Washington better be working on jobs

News out today: Nearly 1 in 6 Americans in poverty, Census says WASHINGTON (AP) — The ranks of the nation's poor have swelled to a record 46.2 million — nearly 1 in 6 Americans — as the prolonged pain of the recession leaves millions still struggling and out of work. And the number without health insurance has reached 49.9 million, the most in over two decades. Regardless of who is in the White House, regardless of the political party, we need a good, effective, intelligent jobs bill and we need it as soon as possible. Anyone who gets in the way should have to pay for that obstruction, one way or another (but only politically). Link: http://news.yahoo.com/nearly-1-6-americans-poverty-census-says-184424635.html

Missouri Census Information out next week

News out today: "Next week, the U.S. Census Bureau will release the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Idaho, Missouri, Ohio, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. During June through August, the Census Bureau will provide statistics for states each week on a flow basis. These Summary File 1 tables will provide the most detailed information available so far from the 2010 Census, including cross-tabulations of age, sex, households, families, relationship to householder, characteristics of owners and renters, detailed race and Hispanic or Latino origin groups, and group quarters. The Summary File will be available for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The information will be available for a variety of geographic areas, with most tables available down to the block or census tract level." 'Cuz I knew you'd want to know. Link: http://news.yahoo.com/census-bureau-release-2010-census-summary-file-1-181605257.html;_ylt=AidmhbBCT4rzB7skqCWpKN.w73QA;_ylu=X3oDMTN1Z3U3bWphBGNjb2RlA3ZzaGFyZWFnMnVwcmVzdARwa2cDOGNkYjU5OWEtNjBiMS0zNDQ5LThmZWUtMjQ1NzU4OTQxN2MwBHBvcwM2BHNlYwNuZXdzX2Zvcl95b3UEdmVyAzJhZTY1ODEwLWIyMzMtMTFlMC1hYjM1LTIxMDIzYWVkOGI5Yw--;_ylg=X3oDMTJyM2YwOTZoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMTQwZmMwNTYtZTQ1OS0zYTMwLWFjMjItYmFiMzFlY2M5M2YzBHBzdGNhdANidXNpbmVzcwRwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3

People will be flipping out about this

In the news today: Census shows whites lose US majority among babies: From the article: "WASHINGTON – For the first time, more than half of the children under age 2 in the U.S. are minorities, part of a sweeping race change and a growing age divide between mostly white, older Americans and fast-growing younger ethnic populations that could reshape government policies. I can almost hear the racists and rednecks now, can't you? Link to original article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110623/ap_on_go_ot/us_census_white_minority

Kansas: one of the shrinking states

New census data came out yesterday and part of it showed bad news for the state of Kansas:


According to newly released census data, Americans are fleeing the Great Plains for sunnier climes in record numbers, the decades-long trend only accelerating in the 21st century.


The data, as mapped by the site New Geography, shows that North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas all had more counties with total population decreases than increases between 2000 and 2010. 


The growers?  The states that are adding population?  They are:  The metro areas that grew the fastest were all in the west or south.


No surprise.


More Kansas data:


The data also offer information about changes in America's racial makeup. Many of the counties that saw the largest increases in their Hispanic populations were in traditional Hispanic strongholds, including southern California, Arizona, and south Florida. But others were more surprising: Counties in eastern Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma all saw an influx of Hispanics, reflecting a trend over the last decade in which many recent Latino immigrants have spread beyond urban centers like Los Angeles and Phoenix into more rural parts of the country.


Yeah, get over it.  Don't be a racist hater.


Interesting stuff.


Now, if you're Kansas Governor Sam Brownback right now, what do you do, if anything, to see to it your state's population doesn't continue to sharply decrease?


Danged if I'd know.


I guess I'd harp on that "more jobs", thing.


I sure wouldn't try to destroy the Arts Commission.  If you don't have a state Arts Commission to help make the state more appealing, jobs alone isn't going to do it.


And the more beauty they can add to Kansas, the better.


In fact, one of the best things, I think, Kansas may have going for it, annually, that might attract more people to the state is the annual "Symphony in the Hills" when the Kansas City Symphony plays in the Flint Hills, smack dab in the middle of Kansas.


So much for that "killing the arts" idea, eh, Governor?


Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110330/ts_yblog_thelookout/new-census-data-shows-which-areas-of-america-are-growing-shrinking

Uh-oh

Article out today:

US 'heartland' near historic shift from Midwest

By HOPE YEN, Associated Press – 1 hr 1 min ago

WASHINGTON – America's population center is edging away from the Midwest, pulled by Hispanic growth in the Southwest, according to census figures. The historic shift is changing the nation's politics and even the traditional notion of the country's heartland — long the symbol of mainstream American beliefs and culture.

The West is now home to the four fastest-growing states — Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho — and has surpassed the Midwest in population, according to 2010 figures. California and Texas added to the southwestern population tilt, making up more than one-fourth of the nation's total gains since 2000.

When the Census Bureau announces a new mean center of population next month, geographers believe it will be placed in or around Texas County, Mo., southwest of the present location in Phelps County, Mo. That would put the center at the outer edge of the Midwest, on a path to leave the region by midcentury.

Just sayin'.

The sky isn't falling but it's changing.

Link to original post:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110308/ap_on_re_us/us_census_america_s_heartland

California: what a mess

Okay, we know California has horrible budget problems, is broke and can't afford, nearly, to even exist but now comes news that they have five of the worst cities , nationally, for air quality, too.

Additionally, and to make matters worse, news out this morning also shows that "Five states — New York, California, Texas, Arizona and Florida — are perilously close to losing out on congressional seats because of lackluster participation in the U.S. census."

(Side note, four of those five have really horrible real estate and economy markets, to boot, to date. You can bet the government officials are screaming at the top of their lungs about now, telling people to fill in those census forms, if it isn't too late, and to get them in.)

California: it sucks to be you.

Can you say "to hell in a handbasket"?