Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Pennsylvania Fracking Study Shows Chemicals Did Not Contaminate Water

Pennsylvania Fracking Study Shows Chemicals Did Not Contaminate Water:

'via Blog this'

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Slatest PM: The police know where you've been thanks to license plate tracking.

Nothing better on hot summer evening than steamed crabs at Westminster Fire Dept

Everyone seems to having a good time at the Westminster Fire Dept crab feed

Friday, July 19, 2013

FW: How the World Views the U.S. and China, Racial Gap in Zimmerman Trial Interest, Digital Tools and Student Writing

NUMBERS, FACTS AND TRENDS SHAPING YOUR WORLD
PewResearch Center
July 18, 2013
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Publics around the world believe the global balance of power is shifting. China's economic power is on the rise, and many think it will eventually supplant the United States as the world's dominant superpower. But despite perceptions of China's increasing power, the U.S. enjoys a more favorable  global image.

The final days of the trial of George Zimmerman attracted relatively modest public interest overall, but there was a wide racial gap in interest in the trial. Blacks were more than twice as likely as whites to say they tracked news about the Zimmerman trial very closely (56% vs. 20%), and 67% of blacks say they watched at least some live coverage of the trial, compared with 38% of whites.
A majority of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers say digital tools encourage students to be more invested in their writing and make teaching writing easier. But they also worry that they are having some undesirable effects. READ THE REPORT >
As Pope Francis prepares to celebrate World Youth Day in Brazil, an analysis of census data finds that the share of Brazilians who are Catholic has been declining. The percentage of Brazilians who belong to Protestant churches, other religions or no religion has been growing. READ THE REPORT >
Public interest in news from Egypt has plummeted since the early weeks of the Arab Spring in 2011. And the share of Americans saying what happens in Egypt is "very important" to U.S. interests has fallen from 46% to 36%. READ THE REPORT >
FACT TANK
About one-in-five Americans (18%) has participated in the food stamp program. While Republicans are less likely than Democrats or Independents to say they have participated, when the political lens shifts from partisanship to ideology, the participation gap vanishes: 17% of conservatives, liberals and moderates say they have participated. READ MORE >
This week on Fact Tank: The most and least culturally diverse countries in the world; America and Congress are more polarized than ever; Twitter anger about the Zimmerman verdict; news magazines hit by a big drop in ad pages; 75% of Americans say legal status for undocumented immigrants would help the economy; and is Sen. Mike Enzi really the median age of the Senate? FOLLOW @FACTTANK >
QUOTED
The mass uprisings this summer in Egypt, Turkey and Brazil are powerful reminders that the middle classes drive history. What remains unclear, however, is where they are driving it.

ALAN MURRAY
PRESIDENT, PEW RESEARCH CENTER
IN A WALL STREET JOURNAL OP-ED >

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan source of data and analysis.
It does not take advocacy positions.
© PEW RESEARCH CENTER | 1615 L Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20036

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Cross Purposes: Haddaway: What's In a Name, Anyway?

Cross Purposes: Haddaway: What's In a Name, Anyway?: One of my cause celebres has long been for the MDGOP to do a better job recruiting and developing talented women candidates and officeholde...

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FW: Rise of Single Fathers, Growth of the Nonreligious, Demographics of reddit

NUMBERS, FACTS AND TRENDS SHAPING YOUR WORLD
PewResearch Center
July 3, 2013
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A record 8% of households with minor children in the United States are headed by a single father, up from just over 1% in 1960. The increase is likely due to the growing share of non-marital births, higher divorce rates and the increasing importance of fathers as caregivers. Single dads are younger, less educated, less financially well-off and less likely to be white compared with fathers heading households with two married parents.
RELIGION
About half of Americans say the growing number of "people who are not religious" is bad for American society. And two-thirds of Americans - affiliated and unaffiliated alike - say religion is losing its influence in Americans' lives.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Young men are especially likely to visit the site -- a bulletin of user-submitted text, links, photos, and videos on a wide selection of topics. Some 15% of male internet users ages 18-29 say that they use reddit, compared with 5% of women in the same age range and 8% of men ages 30-49. READ THE REPORT >
POLITICS
At midyear, the national opinion polls provide little indication of which way the political wind is blowing looking ahead to elections in 2014 and 2016, writes Andrew Kohut in Fact Tank. Most of the key public opinion measures are mixed, or uncertain. READ MORE >
SUPREME COURT RULINGS
On last week's rulings, 45% approve of the court's same-sex marriage decisions, while 40% disapprove. There was far less awareness of the court's decision on the Voting Rights Act than on same-sex marriage. READ THE REPORT >
FACT TANK
This week on Fact Tank: Egyptians view their military more favorably than their political parties; Millennials are less likely than older generations to say the U.S. is the greatest country in the world one-word impressions of Barack Obama and George W. Bush in their second terms; men, for the most part, still run newsrooms; and are Americans falling out of love with their cars? FOLLOW @FACTTANK >
DAILY BRIEFING
Sign up to have the latest articles relevant to the news industry -- from events in the news to research to trends in the media business -- delivered to your inbox each morning. SIGN UP >
QUOTED
We have been doing a lot of research here to look at the changing visions of fatherhood. We've seen that a father's role is going beyond just the breadwinner. Generally, fathers are being expected to fulfill the same type of things as mothers.

GRETCHEN LIVINGSTON
SENIOR RESEARCHER, PEW RESEARCH CENTER'S SOCIAL & DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS PROJECT
IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL >

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan source of data and analysis.
It does not take advocacy positions.
© PEW RESEARCH CENTER | 1615 L Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20036