that government refrain from aiding or promoting religion or religious institutions. Strict separationists therefore claim that most, or even all, government funding of religion is unconstitutional. On the other side are those who interpret the Establishment Clause much more narrowly, contending that government funding of religion is constitutional as long as the funding is neutral, meaning it does not favor religion over non-religion or favor a particular faith over other faiths." Source: Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

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USC Annenberg School 2009 Digital Future Report

Abstract:

The Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School is pleased to present the results of the eighth year of our project, “Surveying the Digital Future.” The eight years of longitudinal research comprise an absolutely unique data base that completely captures broadband at home, the wireless Internet, on-line media, user-generated content and social networking. As usual, the report continues to track off-line media use, purchasing both off-line and through e-commerce, social and political activity and a wealth of other data.

The Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School has been tracking a representative sample of the American population for over eight years, watching as people move on-line and then move from modems to broadband. The project also carefully tracks those who drop off the net each year and whether they return and, if so, when and what brings them back. At the end of eight years, we also have an unparalleled view of the non-users who do not go on-line. We carefully examine why they are not users and whether they are likely to ever go on-line.

Report highlights (pdf) | Link to site for purchase of full report

Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States

This report examines data on nonmarital births from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). The principal measures reviewed are the number of births to unmarried women, the birth rate for unmarried women, and the percentage of all births to unmarried women. The most recent data available are from the 2007 preliminary birth file. Data for 2006 are shown where the 2007 data are not available. Comparisons are also made with selected earlier years reflecting key points of change.

Key findings

Data from the Natality Data Sets, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS)

* Childbearing by unmarried women has resumed a steep climb since 2002.
* Births to unmarried women totaled 1,714,643 in 2007, 26% more than in 2002. Nearly 4 in 10 U.S. births were to unmarried women in 2007.
* Birth rates have risen considerably for unmarried women in their twenties and over, while declining or changing little for unmarried teenagers.
* Nonmarital birth rates are highest for Hispanic women followed by black women. Rates for non-Hispanic white and Asian or Pacific Islander women are much lower.
* Most births to teenagers (86% in 2007) are nonmarital, but 60% of births to women 20–24 and nearly one-third of births to women 25–29 were nonmarital in 2007.
* Teenagers accounted for just 23% of nonmarital births in 2007, down steeply from 50% in 1970.

Source: CDC Center for Health Statistics

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Occupying Iraq : A History of the Coalition Provisional Authority

The American engagement in Iraq has been looked at from many perspectives — the flawed intelligence that provided the war's rationale, the failed effort to secure an international mandate, the rapid success of the invasion, and the long ensuing counterinsurgency campaign. This book focuses on the activities of the Coalition Provisional Authority and its administrator, L. Paul Bremer, who governed Iraq from May 2003 to June of the following year. It is based on interviews with many of those responsible for setting and implementing occupation policy, on the memoirs of American and Iraqi officials who have since left office, on journalists' accounts of the period, and on nearly 100,000 never-before-released CPA documents. The book recounts and evaluates the efforts of the United States and its coalition partners to restore public services, reform the judicial and penal systems, fight corruption, revitalize the economy, and create the basis for representative government. It also addresses the occupation's most striking failure: the inability of the United States and its coalition partners to protect the Iraqi people from the criminals and extremists in their midst.

Download full pdf publication | Download pdf Executive Summary | Link to online abstract

2009 Industry Outlook: Challenging Times, Emerging Opportunities

"In 2009, the United States must deal with some of the greatest economic challenges it has encountered in two generations: Financial markets are in turmoil; prices for oil and other commodities are fluctuating wildly; housing, automotive and other industries are fighting for survival; more than 10 million people are unemployed2 – the litany of woes continues as the United States and other nations slip into a global recession. Yet, even amid the economic upheaval, opportunities and positive signs exist: Medical and technology advances are continuing apace; greening initiatives are moving forward; a new president and Congress are taking office amid high expectations for change; and governments, corporations and citizens around the world are collaborating to identify real and lasting solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s challenges." Source: Deloitte

Link to full report online

Reaching America's Health Potential: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health

"This chartbook, released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Build a Healthier America, provides state and national data on self-reported adult health status. These data illustrate a consistent and striking pattern of incremental improvements in health with increasing levels of educational attainment: As levels of education rise, health improves.

This report also compares the current state of adult health in the United States to a national benchmark—a level of good health that should be achievable for all Americans. This national adult health benchmark is set at the lowest rate of less than very good health observed in any state among the most educated adults who also practiced healthy behaviors."

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Older Workers on the Move: Recareering in Later Life

Recareering, or career change, is common at older ages. Workers who change careers typically move into jobs that pay less and offer fewer benefits. However, the new careers tend to offer more flexible work arrangements, less stressful working conditions, and fewer managerial responsibilities. For workers interested in delaying retirement after long careers, such jobs may be just what they are looking for.

Relatively little is known about recareering. This PPI Research Paper by examines the characteristics of workers who change careers in late life. Using data from eight waves of the biennial Health and Retirement Study (1992-2006), Richard W. Johnson, Janette Kawachi, and Eric K. Lewis of The Urban Institute examine the extent and nature of career change by older workers and its consequences for later-life employment. Special attention is paid to the circumstances surrounding later-life job separations that influence career change. Source: The Urban Institute [via AARP]

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The 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Outbreak: Selected Legal Issues

From the summary:

Recent human cases of infection with a novel influenza A(H1N1) virus have been identified both internationally and in the United States. Since there has been human to human transmission and the new virus has the potential to become pandemic, it is timely to examine the legal issues surrounding this emerging public health threat. This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.

Source: Congressional Research Service [via American Federation of Scientists]

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Mandated Parent Education Programs: Lessons From the United States

What should family law do about divorcing parents? A legislative wave sweeping through the United States has answered “teach them a lesson.” This legislation requires that divorcing parents take “parent education programs.” Thus it has turned these programs from a fad in American family courts into an established and mandatory stop on parents’ path to divorce. These programs, and the legislation mandating them, are currently being replicated in other English-speaking jurisdictions, typically relying on American materials and expertise. In Canada, parenting classes for divorcing parents are required in several provinces and are already mandatory for all divorcing parents in Alberta. An American expert participated in lobbying for similar legislation in the United Kingdom, where pilot programs are in the making. A close scrutiny of the American experience, therefore, is especially timely. This Article critically scrutinizes the American legislation and shows that it appeals to a widely held belief that divorcing parents are not only responsible for the adverse consequences of divorce on children, but that they should also be blamed for them. This blaming has resulted in legislation that does little to ameliorate children’s lives and downplays the detrimental effects of divorce on mothers. Instead, the Article proposes that letting go of blame and focusing on helping parents “move on” as quickly and steadily as possible would yield better results for a legal system committed to improving children’s well-being and to gender equality. Source: Cornell Law School

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Transforming America’s Community Colleges: A Federal Policy Proposal To Expand Opportunity and Promote Economic Prosperity

"To renew America’s status as the world’s leader in college attainment, the federal government needs to transform America’s community colleges and equip them for the 21st century. This long-overdue investment should establish national goals and a related performance measurement system; provide resources to drive college performance toward those goals; stimulate greater innovation in community college policies and practices to enhance the quality of subbaccalaureate education; and support data systems to track student and institutional progress and performance." Source: The Brookings Institution

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Attached at the Wallet: The Delicate Financial Relationship between the U.S. and China

For nearly two decades, the United States and China have held each other in an awkward but mutually beneficial economic embrace. Despite the countries' political differences, American consumers gobbled up Chinese-made goods, while China piled up billions of dollars from U.S. trade.

The arrangement worked for years. But recently, under mounting pressures from the global economic crisis, the financial relationship between China and the U.S. is beginning to look like an unhealthy co-dependency. China holds so much of its foreign reserves in dollar-based assets that it is now vulnerable to shifts in the U.S. economy. And the U.S. has allowed China to purchase so much of its debt that it is now beholden to Chinese interests. Source: Knowledge @ Wharton, Wharton School of Business

Download article in pdf format | Link to article online

Engaging women in computer science and engineering: Insights from a national study of undergraduate research experiences

At UCLA, the Center for Embedded Network Sensing (CENS) in the School of Engineering received NSF funding for a unique project titled: Women @ CENS, created to explore issues of gender equity in engineering and computer science (ECS) undergraduate research internship programs. The Women @ CENS project includes two studies: 1) an evaluation of our own CENS REU program and 2) a national study of REUs in ECS. The goals of these studies were to learn about promising practices in addressing gender equity in the REU setting from our own summer internship program, and to learn about what other REUs were doing in regards to promoting gender equity such that more women will choose to pursue advanced degrees and faculty careers in ECS. Study One utilizes the evaluation of the CENS REU over four program years to understand what has and has not worked for our female students in particular. For Study Two, we surveyed program directors of NSF funded Computer Science and Engineering REUs nationwide about espoused program goals, practices, participant demographics, and in particular, specific efforts designed to address gender inequity in these fields. Source: Center for Embedded Network Sensing. Papers. Paper 2248. [via eScholarship repository]

Download full pdf publication | Link to online abstract

UN : Anti-racism conference outcome document – what it actually says

"The outcome document of the Durban Review Conference is designed to bring real changes for the millions of victims of racism worldwide. It has identified “concrete measures and initiatives at all levels” to stamp out racial discrimination and intolerance.

High Commissioner Navi Pillay: the outcome document is a carefully balanced and yet meaningful outcome enshrining a common aspiration: to defy racism in all its manifestations and work to stamp it out wherever it may occur.Victims are given special consideration in the document, which was adopted by consensus at the Durban Review Conference. It represents the latest global consensus on how to fight all forms of racism.

Contrary to a common misconception, the Durban Review Conference and its outcome did not focus on a single issue, conflict or group of people – the Middle East for instance is not mentioned in the outcome document. Rather, it emphasizes that all victims of racism 'should receive the same necessary attention and protection and accordingly appropriate treatment.'"

Link to entire article from the United Nations | Download Conference Outcome Document

Public Remains Divided Over Use of Torture

Amid intense debate over the use of torture against suspected terrorists, public opinion about this issue remains fairly stable. Currently, nearly half say the use of torture under such circumstances is often (15%) or sometimes (34%) justified; about the same proportion believes that the torture of suspected terrorists is rarely (22%) or never (25%) justified.

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted April 14-21 among 742 adults interviewed in English and Spanish on landlines and cell phones, finds little change in opinions about the use of torture against suspected terrorists. Source: "Pew Research Center for the People & the Press"

Download complete pdf report | Download pdf topline questionnaire | Link to online overview

Foreign-Born Population Map Series by Selected Countries of Birth

"These state level maps provide percent distributions and some detailed socio-economic characteristics from Census 2000 for the foreign-born population in the United States and Puerto Rico for selected countries of birth.

The map series includes selected countries of birth that met a national threshold of 500,000 persons or more. In total, fourteen countries of birth were selected: Mexico, China, Philippines, India, Vietnam, Cuba, Korea, Canada, El Salvador, Germany, Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, and Colombia.1 The percent distributions of the foreign-born populations born in these countries are displayed geographically by state and Puerto Rico.

In addition, selected characteristic maps are also shown for nine countries of birth: Mexico, China, Philippines, India, Vietnam, Korea, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.1 The characteristics maps have a state level threshold of 1,000 persons or more of the foreign-born population born in a selected country of birth in most states. Data for certain states and Puerto Rico that did not meet this criterion are not shown. For example, in 2000 Florida’s total number of the foreign-born population born in China has to be equal to or above 1,000 persons in order to be displayed in the map. Cuba, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Colombia did not meet this criterion, so only percent distribution maps are available. For comparative purposes, the total foreign-born and native populations are also included by percent distribution and for selected characteristics. The fourteen countries of birth listed below are in order by size of their total foreign-born population at the national level." Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Link to Foreign-Born Population Map Series

Survey Finds Nearly Half of Americans Concerned They or Their Family May Get Sick from Swine Flu

From Press Release "Following the declaration of a public health emergency due to the new H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, the Harvard Opinion Research Program at the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a poll about how concerned Americans are about the outbreak, how they are responding and what they believe about transmission, prevention and treatment."

Source: Harvard School of Public Health

Download full pdf report | Download charts (pdf) | Link to online press release

Public Takes Conservative Turn on Gun Control, Abortion

Public attitudes on a pair of contentious national issues -- gun control and abortion -- have moved in a more conservative direction over the past year. In both cases, the changes have been driven in part by relatively large shifts among men, while opinions among women have not changed very much.

For the first time in a Pew Research survey, nearly as many people believe it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns (45%) than to control gun ownership (49%). As recently as a year ago, 58% said it was more important to control gun ownership while 37% said it was more important to protect the right to own guns.

Source: Pew Research Center for People and the Press

Link to online report with charts

Health Care Reform: An Introduction

Health care reform has emerged as an issue in the 111th Congress, driven by growing concern about widely discussed problems. Three predominant concerns involve coverage, cost and spending, and quality. Commonly cited figures indicate that more than 45 million people have no insurance, which can limit their access to care and their ability to pay for the care they receive. Costs are rising for nearly everyone, and the country now spends over $2.2 trillion, more than 16% of gross domestic product (GDP), on health care services and products, far more than other industrialized countries. For all this spending, the country scores but average or somewhat worse on many indicators of health care quality. Source: Congressional Research Service

Download full pdf report | Link to online abstract

Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress

"Organized crime threatens multiple facets of the United States, including the economy and national security. In fact, the Organized Crime Council was recently reconvened for the first time in 15 years to address this continued threat. Organized crime has taken on an increasingly transnational nature, and with more open borders and the expansion of the Internet, criminals endanger the United States not only from within the borders, but beyond. Threats come from a variety of criminal organizations, including Russian, Asian, Italian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and African syndicates. Policymakers may question whether the tools they have provided the federal government to combat organized crime are still effective for countering today's evolving risks. In the wake of the economic downturn, organized crime could further weaken the economy with illegal activities (such as cigarette trafficking and tax evasion scams) that result in a loss of tax revenue for state and federal governments. Fraudulent activities in domains such as strategic commodities, credit, insurance, stocks, securities and investments could further weaken the already-troubled financial market." Source: Congressional Research Service

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Insolvency of Systemically Significant Companies: Bankruptcy vs. Conservatorship/Receivership

This report first discusses the purposes behind the creation of a separate insolvency regime for depository institutions. The report then compares and contrasts the characteristics of depository institutions with SSFCs. Next, the report provides a brief analysis of some important differences between the FDIC's conservatorship/receivership authority and that of the Bankruptcy Code. The specific differences discussed are: (1) overall objectives of each regime; (2) insolvency initiation authority and timing; (3) oversight structure and appeal; (4) management, shareholder, and creditor rights; (5) FDIC "superpowers," including contract repudiation versus Bankruptcy's automatic stay; and (6) speed of resolution. This report makes no value judgment as to whether an insolvency regime for SSFCs that is modeled after the FDIC's conservatorship/receivership authority is more appropriate than using (or adapting) the Bankruptcy Code. Rather, it simply points out the similarities and differences between SSFCs and depository institutions, and compares the conservatorship/receivership insolvency regime with the Bankruptcy Code to help the reader develop his/her own opinion. Source: Congressional Research Service

Download full pdf publication | Link to online abstract

Did Corporate Governance 'Fail' During the 2008 Stock Market Meltdown? The Case of the S&P 500

Abstract:
In 2008, share prices on U.S. stock markets fell further than they had during any one year since the 1930s. Does this mean corporate governance “failed”? This paper argues “no”, based on a study of a sample of companies at “ground zero” of the stock market meltdown, namely the 37 firms removed from the iconic S&P 500 index during 2008. The study, based primarily on searches of the Factiva news database, reveals that institutional shareholders were largely mute as share prices fell and that boardroom practices and executive pay policies at various financial firms were problematic. On the other hand, there apparently were no Enron-style frauds, there was little criticism of the corporate governance of companies that were not under severe financial stress and directors of troubled firms were far from passive, as they orchestrated CEO turnover at a rate far exceeding the norm in public companies. The fact that corporate governance functioned tolerably well in companies removed from the S&P 500 implies that the case is not yet made out for fundamental reform of current arrangements.

Source: Social Science Resource Network
Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1396126

Educational Attainment in the United States

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

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

Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008 is a series of tables containing data by characteristics such as age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, occupation, industry, nativity, citizenship status and period of entry. The tabulations also include historical data on mean earnings by educational attainment, sex, race and Hispanic origin.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Link to site to download data tables

Dissecting the 2008 Electorate: Most Diverse in U.S. History

"The electorate in last year's presidential election was the most racially and ethnically diverse in U.S. history, with nearly one-in-four votes cast by non-whites, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center. The nation's three biggest minority groups--blacks, Hispanics and Asians--each accounted for unprecedented shares of the presidential vote in 2008."

Source: Pew Hispanic Center

Download full pdf report | Link to online summary with graphics

Perspectives of Chief Ethics and Compliance Officers on the Detection and Prevention of Corporate Misdeeds

"Improvements in corporate compliance, ethics, and oversight have been a significant policy goal for the U.S. government at least since the enactment of the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines in 1991 and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002. Notwithstanding these earlier government initiatives, the collapse of financial markets in late 2008 has invited renewed questions about the governance, compliance, and ethics practices of firms throughout the U.S. economy. On March 5, 2009, RAND convened a conference in Washington, D.C., on the role and perspectives of corporate chief ethics and compliance officers (CECOs) in supporting organizations in the detection and prevention of corporate misdeeds. The conference brought together leaders from among ethics and compliance officers in the corporate community, as well as stakeholders in the nonprofit sector, academia, and government. Discussions focused on the challenges facing corporate ethics and compliance programs as a first line of defense against malfeasance and misbehavior; on the role of CECOs as champions for implementation in their companies; and on potential steps that might be taken by government to empower CECOs and, by extension, the corporate ethics and compliance programs that they oversee." Source: RAND Corporation

Download full pdf report | Download pdf summary | Link to online abstract

New Indicators of Career/Technical Education Coursetaking

This Statistics in Brief uses data from the 2005 High School Transcript Study (HSTS) to examine the career/technical education (CTE) coursetaking of public high school graduates using new indicators of participation. These indicators examine the extent to which students participate in CTE and in specific occupational areas (such as agriculture and business) broadly (many students earning credits) versus deeply (many credits earned by participating students). First, the brief looks at student participation across the three main CTE curriculum areas (family and consumer sciences education, general labor market preparation, and occupational education). Second, the brief looks at coursetaking within occupational areas, including occupational concentration. Finally, the brief examines coursetaking across occupational areas, including the areas that students tend to combine. Findings indicate that high school graduates’ use of the CTE curriculum is generally broad rather than narrow in the sense that most (70 percent) earn credits in both occupational education and either general labor market preparation or family and consumer sciences education, and most (58 percent) earn credits in more than one occupational area. Five occupational areas had the broadest participation (i.e., had the greatest number of graduates earning credits in the area): business; communications and design; manufacturing, repair, and transportation; consumer and culinary services; and computer and information sciences). The occupational areas with the deepest levels of participation were manufacturing, repair, and transportation; agriculture and natural resources; health sciences; and construction and architecture. Finally, some occupational areas were more likely than others to be taken together. For example, marketing coursetakers were more likely than other occupational coursetakers to earn credits in business. Source National Center for Education Statistics

Download full pdf report | Link to online summary

United Nations Report : Children and armed conflict

The report includes information on compliance with applicable international law to end
the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and other grave violations being committed against children affected by armed conflict;1 information on progress made in the implementation of the monitoring and reporting mechanism and action plans to halt the recruitment and use of children, as well as progress made in mainstreaming children and armed conflict issues in United Nations peacekeeping and political missions; and a brief summary of the conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, and of its progress.

The report includes a proposal to strengthen the monitoring and reporting on
rape and other grave sexual violence against children.

Download full pdf report

Survey on the Attitudes of Europeans towards Tourism

This Flash Eurobarometer survey (Flash Eurobarometer 258 on the “Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism” was conducted at the request of Directorate General Enterprise and Industry to collect citizens‟ views, details of holidays and travel in 2007 and 2008 and their plans regarding holidays in 2009.

This analytical report includes the average results for the EU and highlightsvariances in responses based on the interviewees‟ country of residence, their socio-demographic background and fundamental attitudes towards holidays and travel. It also examined how EU citizens chose a holiday destination.

A special emphasis was put on the financial aspect of taking a holiday, as this is becoming the prime concern for travellers as well as for the tourism industry in the midst of a serious economic downturn affecting all economies of the EU.

Source: Gallup Corporation

Download full pdf report

Technical Report: Understanding Muslim Ethnic Communities

"This technical report accompanies the research and reports on thirteen Muslim ethnic communities in England undertaken for Communities and Local Government in 2008. The reports covered communities originating from Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Turkey." Source: Communities and Local Government UK : http://www.communities.gov.uk


Download full pdf technical report | Link to site

Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific 2008

"The Asia-Pacific region is home to 4.1 billion people – more than 60 per cent of the world’s population. But population growth has been slowing: since 2000, it has fallen to 1.1 per cent per year. Growth is higher in the landlocked developing countries at 1.9 per cent, in the least developed countries at 1.8 per cent, and in the small island developing States at 1.7 per cent. In the middle-income economies, on the other hand growth is only 1.0 per cent, and in the high-income economies only 0.2 per cent."
Source: United Nations

Download full Statistical Yearbook in pdf format | Link to site and online overview

Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S.

"Americans change religious affiliation early and often. In total, about half of American adults have changed religious affiliation at least once during their lives. Most people who change their religion leave their childhood faith before age 24, and many of those who change religion do so more than once. These are among the key findings of a new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life. The survey documents the fluidity of religious affiliation in the U.S. and describes in detail the patterns and reasons for change."

Pew Research Center : Forum on Religion and Public Life

Link to Pew online report with tables and graphics

What's the Difference? - Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data

"There is a large and growing difference between the official trade statistics released by the United States and the People's Republic of China. According to the United States, the 2008 bilateral trade deficit with China was $266.3 billion. According to China, its trade surplus with the United States was $170.8 billion—$95.5 billion less. This paper examines the differences in the trade data from the two nations in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures at the two digit level using the Harmonized System to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. This comparison reveals that over two-thirds of the difference in the value of China's exports to the United States is attributable to five types of goods. The second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies. This report is updated annually, after the release of official trade data by China and the United States." Source: Congressional Research Service

Download full pdf report | Link to online summary

Setting and Valuing Health Insurance Benefits

This report briefly describes some of the key concepts and policy issues around specifying and valuing health insurance benefits. "Actuarial value" is a summary measure of a health insurance plan's benefit generosity. It is expressed as the percentage of medical expenses estimated to be paid by the insurer for a standard population and set of allowed charges. An actuarial value may also be referred to as a "benefit rate." One purpose of an actuarial value is to distill all the benefit and enrollee cost-sharing provisions of a health insurance plan into a single number, for easier comparisons among plans. Source: Congressional Research Service

Download full pdf report | Link to online abstract

Million Dollar Corporate Donations Database

The NonProfit Times created this free database of corporate giving of $1 million and over. You can search by business name, location, or recipient cause.

Link to Corporate Donations Database

Executive PayWatch Database

Compensation data for the CEOs of some of the largest companies in the United States are included here in the Executive PayWatch database. If you're looking for the executive pay data at a Russell 3000 corporation, this database will lead you to the following information:

* What the CEO of your company took in last year.
* How his/her pay package compares with yours, how long you would have to work to earn what the CEO gets in one year and the number of workers at your salary the CEO's compensation would support.
* How his/her pay package compares with that of the average worker, a minimum wage earner and the president of the United States.
* A fact sheet on all of these comparisons.

Link to executive paywatch database | Link to list of 100 highest paid corporate CEOs

Source: AFL-CIO

Corporate Misgovernance at the World Bank

Abstract:

We test for evidence of corporate misgovernance at the World Bank. Most major decisions at the World Bank are made by its Board of Executive Directors. However, in any given year the majority of the Bank's member countries do not get a chance to serve on this powerful body. In this paper, we empirically investigate whether board membership leads to higher funding from the World Bank's two main development financing institutions, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). We find that developing countries serving on the Board of Executive Directors can expect an approximate doubling of funding from the IBRD. In absolute terms, countries serving on the board are rewarded with an average $60 million "bonus" in IBRD loans. This is more likely driven by soft forces like boardroom culture rather than by the power of the vote itself. We find no significant effect in IDA funding.

Source: Harvard Business School Faculty Working papers

Download full pdf publication | Link to online abstract and other HBR working papers

Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2008

"A joint effort by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics, this annual report examines crime occurring in school as well as on the way to and from school. It provides the most current detailed statistical information to inform the Nation on the nature of crime in schools. This report presents data on crime at school from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals, and the general population from an array of sources--the National Crime Victimization Survey, the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the School Survey on Crime and Safety and the School and Staffing Survey. Data on crime away from school are also presented to place school crime in the context of crime in the larger society." Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Download full pdf report | Link to online abstract

Dropping the Ax: Illegal Firings During Union Election Campaigns, 1951-2007

This report updates an earlier report from January of 2007, which found a steep rise in illegal firings of pro-union workers in the 2000s relative to the last half of the 1990s. It updates the index of the probability that a pro-union worker will be fired in the course of a union election campaign, using published data from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). It also takes into consideration the increase in card-check organizing campaigns that began in the mid-1990s and adjusts the index for this factor.

By 2007, pro-union workers involved in union election campaigns faced about a 1.8 percent chance of being illegally fired during the course of the campaign. If we assume that employers target union organizers and activists, and that union organizers and activists make up about 10 percent of pro-union workers, our estimates suggest that almost one-in-five union organizers or activists can expect to be fired as a result of their activities in a union election campaign. Since 2000, illegal firings have marred over one-in-four NLRB-sponsored union elections, reaching 30 percent of elections in 2007.

Source: Center for economic policy and research


Download full pdf report | Link to online abstract

Teen Births: Examining the Recent Increase

"This research brief explores whether the data reflect a short-term blip or a true reversal in the decline of the U.S. teen birth rate. It also considers potential explanations for the uptick in teen births, and raises data and research gaps that must be filled to inform public and private prevention efforts.

Among the findings:

--Declines in teen contraceptive use may have played some role in the teen birth rate increase. Between 2003 and 2005, a slightly greater percentage of high school girls reported using no method of birth control the last time they had sex.

--Recent declines in teen sexual activity have stalled.

--Economic hardship and the rising cost of certain birth control methods may also have made contraception less affordable for some teens.

--National data indicate a significant decline between 1995 and 2002 in the percentage of students who report having received formal contraceptive education.

This brief is based on a paper by Kristin Anderson Moore, Ph.D., that resulted from a meeting of experts and researchers convened by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy."

Download issue brief | Link to Issue Lab

God Is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith Is Changing the World

"In God Is Back, our speakers explore the thriving nature and far-reaching impact of religious faith throughout the world. Their book is an attempt to explain and understand how and why God has found his way back into the modern world. In so doing, they pay special attention to the pervasiveness of religion in America and tell us how this phenomenon will influence the global economy, politics, and more."

Talk with John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, authors

Source: Carnegie Council transcripts.

Link to transcript | Watch video of presentation | Link to audio

A Historical Look at the Power and Impact of Stimulus

"Will President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package be an antidote for an economy that’s on life support—spurring spending and creating jobs? Or will it simply drive the federal debt to a record-high $1.75 trillion, prolong inefficient industry practices and reward bad choices, while saddling the country with crippling debt that guarantees higher inflation and taxes down the road?

Faculty from Emory University and its Goizueta Business School weighed in on the question, looking back at past jump-start packages and ahead at the likely effects of this one." Source: Knowledge@Emory

Link to online article

Report of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide on his mission to the Great Lakes region from 22 November to 5

"The root causes of the current conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo are primarily political and economic and not related to
identity. However, extreme ethnic polarization and hatred have become associated
with that conflict.
The Special Adviser believes that the risk of ethnic targeting in North Kivu is
significantly pronounced above other underlying potential causes of genocide.
References to genocide having occurred in the past or allegedly going on at present
are powerfully used to predict that genocide may occur again in the future, in
particular against the Tutsi, who are popularly viewed as the principal perpetrators of
mass atrocities. The likelihood of ethnically motivated killings by armed groups and
the escalation of genocidal hysteria among the civilian populations are factors that
must be addressed in earnest. The regional dimensions of such a prospect must also
be taken into account." Source: United Nations

Download full pdf report
| Link to Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide

Statistical Profile : Mexican Immigrants in the United States

"This statistical profile provides historical data on the flow of migrants from Mexico to the U.S. The profile also describes the demographic, employment and income characteristics of Mexican immigrants in the U.S. using data from the March 2008 Current Population Survey."

Source: Pew Hispanic Center

Download full pdf factsheet

Most Now Say News Paints Mixed Economic Picture

"The latest weekly News Interest Index survey, conducted April 9-13 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, finds that the share saying they are hearing a mix of economic news has increased across partisan lines, but most notably among Republicans. Last month, nearly twice as many Republicans said they were hearing mostly bad economic news (65%) as said they were hearing both good and bad news (33%). Today, about as many Republicans say they are hearing a mix of both good and bad economic news (50%) as say they are hearing predominantly negative news (48%). " Source: Pew Research Center for people and the press.

Download full pdf report | Download pdf topline questionnaire | Link to online summary

Baby Boomers Embracing Popular Consumer Technology Applications Nearly 20 Times Faster Than Generation Y

From the summary:

"For the past two years, Accenture has been conducting in-depth research about the usage patterns of various types of consumer technology products and services among US consumers. The data represents research completed in the winter of 2008-09 and provides direct comparisons with last winter’s 2007-08 research data. The goal was to determine if there had been any changes in usage between Baby Boomers + (age 45 and older) and Generation Y (ages 18 to 24). The research uncovered several interesting trends."

Link to key findings

Center for Responsive Politics now provides 20 years of downloadable money-in-politics data--for free

From the press release:

"For the first time in CRP's 26-year history, the nonprofit research group's most popular data archives are fully and freely downloadable for non-commercial purposes from the Center's website, OpenSecrets.org--a four-time Webby winner for best politics site online."

"...skilled data-divers can explore the information that's already aggregated on OpenSecrets.org to its full depth. Web developers and database experts can grab federal money-in-politics data that CRP's researchers have standardized and coded, and mash it up with other data sets. Timelines, charts, maps, other graphics and mobile applications are just some of the projects that could result--all powered by CRP's unparalleled data."

Link to CRP's Open Secrets data site

The Western Soundscape Archive (WSA)

"...features audio recordings of animals and environments throughout the western United States. Begun in November of 2007, the archive is housed at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library and features recordings contributed by volunteers, state and federal agencies, and conservation groups. The website continues to grow and currently includes representative sounds of approximately 80% of the West's bird species, 90% of the region’s frog and toad species, and numerous mammals and reptiles. In September of 2007, the archive was the recipient of a three-year National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)." [via ResearchBuzz]

Link to Western Soundscape Archive

Unions and Upward Mobility for Service-Sector Workers

This report uses national data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) to show that unionization raises the wages of the typical service sector worker by 10.1 percent compared to their non-union peers. The study goes on to show that unionization also increases the likelihood that a service sector worker will have health insurance and a pension. The report also notes that workers with service jobs benefit as much from unionization as workers with manufacturing jobs. Source: Center for economic and policy research

Download full pdf publication | Link to online abstract

Charter Schools in Eight States : Effects on Achievement, Attainment, Integration, and Competition

Abstract:
The first U.S. charter school opened in 1992, and the scale of the charter movement has since grown to 4,000 schools and more than a million students in 40 states plus the District of Columbia. With this growth has also come a contentious debate about the effects of the schools on their own students and on students in nearby traditional public schools (TPSs). In recent years, research has begun to inform this debate, but many of the key outcomes have not been adequately examined, or have been examined in only a few states. Do the conflicting conclusions of different studies reflect real differences in effects driven by variation in charter laws and policies? Or do they reflect differences in research approaches — some of which may be biased? This book examines four primary research questions: (1) What are the characteristics of students transferring to charter schools? (2) What effect do charter schools have on test-score gains for students who transfer between TPSs and charter schools? (3) What is the effect of attending a charter high school on the probability of graduating and of entering college? (4) What effect does the introduction of charter schools have on test scores of students in nearby TPSs? Source: RAND Corporation

Download full pdf publication | Download pdf executive summary

Smokers Can't Blow Off Stress

"Ask cigarette smokers why they light up and one answer you're likely to hear is that it relieves stress.

But if that's the goal, it's not at all clear that cigarettes deliver the goods. Half (50%) of all smokers say they "frequently" experience stress in their daily lives, compared with just 35% of those who once smoked and have now quit and 31% of those who never smoked, according to a Pew Research Center Social & Demographic Trends survey conducted June 16-July16, 2008 among a nationally representative sample of 2,250 adults."

Source: Pew Research Center

Link to online memo

Cost of Florida's Ban on Adoption by GLB Individuals and Same-Sex Couples

This memo estimates the impact on children and the cost to the State of Florida of the current prohibition on adoption by gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) individuals and same-sex couples. We use data about the number of children adopted each year as a way to estimate the number of GLB individuals and same-sex couples who would be likely to serve as adoptive parents if the ban were not in place. Prohibiting GLB individuals and same-sex couples from adopting means that 165 children must remain in foster care or must have alternative adoptive homes recruited for them. As a result, we estimate that the ban costs the State of Florida over $2.5 million in per year. As explained below, this estimate is conservative since some likely additional costs are difficult to quantify. In addition, because of the current prohibition on GLB individuals and same-sex couples adopting children in Florida, it is possible that more GLB individuals and same-sex couples would be interested in adopting if the ban were lifted. We estimate that if the ban were lifted, both adoption and foster care by GLB individuals and same-sex couples would increase to the average United States level, leading to 219 children being adopted, and saving the State of Florida $3.4 million dollars in the first year. Source: The Williams Institute. U.C.L.A.

Download full pdf publication | Link to online abstract

The Economics of Structured Finance

"This paper investigates the spectacular rise and fall of structured finance. HBS professor Joshua Coval, Princeton professor Jakub Jurek, and HBS professor Erik Stafford begin by examining how the structured finance machinery works. They construct simple examples of collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) that show how pooling and tranching a collection of assets permits credit enhancement of the senior claims. They then explore the challenge faced by rating agencies, examining, in particular, the parameter and modeling assumptions that are required to arrive at accurate ratings of structured finance products. They conclude with an assessment of what went wrong and the relative importance of rating agency errors, investor credulity, and perverse incentives and suspect behavior on the part of issuers, rating agencies, and borrowers." Source: HBS Working Paper Number: 09-060

Download pdf publication | Link to online summary

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Background and Policy Issues

"U.S. ratification of the United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Rights of the Child (hereafter referred to as CRC or the Convention) may be a key area of focus during the 111th Congress, particularly if the Barack Obama Administration seeks the advice and consent of the Senate. CRC is an international treaty that aims to protect the rights of children worldwide. It defines a child as any human being under the age of 18, and calls on States Parties to take all appropriate measures to ensure that children’s rights are protected – including the right to a name and nationality, freedom of speech and thought, access to healthcare and education, and freedom from exploitation, torture, and abuse. CRC entered into force in September 1990, and has been ratified by 183 countries, making it the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world. Two countries, the United States and Somalia, have not ratified CRC. The President has not transmitted CRC to the Senate for its advice and consent to ratification." Source: Congressional Research Service

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Hispanics and the Criminal Justice System

"At a time when Latinos are interacting more than ever with police, courts and prisons, their confidence in the U.S. criminal justice system is closer to the low levels expressed by blacks than to the high levels expressed by whites, according to a pair of nationwide surveys by the Pew Research Center."


Download full pdf publication | Link to Pew Research Center

Science Watch Sci-Bytes provides Journal Impact Rankings

Thompson Reuter's provides updates on trends in science online via Science Watch. The Sci-Bytes section releases news and journal rankings in various disciplines.

A few recent releases:
Journals Ranked by Impact: Education & Educational Research


Top Journals in Education: Ranked by 2007 Impact Factor

Journals Ranked by Impact: Political Science

Active-duty military service, cohabiting unions, and the transition to marriage

"A small but growing body of research has begun to identify the consequences of military service during the all-voluntary era. In this article, we examine the relationship between military service and the likelihood that cohabiting unions will be converted into marriages. Our paper extends previous research by making a distinction between the effects of active-duty verses reserve-duty service on the transition to marriage using data from the 1979-2004 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). Our findings indicate that there is a positive relationship between active-duty service and cohabitors transitioning to marriage." Source: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

Download full pdf publication | Link to online abstract

Reining in the Imperial Presidency: Lessons and Recommendations Relating to the Presidency of George W. Bush

From the press release:

"The report, titled "Reining in the Imperial Presidency: Lessons and Recommendations Relating to the Presidency of George W. Bush," contains 50 separate recommendations designed to correct the imbalanced separation of power that characterized the George W. Bush presidency. Chief among Conyers’ recommendations include continued congressional investigations like those the Judiciary Committee has pursued concerning Karl Rove’s interactions with the Justice Department, a blue ribbon commission similar to the panel proposed in Chairman Conyers’ H.R. 104, and independent criminal probes to be conducted by federal prosecutors."

Source: Judiciary Chairman, U.S. House of Representatives


Download full pdf report | Link to press release

I Feel what You Feel if You Are Similar to Me

"Social interactions are influenced by the perception of others as similar or dissimilar to the self. Such judgements could depend on physical and semantic characteristics, such as membership in an ethnic or political group. In the present study we tested whether social representations of the self and of others could affect the perception of touch. To this aim, we assessed tactile perception on the face when subjects observed a face being touched by fingers. In different conditions we manipulated the identity of the shown face. In a first experiment, Caucasian and Maghrebian participants viewed a face belonging either to their own or to a different ethnic group; in a second experiment, Liberal and Conservative politically active participants viewed faces of politicians belonging to their own or to the opposite political party. The results showed that viewing a touched face most strongly enhanced the perception of touch on the observer's face when the observed face belonged to his/her own ethnic or political group."

Source: Serino A, Giovagnoli G, Làdavas E, 2009 I Feel what You Feel if You Are Similar to Me. PLoS ONE 4(3): e4930. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004930

Link to PloS ONE | Download article in pdf format

Authoritative Resources on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

"The following list of authoritative resources is designed to assist in responding to a broad range of constituent questions and concerns about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), P.L. 111-5. Links to the full text of the act, Congressional Budget Office estimates, White House fact sheets, and federal, state, and municipal government websites are included, along with other useful information. This list reflects information that is currently available on the Internet. It will be updated regularly as other relevant material becomes available." Source: Congressional Research Service

Download full pdf report | Link to online abstract

Americans Favor Carbon Cap, Gays in the Military and Renewing U.S.-Cuba Ties

"Washington’s policy agenda has been dominated by the economy and financial crisis during President Obama’s first two months in office. Yet a number of other policy proposals are currently being considered or may emerge in the future. The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted March 9-12 among 1,308 adults, included public attitudes toward setting limits on carbon emissions, allowing gays to serve openly in the military, and re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba." Source: Pew research for People and the Press


Download full pdf report | Download pdf topline questionnaire |

Sharp Growth in Suburban Minority Enrollment Yields Modest Gains in School Diversity

"The student population of America's suburban public schools has shot up by 3.4 million in the past decade and a half, and virtually all of this increase (99%) has been due to the enrollment of new Latino, black and Asian students, according to an analysis of public school data by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center. Once a largely white enclave, suburban school districts in 2006-07 educated a student population that was 41.4% non-white, up from 28% in 1993-94 and not much different from the 43.7% non-white share of the nation's overall public school student population. At the same time, suburban school districts have been gaining "market share"; they educated 38% of the nation's public school students in 2006-07, up from 35% in 1993-94."

Source: Pew Hispanic Center

Download full pdf report | Link to report summary

Kinship and Family Relations

"Core aspects of the kinship system in ancient Egypt are discussed here. The six basic terms through which Egyptians expressed relationships of marriage, descent, and collaterality are considered, as well as the principles that regulated marriage and inheritance. The existence of different terms for kin groups is also taken into account. Lastly, the importance of kinship in ancient Egyptian social organization—both in Predynastic and Dynastic times—is analyzed with consideration of its prominence among the peasantry, in elite contexts, and in the world of the gods."

Source: UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology [via California eScholarship repository]

Download the full pdf report | Link to online abstract

Supreme Court of Japan

"The website of the Supreme Court of Japan provides information about the Supreme Court and the affiliated Legal Training and Research Institute. The website provides an excellent overview of the judicial system in Japan, as well as a guide to judicial proceedings in Japan. The important judgments of the Supreme Court since 1950 are available in full text HTML in English and can be searched by the date of the judgment, case number, bench type (i.e., Grand or Petty), key word, and original court. Biographies of the current justices of the Supreme Court are available with their photos. The website includes a section about the Legal Training and Research Institute, which is the national agency responsible for "nurturing persons entering the legal profession." The website is available in both Japanese and English, and is keyword-searchable." source: Cornell Law Library

Link to site: http://www.courts.go.jp/english/

(India) National Commission for Women

The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 ( Act No. 20 of 1990 of Govt.of India ) to :

* review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women ;
* recommend remedial legislative measures ;
* facilitate redressal of grievances and
* advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.

In keeping with its mandate, the Commission initiated various steps to improve the status of women and worked for their economic empowerment during the year under report. The Commission completed its visits to all the States/UTs except Lakshdweep and prepared Gender Profiles to assess the status of women and their empowerment. It received a large number of complaints and acted suo-moto in several cases to provide speedy justice. It took up the issue of child marriage, sponsored legal awareness programmes, Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats and reviewed laws such as Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, PNDT Act 1994, Indian Penal Code 1860 and the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to make them more stringent and effective. It organized workshops/consultations, constituted expert committees on economic empowerment of women, conducted workshops/seminars for gender awareness and took up publicity campaign against female foeticide, violence against women, etc. in order to generate awareness in the society against these social evils.

Link to site: http://ncw.nic.in/