A daily roundup of fresh data from scholars, governments, think tanks, pollsters and other social science researchers.

Politics 72% of Americans view Israel favorably, 12% Iran, Gallup More Americans now view Afghanistan war as a mistake, Gallup Ohio voters divided on death penalty, Quinnipiac The link between campaign contributions and ambassadorships, The Monkey Cage

Economy A visual history of Obama’s economic policy, The Washington Post The continuing burden of student debt, The Washington Post Biggest increase in household debt since 3q 2007, New York Fed Latest U.S. housing market index and data, NAHB/Wells Fargo Foreigners net sellers of U.S. stocks in 2013, first time since 1992, New York Times Aging boomers pushing down labor force participation, Center for Retirement Research Startups are starting up hiring plans, The Wall Street Journal Increasing minimum wage would lift many out of poverty but cost jobs, CBO For decades, minimum wage not enough to lift most out of poverty, Fact Tank Americans hoping tax refunds will cushion rainy day funds, National Retail Federation

Health & Society Lung cancer is most life-consuming of all cancers, The Washington Post Highest injury rate among Winter Olympic sports: snowboard cross, The Washington Post Almost one-third use online review ratings to chose physicians, JAMA via HNGN Violent crime down 3.6% in cities and 10.5% in non-cities in 2013, FBI College students who don’t submit test scores perform well, Chronicle of Higher Ed. Data profile of the uninsured in California, Kaiser Family Foundation Prison-based education declined during economic downturn, RAND Corporation

International Majority of Afghans are ‘suffering’ in 2013, Gallup 87% in UK used internet in Q4 2013, Office for National Statistics OECD GDP growth rate stable at 0.6% in Q4 2013, OECD Namibia, Thailand most dangerous countries for drivers, U. Mich. via The Atlantic Cities You can legally vote twice in France, The Monkey Cage How Canada’s parties became ideologically polarized in two decades, The Monkey Cage

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