Government Benefits Comparison Tool
This tool allows you to compare retiree benefit data of localities of similar size and location.
You will find:
- Detailed health care and pension data on the typical benefits cities and counties offer their retirees.
- How they pay or plan to pay for these benefits.
You can search by
- population size
- state
- geographic region
- size of the general fund revenue.
+ Government Benefits Comparison Tool
Source: Center for State and Local Government Excellence
The United States government, unlike Canada and many Western European countries, does not have legislation mandating universal health care coverage to its citizens. While the elderly, persons with disabilities, veterans, military service families and the poor are often eligible for government health care assistance, health insurance is often obtained through the work place. In a few instances, states have attempted to pass their own laws to provide health care to cover all residents or all uninsured residents. Four states–Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont–provide examples of differing legislative approaches to providing such broad based care.
Each state in the report from the Law Library of Congress covers background information, coverage, employer contributions, individual contributions, benefits assistance, and possible exemptions.
Source: Law Library of Congress
2009 State Sales Tax Holidays
Table includes links to specific state information.
Source: Federation of Tax Administrators
Another interesting and helpful fast-fact guide. This time a look at the disabled population in the U.S.
Numbers Include:
41.2 million
Number of people who have some level of disability. They represent 15 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population 5 and older.
By age —
+ 6 percent of children 5 to 15 have disabilities.
+ 12 percent of people 16 to 64 have disabilities.
+ 41 percent of adults 65 and older have disabilities
+ 1.8 million
Number of people 15 and older who report being unable to see printed words at all or were blind.
+ 59%
Percent of people 21 to 64 with difficulty hearing that were employed. The corresponding percentage for those with difficulty seeing was 41 percent.
+ 98.5%
Percent of transit buses that were ADA lift- or ramp-equipped, as of 2006. This represents an increase from 61.7 percent in 1995.
These are just the tip of the iceberg. Many more stats are listed on the web page.
Source: U.S. Census
Resources of the Week — Round-Up — Resources, Facts, and Real Time Tracking for STS-127: Space Shuttle Endeavour
By Gary Price, Senior/Founding Editor
After several delays the shuttle is set to launch today at about 7pm (EDST). Here’s a set of resources — all from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration — that might be of interest.
Real Time Tracking
+ Shuttle and ISS Tracker
+ Real Time Shuttle, ISS and Satellite Tracking (Java)
+ JTrack 3D (Java)
+ Skywatch 2.0 (Java Applet)
+ Space Shuttle and ISS Real Time Ground Spotting Opportunities
Blogs, Twitter Feeds, RSS Feeds, Video
+ Launch Blog
+ NASA Twitter Feed
+ Astronaut Twitter Feed (Mark Polansky, Commander of STS-127)
+ NASA Facebook Page
+ STS-127 RSS Feed
+ NASA’s YouTube Channel
+ NASA TV Schedule (You Can Watch This Service Online)
+ Direct to Live NASA TV Feeds (5 channels Available)
Materials and Press Kits for STS-127
+ Mission Press Kit (6.8 Mb PDF)
+ Mission Summary (429 Kb PDF)
+ Launch and Landing Facts
+ Crew Bios
+ STS-127 Countdown Timeline
+ STS-127 Mission Timeline (Requires Flash)
Shuttle Fast Facts
+ Remaining Space Shuttle Missions (PDF)
+ Flights by Orbiter
+ Night Launches
+ Extended Missions
+ Extended Duration Missions
+ Shortened Missions
+ End of Mission Landings
Imagery
+ NASAImages.org (a Service of the Internet Archive)
Some related resources:
+ History of U.S. Space Flight (David Shedden, Library Director, Poynter Institute)
This page deals with the history of space flight, including links to resources about the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle, and other space flights.
+ Congressional Research Service Reports (via OpenCRS)
+ Miscellaneous Reports (via DocuTicker)
10 lists along with background articles and methodology.
Featuring U.S. ad spending, division sales, personnel, brands and agencies.
2] Rankings, Analysis, Charts And More
3] U.S. Ad Spend Trends: 2008 (PDF)
By U.S. measured media spending in 2008
5] Total U.S. Advertising Spending by Medium
6] Total U.S. Measured Advertising Spending by Category
7] Top 10 Advertisers in 10 Media
Top spenders in magazine, newspaper, outdoor, radio, broadcast TV, cable and internet based in measured media
8] U.S. Advertising as Percent of Sales
Marketers in key ad categories for 2008: Automotive, retail, restaurants, wireless, beverages, beer, prescription drugs, personal care and credit cards.
10] Methodology and Background Articles
Methodology is found near the bottom of the page.
Source: AdAge
Direct to CIA World Factbook Web Site
On Monday, June 8, the World Factbook team unveiled its thoroughly redesigned Web site. Presenting a cleaner look, improved navigation, and a host of added features, the new site provides visitors with a more user-friendly experience. More than 3 million visitors access the online Factbook monthly. The world-renowned Factbook provides visitors with wide-ranging and hard-to-locate information about the background, geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 countries and other entities.
Key changes to the site include:
+ An overhaul of the entire site’s look/feel, including new uniform navigation throughout the Factbook site.
+ A new homepage, featuring: A color-coded, easily navigable world map
+ A featured links section that showcases regional maps, flags of the world, and a gallery of Factbook covers
+ Country pages now have collapsible/expandable content, giving visitors more information at their fingertips
In addition to the new look and improved navigation, the site provides several exciting new features:
Downloadable and printable photos for nearly 100 countries
+ “Did You Know?” section that explains the impact of the Factbook around the world
+ “What’s New” section that highlights recent significant updates and additions
+ Built-in world rankings for many of the Factbook information fields
Direct to CIA World Factbook Web Site
Source: Central Intelligence Agency
Don’t know Lagerfeld from Lanvin?
TheBudgetFashionista’s Guide to the Designers You Need Know is a will fill you in on the designers and design lines that you need to know to be a well informed fashionista.
What you’ll find in this guide:
- A pronunciation guide. So you can finally pronounce “Versace” correctly.
- Tips for getting the designs for less. Cause there’s no since in having an authentic Fendi bag, if you can’t pay your bills
- Notes on designers who have/had budget friendly lines…
Source: TheBudgetFashionista
Interactive map creates online memorial to troops
Each year on Memorial Day, tens of thousands of Americans visit Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington to pay tribute to the men and women who died serving the United States.
For people who are unable to make the trip, a new online memorial provides a unique way to honor those service members who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The new Google Earth layer, called Map the Fallen, enables the user to pinpoint where, when, and how each service member died since the beginning of the war in Afghanistan. A line connects the service member’s approximate location of death to his or her hometown.
The interactive tool — available at mapthefallen.org — also offers a detailed profile of each person.
Sean Askay, a Google engineer with no military affiliation who developed the layer in his free time, explains the project on his blog.
Source: CNN (via Bay News)
See Also: Veterans History Project (via Library of Congress)
See Also: Vietnam-Era POW/MIA Database (via Federal Research Division, LC
USDA Economic Research Service: Customer Guide (May 2009)
This guide is intended to serve as a key resource for external customers to assist them in finding the right sources and subject matter experts for their information needs. The guide contains a directory of ERS web addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers, organized by subject area. The last section contains contact information for sources outside ERS.
+ Full Document (PDF; 944 KB)
A Field Guide to Freeway Interchanges
Everybody knows what a cloverleaf looks like — but could you identify a volleyball, a double trumpet, or a “spooey” if you drove on one in the course of your highway travels? These are among the distinctive designs that transportation engineers have conjured up to keep traffic flowing and motorists headed in the right direction when major roads intersect.
For your driverly edification, we’ve compiled photo examples of more than 20 different kinds of strange and delightful highway interchanges found both here in the US and abroad. In fact, right now stimulus dollars are being spent to build or upgrade many interchanges into one of these forms.
Source: The Infrastructurist
America’s Parents Vote for Change on Social Security’s Most Popular Baby Names List
In 2008, American parents voted for change in naming their children. After a 12-year reign as the most popular baby name, Emily has slipped to third on the list. Emma is now the nation’s most popular name for girls.
The most popular boy’s name, Jacob, remained the same for the 10th year in a row.
Boys
Girls
Free Access to Swine Flu Information from DynaMed
Due to the recent global outbreak of Swine Influenza, EBSCO Publishing and the DynaMed Editors have made the main elements of the DynaMed clinical summary for Swine Influenza free to health care providers and institutions throughout the world. The DynaMed topic on Swine Influenza consolidates information from multiple sources for health care providers to stay current with recommendations for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating patients with flu-like illnesses during this outbreak. DynaMed Editors will continue to monitor information and update this topic as needed throughout this global crisis.
DynaMed is a point-of-care reference resource designed to provide clinicians with the best available evidence to support clinical decision-making. DynaMed is part of the suite of medical products owned and provided by EBSCO Publishing and is updated daily by monitoring medical literature sources.
via Bill Drew, Baby Boomer Librarian
See also: Resources of the Week: Swine Flu
This Fact for Features “fact compilation” from the U.S. Census looks at the Mexican population, trade with Mexico, Mexican Businesses, in the U.S. and Mexican food.
+ 29.2 million
Number of U.S. residents of Mexican origin in 2007. These residents constituted 10 percent of the nation’s total population and 64 percent of the Hispanic population+ 25.8
Median age of people in the United States of Mexican descent. This compares with 36.7 years for the population as a whole.+ $96.7 billion
Sales and receipts for firms owned by people of Mexican origin in 2002.+ 347
Number of U.S. tortilla manufacturing establishments in 2006
Source: U.S. Census
Facts for Features: 2009 Hurricane Season Begins
The north Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and lasts through November. The U.S. Census Bureau produces timely local data that are critical to emergency planning, preparedness and recovery efforts. This edition of Facts for Features highlights the number of people living in areas that could be most affected by these dramatic acts of nature.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Census 2010: What Is It All About?
A census offers a “snapshot” of the entire population on a specific date: How many people reside within the national borders, who they are, where they live. Every 10 years since 1790, data from the census have been used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. With the next census just one year away, PRB will provide continuing coverage of the 2010 Census, explaining why this census is so different from previous ones, and highlighting the depth and breadth of information the census collects. We will also publish data and analysis of census results as they are released.
Articles already on the Census 2010 site cover these topics: Census History; the American Community Survey; Apportionment; 2010 Timetable, and 2010 Questionnaire. We also provide a list of additional resources, including links to related websites and content.
Source: Population Reference Bureau
2009 Pulitzer Prizewinners and Nominated Finalists
JOURNALISM:
- Public Service – Las Vegas Sun
- Breaking News Reporting – The New York Times Staff
- Investigative Reporting – David Barstow of The New York Times
- Explanatory Reporting – Bettina Boxall and Julie Cart of the Los Angeles Times
- Local Reporting -Detroit Free Press Staff and Ryan Gabrielson and Paul Giblin of the East Valley Tribune, Mesa, AZ
- National Reporting – St. Petersburg Times Staff
- International Reporting – The New York Times Staff
- Feature Writing – Lane DeGregory of the St. Petersburg Times
- Commentary – Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post
- Criticism – Holland Cotter of The New York Times
- Editorial Writing – Mark Mahoney of The Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY
- Editorial Cartooning – Steve Breen of The San Diego Union-Tribune
- Breaking News Photography – Patrick Farrell of The Miami Herald
- Feature Photography – Damon Winter of The New York Times
LETTERS, DRAMA and MUSIC:
- Fiction – Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Random House)
- Drama – Ruined by Lynn Nottage
- History – The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed (W.W. Norton & Company)
- Biography – American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham (Random House)
- Poetry – The Shadow of Sirius by W.S. Merwin (Copper Canyon Press)
- General Nonfiction – Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II by Douglas A. Blackmon (Doubleday)
- Music – Double Sextet by Steve Reich, premiered March 26, 2008 in Richmond, VA (Boosey & Hawkes)
Source: The Pulitzer Prizes
FTC Offers Pay-off Information to Consumers with Non-bank Credit Cards
Carrying a credit card balance can be expensive for consumers, especially for those who make only minimum monthly payments. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 requires that consumers be provided with toll-free telephone numbers to call for an estimate of how long it will take to pay off their credit card balance, if they make minimum payments. To obtain appropriate information, consumers should call the telephone number for pay-off information that will be on their credit card billing statement. Large banks and the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) will be providing consumers with telephone numbers to call for pay-off information for bank-issued cards. Banks issue nearly all credit cards, including co-branded cards that have the name of an airline or a retailer.
The FTC is providing a telephone number (1-888-600-4804) for consumers with non-bank cards to call for their estimated pay-off information. Information is available in both English and Spanish. For consumers who prefer to use the Internet, the Commission also has posted on its Web site a calculator that provides the same information. To access the FTC’s on-line calculator, consumers should click on http://www.ftc.gov/creditcardcalculator. For Spanish-language consumers, information is available at http://www.ftc.gov/calculadora. The FRB, which is responsible for implementing the Bankruptcy Act, developed the telephone program and calculator.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
See also: Federal Reserve Board’s online Credit Card Repayment Calculator
The Municipal Reference Radar
A current awareness blog for city staff by the Virginia Beach Public Library. Provides pointers to new reports and news and features of interest to city workers. Nicely integrated with Google News items about Virginia Beach, as well as relevant new books and a blogroll of other potentially useful sources.
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Also check out DocuTicker, a compendium of 'grey literature' (reports published by government agencies, think tanks, research institutes and other public interest groups) available for free on the web.
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