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The theme of this article is about drunk drivers and the fatalities that occur when in an accident involving a drunken person.

1. Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for 31% of the total vehicle traffic fatalities.

2. Among the people killed in these drunk driving crashes, 66% were drivers (6,507), 27% were motor vehicle occupants (2,661), and 7% were non-occupants.

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For more than two decades the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility has been leading the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking. During this time drunk driving fatalities have declined 35% and among those under 21 the number of fatalities has decreased 65%. Underage drinking among the nation's youth has continued to decline with fewer reporting drinking each year - past month consumption decreasing 50% since 1991 - while the number of conversations among parents and kids has increased.

Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that have contributed to these historic lows in drunk driving and underage drinking. National and state level statistics assist Responsibility.org in our efforts to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking. As part of our commitment to guiding a lifetime of conversations around alcohol responsibility, including responsible decision-making regarding beverage alcohol and reducing the prevalence of underage drinking, we track drunk driving and underage drinking trends as well as other national relevant trends and statistics.

Learn More:

© Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. All rights reserved. 2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 710, Arlington, VA 22202

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Drunk Driving & Underage Drinking Statistics - Responsibility.org

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For more than two decades the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility has been leading the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking. During this time drunk driving fatalities have declined 35% and among those under 21 the number of fatalities has decreased 65%.

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This article talks about divorce rates, and how they have started increasing over the years. I found it interesting that in the 80's  a full 81% of college graduates who got hitched in that decade at age 26 or  older were still married 20 years later. Only 65% of college grads who said I do  before their 26th birthday made it that far

Read more: Are Marriage Statistics Divorced from Reality? - TIME http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1989124,00.html#ixzz2lcm0Eg98

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Laughing Stock / Corbis

Do half of all marriages really end in divorce? It's probably the most often quoted statistic about modern love, and it's a total buzz kill, in line with saying that half of all new shoes will give you hammertoes or that 50% of babies will grow up to be ugly. Now the divorce stat is coming under scrutiny — and not just because of its unromanticity.

"It's a very murky statistic," says Jennifer Baker, director of the marriage- and family-therapy programs at Forest Institute, a postgraduate psychology school in Springfield, Mo. She's often erroneously credited with arriving at the 50% figure; it was around long before she used it. Figuring out divorce rates is tricky. Not all states collect marital data, and the numbers change dramatically depending on the methods and sources that are used. In the end, the best that researchers can do is look for trends within a specific group or cohort (say, all people who married in the 1980s) and project what will happen. As Baker says, "It's very difficult to know, if a couple gets married today, whether they'll still be married in 40 years." (See pictures of famously unmarried couples.)

But in an upbeat new guide to marriage, For Better, Tara Parker-Pope, a New York Times reporter (and divorcée), devotes a chapter to debunking the 50% stat, at least among the subset of the population that reads books like hers. Since the 1970s, when more women started going to college and delaying marriage, "marital stability appears to be improving each decade," she writes. For example, about 23% of college graduates who married in the '70s split within 10 years. For those who wed in the '90s, the rate dropped to 16%.

According to research at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, one of the clearest predictors of whether wedding vows will stick is the age of the people saying them. Take the '80s: a full 81% of college graduates who got hitched in that decade at age 26 or older were still married 20 years later. Only 65% of college grads who said I do before their 26th birthday made it that far. (See the top 10 nonfiction books of 2009.)

But just 49% of those who married young and did so without a degree lasted 20 years, a cohort that Parker-Pope spends little time discussing. Instead she contends that the 50% stat is a myth that persists because it's something of a political Swiss Army knife, handy for any number of agendas. Social conservatives use it to call for more marriage-friendly policies, while liberals find it handy to press for funding for programs that help single moms.

Moreover, Parker-Pope argues, all the talk about grim marriage stats becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. "It makes us ambivalent and more vulnerable to giving up when problems occur," she writes.

Perhaps, but there may still be truth to it. Penn State sociologist Paul Amato, in a thorough new report on interpreting divorce data, writes that the half-of-all-marriages-end-badly figure still "appears to be reasonably accurate."

What seems most clear is that less-educated, lower-income couples split up more often than college grads and may be doing so in higher numbers than before. "The people who are most likely to get divorced have the least resources to deal with its impact, particularly on children," says Amato.

Talk about buzz kill.

See pictures of couples happily married for 50 years.

See the best pictures of 2009.

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Are Marriage Statistics Divorced from Reality?

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Do half of all marriages really end in divorce? It's probably the most often quoted statistic about modern love, and it's a total buzz kill, in line with saying that half of all new shoes will give you hammertoes or that 50% of babies will grow up to be ugly.

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In this article it talks about the odds of you winning a soccer game at home or away. One thing that surprised me was during the playoffs the win percentage at home goes up significantly. Also how low the percentage for winning away games was.

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Alex Livesey/Getty Images
How important is home advantage in football? It is a question that has been discussed in pubs and bars down the years to great lengths, while also providing the basis for entire fields of academic research.

It's importance is factored into draws for competitions, for example, with the Champions League deciding that a second leg at home is favourable to playing away with the result still in the balance. Just a quick look at a detailed table of league results, meanwhile, will show clearly the disparity of performance.

Whether it be the familiar surroundings, the backing of a vociferous home crowd or the lack of traveling involved, there is a clear benefit to hosting a football match. Indeed, it is an advantage that can be seen from the relative success of host nations at major tournaments over the years.

But, just how important is it? To what extent are the odds of victory improved by playing at home? To examine such a subject, the only way to proceed is to look at past results.

To start with, let us take a look at the current 2012-13 Premier League table and examine some of the visible trends.

Of the 20 sides in the league, only one has won more away games than games at home-Andre Villas Boas' Tottenham Hotspur. Near the bottom of the table, meanwhile, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Wigan and QPR have close to identical records both home and away, but perhaps that can be linked to the pressures of playing in front of home fans when struggling to gain results.

As an overall picture, though, it is clear to see that 15 of the league's 20 sides have better records at home than away. In some cases, such as Newcastle-nine home wins, one away win-and Norwich-six home wins, one away win-it is a difference in form that would see them rank at opposite ends of the table if separated.

It is a situation repeated across the European spectrum. In Spain, 17 of the 20 sides have better home records than away records, while Italy has just one side-Inter Milan-who have performed better when on the road. Ligue 1 and Eredivisie football continue the trend, while only Portugal's Liga Sagres approaches anywhere near parity-7 of 16 sides have better or equivalent away win records.

Returning to the Premier League-which is second only to Portugal in terms of home and away record balance-we are able to see statistics for the past five years. ( Betting Expert, March 1 2013)

The results are no anomaly. MLS, for example, reports a home win ratio of 49.4 percent over a 15 year period, compared to just 26.5 percent away wins. In the crucial end-of-season playoff encounters, that home win percentage rises to a remarkable 59.4 percent, compared to just 19.8 percent away side victories. ( MLSsoccer.com)

Could it be that the increased attendances and crowd fervour of the playoffs make home sides' chances of victory increase?

Using Jim Albert and Ruud H. Koning's book, Statistical Thinking in Sports, we can also see that the figures also equate well to those of international football. Analysing nearly 9000 matches between 1993 and 2004, they report that international sides won 50.3 percent of home games, while losing just 25.1 percent. Brazil, Spain and France, meanwhile, all won over 60 percent of home fixtures.

There is clearly a greatly increased chance of success for the home side in any footballing competition, as shown by the above long-term analysis of both English, American and international football.

There are anomalies to the rule, such as the Nigerian Premier League, where just 4 percent of away fixtures were won last season. However, the general trend visible in the major European leagues, MLS and international football is that the home side can expect to win somewhere in the region of half their fixtures, with the away side victorious just one quarter of the time.

It is a pattern repeated right across world football and can be backed up by current trends in leagues worldwide.

There are also other factors that should be remembered when looking at the statistics shown. China and Brazil, for example, offer large travelling distances and different climates for visiting teams-perhaps explaining a lower away win percentage.

They are, though, more balanced leagues than Spain, for example, whose home win percentage is dragged up by the dominance of their top sides in domestic competition. In general, though, the figures are close enough to the long-term trends noted above to be considered to be part of the same general trend.

While there are sometimes differences in the sizes of pitch within competitions, with some sides preferring to narrow the game, the results show the importance of psychology on the outcome of a football match.

The traveling distances within most European countries, for example, are unlikely to cause anything more than negligible fatigue, and it is for this reason that most sides choose to travel on the day of matches. The decisive factors, therefore, are driven by the mind.

Referees have been proven to subconsciously favour the home side ( Bath University), while there have been numerous players down the years who are accused of "not fancying it" away from home.

The atmosphere can be hostile, while you may be away from your close family and, both on-and-off the field, may be unable to partake in the familiar routines that settle nerves and focus minds ahead of important fixtures. It is easy to comprehend where the difficulties may arise.

Taking the example of Newcastle from above, their inability to win more than one away fixture this campaign is clearly not based on a lack of talent, but more a loss of belief outside of St. James's Park. The same could be said for Sevilla in La Liga, for example, who boast a similarly abysmal away record.

There is much more to football than pure psychology, that goes without saying, but to dismiss its impact on results would be naive. If players were machines, immune to the changes in their surroundings, then football, and all sport, would be much duller for it.

Winning your home games and picking up points away from home has long been quoted as the route to success in football. It would appear, then, that it is an argument very much backed up by statistics.

A side's home fixtures are there to be won and, if they are not managing to achieve even that, chances of any success at all are very slim indeed.

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How Much Does Home-Field Advantage Matter in Soccer?

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Alex Livesey/Getty Images How important is home advantage in football? It is a question that has been discussed in pubs and bars down the years to great lengths, while also providing the basis for entire fields of academic research.

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This article is about the different statistics on gun crime in the united states. What I found interesting about the article is that despite having less than 5% of the worlds population, the United States has around 35-50% of the world's civilian owned guns. I also found it interesting that the United States has 88 firearms per 100 people, and California has the highest gun crime rate out of all the states. It truly illustrates our issues on guns in the United States.

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The murder of at least 12 people on Monday stood out from the growing catalogue of US gun shootings, partly because it took place on a US naval base. But another reason why it shocked so many was that Washington has one of the lowest gun crime rates in the US - there were 106 homicides with firearms there in 2012 compared to the 1,304 that took place in California.

The latest statistics from the FBI show that the number of murders by firearm increased in 2012 - putting an end to four consecutive years of declining numbers.

But not all firearm murders are increasing - rifles and shotguns have fallen since 2011 while handguns have increased for two years running.

There are also big regional variations as our interactive map shows. With 1,879 deaths in 2012, California has the highest number of murders anywhere in the US - and perhaps unsurprisingly, the highest number of murders by firearm too (1,304).

The lowest numbers were recorded in Alabama (1 firearm murder), Vermont (2) and Guam where there were none in 2012.

Gun ownership globally: US ranks first, ahead of Yemen

From an international perspective, the US clearly has a problem - despite having less than 5% of the world's population, it has roughly 35-50% of the world's civilian-owned guns.

The United States has 88 firearms per 100 people. Yemen, the second highest gun ownership country in the world has 54.8. The third and fourth biggest countries may also come as a surprise - Switzerland (45.7) and Finland (45.3).

As a percentage of all murders, firearms are the most deadly in places like Puerto Rico and Sierra Leone where they account for 95% and 88% of homicides. The US also slides down the global rankings when homicide by firearm victims are looked at per 100,000 of the population - the figure is 2.97 for the United States, in stark contrast to Jamaica's 39.4 per 100,000 or Honduras's 68.43.

Do you think the national data highlights a problem? Or maybe you think the international numbers show the US is managing its vast numbers of firearms well. Share your views in the comments below.

Can you do more with this data?
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The murder of at least 12 people on Monday stood out from the growing catalogue of US gun shootings, partly because it took place on a US naval base. But another reason why it shocked so many was that Washington has one of the lowest gun crime rates in the US - there were 106 homicides with firearms there in 2012 compared to the 1,304 that took place in California.

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This article is about how many marriages end up in divorce. What I found interesting was that 50% of marriages end in divorce, but 60% of second marriages end in divorce. also, 70% of third marriages end up in divorce, proving that the chances of getting divorced increases every time you get married. This makes me think that getting married once is enough.

-R2-d2

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I'll bet you've heard at least one of these statistics about divorce, such as 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce and that more than 60 percent of second marriages end in divorce.

Every time I read stats like these divorce statistics, I'm reminded of a grad school buddy of mine, Cheng Ling. When I joined the research group, Cheng was one of the senior grad students. He'd been in the group for a couple of years and had a reputation for being a comedian.

One day after I'd been a part of the group for about a year, he walked into my office and asked what I was doing. I told him I was working on my statistics homework. He started laughing and told me that statistics were all lies. I assumed he was joking with me again, but he assured me he wasn't and kept on laughing.

I was shocked! How could statistics be lies?

Here I was, taking a course on statistics to help me with my dissertation work. I needed to take the class because statistics were how you "proved" your research. I told him I didn't believe him. He continued to laugh and asked me to come with him to his office across the hall because he had a book he wanted to share with me. Happy for the excuse to stop working on my homework, I followed Cheng across the hall and into his office.

He pulled a book from his shelf, How to Lie with Statistics, and my world was forever changed. That day I learned that statistics rarely tell you what you think they're telling you.

Statistics are rarely hard and fast numbers. They are usually an estimation of probabilities and inherently have assumptions embedded in them.

Now here's why this story is important to you. Divorce statistics are no different! The oft-quoted divorce statistics like the ones above are estimates and are full of assumptions.

Many of the people I work with initially quote the divorce statistic "50 percent of all marriages end in divorce", rather fatalistically I might add. They just accept that they must have drawn the short straw, and that statistics are the reasons their marriage failed. As kindly and gently as I can, I let them know that the "statistic" is, frankly, bullsh*t.

This particular divorce statistic is based on yearly reports from the CDC, which estimates the divorce rates based on incomplete and estimated data. What the data actually say is that in a particular year there were approximately X number of marriages and approximately Y number of divorces. In general, if you look at the numbers X and Y, Y just happens to be about half of X. That's all this particular divorce statistic says. It doesn't predict that 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce. Yet, unfortunately, that's what the popular belief has erroneously become.

Marriages fail for many different reasons, and relying on this kind of divorce statistic as the reason for a marriage failure is not going to help anyone get over a divorce. In fact, this particular statistic makes it more difficult for someone to really recover from divorce. It is so much easier to just accept that the marriage was doomed to fail because of the divorce statistic instead of digging into the real reasons (yes, there's usually more than one reason) the marriage failed.

If you've been feeling like you just drew the short straw and were destined to have your marriage fail because everyone knows that 50 percent of all marriages fail, I challenge you to rethink your position and allow yourself to do some real divorce recovery, so you can get on to living the best of your life.

At some point while working with my clients, we'll start talking about dating and remarriage. As you've probably already guessed, there are several divorce statistics that clients will bring up that reinforce the pessimism they feel, and the fear of being alone for the rest of their lives. Just a couple of these depressing divorce statistics are: "more than 60 percent of second marriages end in divorce" and "more than 70 percent of third marriages end in divorce".

In my quest to find the source of these divorce statistics, I discovered that there's some serious debate about these numbers. For instance, Kalman Heller, Ph.D. states, "While data for second marriages is currently very limited, the early indication is that the frequently stated 60 percent divorce rate is also a gross exaggeration and that divorce rates for second marriages may not be any higher than for first marriages."

In addition, Alan J. Hawkins, Ph.D. & Tamara A. Fackrell, J.D. in Chapter 3 of their book Should I Keep Trying to Work It Out? state "In the United States, researchers estimate that 40 percent to 50 percent of all first marriages, and 60 percent of second marriages, will end in divorce." Did you catch the key word in that quote? Estimate.

To my way of thinking, these two quotes make me immediately question the validity of the divorce statistics about second and third marriages. Whenever there are contradictory statistics about what seems to be a straight-forward situation, then there's usually some assumption or data discrepancy or data manipulation that makes the statistic invalid. That's when I choose to throw the statistic out the window, but keep the underlying message.

What's the underlying message of these divorce statistics about remarriage? Enter into any marriage with your eyes wide open about yourself, your new partner, and both of your expectations about marriage.

How I put this into practice with my clients is to help them complete their divorce recovery work as thoroughly as possible before remarrying because divorce recovery work is all about rediscovering you - the you that got hidden underneath all the muck that congealed during the failure of the marriage. Once that muck is chiseled away, it's so much easier to know what does and doesn't work as far as dating and even remarriage. And what I've found is that when two people enter into a marriage knowing themselves and knowing how to truthfully communicate, then it's much easier to make a marriage work regardless of whether it's your first or fifth!

I hope you're now questioning some of the other divorce statistics out there - things like "it takes 1 year to recover from divorce for every 10 years of marriage", "it takes 1 year to recover for every 4 years you were married", and "it takes 2 years to recover from divorce".

Just think of my grad school friend Cheng Ling and laugh the next time someone tells you about some depressing divorce statistics. Then get on with your divorce recovery.
This guest article from YourTango was written by Dr. Karen Finn and appeared as: Don't Let These Divorce Statistic Dictate Your Fate

More great content from YourTango:
The 3 Biggest Reasons Women Cheat How To Be Happy: It's A Process - And We'll Show You How How To Deal With Depression After Divorce: 5 Tips That Actually Work
Stats Can Lie: Don't Let Divorce Statistics Dictate Your Fate

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Don't Let These Divorce Statistics Dictate Your Fate

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I'll bet you've heard at least one of these statistics about divorce, such as 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce and that more than 60 percent of second marriages end in divorce. Every time I read stats like these divorce statistics, I'm reminded of a grad school buddy of mine, Cheng Ling.

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This article is about how Chemotherapy has caused many people to die. What i found interesting was that 1 of every 4 deaths of a study of 600 cancer patients deaths were sped up or caused by chemotherapy. I was also suprised to find out that in the same study, 2 out of 5 patients got severe poisoning from the treatment. It makes you think about if that kind of treatment is actually worth it.

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(NewsTarget) Chemotherapy is one of three main treatment protocols of conventional medicine, one which millions of people worldwide have been put through. In fact, virtually all of us know someone who suffered and finally passed on after a futile course of chemotherapy prescribed by his or her doctor. 'Nothing more could be done anyway', we are often told. Lately, a recent study in Britain has raised serious questions about chemotherapy, in particular the role it plays in hastening and even causing the death of late-stage cancer sufferers.
Details and Findings of Study
The study had been carried out by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Deaths in Britain, whose members are mostly taken from British medical royal colleges. It had looked at the cases of 600 cancer sufferers in the country who had passed on within 30 days of treatment. The majority of the said patients had already been declared "incurable" by doctors, and had been put on chemotherapy for palliative purposes.

And the study found that about 1 in every 4 of such deaths had either been sped up or even caused by chemotherapy. The study's findings also included the discovery that 2 out of every 5 of the patients had suffered significant poisoning from the treatment.
How Effective is Conventional Cancer Treatment?
The findings of this study would be of little surprise to many; in fact, some would even say chemo must surely have caused or hastened more than a quarter of the deaths. Chemotherapy, after all, as virtually everyone "knows", is a severely toxic treatment method, and a person has to be "strong enough" to withstand it, which is extremely strange and illogical considering that cancer patients already have seriously compromised immune systems. There is, really, nothing intuitively right about the use of chemo to deal with cancer.

But the study's findings do resurface telling questions regarding the efficacy of conventional cancer treatment. Any discourse on conventional versus alternative cancer treatment can stretch for quite a bit. Well regarded cancer researcher Lothar Hirneise, in his book Chemotherapy Heals Cancer and the World is Flat, puts forth what is perhaps an objective, non-dramatic and measured viewpoint on the lack of success of conventional cancer treatment protocols.

He stated: "I would also like to explain an additional bias at the beginning of the book. I am neither for nor against conventional medicine and I am neither for nor against non-conventional medicine. I am exclusively concerned with people's welfare, and whatever contributes to regaining their health is all the same to me. If I have become more and more interested in non-conventional medicine in recent years, this has nothing to do with any prejudices or personal interests, rather it is due to the results of my own research which have convinced me that conventional medicine is not nearly as successful in treating chronic illnesses like cancer, as many patients, unfortunately, still believe."

Here is a side note - interesting and attention-grabbing though its title may be, the book, according to HealingCancerNaturally.com, is not quite what its name suggests it is. Instead, it is said to be "an 'encyclopedic' comparative reference and guide book as well as a fascinating read on both the holistic 'alternative' approaches to healing cancer and the conventional or orthodox allopathic treatment of the variegated forms of this disease".
The (Lack of) Reliability of Conventional Cancer Statistics
When it comes to conventional cancer treatment, another key point to consider is the way its statistics are packaged. In her well-researched and well-written book "Outsmart Your Cancer", Tanya Harter Pierce outlines 6 main ways in which cancer statistics are manipulated to make them look better than they are - she had obtained these findings mainly from the excellent work of Lorraine Day, MD, and Ralph W Moss, PhD.

* "Cure" is defined as being alive 5 years after diagnosis. This means that a person could be very sick with cancer for 5 years and 1 day, after which he or she dies, and still be declared as "cured" by chemotherapy. Isn't this simply playing with words?

* Certain types of cancer and certain groups of people which exhibit poor recovery rates are simply excluded from overall statistics. This artificially raises the average "cure" rate.

* Easily curable cancerous and even pre-cancerous conditions are included in overall statistics. An example for the latter is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which was included in and now accounts for a significant portion of breast cancer statistics. This move artificially increases the overall recovery rate.

* Earlier detection is taken to mean longer survival time. This means that a person may die at the exact same point of cancer development as another person, but the former is taken to have lived longer simply by virtue of the fact that his tumor was discovered earlier. In other words, different start points are used. Isn't this merely delusional?

* Patients who fail to "complete" conventional treatment protocols are excluded from overall statistics. This means that if a patient prescribed a 10-course chemotherapy protocol dies after 9 sessions, he is not included as a "failure" case. Control groups, however, play by different rules. This, again, artificially raises cure rates for conventional protocols. Isn't this totally unscientific?

* Adjusting for "Relative Survival Rate". This is perhaps best explained by Dr Moss: "Relative survival rates take into account the 'expected mortality figures'. Put simply, this means that if a person hadn't died of cancer he might have been run over by a truck, and that must be factored into the equation." Once again, this artificially raises the success rates of conventional treatment.
Conclusion
Taking into account the abovementioned, two main questions spring to my mind. Are cancer patients and their families informed of the fine print of cancer statistics when they are advised by their doctors to proceed with conventional cancer treatment, or when they are told that chemotherapy offers a such-and-such percentage of "cure" and is therefore their best (or only) option?

And, if, even after such deliberately deceptive maneuvers, official conventional cancer statistics still read so poorly, how bad exactly would the real statistics read without the blatant manipulation?

Intuitively, we probably know the rough answers.

Ultimately, the choice to go conventional, alternative or a combination of both is a decision which lies and should continue to lie with patients and their families. It will be a sad day when sick people are forced to undergo any particular protocol, especially when, statistically speaking, the method does not even work.

But a fundamental assumption underlying free will is the availability of perfect information, which unfortunately seems far from reality as far as cancer treatment is concerned. In choosing the type of cancer therapy to undergo, the above questions must be seriously considered by those affected. And if certain parties choose to present blinkered perspectives of reality, then it is up to cancer patients and their families to do as much as they can to patch up the remaining portions of that reality which are blocked from their view.
Sources
Chemotherapy contributes to a quarter of cancer deaths: study ( http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/1...)
http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/hirnei...
"Outsmart Your Cancer", Tanya Harter Pierce

Reuben Chow has a keen interest in natural health and healing as well as personal growth. His website, All 4 Natural Health, offers a basic guide on natural health information. It details simple, effective and natural ways, such as the use of nutrition, various herbs, herb remedies, supplements and other natural remedies, to deal with various health conditions as well as to attain good health. His other websites also cover topics such as depression help, omega 3 fatty acids, as well as cancer research and information.

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Study Reveals Chemotherapy Hastened or Caused Deaths of Many

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(NewsTarget) Chemotherapy is one of three main treatment protocols of conventional medicine, one which millions of people worldwide have been put through. In fact, virtually all of us know someone who suffered and finally passed on after a futile course of chemotherapy prescribed by his or her doctor.

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This article is about how students that participate in sschool sports are less likely to get in trouble and have a positive impact on society. High schools that have strong school sport participation, have lower major crime rates and fewer suspensions.  I didn't realize how much of an impact school sports have a community and the students.

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Study: High school sports involvement connected to lower rates of major crime and suspension

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(Phys.org)-If high school administrators want to create a positive environment, they should encourage students to participate in sports.

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This article is about the most dangerous times to be on the road. It tells about the days of the year when most teens die in car accidents. This is very interesting to look at because if you think about it the conditions are the worst in the winter with the ice and snow that cover the roads. In reality though the most teen deaths are during the summer months.

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Memorial Day through Labor Day is the most dangerous time of the year for teens to be on the road, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Statistics from Tire Rack Street Survival,a national nonprofit teen driving education program, show that over the past five years combined, an average of eight teens (aged 16-19) were killed in car accidents every single day during these months-a trend that is likely to continue in 2013.

"Immaturity and lack of driving experience are the two main factors leading to the high crash rate among teens," said Loretta Worters, vice president with the I.I.I. "Even the best teenage drivers don't have the judgment that comes with experience. It affects their recognition of, and response to, hazardous situations and results in dangerous practices such as speeding and tailgating."

A study from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) indicates that deaths of 16- and 17-year-old drivers were up 19 percent between the first six months of 2011 and the first six months of 2012. If the final 2012 data follows this trend, 2012 would be the second year in a row of increases in teen driver deaths, following eight years of declines.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds and research shows that more than half of teens who die in crashes are passengers, most of whom are not wearing a seatbelt. In addition, studies have shown that a young driver's chance of getting in a fatal accident doubles when a teen passenger is in the car. With three or more passengers, the risk quadruples.

When it comes to teen drivers, the biggest concern is risky behavior-eating, talking on their cell phones or text messaging. "They often don't wear their seatbelts and the distraction of a teen passenger just adds to the risks facing young drivers. Fortunately there are steps you can take to protect your teen," noted Worters.

Parents should take an active role in their teenagers' driving practice and expose them to driving in a wide variety of driving conditions to build experience and confidence. If your state does not have a Graduated Drivers License program, you can institute the same policies with your own children. Introduce privileges gradually. Allow independent driving only after continued practice, including night driving and driving in inclement weather.

"Parents should consider whether their child is ready to drive," advised Worters. "The law says no one under 18 can be issued a learners permit without parental permission. Keep in mind teens do not all reach the appropriate level of maturity to handle a drivers license at the same time. Parents should consider whether their children are easily distracted, nervous or risk takers before allowing them to get a license or even a learners permit."

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Summer is Most Dangerous Time for Teens on the Road

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Memorial Day through Labor Day is the most dangerous time of the year for teens to be on the road, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

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The article I read had to do with bullying and how it has gone from physical abuse to mental abuse. The mental abuse causes about 14% of kids to react in a severe manner. Another interesting thing I read was that, in the opinion of the author, bullying has increased in the past couple of years.

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School bullying statistics in the United Stats show that about one in four kids in the U.S. are bullied on a regular basis. Between cyber bullying and bullying at school, the school bullying statistics illustrate a huge problem with bullying and the American school system.

In a recent SAFE survey, teens in grades sixth through 10th grade are the most likely to be involved in activities related to bullying. About thirty percent of students in the United States are involved in bullying on a regular basis either as a victim, bully or both. These school bullying statistics show what a problem bullying of all kinds in the United States has become. The recent school bullying statistics show that cyber bullying is becoming increasingly prevalent on school property as well as involving students even when they are not at school. Because of this growing number of kids affected by bullying, more and more schools throughout the country are cracking down on the measures taken to stop bullying.
School Bullying Statistics:
When it comes to verbal bullying, this type of bullying is the most common type with about 77 percent of all students being bullied verbally in some way or another including mental bullying or even verbal abuse. These types of bullying can also include spreading rumors, yelling obscenities or other derogatory terms based on an individual's race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Out of the 77 percent of those bullied, 14 percent have a severe or bad reaction to the abuse, according to recent school bullying statistics. These numbers make up the students that experience poor self-esteem, depression, anxiety about going to school and even suicidal thoughts (bullycide) as a result of being bullied by their peers. Also as part of this study, about one in five students admitted they are responsible for bullying their peers. Almost half of all students fear harassment or bullying in the bathroom at school, according to these school bullying statistics. As a result of this fear and anxiety of being bullied, many students will make excuses or find ways around going to school. School bullying statistics also reveal that teens ages 12-17 believe they have seen violence increase at their schools. In fact, these numbers also show that most violent altercations between students are more likely to occur on school grounds than on the way to school for many teens.

One of the most unfortunate parts of these school bullying statistics is that in about 85 percent of bullying cases, no intervention or effort is made by a teacher or administration member of the school to stop the bullying from taking place. However, now that more and more schools are taking an active approach to cut down on the number of students that live in fear of being bullied, the numbers will go down.
Cyberbullying Statistics:
As social networking and online social interaction becomes more and more popular with sites like Facebook and Twitter, cyberbullying has become one of the most prevalent types of bullying that occurs between teens. About 80 percent of all high school students have encountered being bullied in some fashion online. These growing numbers are being attributed to youth violence including both homicide and suicide. While school shootings across the country are becoming more and more common, most teens that say they have considered becoming violent toward their peers, wish to do so because they want to get back at those who have bullied them online. About 35 percent of teens have been actually threatened online. About half of all teens admit they have said something mean or hurtful to another teen online. Most have done it more than once.
Putting an End to Bullying:
These numbers are too high, and parents and teachers need to do something to stop it. Teens also need to stand together and put an end to bullying. When teens see their peers being bullied, they need to report the incident or get help. If teens band together to address these issues, they really don't have to worry about being the target of a bully since most bullies really only attack those that are weaker than them. By standing together to prevent bullying in every school, the number of depressed and suicidal teens can drop along with those who fear for their life while attending school.

Sources: naaas.org

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School Bullying Statistics - Bullying Statistics

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School bullying statistics in the United Stats show that about one in four kids in the U.S. are bullied on a regular basis. Between cyber bullying and bullying at school, the school bullying statistics illustrate a huge problem with bullying and the American school system.

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This Article shows the percentage of people around the United States that are currently participating in any physical sport or exercise on an average day. The graphs provided shows the different percentages by region in the United States. The highest percentage of people ages 15 years and older who are engaged in sports or exercise on a average day is about 20%. I feel like this article really shows how important exercise is, especially in our day in age. I found the percntgaes conduced surprisingly low.

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Sports and Exercise: BLS Spotlight on Statistics

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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Spotlight on Statistics

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This article discusses data that show that more than 2/3 of wireless 9-1-1 calls in Texas came in without accurate location information. I was surprised to see that the percentage of calls with phase II data dropped 33%, even though the amount of wireless calls coming in increased. I also think it's scary that 67% of wireless 9-1-1 calls in Texas don't provide accurate location information, which is obviously crucial to helping the caller.

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This article is about how professional baseball players raising money for people in slavery. Major league pitcher Jeremy Affeldt pledged 250$  last season for every strikeout he pitched. I found it interesting that there are 30 million people living in slavery today.  There are 17 pitchers that have joined Affeldt in pledging this next season for each strikeout they throw.

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The CNN Freedom Project: Ending Modern-Day Slavery

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By Ryan Cooper, CNN

(Jupiter, Florida and Scottsdale, Arizona) - A growing number of Major League Baseball players are coming together to make every pitch, home run and strikeout count in the fight against child trafficking.

The players are pledging to donate money for each of their on-field achievements this season to the Free 2 Play campaign, a platform for the California-based Not For Sale non-profit group.

"A lot of Americans are shocked to hear that there are 30 million people living in slavery today, and [many] of those are children," Dave Batstone, Not For Sale's co-founder, said. "So we decided to create a program that not just releases a child from slavery, but provides them a new future."

Jeremy Affeldt, a relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, has been one of the most vocal athletes raising money and awareness for Not For Sale. Last season, he pledged $250 for every strikeout he pitched.

Affeldt has been recruiting teammates and other teams' ball players to join the fight.

"This is an opportunity for us as ball players to join together as one team, to support something that's very, very important," Affeldt said.

This season, at least 17 players from MLB have signed up to Team Free 2 Play, with more expected to join the effort.

Josh Collmenter, a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, said he wanted to take part after hearing Affeldt and Batstone speak about the global problem of modern-day slavery.

"It is definitely something I wanted to make sure I did to give back to the community and be a role model and help out where I can," he said.

But it's not just players who can make a difference. Fans can now get involved, too.

This season, Not for Sale has launched a new Free 2 Play Facebook app. It allows fans to pick their favorite player and stat, and then pledge a donation for every on-field achievement.

For example, fans of St. Louis Cardinals player Matt Holliday may choose to pledge 25 cents for every home run he hits this season.

"A fan can choose their favorite team, their favorite player, their favorite stat - and pledge 50 cents, a dime, doesn't matter what the money is - but they can participate," Batstone said.

Every little bit counts, organizers say.

"When it comes to raising money, it's not about going after big hitters, it's about going after a large amount of people who give a little," Affeldt said. "And you can do a lot of damage with that."
To take part in Free 2 Play, you can log on to Facebook and search for 'Not For Sale.' Then click on the Free 2 Play app.

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Baseball strikeouts help free child slaves

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By Ryan Cooper, CNN (Jupiter, Florida and Scottsdale, Arizona) - A growing number of Major League Baseball players are coming together to make every pitch, home run and strikeout count in the fight against child trafficking.

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This article is about the models hired for the New York Fashion Week shows. This article points out that statistics show that since 2008, for each season, more that 80% of the models hired were white. This surprised me because I assumed with the growing diversity in the US that designers would be hiring more models with different ethnicities than white. I was also surprised that top designers like Calvin Klein had hired no models of color because I assumed he would to appeal to the consumers that were of those ethnicities.

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The Fall-Winter 2013 shows have just finished up in New York. This season saw 151 shows and live presentations during fashion week's eight days - making it the biggest and busiest NYFW we've ever covered. But it wasn't very racially diverse.

This season, 151 New York designers' shows were covered by Style.com. Those shows presented 4479 individual women's wear "looks" to buyers and press, representing 4479 opportunities for a model to walk the runway or pose in a presentation. 3706 of those looks, or 82.7%, were this season shown on white models. Asian models nabbed 409, or 9.1% of all the runway looks. Black models were hired for 271, or 6%. Non-white Latina models had 90 looks, or 2%. Models of other races wore 12, or 0.2% of all looks.

Thirteen companies - Araks, Assembly, Belstaff, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth & James, Gregory Parkinson, J Brand, Jenni Kayne, Juicy Couture, Louise Goldin, Lyn Devon, Threeasfour, and Whit - had no models of color at all. The brands Araks, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth & James, and Louise Goldin didn't hire any non-white models last season, either. That means this season, around 9% of all NYFW shows had all-white casts. That's up slightly from last season, when only 6% of shows had only white models. For comparison, in 2007, one-third of NYFW shows were all-white.

Designers that had more racial diversity included 3.1 Phillip Lim, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Costello Tagliapietra, Diane von Furstenberg, J. Crew, Jason Wu, Jeremy Scott, Jonathan Simkhai, Mara Hoffman, Naeem Khan, Nicole Miller, Rebecca Taylor, Suno, Tracy Reese, Yeohlee, and Zac Posen.

This season marks the fifth year that we've collected this information, but I must admit that every time we finish one of these reports I'm left with questions, many of which are the same ones that I wrestled with nine seasons ago. Why does a huge global brand like Calvin Klein, whose multi-tiered business model depends on people from all corners of the globe wanting to see themselves in its logo, always appear to care so little about racial diversity at fashion week? Why does one mass-market contemporary label - J. Crew - apparently put so much effort into hiring a multi-ethnic cast of models, when others - Elizabeth & James, J Brand - do not? At the high end, why are Oscar de la Renta's and Diane von Furstenberg's shows so racially diverse, while Michael Kors' and Vera Wang's aren't? Why are some of New York's talented younger designers - Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, Zac Posen - hiring so many more models of color than their just-as-buzzed-about peers like Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, and Rodarte? Why do so many fashion brands still treat racial diversity as optional, or a matter of taste?

I have a few theories why this season's numbers show NYFW to be a few percentage points less racially diverse than the last two seasons have been. One is that it's the fall season, and we have noted a slight swing from more racial diversity in the casting for the spring shows to less in the fall shows. (Casting directors have told me in the past that there's a belief on the part of some designers that bright spring colors look better on non-white skin tones than fall and winter hues.) The other is simply that a few relatively prominent models of color didn't walk NYFW this season, and with jobs for non-white models being already so scarce, the absence of even a handful of such models has a relatively big impact on the season's overall numbers. Latina models like Mariana Santana and Catalina Llanes, who both walked a bunch of shows last September, didn't do NYFW this season. Nor did the St. Helenian model Rea Triggs, the black models Genesis Vallejo and Senait Gidey, or the North African models Hind Sahli and Hanaa ben Abdesslem, or Tara Gill and Jenny Albright, who are both part Native American, to name a few.

There are many negative effects of the industry's preference for white skin - within fashion, it forces models of color to compete against each other for the one or two runway spots that might go to a non-white girl, it provides downward pressure on non-white models' wages, and it makes agencies less willing to invest in models of color, given that fewer opportunities mean a lower lifetime earning potential. And outside the industry - because the models who rise to the top of the heap doing runway are the models who go on to do the magazine covers, the cosmetics campaigns, the luxury brand ads, the billboards, and the TV commercials that girls all over the world can't help but grow up consuming - it promotes the idea that beauty means having white skin.

As I've written before, the conversation about racial diversity in fashion is a large and complex one, of which data like these are only one small part. It's difficult to quantify a problem like high fashion's demonstrated preference for white skin. Race is a social construct, after all, not a fact. And our "categories" - black, Asian, non-white Latina, and what we for lack of a better term call "other" - are not perfect. Racial diversity is only one way in which the fashion industry - and, by extension, our cultural ideas about what and who gets to be beautiful - could stand to broaden. There's also age, sexual orientation, and, most obviously, size. Despite our imperfect methods, we do this census every season because we believe it's helpful to put anecdote and reportage in the context of actual numbers. If we acknowledge that the overwhelming whiteness of fashion's imagery is a problem, then trying to measure that problem can be the first step towards solving it.

For those who are curious, our full report is embedded below.
Special thanks to Tanisha Ramirez, who helped compile this report. Lead image: Model Bruna Tenório, who is of indigenous Brazilian descent, walks the runway at Zac Posen's fall-winter, 2013, show.
Models of Color FW2013 by

Related:
The Spring-Summer 2013 Report
The Fall-Winter 2012 Report
The Spring-Summer 2012 Report
The Fall-Winter 2011 Report
The Spring-Summer 2011 Report
The Fall-Winter 2010 Report
The Fall-Winter 2009 Report
The Fall-Winter 2008 Report

New York fashion week wrapped up its Spring-Summer 2013 season with a whopping 143 shows and live...
Read more Read

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Fashion Week's Models Are Getting Whiter

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The Fall-Winter 2013 shows have just finished up in New York. This season saw 151 shows and live presentations during fashion week's eight days - making it the biggest and busiest NYFW we've ever covered. But it wasn't very racially diverse.

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This article is about the number of people arrested for driving under the influence in Colorado. 31,000 drunk drivers are caught every year just in Colorado. I found it surprising that about 1/3 of them have already been arrested for a DUI in the past year. I also found it interesting that about half of those drunk drivers have had at least 3 other offenses in the past 3 years.

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Each year, roughly 10,000 drunken drivers are busted in Colorado for driving drunk again - and during a recent three-year span, more than 5,000 drunken drivers had at least three prior DUI arrests.

Colorado's criminal justice system touches about 31,000 drunken drivers a year, a Denver Post examination of state records found. But the system fails to ensure that those drivers stay off the road after drinking. In fact, one in three arrested for drinking and driving have at least one prior DUI, The Post found.

"This is out of control, and I don't know if the general public knows this," said Carolyn DeVries of Denver, one of 17 members of a statewide DUI task force set up to look at ways to attack a problem that has vexed lawmakers, cops, prosecutors and judges for years and that, potentially, places every motorist at risk.

DeVries is the victims' representative on the panel. In 2004, she and her husband, Van, lost their 19-year-old daughter, Sonja, in a drunken-driving crash.

The man who barreled into Sonja's car as she waited at a red light at East Alameda Avenue and South Holly Street had a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.

He also had eight prior arrests for drinking and driving.

But people with multiple drunken-driving arrests in Colorado aren't unusual, according to criminal justice records, court files and extensive data compiled at the request of The Post by both the State Court Administrator's Office and the state's Division of Behavioral Health:

* From 2005 to 2007, an average of 31,011 alleged drunken drivers were arrested each year in Colorado, according to statistics compiled by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

* During that same three-year span, an average of 10,835 drunken drivers each year had at least one prior DUI arrest, according to Division of Behavioral Health data from probation-department evaluations of drivers facing DUI charges.

* Among that group were 5,679 Colorado drivers arrested over the three years for drunken driving who had at least three prior offenses, 84 who had been stopped for driving drunk at least 10 times, and five with more than 20 prior cases.

Those numbers come a generation after a collective national crackdown on drunken driving began in earnest. That fight saw Colorado legislators make it tougher to plea-bargain drinking-and-driving cases and increase sentences for both driving while under the influence of alcohol, or DUI, and driving while ability impaired by alcohol, or DWAI.

Despite those efforts, and a 2004 law that lowered the threshold for DUI, hundreds of people are killed and injured in drunken-driving crashes each year in Colorado. Statewide, since 2005, at least 224 Colorado drivers have been accused of vehicular homicide while driving drunk, and more than 1,000 have been charged with injuring others while driving drunk.

"People driving drunk, I think it is a very dangerous crime," said Larimer County District Attorney Larry Abrahamson. "If people continue to drive drunk, it's only a matter of time before they hurt someone.

"They are a definite and serious risk to the public."

Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey said that getting drunken drivers off the road, for good, is a constant struggle.

"We all know if there's prior DUIs, there's a public-safety risk," he said. "It is a problem. It is a problem that we struggle with all the time."

The various statistics make it clear that core questions remain. How can drunken driving be best prevented? And how can those who make a mistake be stopped from repeating it, in some cases again and again?

Pressured on all fronts

Answering those questions, however, is not simple. The system established for catching, punishing and treating drunken drivers faces pressure on almost every front. Overcrowded jails. Jammed court dockets. An overwhelmed probation system. Even a lean budget.

Colorado, for example, is one of four states where the fifth, sixth or 10th DUI charge is not necessarily a felony, and its laws set no limit on the number of drunken-driving charges that an individual can amass in a lifetime. In many other states, a motorist who racks up three DUI convictions faces a felony conviction and a prison term.

A 2007 effort by several state legislators to institute a felony DUI law in Colorado was killed over budget concerns.

And the questions themselves bring different responses from different cogs in the system. Some prosecutors advocate tough sentences, while others take a more lenient approach in the hope that they can coax drivers to get treated, stay sober, and keep their licenses and insurance current. Different judges handle similar cases differently.

"That's a difficult thing - how do you keep these repeat offenders off the road?" said Chip Cutler, deputy district attorney for Fremont, Chaffee, Custer and Park counties. "Even if they don't have a license, there's a pattern where some are still going to choose to drive."

Cutler is currently handling a DUI case against a man who, according to court records, has 17 previous drinking-and-driving arrests and failed to show up for an April 1 court hearing.

In Denver, prosecutors will not allow a DUI or DWAI charge to be pleaded down to a non-alcohol charge, said Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney's office.

"Every day, we're trying to take the unique circumstances of every case and make the best possible decision with public safety in mind," she said. "In general, let me say with DUI cases the intent or the goal is for the punishment to be severe enough so that these people never drive drunk again."

The Division of Behavioral Health maintains that treatment programs are becoming increasingly effective - provided that drivers enter and stay.

A recent study found that just 7 percent of Colorado drivers who completed alcohol education and treatment were arrested again within four years.

"There's not a lot of research that prison is effective at reducing recidivism," said Christine Flavia, manager of the state DUI services program.

But one thing is consistent: In courthouses across the state sit files that illustrate, over and over, the system's inability to stop thousands of drunken drivers from doing it again.

Tragedy in the fog

Take the case of Jeffery Hickey.

According to Division of Behavioral Health records, 758 Colorado drivers arrested from 2005 through mid-2008 had at least six prior drunken-driving offenses. Hickey was one of them.

On a foggy night last December, Hickey climbed into his silver pickup for the last time.

Hickey was wearing bluejeans but, according to his autopsy report, no shirt, socks or shoes that winter night.

He had been arrested for drunken driving seven times in his 38 years. He had no driver's license and no insurance when he wheeled onto Interstate 76, and he was drunk again.

About 6 miles east of Keenesburg, he lost control and flipped his truck. It rolled into the left lane, where it was struck by an eastbound Nissan Sentra. The truck rolled onto its roof and was hit again by a Honda Civic. Hickey was thrown from the truck and died immediately. Ronnie Brunner, the Nissan driver, died three days later. The third driver, Beth Heyer, suffered a crushed foot when the steering wheel in her car collapsed.

To middle-school children in Fort Morgan, Brunner was a beloved counselor. One student sent Brunner's parents a letter promising to make the honor roll as a tribute to him.

To Jamie Arthur, Brunner's sister, he was "the best big brother I ever could have had." He joined the Army when she was just 6 years old, and "I missed him horribly," she said. "That's how I feel now."

After Ronnie died, Arthur heard disturbing things about the pickup driver from Mike Boehm, her brother's insurance agent.

Hickey had a 17-year history of drunken-driving arrests in Colorado. His blood-alcohol level when he died was 0.309 percent - nearly four times the level at which Colorado defines a driver as drunk and in the range in which some people have died of alcohol poisoning.

Nobody knows how much Hickey, who weighed about 160 pounds, drank that night.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the average 160-pound man would have to consume four drinks in an hour to get to the 0.08 blood-alcohol level at which a driver is considered intoxicated.

"That's insane"

The night of the crash, Hickey had been free from jail in his last DUI case for six months. Yet had he not died, he would have been eligible to get his Colorado driver's license reinstated.

"That's insane," Arthur said. "This could have been stopped. He should have been in jail. His offense to me is inexcusable."

Colorado's Department of Revenue, which maintains motor-vehicle records, would not confirm Hickey's eligibility for license reinstatement, because noncriminal information about Colorado drivers remains confidential even if the driver is dead.

Spokesman Mark Couch said there is no permanent ineligibility to drive in Colorado, though some people have been restrained from driving for as long as 20 years.

Hickey's sister, however, believes the system is at fault - it lets people "float their way around and, in the end, hurt people," she said.

Hickey's mother declined to comment.

Heyer, the only one of the three drivers to survive the accident, was briefly trapped in her car. Her steering wheel collapsed on her foot, crushing it, and the 24-year-old emergency medical technician had to cut her seat belt with hospital shears in order to escape her smoking car. She spent the next 10 minutes at Brunner's side, holding his neck, talking with him, assuring him that he was going to be OK.

"He was conscious. He was talking," she said, but he was bleeding from multiple wounds.

In two years as an EMT, Heyer estimated she has seen more than 100 people injured or killed by drunken drivers. Like Brunner's sister, she questioned why people who get arrested again and again for drunken driving are entitled to drive again.

"When someone has such an extensive history, there's no reason they should qualify again for a license," she said.

A scheduling mix-up

Before the fatal accident, Hickey had been arrested on drunken-driving charges in Colorado in 1990, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2007, according to court and police records.

An Adams County judge dismissed the 2000 case because the arresting officer accidentally scheduled Hickey's court appearance on a legal holiday.

Colorado has no felony for multiple drunken-driving offenses. It can, however, impose a felony charge if a habitual traffic offender with a revoked license continues to drive drunk. That happened to Hickey in 2002, and he was sentenced to 15 months in state prison.

The Adams County sheriff's deputy who arrested Hickey in 2007 reported seeing a pickup swerving from lane to lane at 1:30 a.m., nearly running off the road.

"I asked Jeffery Hickey to step from the truck and to perform voluntary roadside maneuvers. Jeffery Hickey got out of the truck and almost fell down. I helped steady him and helped him to the back of the truck," the deputy wrote.

Hickey's Breathalyzer result that night was 0.223 percent.

For the second time, Hickey faced a felony charge. In a plea bargain, he accepted a misdemeanor charge - DUI second offense - and was sentenced to 12 months in jail. He reported to jail in November 2007 and was released seven months later.

Boehm, Brunner's insurance agent, said Colorado motor-vehicle records show Hickey could have regained his driver's license this Wednesday, despite his long history of drunken driving, with restrictions that included alcohol education and an interlock device to prevent his vehicle from starting unless his breath was alcohol-free.

"I find it hard to believe that the state of Colorado would ever have considered that this offender be given his driving privileges back with this long record of alcohol violations," he complained in an e-mail to two legislators. "This man should never, and I mean never, been allowed on the road."
Additional research for this report was conducted by Denver Post staff writer Burt Hubbard and librarian Barbara Hudson.
Colorado DUI laws

Colorado's drinking-and-driving laws consist of two separate charges, based on blood-alcohol level. A motorist can be charged with driving while ability impaired, the less-serious violation, with a bloodalcohol level of 0.05 percent. A person is presumed to be guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent.

How much alcohol is too much?

Although alcohol affects each person differently, the Colorado Department of Transportation estimates that a 140-pound person would be impaired after consuming two drinks in an hour and under the influence after having four drinks in two hours.

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Each year, roughly 10,000 drunken drivers are busted in Colorado for driving drunk again - and during a recent three-year span, more than 5,000 drunken drivers had at least three prior DUI arrests. Colorado's criminal justice system touches about 31,000 drunken drivers a year, a Denver Post examination of state records found.

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This article is about a new statistical analysis done by NASA in 2011 that shows an increase in extreme summer heat in land areas in the last decades in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the U.S. Midwest. I found it surprising that the percentage of area that suffer from extremely hot summers increased almost 50% between the last decade and the base period (1951-1980). I also found surprising that the extremely warm spots were not really close to the Equator as we would expect. Instead, they are located up north, in places like Alaska, Canada and Northern Russia

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NASA - Research Links Extreme Summer Heat Events to Global Warming

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A new statistical analysis by NASA scientists has found that Earth's land areas have become much more likely to experience an extreme summer heat wave than they were in the middle of the 20th century.

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The article talks about how Americans still eat fast food like they are addicted to it. The theme of the article is that Americans with higher incomes will go to the drive though at least once a week. Most Americans cant seem to stop doing it because it has become easy to get it and go. Something that interested me was that over half of Americans that make $75,000 go to the drive through at least once a week. Another thing that was interesting was that about 80% of Americans go to the drive through once a month

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TakePart | Stories That Matter, Actions That Count

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Stories That Matter, Actions That Count.

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This article is all about the population of registered nurses in the U.S.. What i found interesting was that

There are 3,063,162 licensed registered nurses in the United States and also approximately 294,063 RNs are men only 9.6% of the total nursing population. This was surprising to me because not a lot of men are nurses. This shows a huge opportunity for men in this field.

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Get the latest nursing statistics & demographics in the US

Total US Nursing Population

2,824,641 Registered Nurses (RNs) in the US

690,038 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) in the US

Gender Statistics

9.1% of RNs are men

7.6% of LPNs are men

LPNs and RNs by Age

The median age for male RNs licensed in 2000 or later is 35, compared with 31 for female RNs.

43.6 = average age of LPNs in the US

18.3% = percent of LPNs 30 years old or younger

44.6 = average age of an RN in the US

14.8% = percent of RNs 30 years old or younger

Race and Ethnicity Statistics

How do minority nurses self-identify? 9.9% of RNs are black or African American (non-Hispanic); 8.3% are Asian; 4.8% are Hispanic or Latino; 1.3% categorize themselves as two or more race; 0.4% are American Indian or Alaskan Native.

Employment Statistics

Nearly 85% of the RN population, or about 2,596,600 RNs, are employed in nursing.

Education Statistics

14.6% of black or African-American nurses have related master's or doctoral degrees, compared to 13.4% of white nurses.

Work/Pay Statistics

What is the average number of hours worked a week by an RN?
* An RN works an average 37 hours a week.

What is the average annual salary for a full-time RN?
* The average annual salary for a full-time employed RN is $67,930.

What is the average annual salary for a full-time LPN?
* The average annual salary for a full-time employed LPN is $42,400.

What are the average annual earnings for a staff nurse?
* The average annual salary for a staff nurse is $61,706.

What is the average salary of a nurse who holds a graduate degree?
* A nurse with a master's or doctoral degree makes an average $87,363 a year.

Nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) have the highest earnings of all employed nurses, averaging $154,390 annually.

(Pay Rate by Nursing Specialty)

(Pay Rate by Region)

Sources

1.Data/Statistics, The Office of Minority Health, US Department of Health and Human Services
2. CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report - United States, 2013, US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR 2013;62(Suppl 3):1-187

Do you have new nursing statistics and infographics? Share it with us. Send submissions to us at. Be sure to include a source with your information.

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Nursing Statistics in the US | Minority Nurse

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2,824,641 Registered Nurses (RNs) in the US 690,038 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) in the US 9.1% of RNs are men 7.6% of LPNs are men 43.6 = average age of LPNs in the US 18.3% = percent of LPNs 30 years old or younger 44.6 = average age of an RN in the US 14.8% = percent of RNs 30 years old or younger How do minority nurses self-identify?

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This article is about how most people in society think men are better drivers when really, women drivers are. The article said that 80 percent of all crashes in a five-year period in which pedestrians were seriously injured or killed involved men who were driving. It also says that men are more likely to drink and take drugs while driving which I found interesting.

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"It has to do with our motherly instincts," said Amy Forgione, 35, a driver for 19 years. Men, she said, feel above the rules. "They feel like they control the road, that they own the road."

When she drives with her husband, Ms. Forgione said, she buckles her seat belt and holds her breath.

Social scientists and traffic safety experts say that male drivers around the world get into more than their share of bad car crashes, and that the male propensity for aggression and risk taking, fueled by testosterone, is to blame. Men, experts say, are more likely to drink and take drugs while driving, to avoid wearing seat belts, to speed and even to choose a smaller gap to turn through across oncoming traffic.

Yet while it would appear that New York City's finding destroys the old stereotype of inept women drivers, under all that recklessness, men may still know more about cars and how to handle them, suggested Anne T. McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The high crash rate for men may be skewed because men account for about 61 percent of the miles driven in the country, though the gap is narrowing, federal highway statistics show. Increased driving adds to both the proficiency of the driver and the risk of getting into an accident, Ms. McCartt said.

"Part of what gets muddled when you talk about gender differences is the skill of driving and risk-taking," Ms. McCartt said. The bottom line, she said, is that "aggressive driving behavior is a bigger piece of the pie than skill" when it comes to serious crashes. "The evidence is really incontrovertible that men as drivers take more risks," she said.

The males of the species are not only more dangerous as drivers, they are more likely to be hurt while walking, the city's study found. More men than women were killed or injured as pedestrians in every age group except among those over 64 (perhaps because women live longer and were overrepresented). Boys 5 to 17 years old ranked first in the absolute number of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries, with 785, more than twice the number of girls in that age range, though elderly people were more vulnerable as a share of the population.

"These patterns are set sort of early," said Tom Vanderbilt, the author of "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)."

"You see a lot more boys killed running into traffic," he said. This is partly because boys are given more "freedom to roam," and the culture expects them to take more risks, Mr. Vanderbilt said. "That pattern is set early but continues through every sort of life stage, including driving," he said.

While the experts seem to consider aggression a bad thing, many male drivers thought it was a strength. "On the road, I think the most important things are intuition and aggressiveness," said Mark Volinsky, 24, who has been driving for six years. "It's hard even for me to conjure those up driving around the city, so I can't imagine someone like my 45-year-old mom being able to function in that kind of dog-eat-dog environment."

Rose Pinto, 34, a certified driving instructor at Sharkey's Auto Driving School, was not surprised at the city's findings. Men are overconfident, and it is their downfall, Ms. Pinto said. "Even if a guy doesn't know what he's doing, he's more inclined to say he does," she said.

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"It has to do with our motherly instincts," said Amy Forgione, 35, a driver for 19 years. Men, she said, feel above the rules. "They feel like they control the road, that they own the road." When she drives with her husband, Ms. Forgione said, she buckles her seat belt and holds her breath.

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In this article about bullying it's becoming more and more frequent today in locations like schools and online media, according to recent bullying statistics. 46 percent of males followed with 26 percent of females have admitted to being a victim in fights. This was reported in one report of bullying statistics by the Bureau of Justice School. I think these numbers are interesting because I didn't realize how high the number were, I would have assumed they had dropped.

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Bullying is becoming more and more frequent among today's youth in locations like school and online, according to recent bullying statistics. There are different types of bullying of which bullying statistics reveal almost half of all students have experienced.

Unfortunately, recent bullying statistics show that bullying is on the rise among young adults, teens and children. The rise in these bullying statistics is likely due to a fairly recent form of bullying seen in recent years called cyber bullying. This type of bullying has gotten immense media attention over the past few years sighting instances of cyber bullying pushed too far, and in many cases leading to cases of teen suicide or death. Many bullying statistics and studies have found that physical assaults have been replaced with constant cyber assaults in the form of bashing, rumors and other hazing content targeted at a single student or group of students.
Bullying statistics:

About 42 percent of kids have been bullied while online with one in four being verbally attacked more than once.

About 35 percent of kids have been threatened online.

About 58 percent of kids and teens have reported that something mean has been said about them or to them online.

Other bullying statistics show that about 77 percent of students have admitted to being the victim of one type of bullying or another.

The American Justice Department bullying statistics show that one out of ever 4 kids will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence.

46 percent of males followed by 26 percent of females have admitted to being victims in physical fights as reported in one report of bullying statistics by the Bureau of Justice School.

Other bullying facts:

As these bullying statistics indicate, bullying is just getting worse in American schools. Many studies have shown that increasing domestic violence at home are leading to an increase in bullying online and at school.

Researchers note that one way to help begin to lower these bullying statistics is to tell an adult when it is happening.

According to the i-Safe American survey of students bullying statistics, about 58 percent of kids admit to never telling an adult when they've been the victim of a bullying attack.

Another way to stay safe from bullies is to inform the school if the attacks are taking place on school property or have something to do with the school.

Ignore messages sent by cyber bullies.

Based on the bullying statistics we found, it is clear that cyber bullying is on the rise more so than any other type of bullying. Many students report seeing these types of bullying in chat rooms, social networking websites like MySpace.com and Facebook.com. There has also been websites dedicated to targeting a student or group of students. Many bullying studies revealed that students who are part of a minority group of students based on their gender, race, socioeconomic status as well as sexual preference are reasons other students use to harass and cyber bully one another. Many of these students are forced to deal with at-school bullying and have it follow them home as they see hurtful comments and rumors being said about them throughout the Internet. While this isn't always a school-related issue, many schools are cutting down on this type of behavior from occurring at school by limiting computer time and prohibiting many of the social websites used to spread the hurtful information.

Because of the wide-spread amount of bullying it is more important than ever for parents and teachers to check in with children about bullying. Many students might be afraid to tell an adult or parent, which is why parents and teachers need to be aware of the signs of bullying and to pay attention to what is going on with their child or student. Another one of the best ways to handle bullying to help lower these numbers reported in bullying statistics is open communication. Students and children should be encouraged to tell a trusted adult, parent or teacher about any kind of bullying attack. It is the best way to help stop the situation from getting worse and to help prevent bullying from targeting more and more victims.

Sources: http://www.isafe.org

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Bullying Statistics - Bullying Statistics

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Bullying is becoming more and more frequent among today's youth in locations like school and online, according to recent bullying statistics. There are different types of bullying of which bullying statistics reveal almost half of all students have experienced. Unfortunately, recent bullying statistics show that bullying is on the rise among young adults, teens and children.

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This article is about how people prefer texting over calling. The younger you are, the more likely you will prefer texting over calling someone. Parents always tell their children to not be texting so much, but that is the cultural norm compared to back then when phone calls was the main form of communication. Along with texting, comes the fact that kids are losing their ability to communicate verbally with someone. Texting has diminished their social abilities, and they are no longer comfortable being one on one with someone.

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CHICAGO (AP) - Anna Schiferl hadn't even rolled out of bed when she reached for her cell phone and typed a text to her mom, one recent Saturday. Mom was right downstairs in the kitchen. The text? Anna wanted cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

Soon after, the 13-year-old could hear mom's voice echoing through the house.

"Anna," Joanna Schiferl called, "if you want to talk to me, you come downstairs and see me!"

Anna laughs about it now. "I was kind of being lazy," the teen from suburban Chicago concedes. "I know that sounds horrible."

Well, maybe not horrible, but certainly increasingly typical.

Statistics from the Pew Internet & American Life Project show that, these days, many people with cell phones prefer texting over a phone call. It's not always young people, though the data indicate that the younger you are, the more likely you are to prefer texting.

And that's creating a communication divide, of sorts - the talkers vs. the texters.

Some would argue that it's no big deal. What difference should it make how we communicate, as long as we do so?

But many experts say the most successful communicators will, of course, have the ability to do both, talk or text, and know the most appropriate times to use those skills. And they fear that more of us are losing our ability to have - or at least are avoiding - the traditional face-to-face conversations that are vital in the workplace and personal relationships.

"It is an art that's becoming as valuable as good writing," says Janet Sternberg, a professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University in New York who is also a linguist.

In the most extreme cases, she's noticed that more students don't look her in the eye and have trouble with the basics of direct conversation - habits that, she says, will not serve them well as they enter a world where many of their elders still expect an in-person conversation, or at the very least a phone call.

On today's college campuses, the dynamic is often different. Forget about things like "office hours," for instance. Many professors say they rarely see students outside of class.

"I sit in my office hours lonely now because if students have a question, they email, often late at night," says Renee Houston, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Puget Sound in Washington state.

"And they never call, ever."

She recalls overhearing students chuckling about the way people older than them communicate.

"My parents left me a VOICEMAIL. Can you believe it?" one said, as if voicemail had gone the way of the dinosaurs.

This doesn't sound surprising or particularly troublesome to Lisa Auster-Gussman, who'll be a senior this fall at the University of Richmond in Virginia. For her, there are simply particular tools she uses to communicate, depending on the recipient.

Email is for professors, yes. Phone calls and maybe the occasional text are for parents, if the parents know how to do the latter.

"But I don't communicate much with older people. So much of my life is set up over text," says Auster-Gussman, who sends and receives an average of about 6,000 text messages a month.

Many are done as "group texts," sharing messages among eight college friends who live in the same building. The interactions are nothing more than you'd say in a casual conversation, Auster-Gussman says - but they are constant when they're not together.

Recently, for instance, she went to a movie and came out to find 50 text messages waiting for her on her phone.

Meanwhile, last summer, when she was away from her boyfriend, she went days without talking to him on the phone, but texted with him several times a day.

"You're not even really talking to him," she remembers her perplexed father saying.

"But I felt like I was talking to him all day, every day," Auster-Gussman says.

Is there some aversion to talking on the phone? Not really, she says. It's just a preference. In this day and age, it's just what you do.

As Anna, the 13-year-old in suburban Chicago, sees it: "There are people you'll text, but won't call. It's just awkward that way.

"It's not about anything important - just a way to stay in touch with each other."

She and her closest friends also send each other videos of themselves and their surroundings - maybe of their dogs or something new in their bedroom. "People would probably say, like, 'Why don't you just call them?'" Anna says.

Experts say there is, of course, nothing wrong with casual conversation and fun between friends. One could argue that the constant banter - scores of texts each day - keep people more connected. The problem, some communication experts say, is that the conversation isn't particularly deep - and therein lies the problem, says Joseph Grenny, co-author of the book "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High."

"The core problem has existed since we've had telephones - probably since the time of a telegraph," Grenny says. "We loathe having crucial conversations. We are paralyzed and do what we can to avoid them."

That applies to any generation, he says. Texting is just the latest way to do that.

Though they may not always be so good at deep conversations themselves, Grenny suggests that parents model the behavior for their children and put down their own mobile devices. He says they also should set limits, as Anna's mom did when she enforced the "no texting to people under the same roof" rule.

A bit of self-awareness helps, too.

Mary Ann Allison, an assistant professor of media studies at Hofstra University, has her students keep a log of their own communication habits.

"By paying attention to it, they say, 'Wow, it's a really different conversation when you're talking with someone and listening to them," Allison says. They key in on body language, facial expressions and tone of voice - all cues that you lose when you can't see or hear someone, or when you're distracted, even in person, by a gadget.

Sternberg, at Fordham, asks her students to give up one form of electronic communication to see what kind of difference it makes in their lives.

She also has them practice simple tasks such as standing up in a room full of people and introducing themselves. Many of them hate the drill, she says, but later tell her how useful it was, especially in the workplace.

Interestingly, Anna's mom, Joanna Schiferl, is more worried about the effect that texting is having on her daughter's writing skills than her social skills. Anna tends to rush her writing and pays less attention to grammar, or uses abbreviations she'd use in a text. It is a common observation among parents.

So the key, experts say, is to recognize your weak point and work on developing a wide range of communication skills.

"People with a more flexible style, whether they're communicators in person or through technology, will have an easier time adapting," Houston says - and will help bridge the communication gap, generational or otherwise.

That's not always easy in a world where modes of communication are ever-evolving - though young people often adapt with ease.

Houston notes, for instance, that her 13-year-old son is now doing homework with friends via Skype.

And that seems to be a trend. A recent Pew survey found that online video chat is catching on with teens, especially girls. The survey found that 37 percent of Internet users, ages 12 to 17, reported using such applications as Skype, Googletalk or iChat.

Of course, other forms of social networking are still enticing, as Anna's mom discovered one recent evening when she noticed that her daughter was on Facebook when she was supposed to be doing homework.

What did mom do? She broke her own rule.

"I texted her from downstairs," mom says, chuckling, "just to bust her."

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Texting preferred over phone calls, statistics show

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WJLA is the local ABC affiliate for the greater Washington DC area. From our studios in Arlington, VA ABC7 covers national and local news, sports, weather, traffic and culture and carries entertainment and sports programming.

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This article is about The University of Cincinnati and their basic reasons why someone should choose to further their education with them. They include information such as their college ranking, their population, and the cost to attend. Then, it is followed with qualitative reasoning as to why they are one of the best. I think they did a great job at convincing people through the information they presented.

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I found this article interesting because i never thought of finding out the statistics of a group of fans of a certain genre. In this article they mention how country music fans are usually of age 45 and they have an annual income of $75,392. At the end of the article they say how country music fans are just like the typical american which without all of the numbers is what i figured they were anyway.

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Country fans have generally been thought to be rural, less educated, less technically savvy and a lower earning group of people than the general public. But new research from MRI and independent research by the CMA indicates that the new demographic for country music fans puts them on average or above with most Americans, according to CMA market research director Greg Fuson.

"The country consumer and who they are may not be who you think they are," Fuson told attendees at the Billboard Country Music Summit in Nashville. "The data from MRI surveyed 25,000 U.S. residents and was compiled into a 112-page document. The CMA did proprietary research, including interviewing people who attend our annual Music Fest in Nashville, where we talked to 3,600 people last year."

Statistics for the average country fan show that they are 45 years old with an income of $75,392. Seventy-five percent of country fans own a home (valued at $228,586), which is higher than the national average. Thirty-two percent are parents with 2.3 children and their net worth is $316,337, which is just under the national average.

The survey shows that 42 percent of the population is a country music fan, which breaks down to 95 million country music fans in the United States, a number that Fuson said gives the country music community the opportunity to open a lot of doors with sponsorships and other partnerships.

A further breakdown shows that 48 percent of those who like country music are male and 52 percent are female. The age brackets are interesting, as 13 percent are in the 18-24 age range; 17 percent, 25-34; 18 percent, 35-44; 20 percent, 45-54; and 16 percent each in the 44-64 and 65-plus. Twenty-six percent are singles who have never married.

As for education, 24 percent have college degrees and 30 percent have some college. Post graduates total eight percent, and 34 percent are high school grads.

One in two people with an income of $100,000-plus are country fans and one in three people who have professional or managerial jobs are country fans. One in four of the people who live in the top five DMA's are country fans. Again, Fuson pointed out that this opens a lot of doors because there is a whole new market where country fans live.

"Country music fans are also passionate about their family," Fuson said. "We found that 90 percent spend time with their family, and 81 percent have dinner with them every night compared to a national average of 43 percent. Seventy-nine percent of the country fans wish they had more time to spend with their families."

The surveys also found that country fans are more likely than the U.S. population to go dancing, go out on the town with friends, entertain at home and dine out. In fact, Fuson said, country fans spent $16 billion dining out with friends and family last year.

Country fans are also more tech-savvy than had been previously thought. Two in four of the people buying new technology are country fans, while four in 10 people who are asked for advice on technology are country fans. Seventy-six percent of Music Fest attendees last year were engaged in some kind of social media, including Facebook and Twitter, with 55 percent engaging with Facebook daily. That is up 30 percent from 2008. Another 23 percent are active on Twitter, up 40 percent from 2009.

The CMA introduced a CMA Music Fest app two weeks ago, and in that time period has had 11,336 unique visitors, 9,500 from iPhones and the rest from Android.

When it comes to finances, 43 percent of active investors say they are country music fans, who are more likely to use a financial planner to help with their future plans. One in four people who say they are country music fans like to take risks for a chance at a high return.

In the automotive realm, not so many fans drive pickup trucks down back roads anymore, with 41 percent saying they research and compare motor vehicles before making a purchase. Many of those have done that research online. Forty-three percent of people who purchased a recent vehicle that cost more than $30,000 were country music fans. Country fans also like accessories, with the most popular being ONSTAR, GPS, Bluetooth or other hand free devices -- and heated/cooled seats.

In the telecommunication world, country fans spend $7.6 million on cell phone service for homes that have 2.3 cell phones. One in four people who have cell phones with no landlines are country music fans. The country music fan is more likely to download a ringtone and a song, use texting to vote in a contest, watch a video clip and visit a website for entertainment information.

In the realm of vacations, country music fans spent $46 billion on domestic travel last year; another 18 percent took an international trip. Vacations included visits to top-rated golf resorts, snow skiing, and health spas and retreats.

"To recap, the country music fan looks like the average U.S. population, but the best thing to know is they come in all ages, income brackets and markets," Fuson said. "We need to engage them all. The country music fan has spending power; we have a vast opportunity to reach them in so many ways that fit into their lifestyle."
Check out all of our coverage from the 2011 Billboard Country Music Summit right here!

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New Statistics About Country Music Fans Revealed at Billboard Country Summit

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Country fans have generally been thought to be rural, less educated, less technically savvy and a lower earning group of people than the general public. But new research from MRI and independent research by the CMA indicates that the new demographic for country music fans puts them on average or above with most Americans, according to CMA market research director Greg Fuson.

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This article is about different types of pool related injures, mainly drowning going as far back as 2003. It also goes on to circulation entrapment injuries, as far back as 1990. I didn't realize that 9 people die everyday in the U.S. I didn't even know there was such a thing as circulation entrapment.

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Swimming Injury Statistics - Swimming Pool Accidents

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This article is about two friends that are franchising their rock climbing business, showing the statistics behind the growing rock climbing business. Something that I found interesting is that the amount of climbing gyms has grown by 50% between 2007 and 2012 along with the "1000 people a day that join the sport of rock climbing." Also, there are about 450 dedicated rock climbing gyms in the United States. I found it interesting that the sport of rock-climbing is gradually growing and these two friends are trying to make rock climbing more accessible to everyone.

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Sharing a passion for rock climbing and the adventurous attitude that comes with it, Tim Walsh and Lucas Kovalcik decided to ditch the corporate ladder and climb their own way to the top.

The entrepreneurs have plans to build a multi-million dollar empire on people's passion for climbing rocks.

CNBC gave the founders 60 seconds to convince a panel of experts, and you, that they can take their business to new heights. Click the video above to see if they can turn their passion into success.
Escaping the cubicle
Walsh and Kovalcik have known each other since they were teenagers, but after high school they went their separate ways. Walsh took a job in IT, while Kovalcik moved west, worked in the hotel industry, and started attending UCLA for his MBA. But he dropped out, and they both made a big change.

"We both had a passion for fitness and climbing and saw a need in the market for our hometown. The area where we grew up didn't have a climbing gym, or a place where people could actually enjoy climbing, as we both did. So we wanted to share that with other people," said Kovalcik.

They opened Gravity Vault's first 13,000-square-foot location in Bergen County, NJ. in 2004. They opened their second in Morris County, N.J. in 2009. Now, they want to take the concept national as a franchise.
Roping in revenue
The gyms make money by offering day passes that range from $10 to $18 dollars as well as annual memberships that cost $700 a year for an adult. Like other gyms, they offer personal training sessions.

"Both of our facilities will make more than a million dollars this year," in gross revenue per location, Walsh said.

RELATED: Start-up The Muse helps answer 'What Do I Want to Do With My Life?'

REI board member, experienced rock climber and Power Pitch panelist Matt Compton was concerned about marketing the gym, especially to its youngest members.

Kovalcik said the company carries out a lot of grass-roots marketing.

"We've been utilizing a lot more of the grass roots, and social marketing has really been a big focus for us," Kovalcik said. "Our community involvement is very high from participating in town days to sponsoring teams and doing things of that nature to get people involved, as well as doing a lot of marketing in local schools and universities," he answered.
Rocking out a new sport
"Our plan is to grow slowly at first, 3 to 5 locations in the next 12 months," said Walsh, "and then 45 to 60 locations is our goal in the next five years."

Franchises must pay a $40,000 fee to Gravity Vault. The founders told CNBC it costs approximately $750,000 to $1.2 million to build out a space. The first franchise will also be located in New Jersey and is expected to open next year.

Franchise owner and Power Pitch panelist Dina Dwyer-Owens wanted to know about the longevity of the business model. "When you're getting into franchising business it's got to be something that is a sustainable model."

Kovalcik said that the sport is still in its infancy with plenty of room to grow.
A climbing trend
Twenty-five million people worldwide have taken up the sport of indoor rock climbing, and the number of climbing gyms has increased by 50 percent from 2007 to 2012, according to the International Federation of Sport Climbing. According to Outdoor Magazine, in the United States alone, a thousand new people a day are joining the sport of indoor rock climbing.

"There are 450 dedicated climbing gyms in the United States and we can easily see that number double within the next three to five years. We're excited to be at the front of this growth with our gyms and franchise opportunities," Kovalcik said.

Gravity Vault has raised approximately $2 million from SBA financing and personal funds. The company has one franchise location under construction and three in attorney review, with plans to add another corporate location by 2014.

RELATED: Dog Lovers start luxury franchise hotel for your pooch

Watch @GravityVault cofounders Lucas Kovalcik and Tim Walsh deliver their 60-second pitch to see if they can rope in three INS from experienced rock climber Matt Compton, CEO of @shopigniter and REI board member, Franchise expert Dina Dwyer-Owens of the Dwyer Group @DinaDwyerOwens, and CNBC host Mandy Drury @MandyCNBC.
-Additional reporting by Joanna Weinstein -Comments, questions, suggestions? We'd love to hear from you. Follow us @CNBCPowerPitch, and join the #PowerPitch conversation on Twitter or post your comments below.

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Turning a rock-climbing hobby into millions

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Sharing a passion for rock climbing and the adventurous attitude that comes with it, Tim Walsh and Lucas Kovalcik decided to ditch the corporate ladder and climb their own way to the top. The entrepreneurs have plans to build a multi-million dollar empire on people's passion for climbing rocks. CNBC

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This article is about the spike of malaria cases in the Us in recent years. One fact that I found surprising is that cases of malaria in the United States has increased by 14% percent from 2010 to 2011. Another shocking fact that I found was that 650,000 people die from malaria each year and 90% of those deaths occur in Africa alone.

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Malaria has been nearly obliterated in the United States - but rates of the deadly tropical illness recently saw a striking rise stateside, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In a report issued today, the agency noted that malaria cases in the US jumped 14 percent between 2010 and 2011, the most recent year for which comprehensive tallies are available. That figure is still relatively small, at 1,925 reported cases, but it's the highest number of malaria cases in any given year since 1971. And of those cases, five were fatal.
"What we're hoping is that more people will take precautions."
When malaria does crop up in the US, it's largely because of travel. American residents who visit countries where malaria remains endemic, such as India and Nigeria, become infected while overseas and only receive a diagnosis upon their return. "As we've seen, international travel continues to rise, including to malaria-striken countries," Paul Arguin, chief of the domestic malaria unit at the CDC, told The Verge. "What we're hoping is that more people will take precautions."

Malaria is the result of a parasite carried by mosquitos, and the fight to contain the illness remains an uphill battle: malaria kills an estimated 650,000 people each year, which 90 percent of those fatalities occurring in Africa. The World Health Organization recently warned that insecticide resistance threatened to curtail malaria control campaigns. Though antimalarial drugs can help prevent the illness, the search for a malaria vaccine continues: one recently completed clinical trial in Africa, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was modestly successful in thwarting the illness among young children over an 18-month period.
Russell Brandom contributed to this story.

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Malaria cases in the US reach a 40-year high, new data shows

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Malaria has been nearly obliterated in the United States - but rates of the deadly tropical illness recently saw a striking rise stateside, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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This article is about black Americans in New York who have been shown to be in more shootings or arrests than any other race. You are 25 % more likely to me shot or arrested if you are a black person living in New York. I always just assumed but looking at the numbers it's actually a little surprising on how high the percentages are.

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Black people in New York City are 25 percent more likely to be shot and more likely to be arrested for shooting a firearm, according to the latest set of statistics released by the city's police department.

The data collected over the first six months of 2013 reports 74 percent of the city's 564 shooting victims and 70 percent of the 222 people arrested for shooting someone were black. Whites made up less than 3 percent of both shooting victims and arrests, and Hispanics made up 25.4 percent and 21.5 percent of suspects and arrests respectively.

Blacks also made up a majority of those questioned in the city's stop-and-frisk program at almost 56 percent, and the majority of the city's manslaughter victims at just under 64 percent.

The numbers are almost identical to last year's report , where 74 percent of shooting victims and 78 percent of shooting suspects were black. Community activists say the near stagnant numbers are a troubling account of economic disparities and the police department's focus on communities of color.

"It's all a battle between the haves and the have-nots," said Tony Herbert, president of the National Action Network's Brooklyn East Chapter. "In the end, it's survival of the fittest, and there are some who want to bring weapons into the mix. That's what it comes down to."

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has used these statistics to defend the city's stop-and-frisk program, saying officers don't stop minorities because of their race but because of the prevalence of crime in particular communities. But the city's mayor-elect, Bill de Blasio, has reportedly vowed to drop the appeal for the August ruling that the program violated the civil rights of tens of thousands of blacks and Hispanics, and said he won't keep Kelly as police commissioner when he takes office in January.

"If you believe that our young men of color should be respected and celebrated and not treated like suspects even when they've done nothing wrong, then you'll be with me as we make these changes," he said during a speech at the National Action Network in Harlem.

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You Are 25 Percent More Likely To Be Shot In NYC If You're Black

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Black people in New York City are 25 percent more likely to be shot and more likely to be arrested for shooting a firearm, according to the latest set of statistics released by the city's police department.

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The article is about how the USA scored the lowest in the national average IQ among the developed countries. Whats interesting is that American high school students scored 483 in the test program for International Student Assessment. The average score was way below other counties. Also By age fifteen Americans fell behind 25 countries in this test. (Internationale student assessment). That's alarming to me.

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The Fall-Winter 2013 shows have just finished up in New York. This season saw 151 shows and live presentations during fashion week's eight days - making it the biggest and busiest NYFW we've ever covered. But it wasn't very racially diverse.

This season, 151 New York designers' shows were covered by Style.com. Those shows presented 4479 individual women's wear "looks" to buyers and press, representing 4479 opportunities for a model to walk the runway or pose in a presentation. 3706 of those looks, or 82.7%, were this season shown on white models. Asian models nabbed 409, or 9.1% of all the runway looks. Black models were hired for 271, or 6%. Non-white Latina models had 90 looks, or 2%. Models of other races wore 12, or 0.2% of all looks.

Thirteen companies - Araks, Assembly, Belstaff, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth & James, Gregory Parkinson, J Brand, Jenni Kayne, Juicy Couture, Louise Goldin, Lyn Devon, Threeasfour, and Whit - had no models of color at all. The brands Araks, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth & James, and Louise Goldin didn't hire any non-white models last season, either. That means this season, around 9% of all NYFW shows had all-white casts. That's up slightly from last season, when only 6% of shows had only white models. For comparison, in 2007, one-third of NYFW shows were all-white.

Designers that had more racial diversity included 3.1 Phillip Lim, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Costello Tagliapietra, Diane von Furstenberg, J. Crew, Jason Wu, Jeremy Scott, Jonathan Simkhai, Mara Hoffman, Naeem Khan, Nicole Miller, Rebecca Taylor, Suno, Tracy Reese, Yeohlee, and Zac Posen.

This season marks the fifth year that we've collected this information, but I must admit that every time we finish one of these reports I'm left with questions, many of which are the same ones that I wrestled with nine seasons ago. Why does a huge global brand like Calvin Klein, whose multi-tiered business model depends on people from all corners of the globe wanting to see themselves in its logo, always appear to care so little about racial diversity at fashion week? Why does one mass-market contemporary label - J. Crew - apparently put so much effort into hiring a multi-ethnic cast of models, when others - Elizabeth & James, J Brand - do not? At the high end, why are Oscar de la Renta's and Diane von Furstenberg's shows so racially diverse, while Michael Kors' and Vera Wang's aren't? Why are some of New York's talented younger designers - Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, Zac Posen - hiring so many more models of color than their just-as-buzzed-about peers like Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, and Rodarte? Why do so many fashion brands still treat racial diversity as optional, or a matter of taste?

I have a few theories why this season's numbers show NYFW to be a few percentage points less racially diverse than the last two seasons have been. One is that it's the fall season, and we have noted a slight swing from more racial diversity in the casting for the spring shows to less in the fall shows. (Casting directors have told me in the past that there's a belief on the part of some designers that bright spring colors look better on non-white skin tones than fall and winter hues.) The other is simply that a few relatively prominent models of color didn't walk NYFW this season, and with jobs for non-white models being already so scarce, the absence of even a handful of such models has a relatively big impact on the season's overall numbers. Latina models like Mariana Santana and Catalina Llanes, who both walked a bunch of shows last September, didn't do NYFW this season. Nor did the St. Helenian model Rea Triggs, the black models Genesis Vallejo and Senait Gidey, or the North African models Hind Sahli and Hanaa ben Abdesslem, or Tara Gill and Jenny Albright, who are both part Native American, to name a few.

There are many negative effects of the industry's preference for white skin - within fashion, it forces models of color to compete against each other for the one or two runway spots that might go to a non-white girl, it provides downward pressure on non-white models' wages, and it makes agencies less willing to invest in models of color, given that fewer opportunities mean a lower lifetime earning potential. And outside the industry - because the models who rise to the top of the heap doing runway are the models who go on to do the magazine covers, the cosmetics campaigns, the luxury brand ads, the billboards, and the TV commercials that girls all over the world can't help but grow up consuming - it promotes the idea that beauty means having white skin.

As I've written before, the conversation about racial diversity in fashion is a large and complex one, of which data like these are only one small part. It's difficult to quantify a problem like high fashion's demonstrated preference for white skin. Race is a social construct, after all, not a fact. And our "categories" - black, Asian, non-white Latina, and what we for lack of a better term call "other" - are not perfect. Racial diversity is only one way in which the fashion industry - and, by extension, our cultural ideas about what and who gets to be beautiful - could stand to broaden. There's also age, sexual orientation, and, most obviously, size. Despite our imperfect methods, we do this census every season because we believe it's helpful to put anecdote and reportage in the context of actual numbers. If we acknowledge that the overwhelming whiteness of fashion's imagery is a problem, then trying to measure that problem can be the first step towards solving it.

For those who are curious, our full report is embedded below.
Special thanks to Tanisha Ramirez, who helped compile this report. Lead image: Model Bruna Tenório, who is of indigenous Brazilian descent, walks the runway at Zac Posen's fall-winter, 2013, show.
Models of Color FW2013 by

Related:
The Spring-Summer 2013 Report
The Fall-Winter 2012 Report
The Spring-Summer 2012 Report
The Fall-Winter 2011 Report
The Spring-Summer 2011 Report
The Fall-Winter 2010 Report
The Fall-Winter 2009 Report
The Fall-Winter 2008 Report

New York fashion week wrapped up its Spring-Summer 2013 season with a whopping 143 shows and live...
Read more Read

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Fashion Week's Models Are Getting Whiter

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The Fall-Winter 2013 shows have just finished up in New York. This season saw 151 shows and live presentations during fashion week's eight days - making it the biggest and busiest NYFW we've ever covered. But it wasn't very racially diverse.

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This article is about the growing internation interest in social netwrking, in fact India is growing the most rapid and in the highest quantity. The thing that interested me was after the 37.4% increase of people using the most popular social site in the world (Facebook) the site is estimated to reach a record breaking  1.026 billion users this year. other countries obvioulsy have higher growth percentages than india in percentage, but the population in india is so large that the smallest amount makes a huge difference

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India Leads Worldwide Social Networking Growth - eMarketer

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eMarketer forecasts continued double-digit growth in social network usage around the world, and the numbers in India are growing faster than anywhere else. In just a few years, in fact, India will also become the world’s largest single Facebook population.

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This article is about how getting more sleep helps you engage more in what you do. In the article it says that 70% of people don't get the amount of sleep that they need to perform their best throughout the day and that surprise me. Also something interesting I read was that getting more sleep leads to an increase in physical performance

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The theme of this article is that most sexual assaults on college women involve alcohol. I thought that it was interesting that in 80% of sexaul assaults the victim has consumed alcohol or other drugs. I also found it interesting that 60% of college students reported that they binge drink.

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Photo by Luca Francesco Giovanni Bertolli/iStock/Thinkstock

In one awful high-profile case after another- the U.S. Naval Academy; Steubenville, Ohio; now the allegations in Maryville, Mo.-we read about a young woman, sometimes only a girl, who goes to a party and ends up being raped. As soon as the school year begins, so do reports of female students sexually assaulted by their male classmates. A common denominator in these cases is alcohol, often copious amounts, enough to render the young woman incapacitated. But a misplaced fear of blaming the victim has made it somehow unacceptable to warn inexperienced young women that when they get wasted, they are putting themselves in potential peril.

A 2009 study of campus sexual assault found that by the time they are seniors, almost 20 percent of college women will become victims, overwhelmingly of a fellow classmate. Very few will ever report it to authorities. The same study states that more than 80 percent of campus sexual assaults involve alcohol. Frequently both the man and the woman have been drinking. The men tend to use the drinking to justify their behavior, as this survey of research on alcohol-related campus sexual assault by Antonia Abbey, professor of psychology at Wayne State University, illustrates, while for many of the women, having been drunk becomes a source of guilt and shame. Sometimes the woman is the only one drunk and runs into a particular type of shrewd-and sober-sexual predator who lurks where women drink like a lion at a watering hole. For these kinds of men, the rise of female binge drinking has made campuses a prey-rich environment. I've spoken to three recent college graduates who were the victims of such assailants, and their stories are chilling.

Let's be totally clear: Perpetrators are the ones responsible for committing their crimes, and they should be brought to justice. But we are failing to let women know that when they render themselves defenseless, terrible things can be done to them. Young women are getting a distorted message that their right to match men drink for drink is a feminist issue. The real feminist message should be that when you lose the ability to be responsible for yourself, you drastically increase the chances that you will attract the kinds of people who, shall we say, don't have your best interest at heart. That's not blaming the victim; that's trying to prevent more victims.

Experts I spoke to who wanted young women to get this information said they were aware of how loaded it has become to give warnings to women about their behavior. "I'm always feeling defensive that my main advice is: 'Protect yourself. Don't make yourself vulnerable to the point of losing your cognitive faculties,' " says Anne Coughlin, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, who has written on rape and teaches feminist jurisprudence. She adds that by not telling them the truth-that they are responsible for keeping their wits about them-she worries that we are "infantilizing women."

The " Campus Sexual Assault Study " of 2007, undertaken for the Department of Justice, found that the popular belief that many young rape victims have been slipped "date rape" drugs is false. "Most sexual assaults occur after voluntary consumption of alcohol by the victim and assailant," the report states. But the researchers noted that this crucial point is not being articulated to young and naïve women: "Despite the link between substance abuse and sexual assault it appears that few sexual assault and/or risk reduction programs address the relationship between substance use and sexual assault." The report added, somewhat plaintively, "Students may also be unaware of the image of vulnerability projected by a visibly intoxicated individual."

"I'm not saying a woman is responsible for being sexually victimized," says Christopher Krebs, one of the authors of that study and others on campus sexual assault. "But when your judgment is compromised, your risk is elevated of having sexual violence perpetrated against you."

The culture of binge drinking-whose pinnacle is the college campus-does not just harm women. Surveys find that more than 40 percent of college students binge drink, defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as consuming five or more drinks for a man and four or more for a woman in about two hours. Of those drinkers, many end their sessions on gurneys: The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that about 600,000 students a year are injured due to their drinking, and about 700,000 are assaulted by a classmate in a drunken encounter. Some end up on slabs: About 1,800 students a year die as a consequence of alcohol intake.

The site Compelled to Act, started by the grief-stricken father of a college-student daughter who died because of a drunken snowmobile accident, keeps a tally of alcohol-related death, including reports of students who perish due to alcohol overdoses, falls, and drownings. The typical opening weeks of school (except perhaps at Brigham Young University) result in stories like this one at the University of Maryland: In the first three weeks of the semester, 24 students were taken to the hospital for alcohol-related causes. Then police were called to an off-campus bar known for serving freshmen to investigate a stabbing involving underage students.

I don't believe any of these statistics will move in the right direction until binge drinking joins smoking, drunk driving, and domestic abuse as behaviors that were once typical and are now unacceptable. Reducing binge drinking is going to require education, enforcement, and a change in campus social culture. These days the weekend stretches over half the week and front-loading and boot and rally are major extracurricular activities. Puking in your hair, peeing in your pants, and engaging in dangerous behaviors have to stop being considered hilarious escapades or proud war stories and become a source of disgust and embarrassment.

As a parent with a daughter heading off to college next year, I've noted with dismay that in some college guidebooks almost as much space is devoted to alcohol as academics. School spirit is one thing, but according to The Insider's Guide to the Colleges, when the University of Florida plays Florida State University, "Die-hard gator fans start drinking at 8 am. No joke." I guess I'm supposed to be reassured to read that at the University of Idaho, "Not everyone is an alcoholic."

"High-risk alcohol use is the one thing connected to all, and I mean all, the negative impacts in higher education," says Peter Lake, director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law and author of The Rights and Responsibilities of the Modern University. He cites the problems of early student attrition and perpetually disappointing graduation rates.

I've told my daughter that it's her responsibility to take steps to protect herself. ("I hear you! Stop!") The biological reality is that women do not metabolize alcohol the same way as men, and that means drink for drink women will get drunker faster. I tell her I know alcohol will be widely available (even though it's illegal for most college students) but that she'll have a good chance of knowing what's going on around her if she limits herself to no more than two drinks, sipped slowly-no shots!-and stays away from notorious punch bowls. If female college students start moderating their drinking as a way of looking out for their own self-interest-and looking out for your own self-interest should be a primary feminist principle-I hope their restraint trickles down to the men.

If I had a son, I would tell him that it's in his self-interest not to be the drunken frat boy who finds himself accused of raping a drunken classmate. Surely this University of Richmond student, acquitted in one of the extremely rare cases in which a campus rape accusation led to a criminal trial, would confirm that.

The federal government has taken steps to acknowledge the campus sexual assault problem by using the pressure of Title IX, which prevents sex discrimination in education, to require schools to improve programs to protect students from sexual assault and to deal more effectively with it. (Occidental College students filed a Title IX complaint against the school after administrators allowed a serial rapist to continue his studies.) Educating students about rape, teaching them that by definition a very drunk woman can't consent to sex, is crucial. Also important are bystander programs that instruct students in how to intervene to prevent sexual assault on drunk classmates and about the need to get dangerously intoxicated ones medical treatment.

But nothing is going to be as effective at preventing alcohol-facilitated assaults as a reduction in alcohol consumption. The 2009 campus sexual assault study, co-authored by Krebs, found campus alcohol education programs "seldom emphasize the important link" between women's voluntary alcohol and drug use "and becoming a victim of sexual assault." It goes on to say students must get the explicit message that limiting alcohol intake and avoiding drugs "are important sexual assault sex protection strategies." I think it would be beneficial for younger students to hear accounts of alcohol-facilitated sexual assault from female juniors and seniors who've lived through it.

Collective intoxication is intoxicating, one of the reasons that it's been so difficult to reduce the amount of binge drinking on campuses.

Of course, perpetrators should be caught and punished. But when you are dealing with intoxication and sex, there are the built-in complications of incomplete memories and differing interpretations of intent and consent. To establish if a driver is too drunk to be behind the wheel, all it takes is a quick test to see if his or her blood alcohol exceeds the legal limit. There isn't such clarity when it comes to alcohol and sex. According to " Prosecuting Alcohol-Facilitated Sexual Assault," a study by the National District Attorneys Association: "Generally, there is not a bright-line test for showing that the victim was too intoxicated to consent, thereby distinguishing sexual assault from drunken sex." Bringing these cases is, the study notes, "an extreme challenge." And college student victims rarely turn to law enforcement. Instead, often days later, they bring a complaint to campus authorities to adjudicate.

Some think changing the campus drinking culture requires lowering the drinking age from 21 years. The Amethyst Initiative, started by chancellors and presidents of universities and colleges, and the group Choose Responsibility both make the case that since most college drinking is illegal, that gives it the allure of the forbidden, encourages excess, and increases danger because students are reluctant to turn to the authorities when drinking gets out of hand. But changing the drinking age is a policy that's gotten little traction.

Lake says that administrators often take an overly simplistic approach to curbing alcohol consumption. In the 1990s that meant crackdowns, which he says sent a lot of drinking off campus, probably elevating the risks. He says binge drinking is so entrenched it requires a multifaceted approach that includes coercion, enforcement, and social engineering. For example, he says weekends often begin on Thursday because many colleges have few, if any, Friday classes. "In the alcohol wars, you can see where battlefields are and where booze has beaten the academy," he says. "The academic program has receded, and they've given up on Friday." He says a full day of classes should be scheduled on Friday, and it should be a standard day for tests and exams. He says since millennials (like young people forever) keep vampire hours, unless there are evening alternatives on campus, those purveying alcohol will win.

And who is it purveying alcohol? In some cases it's a type of serial predator who encourages his victim to keep pouring the means of her incapacitation down her own throat. Researchers such as Abbey and David Lisak have explored how these men use alcohol, instead of violence, to commit their crimes. Lake observes that these offenders can be campus leaders, charming and well liked-something that comes in handy if they are accused of anything. "They work our mythology against us," says Lake. "We would like to see our daughters hang out with nice boys in navy blue blazers."

The three young women I spoke to who were victims of such men attended different colleges, but their stories are so distressingly similar that it sounds as if they were attacked by the same young man. In each case the woman lost track of how much she'd had to drink. Then a male classmate she knew took her by the hand and offered her an escort. Then she was raped by this "friend." Only one, Laura Dunn, reported to authorities what happened, more than a year after the fact. In her case she was set upon by two classmates, and the university declined to take action against either one.

One of the rape victims was a senior who had been to a school-sponsored celebration where the wine flowed, then everyone went to a bar to continue the festivities. Her memories are fragmentary after that, but a male classmate came by. She remembers running down the street with him, then being in bed, then waking up the next day with her clothes inside out. She was sickened at herself for what she thought was cheating on her longtime boyfriend and confessed her infidelity to him. Ultimately that led to their breakup.

As she dealt with her shame and guilt, she talked to friends about that night, and the real story emerged. She was so intoxicated that her friends were worried about her when she stumbled out of the bar disoriented and without her shoes. They said they saw her being led away by the male classmate who was not drunk. She came to understand that she had been raped. "Since I realized it wasn't my fault, I crawled out of a deep, dark hole," she says. She also knew he'd done it before. "He had this reputation if you were going to be drunk around him, he was probably going to have sex with you."

The young woman laments the whole campus landscape of alcohol-soaked hookup sex. "Women are encouraged to do it, which ignores all the risks for us," she says. "You get embarrassed and ashamed, so you try to make light of it. Then women get violated and degraded, and they accept it. Who does this culture benefit? Alcohol predators. It doesn't liberate anybody."

I get what all the beer bongs, flip cup, power hours, even butt chugging is about. (OK, maybe not butt chugging.) It's fun. In Getting Wasted: Why College Students Drink Too Much and Party So Hard, Ohio University sociologist Thomas Vander Ven got an inside look at what he calls "the shit show." He writes, "To some university students, the decision to drink at college is a redundancy. To them, college means drinking." Vander Ven documents the pleasure that group intoxication brings: the suppression of inhibitions and self-consciousness, the collective hilarity, the thrill of engaging in potentially perilous adventures, and the sense of camaraderie. Even nursing hangovers and regrets becomes a group endeavor, a mutual post-battle support group. Collective intoxication is intoxicating, one of the reasons that it's been so difficult to reduce the amount of binge drinking on campuses.

I know many people will reflect on their own bacchanalian college experiences with nostalgia and say the excesses didn't hurt them-at least what they're able to remember. So I will present myself as an example that it's possible to have fun without being drunk. I enjoy moderate drinking and have only been hung over three times in my life. I have never been so drunk that I browned out, blacked out, passed out, or puked from alcohol ingestion. Still, as a young person, I did my share of fun, crazy, silly, stupid, and ill-advised things. But at least I always knew that I was responsible for my behavior, not the alcohol.

Lake says that it is unrealistic to expect colleges will ever be great at catching and punishing sexual predators; that's simply not their core mission. Colleges are supposed to be places where young people learn to be responsible for themselves. Lake says, "The biggest change in going to college is that you have to understand safety begins with you. For better or worse, fair or not, just or not, the consequences will fall on your head." I'll drink (one drink) to that.

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The Best Rape Prevention: Tell College Women to Stop Getting So Wasted

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In one awful high-profile case after another- the U.S. Naval Academy; Steubenville, Ohio; now the allegations in Maryville, Mo.-we read about a young woman, sometimes only a girl, who goes to a party and ends up being raped. As soon as the school year begins, so do reports of female students sexually assaulted by their male classmates.

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I love this demographic profile because cosmopolitan is somewhere I would love to be employed one day. This shows how Cosmo is read in all different cultures and walks of like. My favorite stat is that the majority of readers are 18-34 years old. I thought it would be a younger market.

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This article shows how big of an effect snack foods have on the world. Something that I learned from this is that the snack food industry is predicted to reach almost $335million in 2015. I had NO idea that snack foods had this big of an impact on the economy!

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Food Industry Statistics: Analysis, Trends & Market Research Reports

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Understand the Food Industry Quickly & Get Actionable Data Easily. The Latest Reports with Statistics & Trends from Top Industry Sources

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This article is about how how hospitals charge ridiculous amount of money for procedures that cost significantley less right down the street. I find it suprising that a hospital could get away with charging up to $90,000 more than a hospital down the street, for the same procedure. I was also suprised by the fact medicare was 7% the cost of a regular hospital bill in one scenario.

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When a patient arrives at Bayonne Hospital Center in New Jersey requiring treatment for the respiratory ailment known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, she faces an official price tag of $99,690.

Less than 30 miles away in the Bronx, N.Y., the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center charges only $7,044 for the same treatment, according to a massive federal database of national health care costs made public on Wednesday.

Americans have long become accustomed to bewilderment and anxiety when confronting health care bills. The new database underscores why, revealing the perplexing assortment of prices for medical care, with the details of bills seemingly untethered to any graspable principle.

Even within the same metropolitan area, hospitals charge prices that differ by staggering degrees for the same procedures. People without health insurance pay vastly higher costs for care when less expensive options are often available nearby. Virtually everyone who seeks health care winds up paying inflated prices in one form or another as these stark disparities in price sow inefficiencies throughout the market.

While this basic picture has emerged as the consensus reality among health care experts, their evidence has been primarily anecdotal. Hospitals have protected their price lists -- documents known as charge masters -- as closely guarded secrets.

Their prices are secret no more.

The database released on Wednesday by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services lays out for the first time and in voluminous detail how much the vast majority of American hospitals charge for the 100 most common inpatient procedures billed to Medicare. The database -- which covers claims filed within fiscal year 2011 -- spans 163,065 individual charges recorded at 3,337 hospitals located in 306 metropolitan areas.

The Obama administration shared the data in advance with The Huffington Post, The New York Times and The Washington Post. What emerges through a preliminary analysis is a snapshot of an incoherent system in which prices for critical medical services vary seemingly at random -- from state to state, region to region and hospital to hospital.

These price differences impose a uniquely punishing burden on the estimated 49 million Americans who have no health insurance, experts say. They are the only ones who see on their bill the dollar amounts listed on these official price lists. Yet these same prices effectively shape what nearly everyone pays for health care, because they determine how much private health insurance companies must surrender in reimbursement for services. That in turn influences the size of the premiums that insurance companies charge their customers.

Obama administration officials declined to characterize the causes of these gaping disparities in price, leaving unclear whether they reflect some form of malevolence -- profiteering by some institutions or price-rigging -- or rather more nebulous factors, such as varying estimates about the underlying costs of providing services.
[Click here to search the database.]
Administration officials said they offered up the data with hopes that its release would administer a market corrective, forcing hospitals to take greater heed of competitors while arming ordinary people with information they could use to seek a better deal. The data could also spur health insurance companies to negotiate with hospitals to seek lower prices.

"Our purpose for posting this information is to shine a much stronger light on these practices," said Jonathan Blum, director of the Center for Medicare. "What drives some hospitals to have significantly higher charges than their geographic peers? I don't think anyone here has come up with a good economic argument."

The very fact that prices are now public may bring change, he added. "Hopefully, it will cause hospitals themselves to take a hard look at their charge-master practices and to ask hard questions of themselves as an industry why there is so much variation," he said.

Within the nation's largest metropolitan area, the New York City area, a joint replacement runs anywhere between $15,000 and $155,000. At two hospitals in the Los Angeles area, the cost of the same treatment for pneumonia varies by $100,000, according to the database.

Public access to this data on hospital charges pulls back the curtain on one of the most troubling characteristics of the American health care system: Medical providers set their prices in ways that seem arbitrary, with little oversight and practically no market incentive to reduce them, because almost no one actually pays the official rates.

The data lands as unexpected health care bills continue to be a leading cause of financial ruin for American families. Uninsured and low-income people are often subject to aggressive debt collection by hospitals and their agents when their illnesses result in bills they cannot pay.

Even among people of means, skepticism about American health care is common and with reasons based in data: Americans typically pay higher prices for health care than people in other countries, without gaining higher-quality care or superior health.

The new trove of billing data seems certain to amplify calls for a solution to rising medical costs -- not only for ordinary people, but for the economy as a whole. Health care spending continues to grow faster than the economy, though the rate of increase has slowed in recent years, prompting hopes that a fix may be materializing.

In 1999, average charges billed to Medicare were equal to 104 percent of the cost to provide medical care, according to a report issued last June by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, an expert panel that counsels Congress. By 2010, the ratio had more than doubled to 218 percent.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services long has had access to hospital charges via the cost reports facilities must submit to the agency, said Blum, the Obama administration official. Before now, few had given a thought to making the data public. His agency's actions were inspired in part by a sweeping Time magazine article on hospital charges by author Steven Brill published in March, Blum said.

The newly released data covers facilities that were collectively responsible for 90 percent of inpatient claims to Medicare while excluding certain institutions, such as children's hospitals and cancer centers.

The Huffington Post reviewed the two dozen types of services billed to Medicare at least 100,000 times in fiscal 2011 in 13 metropolitan areas spanning the U.S. The locations varied in population from less than 1 million to the largest three metro areas: New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Portland, Ore.; Austin, Texas; Jacksonville, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; Birmingham, Ala.; Tucson, Ariz.; Honolulu; Madison, Wis.; Provo, Utah; and Chattanooga, Tenn.

How is it possible that two hospitals in close proximity would set prices as differently as Bayonne Hospital Center in New Jersey and the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in New York? It's partly a relic of how hospitals used to operate and partly reflects their strategies to maximize revenues in ways that don't have a direct connection to the cost of the care they provide any individual patient.

"The charge masters are totally irrational," Robert Laszewski, a former health insurance company executive who consults for health care companies as president of Alexandria, Va.-based Health Policy and Strategy Associates, wrote in an email to The Huffington Post.

Hospitals used to base prices on health care costs and on the need for profit that would, among other things, enable them to make investments in their facilities, Laszewski explained. "They became the baseline from which the hospitals started," he wrote. But over time, hospitals raised charges in anticipation of negotiating discounts with private health insurance companies while maintaining their revenue streams, he said.

Prices have continued growing over decades to the point where there is no plausible justification for them, according to Laszewski: "Over the years, the charge masters have become more and more disconnected from reality."

The charges are the prices hospitals establish themselves for the services they provide. Although Medicare and Medicaid don't base their payment rates on these figures, private health insurance companies typically do, which means they usually pay more for the same health care than the government does. That translates into higher premiums for people with insurance. And uninsured people are expected to pay the full list price or a discount from that number, which tends to mean they pay more than anyone else.

When a hospital doesn't get paid as much as it wants from one source, it tries to make up the difference in other ways, such as billing so-called self-pay patients -- almost always the uninsured -- for the full list price of a service, said Robert Huckman, a health care expert at Harvard Business School. Even when hospitals agree to huge discounts for patients who can't pay the bill, those discounts are taken from inflated prices much higher than those the government or private insurance companies pay, he said.

"The charge master is complete nonsense that really doesn't matter -- unless you are an uninsured person and you're getting these huge bills driving you toward bankruptcy," Laszewski wrote. "The biggest irony of the U.S. health care system is that only the uninsured -- often people who don't have a lot of money -- are the only ones the hospital expects to pay these incredibly inflated list prices!"

Hospitals also inflate charges to raise money for things that aren't related to treatments, said former Sen. David Durenberger (R-Minn.), who is senior health policy fellow at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis.

"The biggest factor by far, in my experience, is what are you trying to cross-subsidize," he said. Hospitals will increase charges to finance things like technology upgrades and education and research and to compensate for their operational efficiencies, Durenberger said.

Myriad reasons legitimately explain how a health care service may be priced much differently from area to area, including labor costs and other local economic circumstances. But such factors fail to explain price discrepancies among hospitals in close proximity, Huckman said. "There's no doubt that the variation in charges is significantly larger than the variation in the underlying costs for these hospitals," he said.

The new Medicare database is replete with examples of inexplicably high prices and wide variations between hospitals in the same geographic area. The peculiar disorganization of the American health care system is evident by looking at just a few instances.

In the New York metro area, Bayonne Hospital Center -- part of a chain called CarePoint Healthcare -- charges the highest prices for several types of procedures, including COPD treatment, among the regional hospitals reviewed by HuffPost. Its price for that treatment runs four times the average in the New York area, according to the database. Medicare -- the government health care program for older people and people with disabilities -- paid an average of $6,826 for these same treatments within the New York area -- or less than 7 percent of Bayonne Hospital Center's charge.

Major joint replacement surgery at the hospital comes in at $155,769, which is almost three times the local average and more than nine times the price at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx. Medicare paid an average $18,944 in that area.

Garfield Medical Center in Monterey Park, Calif., outside Los Angeles, charges $241,654 to take care of a patient undergoing renal failure with major complications, which is almost 10 times the price at Beverly Hospital about 5 miles away in Montebello and more than three times the regional average.

And Birmingham's Brookwood Medical Center has the highest charges in 14 of the 24 Medicare billing categories in area facilities HuffPost reviewed, including a $156,958 price for simple pneumonia and inflammation of the lung. That's almost 12 times what the same treatment costs at Russell Hospital about an hour away in Alexander City, Ala., and about four times the local average.

Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill., outside Chicago, charged the highest prices for 16 of the 24 procedures reviewed by HuffPost. For kidney failure, Loyola Gottlieb charged $97,926, more than twice average cost of 59 hospitals in the Chicago area. The price is more than five times what John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, 12 miles to the east, charges.

Those numbers reflect data from fiscal year 2011, and an official from Loyola University Health System, which runs the Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, said the hospital has reduced charges by an average 25 percent since then. "Loyola University Health System closely monitors charges and conducts reviews regularly to ensure that the health system is competitive in the Chicago market," said Chief Financial Officer Jay Sial, in a written statement.

The other hospitals named in this article did not respond to or declined requests for comment.

The public availability of hospital charges is unlikely to bring swift and radical change to pricing or spare uninsured patients from exorbitant bills, said Huckman, the Harvard health care expert. Still, he added, it's a good start.

"It would be hard for a hospital -- unless there's a justified reason -- to be able to preserve a large margin over what its otherwise equal competitors charge," Huckman said. "If someone knows the amount that even the most advantaged payer reimburses a hospital for a particular service and they can take that in with their own bill, I think that gives a pretty powerful opportunity for that customer to interact with the organization and say, 'Why is my number so different?'"
Jay Boice, Aaron Bycoffe and Andrei Scheinkman contributed to this report.

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Hospital Bill Shocker: U.S. Releases Thousands Of Records Showing Huge, Wildly Differing Prices

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When a patient arrives at Bayonne Hospital Center in New Jersey requiring treatment for the respiratory ailment known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, she faces an official price tag of $99,690.

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Studies show that divorce rate is dropping due to the fact that people are waiting to get married and focousing on getting an education and stable job first.

Something that suprised me was that In 1996, 19% of 25- to 29-year-old women who had been married were divorced, which seams kind of high considering they aren't even thirty yet.

Another interesting fact is that t he percentage of recently married women who have at least a bachelor's degree increased from 21% in 1996 to 31% in 2009. This means that women are establishing more profession careers before getting married and having children.

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(CNN) -- Back in the 1970s, before we met Dr. Phil; ate, prayed, and loved; and saw a British prince arrange his own marriage, it seemed like the institution of wedlock was doomed.

"The divorce rate was going up at an incredible rate. One of the things people were thinking at that time was, 'Wow, does this mean the end to marriage?' " remembers Kelly Raley, who studies marriage and family demographics as a professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin.

After divorce laws became more lenient in the late '70s, divorce numbers peaked around 1980 and began to level off.
What happens after infidelity
But a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau finds divorce rates for most age groups have been dropping since 1996 by an average of about 5 percentage points.

One reason that fewer couples landed in divorce court may be that people were waiting longer to get married and that about a third of men and women ages 25 to 29 have never married.

The numbers come from the report " Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009," which tracks changes in the population's coupling patterns.

After years of absorbing insights from talk show therapists and confessional literature, could we be slowly getting better at marriage?

In 1996, 19% of 25- to 29-year-old women who had been married were divorced, but only 14% were in 2009 -- a drop of about 30%, according to the study.

For 30- to 34-year-old women, there was a smaller decrease of about 20%. The rate of divorce among older women increased, however. In 2009, nearly 37% of women ages 60 to 69 were divorced, compared with 27% in 1996.

The younger couples married after the divorce boomlet of the '70s, when traditional marriages were shaken by an increasing number of women who entered the workforce, suggests Andrew Cherlin, a professor of public policy and sociology at Johns Hopkins University and author of,"The Marriage-Go-Round: The State of Marriage and the Family Today."
Baby boomer breakups and the search for a perfect union
"In the '50s, there was an old-style marriage bargain where the wife stayed home, à la 'Father Knows Best,' " he says. "That didn't work so well as women entered the workforce."

It took a generation to adapt, and "now the bargain is both spouses work, and they pool their income," he says.

Middle- and upper-class dual-income couples tend to be more educated, Cherlin says, and their economic stability bodes well for the future of their marriages.

The percentage of recently married women who have at least a bachelor's degree increased from 21% in 1996 to 31% in 2009, the census found.

Both Cherlin and Raley say the more education you have, the more likely you are to stay married.

That's good news for well-educated couples, but not for their counterparts who lack a college education. The divorce rate "is not going down for people with just a high school degree," Raley says. "So we see this growing inequality in family by educational attainment."

Since the '50s, the median age of men and women marrying for the first time has increased, from age 20 for women and 23 for men in 1950 to 26 for women and 28 for men in 2009. And the percentage of men and women who have never been married is increasing in most age groups.

Why the delay? According to Raley, "People are waiting till they are settled in a stable job to get married."

People feel more comfortable postponing their trip down the aisle thanks to the increased acceptability of cohabitation, Cherlin says.

"Fifty years ago, you had to be married," he says. "Marriage used to be the first step in adulthood, and now it's the capstone."

The longevity of marriages is improving as well.

In 2009, 55% of married couples had been hitched for at least 15 years, 35% for at least 25 years and 6% for at least 50 years -- figures that show a 1 to 2 percentage point gain over 2004.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's two sons born days apart

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(CNN) -- Back in the 1970s, before we met Dr. Phil; ate, prayed, and loved; and saw a British prince arrange his own marriage, it seemed like the institution of wedlock was doomed. "The divorce rate was going up at an incredible rate.

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This article talks about the divorce rate between couples who meet online between couples who have met in person. What I found interesting is that out of 20,000 people, 35% of them met through an Internet dating site. Also that one in three Americans meet there spouse online.

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New research suggests that one in three Americans now meet their spouses online, and that those marriages are more satisfying and less likely to end in divorce than those that begin in traditional, offline venues.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and funded by eHarmony, examined the marital status and satisfaction of 19,131 people who tied the knot between 2005 and 2012.

Of the nearly 20,000 respondents, 35 percent met their spouses online. Within that group, nearly half met through online dating sites, "whose number of users has increased dramatically just over the past decade," according to the research. Others reported meeting their spouses through social media, chat rooms, and e-mail, among other online venues.

And while the research found that nearly 8 percent of marriages initiated offline ended in breakups, couples who met online reported lower rates of separation and divorce -- 6 percent.

"What is clear from this research is that a surprising number of Americans now meet their spouse on-line," the research states, and "Meeting a spouse on-line is, on average, associated with slightly higher marital satisfaction and lower rates of marital break-up than meeting a spouse through traditional (off-line) venues."

The authors point to previous research that indicates that people may be more honest when interacting online to explain the findings. Also, the pool of prospective partners is likely larger online, and those on online dating sites may be more focused on finding a long-term mate.

"It is possible that individuals who met their spouse online may be different in personality, motivation to form a long-term marital relationship, or some other factor," lead author John Cacioppo said in a press release.

The study notes that the majority of Americans do still meet their spouses offline, though some venues are associated with more satisfying marriages than others. Those who met in school, at social gatherings or places of worship or grew up together reported greater marital satisfaction than those who met at a bar, work, or on a blind date.

"Marital outcomes are influenced by a variety of factors. Where one meets their spouse is only one contributing factor, and the effects of where one meets one's spouse are understandably quite small and do not hold for everyone," Cacioppo said. "The results of this study are nevertheless encouraging, given the paradigm shift in terms of how Americans are meeting their spouses."
Click through the slideshow below for 10 of the most interesting divorce-related research findings of 2012. Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Divorce on Facebook and Twitter.

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proceedings of the national academy of sciences

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Study Reveals Which Couples Are Less Likely To Divorce

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New research suggests that one in three Americans now meet their spouses online, and that those marriages are more satisfying and less likely to end in divorce than those that begin in traditional, offline venues.

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This article shows new statistics within Social Media. One interesting statistic that I read in this article was that Twitter users are 33% more likely to me democratic. I found that to be very interesting, I didn't expect that. A shocking statistic that I read was that only 33% of American's have followed a company/brand. I found that to be shocking because of the amount of advertisement you see at every company promoting their twitter.

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Convince and Convert: Social Media Consulting and Content Marketing Consulting

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Y ou think social media is reaching maturity, and the whipsaw behavioral shifts that change like a Dwight Howard trade request are things of the past? Uhhh, no.

Released yesterday at Blogworld New York, findings from social media behavioral researcher Tom Webster and the team at Edison Research show some shocking changes in how Americans use and consume social media. You can access the entire presentation at The Social Habit microsite, but 11 social media statistics in particular stood out for me.

Two quick notes: This is not data dredging. This is real, random sample, tightly controlled research from the same company that is the exclusive provider of Presidential exit polls in the USA. This is the last time the entire research from Edison will be released for free. It's just too valuable to be given away wholesale, considering it costs tens of thousands of dollars to produce. But you can get exclusive access to the Social Habit research when it's refreshed and expanded in early Fall. Sign up now for a sneak peek.

And if you're interested in including a question about your company or a category of social media usage of particular interest to your organization, that may be an option (click for details, fees apply). I'm partnering with Edison Research, Jason Falls, and Mark Schaefer.

1. Twitter users are 33 percent more likely to be Democrats.

An interesting finding, and representative of the type of custom queries we can answer for you in the next round of the Social Habit, this edition found that 40 percent of Twitter users are Democrats, compared to 30 percent of the U.S. population overall. The percentage of Republications and Independents on Twitter mirrors the U.S. average almost precisely.

2. The "Check-in" is the phenomenon that never happened.

74 percent of Americans are unfamiliar with the concept of checking in to a location via mobile device, and only three percent have ever checked in. Even more damning, is that four percent had checked in when surveyed in 2011. This is a 25 percent decrease in check in behaviors in a single year. It's not going to rebound, which is why Foursquare's play is to be the new Yelp.

3. Only 33 percent of Americans have ever followed a brand in social media.

From 2010 to 2012 the percentage of Americans following any brand on a social network has gone from 16 percent to 33 percent. This is a sharp increase, but looked at from the opposite perspective, it's shocking to me that two-thirds of Americans using social networks have never followed a brand. Companies still have substantial room for growth in connecting with customers and fans on social networks.

4. 56 percent of Americans have a profile on a social networking site.

This is up from 52 percent just last year, and 48 percent in 2010. How high can this climb? Certainly, there are sizable chunks of the populace that will never join a social networking site, but it's amazing to consider that significantly more Americans (12 years old and up) have a social networking profile than do not.

5. 55 percent of Americans 45 to 54 have a profile on a social networking site.

It's not just for kids any more. The biggest growth of any age cohort from 2011 to 2012 was 45-54 year olds, who now exhibit participation matching the U.S. average. The only group that is below average are 55+ Americans, and even 3 out of 10 of them are in the social networking game.

6. 22 percent of Americans use social networking sites several times per day.

It really is a "Social Habit". In the past year, 12 million more Americans are using social networking many times daily. How many other things do we do several times per day? It's not a long list.

7. Huge uptick in Facebook's influence on purchase.

Last year, 68 percent of Americans using social networks said that none of those networks had an influence on their buying decisions. This year, just 36 percent said that there was no influence. Now, 47 percent say Facebook has the greatest impact on purchase behavior (compared to just 24 percent in 2011). Incidentally, Twitter ranks below "other" at five percent. If you want to drive purchase behaviors within social networks, Facebook is the one and only game to play, statistically speaking.

8. Facebook via mobile continues to be a major factor.

54 percent of Facebook members have used the social network via a phone, and 33 percent use a phone as their primary way to access Facebook. This despite the fact that the Facebook mobile experience and mobile apps are mediocre, at best. Here's hoping the Instagram guys can jump start it. If so, watch for these numbers to soar.

9. Facebook is the most addicting of the social networks.

23 percent of Facebook's users check their account five or more times every day. The mean number of daily look-ins by Facebook users is four. Are we really so interesting that we have to keep up with our friends' inanities every 90 minutes? Evidently, yes.

10. Twitter will have an easier time making changes to its core service that Facebook does.

53 percent of Twitter users have been a member for less than a year, compared to just 19 percent for Facebook. This means that Twitter's user base doesn't have long-term, deep seated expectations for what Twitter is or should be. It will be interesting to see if Twitter doubles down on this advantage, and continues to hang ornaments on the functionality Christmas tree.

11. 76 percent of Twitter users now post status updates.

This is one of the biggest behavioral changes of the past two years. In 2010, the Social Habit research found that just 47 percent of Twitter users actually sent tweets, with more than half the user base in listen-only mode. The overwhelming majority of new Twitter users are active tweeters, driving the overall average to 76 percent.

In the next edition of The Social Habit, we'll be looking at YouTube, social video, Pinterest, Instagram, and more. Plus, if you've got questions you'd like to ask thousands of Americans via the best social media research methodology available, let's talk. Get on the list for The Social Habit now.

Which of these 11 is the most shocking social media statistic? I'll go with #7 and #11. You?

Get a weekly dose of the trends and insights you need to keep you ON top, from the strategy team at Convince & Convert. Sign up for the Convince & Convert ON email newsletter.

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11 Shocking New Social Media Statistics in America

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Y ou think social media is reaching maturity, and the whipsaw behavioral shifts that change like a Dwight Howard trade request are things of the past? Uhhh, no. Released yesterday at Blogworld New York, findings from social media behavioral researcher Tom Webster and the team at Edison Research show some shocking changes in how Americans use and consume social media.

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This article is about concussions in sports and the likelyness of them happening. It talks about effects and the treatments/non-treatments of concussions. I found it interesting that there are an estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions per year in high school sports. I also found it interesting that for admitted patients with concussions, one of the highest causes was for skateboarding/rollerblading.

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The theme of this article is about how you are more likely to get if your black in nyc. I found this interesting because you would think that it would be more than just one group of people rather than just blacks. Another thing is if you are black you are automatically assumed youve done soemthing wrong

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"Last year, 97% of all shooting victims were black or Hispanic and reside in low-income neighborhoods," Kelly recently said as he lashed out against Judge Shira Scheindlin's decision that stop-and-frisk was unconstitutional and appointed a monitor to oversee the program - a reform put on hold after the city appealed. "There were more stops with suspicious activity in neighborhoods with higher crime because that's where the crime is."

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NYPD stats: 70% of shooting suspects in first half of 2013 were black - NY Daily News

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If you're black, you are almost 25 times more likely to be shot in New York City than a white person - and you are also more likely to be arrested for pulling a trigger, alarming new NYPD statistics show.

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This article is about how kids play more video games that involve violence and other mature content. I found it interesting that 24% of boys between the age 11-14 said playing video games helped them release their anger. It was also interesting that 13% of girls from 11-14 liked playing video games involving guns, causing them to like

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In this article it shows how there have been over 9,000 tickets for jaywalking and that most pedestrians have jaywalked. It's interesting that you get a $50 fine for crossing the street. It's also funny that they have given out over 9,000 tickets that are worth more than $432,000 in only an 18 month period

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thestar.com | The Star | Canada's largest daily

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thestar.com is Canada's largest online news site. From national coverage and issues to local headlines and stories across the country, the Star is your home for Canadian news and perspectives. Stay current with sports, business, entertainment stories and more at thestar.com.

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This article relates to the Biggest Loser and the effects it has on its viewers around the world. One thing I found interesting was the percentage of obese women and men in the country. Also, I thought that America being the most obese country in the world was schoking. We may be free, but not all of us are skinny.

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th on the same list (Wieder). Clearly, adults in western society continue to battle being overweight, and the media has begun to reflect this struggle in its television programming.

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this article shows the statistics of gun usage and how it's increased from 2011 to now. something interesting that i found out from it is that with the increase of guns, california has the highest number of gun usage and murders in the U.S and also that for every 100 person 88 of them have guns. thats almost 90% and thats a lot!

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The murder of at least 12 people on Monday stood out from the growing catalogue of US gun shootings, partly because it took place on a US naval base. But another reason why it shocked so many was that Washington has one of the lowest gun crime rates in the US - there were 106 homicides with firearms there in 2012 compared to the 1,304 that took place in California.

The latest statistics from the FBI show that the number of murders by firearm increased in 2012 - putting an end to four consecutive years of declining numbers.

But not all firearm murders are increasing - rifles and shotguns have fallen since 2011 while handguns have increased for two years running.

There are also big regional variations as our interactive map shows. With 1,879 deaths in 2012, California has the highest number of murders anywhere in the US - and perhaps unsurprisingly, the highest number of murders by firearm too (1,304).

The lowest numbers were recorded in Alabama (1 firearm murder), Vermont (2) and Guam where there were none in 2012.

Gun ownership globally: US ranks first, ahead of Yemen

From an international perspective, the US clearly has a problem - despite having less than 5% of the world's population, it has roughly 35-50% of the world's civilian-owned guns.

The United States has 88 firearms per 100 people. Yemen, the second highest gun ownership country in the world has 54.8. The third and fourth biggest countries may also come as a surprise - Switzerland (45.7) and Finland (45.3).

As a percentage of all murders, firearms are the most deadly in places like Puerto Rico and Sierra Leone where they account for 95% and 88% of homicides. The US also slides down the global rankings when homicide by firearm victims are looked at per 100,000 of the population - the figure is 2.97 for the United States, in stark contrast to Jamaica's 39.4 per 100,000 or Honduras's 68.43.

Do you think the national data highlights a problem? Or maybe you think the international numbers show the US is managing its vast numbers of firearms well. Share your views in the comments below.

Can you do more with this data?
Topics

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The murder of at least 12 people on Monday stood out from the growing catalogue of US gun shootings, partly because it took place on a US naval base. But another reason why it shocked so many was that Washington has one of the lowest gun crime rates in the US - there were 106 homicides with firearms there in 2012 compared to the 1,304 that took place in California.

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The theme of this article is about the statistics of smokers over the age of 18. It takes race, age, education and income stats.

I found that American Indians somke more cigarettes than any other race.

I also found it surprising that people who have gotten their GED, smokes more than anyother educated person.

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Current Cigarette Smoking Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 Years and Older

By Race/Ethnicity | By Sex | By Age | By Education | By Poverty Status

Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Cigarette smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans each year, with more than 41,000 of these deaths from exposure to secondhand smoke. In addition, smoking-related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion a year, including nearly $170 billion in direct medical care for adults and $156 billion in lost productivity.

In 2016, an estimated 15.5% (37.8 million) of U.S. adults were current* cigarette smokers. Of these, 76.1% smoked every day.
*Current cigarette smoking is defined as smoking 100 cigarettes or more during one's lifetime and currently smoking every day or some days.
Current Cigarette Smoking Among Specific Populations-United States

American Indians/Alaska Natives | Asians | Blacks | Hispanics | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) | Military | Pregnant or Planning for a Baby | People Living With HIV | Mental Health Conditions | Adults With Disabilities

American Indians/Alaska Natives (Non-Hispanic)

American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) have a higher prevalence of current smoking than most other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Factors that may affect smoking prevalence include sacred tobacco's ceremonial, religious, and medicinal roles in Native culture, which may affect attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward commercial tobacco use. Also, tobacco sold on tribal lands is typically not subject to state and national taxes, which reduces costs. Lower prices are connected with increased smoking rates.

Asians (Non-Hispanic)

Asian Americans represent a wide variety of languages, dialects, and cultures. While non-Hispanic Asian adults have the lowest current cigarette smoking prevalence of any racial/ethnic group in the United States, there are significant differences in smoking prevalence among subgroups in this population. Many Asian Americans emigrate from countries where smoking rates are high and smoking among men is the social norm. However, research also shows an association between cigarette smoking and acculturation among Asian Americans, with those having higher English-language proficiency and those living in the United States longer being less likely to smoke.

Surveys conducted during 2010-2013 by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reflect a more comprehensive representation of current smoking among Asian subpopulations:

The percentage of respondents who reported smoking within the past 30 days by subpopulations surveyed were:

Chinese - 7.6%

Asian Indian - 7.6%

Japanese - 10.2%

Filipino - 12.6%

Vietnamese - 16.3%

Korean - 20.0%

Among women, cigarette smoking prevalence ranged from 2.9% among Chinese women to 20.4% among Koreans.

Among men, cigarette smoking prevalence ranged from 11.6% among Asian Indians to 24.4% among Vietnamese individuals.

Blacks (Non-Hispanic)

Although cigarette smoking rates are lower among Black high school students than among U.S. high school students overall (3.9% compared with 8.0% in 2016), this difference is not sustained in adulthood.

From 2005 to 2016, current cigarette smoking prevalence decreased among non-Hispanic Blacks (from 21.5% in 2005 to 16.5% in 2016).

Hispanics

The prevalence of cigarette smoking among Hispanics is generally lower than the prevalence among other racial/ethnic groups in the United States, with the exception of non-Hispanic Asians. However, smoking prevalence among Hispanic men is significantly higher than among Hispanic women, and there are significant differences in smoking prevalence among subgroups in this population. Research also shows that acculturation plays a role and that smoking prevalence is higher among Hispanics who were born in the United States.

From 2005 to 2016, a decline in current smoking prevalence among Hispanics was noted (from 16.2% in 2005 to 10.7% in 2016).

Surveys conducted during 2010-2013 by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health also reflect a more comprehensive representation of current smoking among Hispanic subpopulations:

The percentage of respondents who reported smoking within the past 30 days by subpopulations surveyed were:

Central or South American - 15.6%

Mexican - 19.1%

Cuban - 19.8%

Puerto Rican - 28.5%

Among women, smoking prevalence ranged from 11.4% among Central or South Americans to 25.1% among Puerto Ricans.

Among men, smoking prevalence ranged from 19.8% among Central or South Americans to 32.1% among Puerto Ricans.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)

Smoking prevalence among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the United States is higher than among the total population. This may be in part due to the aggressive marketing of tobacco products to this community. LGBT individuals are also likely to have risk factors for smoking that include daily stress related to prejudice and stigma that they may face.

In 2016, the prevalence of current cigarette smoking among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals was 20.5%, compared with 15.3% among heterosexual/straight individuals.

Military Service Members and Veterans

In the United States, cigarette smoking prevalence is higher among people currently serving in the military than among the civilian population. Cigarette smoking prevalence is even higher among military personnel who have been deployed.

In 2011, 24.0% of all active-duty military personnel reported currently smoking cigarettes, compared with 19.0% of civilians.

During 2007-2010, male veterans aged 25-64 years were more likely to be current smokers than nonveterans (29.0% versus 24.0%).

Women Who Are Pregnant or Plan to Become Pregnant

In the United States, modest decreases in cigarette smoking during pregnancy and after delivery occurred between 2000 and 2010, according to a study of 39 states and New York City.

In 2010, data from 27 sites, representing 52% of live births, showed that among women with recent live births:

About 23% reported smoking in the 3 months prior to pregnancy.
More than half of these smokers (54.3%) reported that they quit smoking by the last 3 months of pregnancy.

Almost 11% reported smoking during the last 3 months of pregnancy.

Almost 16% reported smoking after delivery.

Among racial and ethnic groups, smoking during pregnancy was highest among American Indians/Alaska Natives (26.0%) and lowest among Asians/Pacific Islanders (2.1%).

The highest prevalence of smoking after delivery was reported in women aged 20-24 years (25.5%), American Indians/Alaska Natives (40.1%), those who had less than 12 years of education (24.5%), and those who had Medicaid coverage during pregnancy or delivery (24.3%).

* Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2010, 27 sites

† Among those who smoked before pregnancy, 54.3% quit smoking during pregnancy.

People Living With HIV

Cigarette smoking prevalence is estimated to be at least two times higher among adults living with HIV than in the general population. Advances in science mean that HIV is now a chronic, manageable disease. Many people with HIV lead healthy, happy lives. However, smoking has serious health effects on people with HIV, including higher risks for cancer; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); heart disease; stroke; and HIV-related infections, including bacterial pneumonia.

In 2009, among adults with HIV, 42.4% were current cigarette smokers.

Factors associated with higher smoking prevalence among adults with HIV include:

Age: Persons aged 40-49 years are more likely to smoke than those aged 18-29 years.

Race/ethnicity: Non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks are more likely to smoke than Hispanics and Latinos.

Education: Persons who only achieved a high school education or less are more likely to smoke than those with more than a high school education.

Poverty level: Persons living below the poverty level are more likely to smoke than those living at or above the poverty level.

People With Mental Health Conditions

Nationally, nearly 1 in 5 adults (or 45.7 million adults) have some form of mental health condition, and 36% of these people smoke cigarettes. In comparison, 21% of adults without mental health conditions smoke cigarettes. (Mental health conditions is defined here as diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional conditions and does not include developmental and substance use disorders.)

Following are other key facts:

31% of all cigarettes are smoked by adults with a mental health condition.

40% of men and 34% of women with a mental health condition smoke.

48% of people with a mental health condition who live below the poverty level smoke, compared with 33% of those with a mental health condition who live above the poverty level.

Adults With Disabilities

Adults with disabilities are more likely to be cigarette smokers than those without disabilities. This might be because a smoker's disability is the result of smoking or because of possible higher stress associated with disabilities.

In 2016, the prevalence of current cigarette smoking among adults with disabilities was 21.2% compared with 14.4% among adults with no disability.

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

2. Xu X, Bishop EE, Kennedy SM, Simpson SA, Pechacek TF. Annual Healthcare Spending Attributable to Cigarette Smoking: An Update. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2015;48(3):326-33 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

3. Jamal A, Phillips E, Gentzke AS, et al. Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults-United States, 2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2018;67:53-59. DOI: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6702a1.htm [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups-African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 1998 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

5. Martell BN, Garrett BE, Caraballo RS. Disparities in Adult Cigarette Smoking-United States, 2002-2005 and 2010-2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2016;65:753-758. DOI: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6530a1.htm [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

6. Jamal A, Gentzke A, Hu SS, et al. Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students - United States. 2011-2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2017:66:597-603. DOI: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6623a1.htm [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

7. Kaplan RC, Bandiwala SI, Barnhart JM, Castañeda SF, Gellman MD, Lee DJ, Pérez-Stable EJ, Talavera GA, Youngblood ME, Giachello AL. Smoking Among U.S. Hispanic/Latino Adults: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2014;46(5):496-506 [cited 2018 Jan 30].

8. King BA, Dube SR, Tynan MA. Current Tobacco Use Among Adults in the United States: Findings From the National Adult Tobacco Survey. American Journal of Public Health 2012;102(11):e93-e100 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults-United States, 2005-2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2014;69(47):1108-12 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

10. Institute of Medicine. Combating Tobacco in Military and Veteran Populations. Washington: The National Academies Press, 2009 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Quick Stats: Current Smoking Among Men Aged 25-64 Years, by Age Group and Veteran Status-National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), United States, 2007-2010 [PDF - 863KB]. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2012;61(45):929 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

12. Barlas FM, Higgins WB, Pflieger JC, Diecker K. 2011 Department of Defense Health Related Behaviors Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel. U.S. Department of Defense, TRICARE Management Activity, Defense Health Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, and the United States Coast Guard 2013 [cited 2018 Jan 30].

13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trends in Smoking Before, During, and After Pregnancy-Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, United States, 40 Sites, 2000-2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2013;62(SS06)1-19 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

14. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. AIDS.gov: HIV and Smoking [last updated 2014 Aug 12; accessed 2018 Jan 30].

15. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. Guide for HIV/AIDS Clinical Care, 2014 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

16. Mdodo R, Frazier EL, Dube SR, Mattson CL, Sutton MY, Brooks JT, Skarbinski J. Cigarette Smoking Prevalence Among Adults With HIV Compared With the General Adult Population in the United States: Cross-Sectional Surveys. Annals of Internal Medicine 2015;162:335-44 [cited 2018 Jan 30].

17. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years with Mental Illness-United States, 2009-2011. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2013;62(05):81-7 [accessed 2018 Jan 30].

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centers for disease control and prevention

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Burden of Tobacco Use in the U.S. - Tips From Former Smokers

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By Race/Ethnicity | By Sex | By Age | By Education | By Poverty Status Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Cigarette smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans each year, with more than 41,000 of these deaths from exposure to secondhand smoke.

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This article is about how social media has increased sales for both online and in-store shopping in the last year. Something I found interesting was that there was a 357% increase in sales because of social media. I also was suprised that people start thinking about christmas gifts before October.. I don't start shopping for gifts untill the week before Christmas.. Maybe..

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It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but that's no matter. The holiday shopping season starts earlier and earlier every year: Walmart is starting Black Friday on Thursday this fall - smack dab in the middle of turkey dinner.

In preparation for all of the holiday shopping buzz, we've collected 15 interesting facts and statistics about how social plays a role in people's shopping habits. Whether it's finding a cool, new product you never knew you needed on Pinterest or asking Facebook friends for purchasing tips, social networks, both established and up and coming, are helping drive both online and in-store purchases.

One social network in particular worth keeping an eye on is Polyvore. The fashion-focused social commerce site is gaining on giants like Facebook when it comes to driving traffic and sales to e-commerce sites. Keep reading for our 15 stats and facts to understand why:

There has been an astounding 357 percent increase in sales from social traffic compared to last year. ( ShopSocially)

Ninety-one percent of e-commerce retailers saw a lift in their SEO rank thanks to social referrals. ( ShopSocially)

Over the period of Jan.- June 2013, social traffic to e-commerce sites has created a revenue increase of 17.8 percent. ( ShopSocially)

Thirty percent of Twitter users begin thinking and tweeting about holiday shopping before October. ( Twitter)

Sixty-five percent of consumers use social media to find the perfect gift for people. ( Crowdtap)

Four in 10 social media users have purchased an item in-store or online after sharing or favoriting it on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. ( Vision Critical)

Social media drives about equal proportions of online and in-store purchases. ( Vision Critical)

Half of social media-driven purchasing happens within one week of sharing, tweeting, liking or favoriting the product. ( Vision Critical)

Seventy-four percent of consumers rely on their social networks to make purchase decisions. ( Fedelta)

When it comes to sharing news about their online purchases, 55 percent of consumers choose Facebook, 22 percent share on Twitter, 14 percent on Pinterest and 5 percent share on Instagram. ( Fedelta)

Facebook is the leader when it comes to driving social traffic to retail sites (it is responsible for about 60 percent) with Polyvore ( 20 percent) and Pinterest ( 15 percent) following behind. ( RichRelevance)

Polyvore drives a higher average order value than Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter combined. Polyvore's average order value is $383, versus Pinterest's $199.16, Facebook's $92.27 and Twitters's $58.02. ( RichRelevance)

While Twitter and Facebook tend to drive purchases of products people were already researching or considering, Pinterest is more likely to drive spontaneous purchases. ( Vision Critical)

When it comes to social-to-store purchase, discount retailers are the most popular location for purchasing. Twenty-six percent of in-store purchases from Pinterest were at discount retailers versus 12 percent at department stores. Forty-three percent of in-store purchase from Facebook were at discount retailers compared to 14 percent at department stores. ( Vision Critical)

Twitter and Facebook tend to drive technology-related purchases ( 34 percent of Twitter-driven purchases and 25 percent of Facebook-driven purchases were tech or electronics products), whereas Pinterest tends to drive food and drink purchases ( 24 percent). ( Vision Critical)

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15 Eye-Popping Stats About Social Shopping - Digiday

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It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but that's no matter. The holiday shopping season starts earlier and earlier every year: Walmart is starting Black Friday on Thursday this fall - smack dab in the middle of turkey dinner. In preparation for all of the holiday shopping buzz, we've collected 15 interesting facts and statistics about how social plays a role in people's shopping habits.

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This article is about how video games, contrary to popular belief, can actually benefit children by providing them with experiences they might not be able to get in the real world. According to the article, 95% of American kids, boys and girls, under the age of 20 play video games. I found this number surprisingly high. Another statistic mentioned is that there are 500 million active gamers in the world right now and by the time they reach the age of 21, each of them will have spent 10,000 hours playing these games. Again, this is a surprising number of hours because it is so large.

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This year, the keynote speaker at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) was Jane McGonigal, a woman who received her Ph.D. in game research from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the creative director of Social Chocolate (this title, alone, should have tipped me off that the presentation was not going to be "ho hum") and the director of game research and development at the Institute of the Future in Palo Alto, Calif.

I went to the NACAC kick-off talk, in spite of concerns that the topic was not exactly "my cup of tea." After all, video games, such as World of Warcraft, Angry Birds and Tetris, are kids' stuff, right? Mind-numbing, sometimes violent and a ridiculous waste of time. Turns out I was dead wrong! And after reading this blog, you might come to the same conclusion.

Author of The New York Times best-seller, Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, McGonigal began her talk by saying that there are 500 million active gamers in the world right now and by the time they reach the age of 21, each one of them will have spent 10,000 hours playing video games. (10,000 hours might sound like a familiar statistic; remember what Malcolm Gladwell said in Outliers about how individuals can become virtuosos in just about anything from sports to science by putting in that much time?) Ninety-five percent of American kids -- boys and girls alike -- under the age of 20 play video games.

Because this is a blog, I won't be able to go into as much detail as I would like, but here are a few tidbits Dr. McGonigal brought to her NACAC audience. I am providing links so that you access sources to follow-up on the information.

1. McGonigal began her talk by saying that "the opposite of play isn't work; it's depression." In clinical trials, video games have been shown to outperform medication for dealing with anxiety and depression. What's more, games help young people become more resilient in overcoming physical, emotional and social challenges.

2. "10 Positive Emotions" that gamers experience while involved with video games are joy, belief, love, surprise, pride, curiosity, excitement, awe and wonder, contentment and creativity. Many commercial game developers understand that a game's success comes about from how many strong feelings it provokes in people who play the game. Therefore, a lot of conditions are built into games that bring forth those aforementioned emotions. "What else can people do that elicits ten positive emotions?" said McGonigal.

Most video game involvement is both social and cooperative because young people build relationships as they play with friends, acquaintances and even strangers. It has also been found that students who play games with their parents feel closer to them.

3. Unbelievably, ADHD symptoms are lessened when gamers who have attention deficit problems play their favorite video games. In addition, gamers with Autism Spectrum Disorder seem to increase their social intelligence after playing these games.

4. Based on solid scientific evidence, videogames may actually fill basic human needs that the real world fails to satisfy. McGonigal predicted that skilled gamers will be an important resource for solving some of the world's most pressing problems.

She mentioned a paper in the prestigious journal, Nature, that describes how 57,000 gamers with no previous background in biochemistry participated in a 3D game called Fold-it, to "fold virtual proteins in new ways that could help cure cancer or prevent Alzheimer's Disease." University of Washington scientists pitted supercomputers against these gamers and guess what: In more than half the games, the gamers beat the supercomputers! Apparently, kids who play games develop remarkable logical thinking, problem solving, observational, strategic, multi-tasking and visual skills.

5. Unlike video games, McGonigal says that today's real world is often missing something. Research shows that a good video game offers four key elements in having a happy, meaningful life: satisfying labor, hope for success, a strong social connection with other people and the opportunity to be a part of something larger than yourself. If that's not enough, video gamers have nearly a 30 percent higher creativity competency than non-gaming peers.

While she sees enormous potential as a result of what kids are now learning from video games, Jane McGonigal doesn't want to predict the future. On the contrary, she wants to save the future by helping young people develop transformative, social innovation skills through video gaming. From everything I heard at the NACAC conference, and what I am now reading in her book, I think she might be onto something quite powerful and real.

P.S.: As I read through a few education and psychology journal articles, I saw that many professionals are still concerned about the effect video game violence has on children. And so it seems, like everything else, parents and teachers need to monitor what video games their children play.

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national association of college admissions counseling

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Video Games Can Actually Be Good for Kids

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This year, the keynote speaker at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) was Jane McGonigal, a woman who received her Ph.D. in game research from the University of California, Berkeley.

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The article I chose was informative in showing a significant increase in muilt-grade trained teachers in the near future. The artice predicted that "at least 682 teachers will graduate from teacher training colleges trained in multi-grade (MG) teaching by 2015." The general education statistics shows the "prevalence of multi-grade classroom situations" jumped from 37% in 2007 to 53% in 2009. I feel that this is a positive step for improving our education system.

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This article talks about various knots and how they affect the overall strength of a rope. I was surprised that many common knots reduce the strength by 40-50% and knots that I trust my life with still reduce the strength of the rope by 20-30%.

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This article is about how exercising reduces the risk of anxiety and stress.  It reduces the risk by 40% but it has to be 20 minutes long. The harder you work out and the longer it is the better affects it has on your mental health. it also showed that the different activities even things like
housework and gardening, walking and sports, all showed a reduced chance of
psychological distress.

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"A brisk bout of spring cleaning may make you happier," suggests The Times today. Several newspapers cover new research that claims just 20 minutes a week of any

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This artical tell us how reading achually has a healthy impact to the human body. When we read it increases our attention spane and also increases our problem solving. One thing I thought was pretty interesting is that studies in University of Sussex in 2009 found that just a couple minutes a day of reading aproxamently 6 it helps reduse stress levels tramendasly. Another statisic shows from University of California that reading at a young age can help prevent Alzheimer’s.

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This article talks about the price elasticity of demand for gasoline. It blew my mind that the average price-elasticity of demand for gasoline is -0.26. That is, a 10% rise in the price of gasoline lowers quantity demanded by 2.6%. It also interested me that The volume of traffic will go down by roundly 1% within about a year.

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One could think of a number of ways that someone could cut back on fuel consumption in response to higher prices. For example, people can carpool when going to work or school, go to the supermarket and the post office in one trip instead of two, and so on.

In this discussion, the factor being debated is the price elasticity of demand for gasoline. Price elasticity of demand for gas refers to the hypothetical situation, if gas prices rise, what will happen to the quantity demanded for gasoline?

To answer this question, let's delve into a brief overview of 2 meta-analyses of studies of the price elasticity of gasoline.

Studies on Gasoline Price Elasticity

There are many studies that researched and determined what the price elasticity of demand for gasoline is. One such study is a meta-analysis by Molly Espey, published in Energy Journal, which explains the variation in elasticity estimates of gasoline demand in the United States.

In the study, Espey examined 101 different studies and found that in the short-run (defined as 1 year or less), the average price-elasticity of demand for gasoline is -0.26. That is, a 10% hike in the price of gasoline lowers quantity demanded by 2.6%.

In the long-run (defined as longer than 1 year), the price elasticity of demand is -0.58. Meaning, a 10% hike in gasoline causes quantity demanded to decline by 5.8% in the long run.

Review of Income and Price Elasticities in the Demand for Road Traffic

Another terrific meta-analysis was conducted by Phil Goodwin, Joyce Dargay and Mark Hanly and given the title Review of Income and Price Elasticities in the Demand for Road Traffic.

In it, they summarize their findings on the price elasticity of demand of gasoline. If the real price of fuel goes, and stays, up by 10%, the result is a dynamic process of adjustment such that the following 4 scenarios occur.

First, the volume of traffic will go down by roundly 1% within about a year, building up to a reduction of about 3% in the longer run (about 5 years or so).

Second, the volume of fuel consumed will go down by about 2.5% within a year, building up to a reduction of over 6% in the longer run.

Third, the reason why fuel consumed goes down by more than the volume of traffic, is probably because price increases trigger more efficient use of fuel (by a combination of technical improvements to vehicles, more fuel conserving driving styles, and driving in easier traffic conditions).

So further consequences of the same price increase include the following 2 scenarios. The efficiency of use of fuel going up by about 1.5% within a year, and around 4% in the longer run. Also, the total number of vehicles owned goes down by less than 1% in the short run, and 2.5% in the longer run.

It's important to note that the realized elasticities depend on factors such as the timeframe and locations that the study covers. Taking the second study for example, the realized drop in quantity demanded in the short run from a 10% rise in fuel costs may be greater or lower than 2.5%. While the short-run the price elasticity of demand is -0.25, there is a standard deviation of 0.15, while the long rise price elasticity of -0.64 has a standard deviation of -0.44.

Concluded Effect of Rise in Gas Prices

While one cannot say with absolute certainty what the magnitude a rise in gas taxes will have on quantity demanded, it can be reasonably assured that a rise in gas taxes, all else being equal, will cause consumption to decrease.

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What's the Price Elasticity of Demand for Gasoline?

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One could think of a number of ways that someone could cut back on fuel consumption in response to higher prices. For example, people can carpool when going to work or school, go to the supermarket and the post office in one trip instead of two, and so on.

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This article is basically talking about how younger boys especially have a lot of energy and when they participate in sports, their energy levels are contained and they aren't as agressive. I found it interesting that the change in boys was so drastic but the change in girls was little to nothing. you'd think there would be a least a signifcant change in girls. I would assume that's just the age factor. I also found that it was interesting how verbal therapy isn't nearly as effective as introducing a sport. the population of the experiment was 649 different kids with different backgrounds so the variation of the child had nothing to do with the experiment and was controlled.

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We know that physical education teaches children about fitness and encourages them to live a healthy lifestyle. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has statistical evidence that sports participation is also beneficial to a child's cognitive, emotional and behavioral well-being.

Keren Shahar, a Ph.D. student at Tel Aviv University's Bob Shapell School of Social Work working under the supervision of Prof. Tammie Ronen and Prof. Michael Rosenbaum, says that over the course of her study, which included 649 children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, a continuous program of various sports helped improve self-control and discipline and lowered feelings of aggression in the children overall.

Her research was recently presented at TAU's Renata Adler Memorial Research Center for Child Welfare and Protection Conference.
A prescription for a healthier body and mind
"We set out to determine whether sports training would have a positive impact on these children by lowering aggression, and how this result can be achieved," explains Shahar. It would be more effective than verbal therapy, she says, because while verbal therapy encourages children to control their behavior, research indicates that it does not reduce negative emotions. The introduction of sport, however, is able to reduce aggressive behavior as a result of quelling negative emotions.

In 25 schools across Israel, Shahar and her fellow researchers analyzed a 24-week-long after-school program based on sports. Half the participants comprised a control group who did not receive sports instruction, and the other half were systematically introduced to a variety of sports for five hours a week. Three times a week, students ranging from grades 3-6 played group sports such as basketball or soccer. Twice a week, they participated in martial arts, including judo and karate.

After 24 weeks of programming, Shahar compared questionnaires and evaluations executed at the beginning of the program with the same tests administered at the end. Her results demonstrated an improvement in traits relating to participants' self-control, such as self-observation, problem-solving skills, and delayed gratification -- which ultimately led to a decrease in the incidence of aggression. Only those children who exhibited higher levels of self-control also demonstrated the decline in aggression.
Boys benefit most
Girls had a much weaker response to sports programming than their male classmates, Shahar's research showed. Statistically, there was little change in the female population. Shahar reasons that girls do not often suffer from the same aggression problems as boys, and are less likely to exhibit a passion for sport.

But the research still applies, Shahar adds. The key is to introduce children to something that they love to do and in which they have a compelling interest. "Find something that motivates them," she counsels. A strong connection with any activity gives children a sense of purpose and decreases the likelihood that they will "act out" their behavioral problems.

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children's health; staying healthy; sports medicine; infant's health; child psychology; behavior; educational psychology; child development

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Leaving anger on the field: Statistics show that sports help ease aggression in boys

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Researchers completed a study of 649 children from low socioeconomic backgrounds that showed that sports training lowers aggression through alleviating negative emotions. The results indicate that children who exhibit higher levels of self-control through sports competition have a corresponding decline in aggressive behavior.

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This article is referencing the decline in young drivers across the country. As time goes on, less teenagers and young adults are receiving their driver's license. I find it very interesting that in Texas, the percent of young people with licenses dropped 12% from the year 2000 to 2010. However, I find it relieving that the increase in walking trips for young people has increased 24% from 2000 to 2009.

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Late-night bike rides have become the norm for Anthony Phung, a University of Texas at Dallas freshman who is among a growing number of young people choosing not to get a driver's license.

Phung's schedule often keeps him at the Richardson campus after the DART buses have finished their routes for the day, so the 18-year-old physics and math major relies on his bike to commute to his apartment in nearby Far North Dallas.

But the limitations of public transportation haven't been enough of a reason for Phung to get his license, at least not yet.

"It's more of a practical decision," he said. "At the moment, I just can't find time to take the driver's test."

Their reasons vary, but a report released earlier this month by the Frontier Group and the U.S. PIRG Education Fund shows that the number of 14- to 34-year-olds nationwide without a license increased from 21 percent to 26 percent between 2000 and 2010.

The trend is even stronger in Texas. While 82 percent of people between the ages of 20 and 24 had a driver's license in 2000, only 74 percent had one in 2010, according to the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Census Bureau. There was also a drop in the number of people 19 and younger with licenses. from 47 to 38 percent.

Michael Sivak, a professor at the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute, has found similar changes in his studies. He discovered that the number of young people with driver's licenses is declining internationally in countries with an increasing Internet presence.

"Virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact among young people," Sivak said in an email interview. "Furthermore, some young people feel that driving interferes with texting."

Phung believes that the Internet and the increased presence of social media play a role in some students deciding not to get a license, specifically those still in high school.

The report also cites a greater interest in alternative modes of transportation, high gas prices and a desire to leave less of an impact on the environment in the decline in young drivers.

The study also found that young people are most likely to prefer living in areas within walking distance to retailers, restaurants, schools and public transportation.

Experts believe that if the number of young people without driver's licenses continues to drop, car sales could be affected.

The Frontier Group/U.S. PIRG Education Fund study concludes that America's transportation policy, which assumes that the number of drivers on the road will continue to rapidly increase, should be re-examined.

"Policy-makers and the public need to be aware that America's current transportation policy - dominated by road building - is fundamentally out of step with the transportation patterns and expressed preferences of growing numbers of Americans," it states.

Phung says he plans to join the majority of Americans who have a driver's license this summer if he finds time to practice driving with his parents, who live in Houston.

Until then, he will continue bicycling by moonlight.

"I'm not afraid," he said. "It's just inconvenient at times."

16%

Increase in pedestrian trips by 16- to 34-year old Americans from 2001 to 2009

24%

Increase in bike trips taken by 16- to 34-year-old Americans from 2001 to 2009

47

Percentage of 15- to 19-year-olds in Texas with a driver's license in 2000

38

Percentage of 15- to 19-year-olds in Texas with a driver's license in 2010

82

Percentage of 20- to 24-year-olds in Texas with a driver's license in 2000

74

Percentage of 20- to 24-year-olds in Texas with a driver's license in 2010

2,400

Decline in the number of vehicle-miles traveled annually by 16- to 34-year-olds in 2001 compared with 2009. (They averaged 10,300 miles in 2001.)

SOURCES: Transportation and the New Generation report by the Frontier Group/U.S. PRIG Education Fund; the U.S. Census Bureau and the Federal Highway Administration

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Studies show the number of young licensed drivers is on the decline

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Late-night bike rides have become the norm for Anthony Phung, a University of Texas at Dallas freshman who is among a growing number of young people choosing not to get a driver's license.

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The article i choose was about motorcycle riders being hit by motorist. i found shocking that over 7,400 injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, 376 cyclists were killed and 767 passengers on motorcycles died. I also that it was interesting that study reveals that motorists are found at fault for 60 percent of collisions involving cars and motorcycles.

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Florida study shows motorists cause motorcycle accidents

August 16, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ - In the last few years, motorcycles have become a popular mode of transportation around Orlando and it is common to see these two-wheeled vehicles on the highways and neighborhood lanes around the city.However, motorists often view motorcyclists as a nuisance and fail to give them the respect and space they need. When this happens, usually motorists cause motorcycle accidents more often than not.

In 2010, the Florida Traffic Crash Statistics Report revealed that there were over 8,000 crashes involving motorcycles around the state that year. Over 7,400 injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, 376 cyclists were killed and 767 passengers on motorcycles died.
Motorists not paying attention
According to the Sun Sentinel, motorists feel that motorcyclists are reckless and motorcyclists feel that motorists aren't paying attention, thereby colliding with motorcycles.

A study conducted by the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research shows that motorcyclists have a point. The study, which examined motorcycle accidents during a period of ten years, showed that drivers often fail to yield the right of way to motorcycles and driver distraction appears to be a major factor.

While there are many motorcyclists that cause their own accidents, motorists are responsible for the majority of crashes. In fact, the study reveals that motorists are found at fault for 60 percent of collisions involving cars and motorcycles.

It is important for motorists to understand that motorcycles have a place on Orlando's roads and building an awareness of the presence of motorcycles can be an effective way to reduce the number of bikers who suffer serious injuries each year.

Some of the things that drivers should be aware of include:

Motorcycles are smaller in size and therefore can be difficult to see - drivers should be aware of this around other vehicles, signs and buildings.

Always look twice before turning left or merging into traffic.

Avoid distractions in the vehicle such as a cell phone or food, which may prevent a driver from seeing a motorcycle.

Drivers should always alert motorcycles to their intention by using turn signals.

Motorcycles should always be given their own lane and space. Motorcycles move and operate in a different manner than cars do.

Motorists should educate themselves on these differences so that they understand why motorcyclists behave the way they do.

Seeking compensation
When a motorcyclist is involved in an accident with another vehicle, their risk of being severely injured or killed is great. This is not surprising since they only have their helmet and protective clothing to shield them from harm. As such, motorcyclists may lose income and incur thousands of dollars in medical debt.

If you have been injured by a motorist in a motorcycle accident, you should speak with a qualified and experienced attorney to understand what your legal rights are.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1417648#ixzz2cC6MwTkg

HDhistory Note: Over the past several years many similar studies have surfaced all pointing to the majority of motorcycle accidents being caused by motorists not giving due care and attention to their surroundings and traffic. For decades insurance companies have raked in profits by applying blanket rates to motorcycles citing the high number of accidents and insurance paid out. The premiums were applied to motorcyclists regardless of who was at fault which in my mind is grounds for a class action DISCRIMINATION suit. Common sense would point out that the victim is paying the piper not the offender. Because motorcyclists are the minority in the broad spectrum of vehicular insurance, it was easy for insurance companies to cover their losses by hiking all motorcycle rates because the public mentality is such that "motorcycles are inherently dangerous and should be penalized as such". Funny, but riding a bicycle is just as dangerous because of collisions with motorists. Are bicycles inherently dangerous?
The motoring public at large are woefully lacking in defensive driving skills in vehicles that easily give them the ability to drive far beyond their skill level. Over the years driving distractions have grown too with the advent of so many electronic gizmos and doo-dads. GPS, cell phones, dvd players, LED road side advertising so bright to get your attention and give you that sales pitch etc etc. It takes skill to ride a motorcycle because the deck is already stacked against us. But in any side by side test a motorcyclist vs a motorist, the motorcyclist will come out ahead hands down in defensive driving and predicting traffic over the average car/truck driver. Insurance companies need to see that by applying minimal premium raises to all parties and heavier rate coverage to motorists found to be the majority of fault in a car/motorcycle accident along with mandatory defensive driving classes. Our motorists need better driving skills, and insurance companies are targeting the wrong demographic. Insurance ESPECIALLY government insurance which by law cannot discriminate needs to be applied fairly for anyone to have faith in the system. We either lobby to have government intervene on our behalf for private insurance companies, or we lobby government insurance to apply all things fairly lest they be taken to task over discrimination. In 3rd world countries motorcycles are the only mode of transportation that's accessible to those who can afford it, with autos/trucks being unattainable. If you've ever seen Youtube video of rush hour in vietnam you'll see what cooperative and attentive inter-vehicular traffic is like with people paying crucial attention to what they're doing. In the western world motorcycle riding is becoming the sport of kings with the money grab rates the insurance companies charge. Forget that you can buy a motorcycle cheap...can you afford to insure it?
~ Hook for HDhistory

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Studies Show Motorists Cause Motorcycle Accidents

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Florida study shows motorists cause motorcycle accidents August 16, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ - In the last few years, motorcycles have become a popular mode of transportation around Orlando and it is common to see these two-wheeled vehicles on the highways and neighborhood lanes around the city.However, motorists often view motorcyclists as a nuisance and fail to ...

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This article shoes how there are more women theatregoers but on the stage there are more men employed to work in theatre. It surprised me that there were only 36% of theatres examined that had women as artistic directors. I thought it would be more half and half.  According to this article only 24% of directors employed by the theatres during 2011-12 were women which is very surprising to me.

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Shakespeare said that all the world's a stage - but how well does the theatre really represent women?

New research by the Guardian, in collaboration with Elizabeth Freestone of Pentabus Theatre, shows that women are still badly under represented, with a persistent 2:1 male-to-female ratio.

The research, concentrating on the top 10 subsidised theatres for 2012-13, looked at female representation in a variety of areas from actors employed to the number of playwrights commissioned for the financial year 2011-12. Board of directors, chief executives and creative teams were also examined.

Chief arts writer, Charlotte Higgins writes today:

"Our research found that there is a stubborn 2:1 male-to-female problem in English theatre, which runs from boards of directors through to actors. On the other hand, women are in the majority when it comes to the audience. According to Ipsos Mori figures produced for the Society of London Theatre in 2010, women account for around 68% of theatregoers.

Women accounted for 33% of directors on the boards of the 10 theatres examined. Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse had the worst result with only two of its 12 board members being women. The Royal Court, the only theatre to have a majority female board, had 53% women.

As the chart above shows, of the top 10 subsidised theatres, both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) are leagues apart in terms of funding from the remaining eight. Charlotte Higgins explains:

We looked at the top 10 subsidised theatres in England, which we believe are best placed to occupy a role of leadership in English theatre. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, as national flagship companies, received at least six times more over our period than the next-best-funded theatre, the Royal Court, giving them a special status among English theatres.

Analysis of artistic directors and executive directors showed a mixed result. Only 36% of the theatres examined had female artistic directors but much better representation was recorded for executive directors (67% female). Strikingly the results show that three artistic directors have never directed a play by a woman; Sir Nicholas Hytner of the National Theatre, Gregory Doran of the RSC and Paul Kerryson of the Curve Theatre, Leicester.

A study of creative crews drew some interesting results also. Only 24% of directors employed by the theatres during 2011-12 were women. Looking at creative crews as a whole (directors, designers, sound designers, lighting designers and composers) only 23% of the total employed were women. Female representation in sound design, an area of theatre Freestone highlighted in her previous research as heavily male dominated, recorded very low results.

Male actors in theatre still outweigh the number of women. 38% of actors employed during 2011-12 were female with the Royal Court and Northern Stage performing the best with 48% each. The National Theatre had the lowest representation of female actors at 34% followed by Liverpool Everyman at 36%.

Another area of interest was the number of female playwrights. In 2011-12, 35% of all playwrights of new plays were women. A result which Freestone found in her previous research was that female playwrights were more likely to write more female friendly plays with more female roles. Our latest research shows this to still be true. Of the roles written in new plays by female playwrights, 49% of the roles were for women. Male playwrights of new plays wrote 37% of their roles for women.

There are of course subtleties that the statistics in the research fail to represent. Charlotte Higgins explains in more detail:

Our statistics, for example, did not express that, of the plays by women produced at the Royal Court, all but one was staged in its smaller auditorium: meaning a smaller fee, fewer royalties, generally a less high-profile slot.

Of the live commissions in 2011-12 across the 10 theatres, 41% were by women. Birmingham Repertory Theatre recorded the highest percentage with 53% of their live commissions by women.

So why are women not equally represented throughout theatre? Why were only 38% of the actors employed by the 10 theatres in 2011-12 women? Freestone believes the root of the problem lies with Shakespeare.

Shakespeare of course wrote for all-male companies but his legacy has lived on and an analysis of his plays show that only 16% of the 981 characters he wrote were female. In her research Freestone found As You Like It to be the most female friendly Shakespeare play with 40% of the lines written for women. Click on the interactive above to explore the figures on women in Shakespeare's plays.

Looking at leading roles, Shakespeare's most verbose female character is Rosalind in As You Like It with 730 lines. In comparison, Hamlet (Shakespeare's most verbose male character) has 1539 lines followed by Richard III with 1166 lines. The table below shows the top five plays for female lines and also the bottom five.

All the new research out today can be found in our downloadable spreadsheet. The tables below show how the 10 theatres break down by actors employed, playwrights of new plays and live commissions. What can you do with this data?

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Women in theatre: how the '2:1 problem' breaks down

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Shakespeare said that all the world's a stage - but how well does the theatre really represent women? New research by the Guardian, in collaboration with Elizabeth Freestone of Pentabus Theatre, shows that women are still badly under represented, with a persistent 2:1 male-to-female ratio.

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This article talks about how the increase of safety standards on toys has reduced the number of recalls on toys over the last 3 to 4 years. I was very surprised to learn that there were nearly 172 toy recalls in 2008. Also, I found it interesting that there were 186,000 emergency room visits due to toy related accidents. That's a lot more than I would have thought.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the holidays approach and toy catalogs begin to arrive in the mail, toy shoppers can become overwhelmed with all the choices. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants parents and consumers to know that safeguards put in place in recent years are making a positive impact and helping to restore confidence in the safety of toys in the marketplace.

The new toy safeguards include: establishing the lowest lead content and lead paint limits in the world;The new toy safeguards include: establishing the lowest lead content and lead paint limits in the world; setting limits on the use of certain phthalates; converting the voluntary toy standard into a mandatory standard; and working with Customs and Border Protection data systems to track shipments as they are in transit from other countries thereby increasing our effectiveness in discovering dangerous products coming into U.S. ports.

These safeguards, along with safety-conscious steps taken by many toy makers and sellers, have contributed to a dramatic decline in toy recalls since 2008. There were 44 toy recalls in fiscal year 2010. This is down from 50 recalls in 2009 and 172 recalls in 2008. Toy recalls related to lead in 2010 were down to 3, which is far fewer than 9 in 2009 and 19 in 2008.

In addition to a decline in recalls, toy-related fatalities decreased in 2009. A new report (pdf) released by CPSC today notes that for 2009 CPSC received reports of 12 deaths to children under the age of 15, which is down from 24 toy-related fatalities in 2007 and 2008. Riding toys were associated with almost 60 percent of the reported deaths in 2009: 3 with tricycles, 2 with powered riding toys, and 2 with nonmotorized riding toys or unspecified riding toys. Most deaths were from drowning, motor vehicle accidents, or airway obstruction from a small toy or small part of a toy.

While recalls and deaths have declined, new statistics from CPSC released today show that toy-related injuries are increasing. In 2009, there were an estimated 186,000 emergency room-treated injuries related to toys with children younger than 15, which is up from 152,000 injuries in 2005. Frequently these injuries involved lacerations, contusions, and abrasions that most often occurred to a child's face and head. Importantly many of the incidents were associated with, but not necessarily caused by, a toy.

"By limiting metals and chemicals in toys and making the voluntary standard mandatory, CPSC has put safeguards in place for toys to better protect children," said Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "The increase in injuries is a concern, and we want parents to make safe purchases and for children to be safe at play. To help keep what has been called the most wonderful time of the year happy and incident-free, CPSC is encouraging consumers to adopt a three-pronged safety approach."

1. Which Toy for Which Child - Always choose age appropriate toys.

2. Gear Up for Safety - Include safety gear whenever shopping for sports-related gifts or ride-on toys, including bicycles, skates, and scooters.

3. Location, Location, Location - Be aware of your child's surroundings during play. Young children should avoid playing with ride-on toys near automobile traffic, pools or ponds. They also should avoid playing in indoor areas associated with hazards such as kitchens and bathrooms and in rooms with corded window blinds.

Here are some additional safety steps that consumers can take while shopping this holiday season:

- Scooters and other Riding Toys - Riding toys, skateboards, and in-line skates go fast, and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be worn properly at all times and be sized to fit.

- Small Balls and other Toys with Small Parts - For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.

- Balloons - Children can choke or suffocate on deflated or broken balloons. Keep deflated balloons away from children younger than eight years old. Discard broken balloons at once.

- Magnets - For children under age six, avoid building or play sets with small magnets. If magnets or pieces with magnets are swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.

Once the gifts are open:

- Immediately discard plastic wrappings or other packaging on toys before they become dangerous play things.

- Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings.

- Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to young children. Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any mechanism to prevent overcharging.

Along with educating the public, CPSC is committed to working with foreign and domestic toy manufacturers, importers, and retailers to help them understand and comply with these requirements while keeping their doors open and their businesses competitive.

Watch the CPSC Toy Safety video

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New data shows toy recalls declining, toy injuries increasing; CPSC Releases Top Three Tips for a Safer Holiday Toy Shopping and Playing Experience

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the holidays approach and toy catalogs begin to arrive in the mail, toy shoppers can become overwhelmed with all the choices. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants parents and consumers to know that safeguards put in place in recent years are making a positive impact and helping to restore confidence in the safety of toys in the marketplace.