Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

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  • short reads

    Hispanics Say Bring U.S. Troops Home from Iraq

    That’s the percent of Hispanics who now favor bringing troops home as soon as possible, up from 51% in January 2005, and considerably higher than the number (about one in two) among the general public who think so.

  • report

    War Dominates Again, But Breaking News Defines the Week

    The deteriorating conflict in Iraq was still the leading story line in the news last week. But the media were also tested by a terror false alarm, a major campaign trail gaffe, lethal weather, and the tragic death of a great athlete, according to the PEJ News Coverage Index.

  • report

    Mega-donors Get Mixed Election Returns

    A bevy of big donors poured some of their personal fortunes into last year’s gubernatorial, state legislative and ballot-measure contests. But the super-rich had a mixed record in their single-handed efforts to sway election outcomes. In some cases, the motives of wealthy donors even backfired against their candidates or causes.

  • short reads

    Hey, Big Spenders!

    That’s the (negative) percentage of their after-tax income that Americans saved last year — the lowest savings rate since 1933 when, in the depths of the Great Depression, one in four workers were jobless.

  • short reads

    Dogs Edge Cats–Dad Trails Both

    That’s the number of dog owners who say they feel “close” to their pet — beating both the number of Americans who say that about their cats (84%) and the number who say that about their fathers (74%).

  • report

    The Talk is All About Iraq, Clinton, and Bush

    The cable talkers didn’t have much to say about the State of the Union address, and the liberal hosts didn’t weigh in on Clinton’s presidential bid. But war and politics still managed to dominate the talk show agenda last week—even more so than the overall news coverage.

  • report

    Tagging

    28% of internet users have tagged or categorized content online such as photos, news stories or blog posts. Findings and interview with David Weinberger

  • report

    Lake Wobegon, U.S.A.

    Huge discrepancies exist between student scores on state-designed tests and on national tests.

  • report

    Politics, War, and a Crucial Speech Top the News Index

    The increasingly crowded 2008 presidential field and the intensifying political battle over Iraq competed with President Bush’s State of the Union Address for media attention last week. But the PEJ index of the news also reveals that a series of smoldering global hotspots are now attracting more coverage.